Bernette 35 Swiss Design Sewing Machine Review

A Good, Simple Swiss Design Machine for Beginners

Bernina has long been known for making great, affordable sewing machines, and that made them almost ideal for beginners. Lots of people remember starting on a Bernina sewing machine and spending years using it.

Their Bernette line of machines is probably one of the best in this regard, and most of them offer a great introduction to mechanical machines for beginners.

The Bernette 35 excels at this, and it offers beginners a reliable and versatile machine to use without overwhelming them with too many options.

But, which options and features does it have?

Stick around and read my full Bernette 35 review to find out!

The Bernette 35 at a Glance

For the basic info about the Bernette 35, you need not look any further than this chart right here:

In case you want to know more, including all the features that the machine has to offer, stick with me, and read my full Bernette 35 review.

The Top Features of the Bernette 35

Modern sewing machines tend to have a ton of features, and this one is no different. It’s difficult to parse through them all when you’re a casual customer or a beginner, so I’ll highlight the most important ones here.

23 Built-in Stitches

This machine features 23 stitches already built into it. That’s not much by the standards of computerized machines, but for a mechanical one, it’s more than enough.

This includes 14 utility stitches and some decorative stitches as well as a buttonhole stitch.

7 Different Sewing Feet

This machine comes with 7 sewing feet included in the package. These are a zigzag foot, a zipper foot, a button-sew-on foot, a buttonhole foot, a hemmer foot, a satin stitch foot, and a blind stitch foot.

For a beginner, this will be more than enough, and most pros will also get a lot of use out of them.

Adjustable Stitch Length and Width

This machine allows you to easily change the length or width of any stitch by turning one of the dials on the machine. It’s quick and easy, and even a kid can do it.

A Decent Amount of Accessories

Besides just the sewing feet you also get a lot of other gear included with this machine. In the package are 4 bobbins, a set of needles, two screwdrivers and a seam ripper. It’s not too much, but it’s all useful stuff for sure.

The Remaining Features of the Bernette 35

While those features are what I consider to be the standouts of the machine, it’s just a small fraction of what the Bernette 35 has to offer. Take a look at all the other features it has in store for you.

• Tension adjustment wheel
• Automatic one-step buttonhole function
• Free arm
• Two-step presser foot lift
• Foot controller
• Manual thread cutter
• Manual needle threader
• Built-in storage compartment
• 10-year warranty

My Full Bernette 35 Review

This is a fairly simple machine as you might notice when you first look at it, but that’s far from being a bad thing in my book. Mechanical machines are often a bit simpler on the face of it but they can be surprisingly versatile and reliable.

Setting everything up is easy – you just use the dials on the face of the machine and choose the settings you want. You don’t have to get lost in menus on a touchscreen or anything like that.

There are a few different settings to keep track off, with one of the most important being the stitch you want to use. The machine has a total of 23 built-in stitches, and that’s more than enough for beginners and people looking for a simpler machine.

Among the stitches included you’ll find 14 utility stitches, some decorative ones, and a useful 1-step buttonhole. If you don’t know how to make buttonholes or struggle with it, this will be of great help.

Other adjustments you can make include altering the length and width of every stitch between 1 and 5mm, giving you even more versatility.

The large wheel on the side is used for tension adjustment – this might feel a bit unfamiliar to people who only used computerized machines, but it’s essential. I think it’s good to start with a mechanical machine in order to learn the importance of correct tension.

Another thing you’ll have to do manually with this machine is needle threading – it does include a needle threader, yes, but it is operated manually. You won’t have to do it completely unassisted.

The thread cutter is manual too, but it works well enough, so nothing to complain about there.

Besides those adjustments, you can also switch between 7 different sewing feet which come with the machine. All the basics are covered, and you’ll be able to do a lot of good work with them.

The machine works quite fast, and it has more than enough strength, it’s almost a heavy-duty sewing machine. It has more than enough speed too, and it’s able to do most things – work with thick materials like denim or leather, quilting, etc.

It does shake a lot when you use it at top speeds though, and you will notice that it makes a ton of noise if you use it for some tougher work. That includes thicker fabrics, multiple layers of fabric, and so on.

Those problems can be mitigated by using sewing machine oil on it regularly, which will make it work smoother but you will have to do it a lot. It can quickly become a drain on your budget.

Luckily, the machine itself doesn’t cost too much, and it’s not a machine which will need a lot of fixing. The construction is robust, and nothing seems flimsy or easily breakable. It can survive some common beginner mistakes for sure.

All of this is what makes it a great sewing machine for beginners and it’s a great starter machine if you’re just getting into the sewing world. It might not be the right sewing machine for a kid, but you can even give that a try.

Even if you’re someone who’s done a bit more sewing work than usual, you might find some use out of this machine. It’s a good, sturdy little workhorse that can perform most basic sewing tasks with ease and some non-standard ones as well.

The Pros and Cons of the Bernette 35 Sewing Machine

Here’s a quick summary of everything I thought was good – or bad – about the Bernette 35 sewing machine. Take a look.

The Conclusion

So, here we are at the end, and you might be wondering – is the Bernette 35 sewing machine worth buying?

Well, I can only tell you what I think about it, and you’ll have to make the final decision yourself – but for my money, I think it’s more than worth purchasing, especially if you’re looking for a beginner machine.

It’s sturdy, it doesn’t cost too much, and it can do most basic things that you would need out of a sewing machine. It has more than enough strength and speed for most tasks as well.

If you get it, it’ll surely last for years and justify its price twice over.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Do you have any questions? Post it all in the comments below, and I’ll get to it as soon as possible – hearing from you is always great.

Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one!