A name on a school jumper, a logo on a polo shirt, a monogram on a set of towels. Each one takes a few minutes on an embroidery machine, and each one is something a customer will happily pay extra for.
That is why an embroidery machine is one of the few pieces of sewing equipment that can earn back its own price. The question is which one, and for most people in Kenya buying their first, it comes down to two bernette models.
What an embroidery machine actually does
You hoop the fabric, choose a design on the screen, and the machine moves the hoop under the needle and stitches the design by itself. Your job is to change the thread colour when it asks. Designs come built in, and you can load thousands more from a USB stick.
The two machines side by side
| bernette b70 DECO | bernette b79 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | KES 261,000 | KES 362,000 |
| What it does | Embroidery only | Sewing and embroidery |
| Embroidery area | 260 x 160 mm | 260 x 160 mm |
| Built-in designs | 208 | 208 |
| Sewing stitches | None | 500 |
| Screen | 5-inch colour touchscreen | 5-inch colour touchscreen |
Best if you already own a sewing machine
bernette b70 DECO
KES 261,000
A machine that does one thing and does it properly. Because it only embroiders, you are not paying for sewing functions you already have, and your sewing machine stays free for sewing while the b70 stitches a logo beside it. For a tailor or a uniform business, that means two jobs running at once.
260 x 160 mm embroidery area · 208 designs · 7 alphabets · 850 stitches a minute · 3 hoops included · USB
See the b70 DECO
Best if you want one machine for everything
bernette b79
KES 362,000
The b79 is a top-of-the-range sewing machine and the b70's embroidery unit in a single body. You get 500 stitches, dual feed that grips tricky fabrics from above and below, and sewing speeds up to 1,000 stitches a minute. Slide on the embroidery module and it becomes a full embroidery machine. If space is tight or you are equipping a workroom from nothing, this is the one.
500 stitches · Dual feed · 260 x 160 mm embroidery area · 208 designs · USB
See the b79Which one should you buy?
You have a sewing machine you are happy with: choose the b70 DECO and save KES 101,000.
You want to sew and embroider on one machine: choose the b79.
You plan to embroider for customers most of the day: the b70 DECO keeps your sewing machine free.
You are buying your one serious machine for the next ten years: the b79 will not leave you wanting.
Can I use designs I buy online?
Yes. Both machines read designs from a USB stick in the common embroidery formats, including EXP, PES, DST, JEF and VP3, so designs sold online for other brands will usually load without any conversion.
What else you will need
Embroidery uses its own supplies: machine embroidery thread, stabiliser to back the fabric, and embroidery needles. Budget for these alongside the machine, and ask us to put a starter set together so you can stitch your first design the day you take it home.
See one stitch a design in front of you
Come to our shop on the 1st floor of Sarit Centre and watch an embroidery machine at work before you decide.
See the b70 DECOOr call us on +254 798 316860
In Stitches is the authorised Bernina and bernette distributor in Kenya.
Prices correct at the time of writing.
