From Hand Sewing to Hollywood Magic: Meet 2024 BERNINA Ambassador, Jessica Cronin

Hello, beautiful WeAllSew Community! I’m absolutely thrilled to introduce myself as one of your 2024 BERNINA Ambassadors. My name is Jessica Cronin, and my story weaves together centuries of sewing tradition with cutting-edge technology – much like the incredible machines we all love.

Where It All Began: A Legacy of Stitches

My sewing journey started in the most traditional way possible. My grandmother was an avid sewer and living historian at Old Sturbridge Village. One summer my mom signed me up for the OSV Summer Program. It was during this summer where she taught me to sew my first sewing sampler. I loved it. Every tiny stitch was a lesson in patience, precision, and respect for the craft that has connected generations of makers. Those early days taught me that sewing isn’t just about fabric and thread and beautiful little hand stitches. It’s about preserving stories, creating beauty, and honoring the hands that came before us. I always loved sitting there listening to her stories, talking to the visitors and seeing progress work its way through my hands.

What started as a way to pass the summer ignited a lifelong passion for artistic craftsmanship. This passion would eventually lead me from those quiet museum rooms to the bustling sewing studios of New York City and Hollywood.

From Period Pieces to Picture Perfect

Today, I wear many creative hats and whether I’m researching 19th-century construction techniques for a period drama or designing a fantasy gown that feels both magical and historically grounded, precision and reliability are everything in my professional world. So when deadlines are tight, standards are high, there’s no room for equipment that can’t keep up with professional demands.

Why BERNINA Captured My Heart (and My Professional Trust)

My love affair with BERNINA began in the most practical way possible. It was in the professional costume shops where I first encountered the legendary BERNINA 1008. Talk about a workhorse! From grad school to Broadway – that machine carried me through countless late-night alterations, last-minute repairs, and ambitious construction projects. I soon found out that when you’re working on a film set and an actor rips their arm hole doing a stunt and it needs to be sewn up between camera takes, time is money and the pressure is on! You need a machine that starts up reliably every single time, handles any fabric you throw at it, and delivers professional results that are camera ready!

That’s what makes BERNINA special. It’s not just the Swiss precision engineering (though that’s certainly part of it). It’s the way these machines seem to understand that sewing is both an art and a craft. The machine is an extension of you. These machines are built for creators who demand excellence, whether you’re quilting a family heirloom or constructing a period-accurate corset that needs to withstand the rigors of a 12 hour day, 6 month film shoot.

BERNINA’s commitment to innovation while honoring traditional craftsmanship speaks directly to my heart. Their state-of-the-art technology doesn’t replace the artisan’s touch – it enhances it. BERNINA makes impossible projects possible and brings professional-grade capabilities into the hands of passionate home sewers and professionals alike.

Meet My New Studio Companion: The B 770 QE Plus Kaffe Edition

I’m beyond excited to introduce you to my NEW creative partner: the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS Kaffe Edition sewing machine. This isn’t just any sewing machine. It’s a perfect marriage of cutting-edge technology and elegant design that makes my historically-minded heart sing.

The moment I saw this machine, I knew it would transform how I approach my work. The precision of the stitches, the intuitive technology, the thread cut tool that is so handy when sewing in many many boning channels! The reliability that I’ve come to expect from BERNINA, all wrapped up in a design that’s as beautiful as it is functional. PLUS I can EMBROIDER and QUILT now, think of all the quilted and embroidered historical garments we can make!

To think that sewing machines were invented in 1829 and here I am with the mothership of all sewing machines – It is SO exciting. Because whether I’m testing my limits sewing with many layers of fabric and leather or recreating historical embroidery – this machine bridges the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation.

What’s Coming: Historical Costumes Meets High-Tech Magic

Here’s where I get really excited (and I hope you do too!): I’m planning to share everything I’ve learned about creating authentic historical costumes using modern BERNINA technology. Imagine combining centuries-old construction techniques with the precision and efficiency of today’s most advanced sewing machines.

We’ll explore how to use the B 770 QE PLUS Kaffe Edition’s advanced features to achieve the same results our sewing ancestors created by hand – but with the accuracy and speed that makes these projects accessible to modern makers. From corset construction to quilted petticoats, to recreating historical embroidery, we’ll dive deep into the techniques that bring history to life through our use of the B 770 QE PLUS Kaffe Edition’s fabulous features.

Let’s Connect and Create Together

I believe that every sewist has something valuable to contribute to the sewing community. My background might be in professional costume design, but my heart is with makers of all skill levels who share a passion for creating something beautiful and meaningful.

You can follow my journey and find more of my work at:

• Website: www.jessicacroninstudio.com
• Instagram: @jesscronindesigns
• Tiktok: @jesscronindesigns
• Youtube: Jessica Cronin @jesscronindesigns

My Historical Fantasy Brand can be found on Instagram and Renegade Couture on Etsy.

The Thread That Binds Us

I can’t wait to share this adventure with you, to learn from your projects and experiences, and to explore together how we can honor traditional sewing techniques while embracing and exploring the incredible capabilities of modern BERNINA machines.

Welcome to my creative world – let’s make something beautiful together!

What historical periods or costume techniques would you most like to explore? Drop a comment below and let me know what projects you’re excited to tackle with your BERNINA machine!