Services
Keeping your machine in tip-top shape.....its what service is all about - and house calls too!!!It's simple really, a yearly cleaning, inspection and routine maintenance. For a flat fee, we open up the machine, clean and inspect the entire machine, adjust it to factory specifications, and on newer machines, we update the firmware when necessary and perform the necessary checks in the computer service mode. We ask that you bring your foot control and cord with your machine, and if possible take a few minutes to sew on it with us, so we can see and hear anything that might be an issue. After all, you know how your machine behaves better than anyone else. Anything that we find during the routine service that is worn or damaged, we will inform you of the price on parts and labor and discuss it with you and give you an estimate before we go any further.
We also offer a pickup and delivery service, because we know very well how big and heavy some of these machines can be and how valuable your time can be. It's free within a 10-mile radius from our shop - Yakima, West Valley, Moxee, Selah, Gleed, Naches. While a $20.00 modest charge for outlying areas - Ellensburg and Cle Elum to the North, and Wapato, Toppenish, Zillah, Granger, Sunnyside to the South, also include pickup and delivery. We think the time and fuel is worth the cost and we will buckle your baby in the seat and treat it like a family member while we have it in our vehicle.
We also are glad to show you some of the more basic things YOU can do for your machine. If you're not sure how to clean the bobbin or hook area, exactly where to oil, etc. we will be happy to walk you through it.
Lets be honest, sewing machines are not household appliances. They are a precision machine and require and deserve proper care. Whatever model of machine you have we know it is an investment and was built to last, our commitment is to help you make that investment last as long as is possible.
Our charge is a flat fee that varies by machine model, this includes a thorough cleaning and inspection of your machine. For computerized machines we check all the electronics settings and tests and update firmware as required. For all machines we check all the factory settings - tensions, timings, feed dog height, and many more that are required and re set any that are out of spec back to factory specs. We then lubricate the machine and test sew on it. All of our service work has a 90 day service warranty
During any routine maintenance if we find any issues that are beyond that scope we will contact you with our estimate of what is wrong and what it will take to repair that before we do anything else. Generally speaking BERNINA machines are very well made and dont have many chronic problems, mostly we see wear from mileage and age and we have seen enough of them to know what to expect on them as time and mileage accumulate.
Service and Repair Warranty Terms - If we sold it to you or serviced it, we stand behind it.
The Quilters Cafe is an authorized BERNINA Service Dealership. Our staff is trained and certified through Bernina of America, Inc. See the BERNINA of America website for complete factory warranty details on BERNINA machines. We use only factory BERNINA parts on the service and repair of your machine. We guarantee that the parts installed by us will perform satisfactorily under conditions of normal usage for a period of ninety days after the date of repair. See our The Quilters Cafe work order for complete service warranty details.
Tech Tip - How often should I be changing needles?
Needles don’t last forever and you need to replace them as necessary. Also, sewing over pins cannot only damage a needle but your machine as well. Bernina is asked such questions on their USA website and publishes the following advice:
How often do I need to replace my needle and why?
You should always change your needle after 4–6 hours of sewing time as the tip gets worn and burrs on the needle can damage your fabric and needle plate. Skipped stitches may occur with a worn or damaged needle. It is also important not to sew over pins, as the needle can easily hit the pin, burring or blunting the needle. The pin can also break and be pushed into the sewing machine, damaging the internal parts. (Article Ref. #: faq0018)
On occasion, customers bring their machines in for repair due to bad stitch quality. One example is large loops being caused simply by a needle that had struck a pin, bending into a hook. Other problems are caused by a blunted or burred needle. Sometimes replacing the needle is all that is required. Other times you need to bring in your machine to have the timing fixed because of a needle maligning from striking a pin. So be sure to change your needle after 4–6 hours of actual sewing and please, don’t sew over pins!