Lingerie Series, Part One: Sewing with the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS

What a year 2025 we have had!

After being on one brand of sewing machine since the 80s, I have the ultimate pleasure of joining the BERNINA family as an Ambassador. My new sewing buddy is the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS (quilters edition…all my quilter friends are clapping right now…)

Now, because I’m a lingerie making instructor and owner of BraBuilders.com, my selfish sewing is rare, but so worth the wait every time I get to play with my new machine. So I decided to create a blog series, showcasing how the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS makes lingerie sewing effortless.

If you are new to lingerie making, the features of a machine that are needed most are filed under: “don’t eat my lace”! Our fabrics, laces, and elastics have their own requirements to be handled and sewn effectively, and I found this machine to have that and more…especially when you have various presser feet and internal features to accommodate your needs.

Dual Feed Sewing

One of the most important features in sewing lingerie fabrics is how the machine treats your laces and fabrics as you are sewing. We use delicate nylon fabrics, very thin and stretchy, and laces that are either mesh or tulle. The question is how the machine moves the fabric through while being stitched, also meaning, does the presser foot pressure match the fabric? Dual Feed is the answer…movement of the feed dogs that treats the fabric with care (same as walking foot motion)…moving the fabric through from the top and bottom.

Quarter Inch (1/4”) Sewing

Whether you have a 1/4” foot or not, having the ability to move your needle to the right at the touch of a button – RIGHT ON THE FRONT OF THE MACHINE – is a dream! This feature is used throughout the making of your garment without changing the presser foot.

3-step Zigzag Stitch

This is the main stitch that I use to sew on the areas of stretch in lingerie making…on top of elastics always, attaching elastics to legs and waist of the matching panty and any other area of stretch where you would typically use a zig-zag stitch. The 3-step zigzag offers more stretchability in our lingerie pieces. AND, here is the magic: this stitch can be lengthened and widened or made narrower with a turn of a button. The BERNINA 770 QE PLUS has a touch screen where you can see an image of your stitch in real time. Then, you can save your stitch so your buddy remembers how you roll!

I have been making lingerie garments for months now with my new BERNINA 770 QE PLUS, and she teaches me something new each time–and I’ve been sewing forever. When you look at the video below showcasing the Veronica Teddy, you’ll see all the features mentioned above and a few more of my favorites:

There’s only one way it goes–no confusion!

• To wind the bobbin, thread through the top and place the bobbin on the pin with the sensor surface down and push the button – there’s only one way it goes on!

• When loading the bobbin into the bobbin cage, place the bobbin in with the sensory surface in first and bring the thread through to the top, and begin sewing – there’s only one way it goes in!

• When changing the presser foot, snap one off and snap the new one on–there’s only one way they go on! And then, if you have the wrong presser foot on for your task, the machine will tell you. Imagine that: the machine makes you a better sewist!

• Your buddy will also tell you when anything is wrong: you left the bobbin cover open (me!), bobbin close to running out, thread needs attention up top, and I’m sure there are more things I have not discovered yet that the machine will alert me to….just wait!

Stay tuned for more lingerie-making shenanigans with me and my new sewing buddy – as this Series will continue showing we make bras, a matching panty, silk garments, and whatever we dream up.

Thanks for the love
– Nikki