bernette · sewing-machine guide
Needles, bobbins, presser feet and everyday setup, explained from manufacturer documents.
Standard shank height, bobbin dimensions and Class 15 interchangeability have not been confirmed. Use the specified bobbin and check the exact foot and stitch setup before buying substitutes.
Before changing parts or cleaning: switch off and unplug. These summaries do not replace the manual’s diagrams and full safety instructions. The stop button does not isolate power.
This guide is for the bernette b38. References shared with the b37 do not make the machines interchangeable. Other names, regional versions and generations have not been confirmed here.
Use 130/705H needles. The manual lists 11/75 or 14/90 for general sewing, with other sizes and threads chosen for the fabric. Check its fabric-and-thread chart and test a scrap first.
Keep in mind: The fabric chart is not an unrestricted needle-size range.
Use plastic bobbins marked J, as specified in the manual. The bobbin sits in a horizontal hook. Follow the illustrated holder notches and threading diagram; the thread runs counterclockwise in the manual’s top view. Other bobbins, including pre-wound paper bobbins, may cause stitching problems or damage the holder.
Keep in mind: Switch off and unplug before removing parts. The manual’s insertion paragraph includes an ambiguous winder-spindle sentence; use the matching illustration. Class 15 equivalence, dimensions and substitutes are not confirmed.
Ordinary soles snap onto the holder. A rear-holder lever releases the sole. To attach it, place the sole’s pin under the holder notch and follow the manual’s illustrated lowering step. The holder itself fastens with a setscrew. Use the correct lettered foot for the selected stitch.
Keep in mind: Switch off and unplug before removing or changing parts. Snap-on soles and a screw-fastened holder do not confirm a standard shank height, adapter or third-party foot fit. Extra lift is not shank height.
The b38 brochure lists a maximum stitch width of 7 mm, maximum stitch length of 5 mm and maximum sewing speed of 820 stitches per minute. It also lists 170 mm to the right of the needle.
Keep in mind: These are the b38 column’s specifications, not a claim that all maximum settings can be used together. The arm measurement is not overall machine width or embroidery-hoop size.
Use the correct twin needle and foot setup, press the Twin Needle button, and check clearance by turning the handwheel through the first stitch. Use thin threads numbered 60 or higher, test first and raise the needle before turning the fabric. Patterns cannot be memorized in twin mode.
Keep in mind: A blinking twin-needle mark and caution buzzer mean an unsupported pattern; other keys do not respond while it blinks. Width restriction does not guarantee clearance for every needle spacing or foot.
The start/stop button cannot run the machine while the foot control is connected. Follow the manual’s connection and power-isolation instructions to disconnect it before using button operation. The slider limits sewing speed; pressing the pedal farther increases speed within that limit.
Keep in mind: The highest presser-foot position prevents running and blinks the foot mark. A controller warning that keeps blinking can mean controller trouble; check the warning table. Bobbin winding has separate speed instructions.
Use buttonhole foot R and follow the manual’s standard-buttonhole setup. Its button holder takes buttons up to 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter; test thick buttons first. Lower the buttonhole lever fully. The standard cycle stops automatically and trims only when the cutter indicator is on.
Keep in mind: Button diameter is not the finished hole-length limit. An adjustment gap at the button holder and the forbidden gap between slider and stopper are different locations. Raise the buttonhole lever fully afterward.
For the needle threader, the manual specifies needles numbered 11–16 or a blue-shank needle, and recommends thread sizes 50–90. Switch off, lower the foot and raise the needle fully before using it. Do not use the threader with a twin needle.
Keep in mind: These limits apply to the threader; they are not the machine’s full needle-size range.
The feed-dog lever is under the rear free-arm bed. To restore normal feeding, move it in the illustrated raise direction and turn the handwheel toward you. The feed dogs must be up for normal sewing.
Keep in mind: Moving the lever alone does not complete the restore operation. This lever does not establish a dual-feed or walking-feed mechanism.
For a straight seam, the threads should lock between the fabric layers. Higher dial numbers tighten the upper thread. Bobbin thread on top with bumps can indicate too much upper tension; upper thread underneath with bumps can indicate too little. Zigzag has its own illustrated balance checks.
Keep in mind: Fabric, thickness, layers, thread and stitch type affect the result. These checks do not identify a guaranteed cause for every looping or thread-break problem.
Switch off and unplug first. Use the manual’s illustrated cleaning section for the plate, bobbin holder, feed dogs, cutter and hook race; do not disassemble beyond it. In that section, the manual specifies two drops of oil on the felt in the middle of the hook race.
Keep in mind: The cited passage does not establish an oil specification or repeat interval. This location-specific instruction is not advice to oil other areas or open electronics. Follow the illustrated reassembly and holder-stopper alignment.
Check the warning table for the exact symbol. Pedal connection, a raised foot, the buttonhole lever and bobbin-winder position have different instructions. The out-of-order/blinking-controller warning and E1–E7 direct you to a service center or store.
Keep in mind: For the overload row, the manual specifies at least 15 seconds before restarting. Switch off and unplug before accessing tangled thread, and follow the care limits. Waiting is not a guaranteed repair or permission to keep restarting a jam. Printed cross-references need checking against this manual’s actual illustrated sections.
Each answer lists its document and page numbers. “PDF page” counts from the first page of the file; “printed page” is the number on the page itself. The two can differ.
About this document & page references →
bernette b37 b38 mastery workbook; copyright 2017 · 24 pages
Shared b37/b38 workbook; only the cited b38 guidance is used here. Copyright 2017 is a document date, not a machine manufacture date.
Read the source document ↗
We checked that this file matched the source used here on 2026-10-13. The publisher may later replace its file.
PDF files are not hosted here. Where no publisher download is linked, use the title and page references to locate the document.
About this document & page references →
bernette b38 instruction manual · 72 pages
English · January 2026 · third edition. Use the illustrated instructions for the procedures summarized above.
Model-specific operating instructions; this is not a service or repair manual.
PDF files are not hosted here. Where no publisher download is linked, use the title and page references to locate the document.
About this document & page references →
bernette b30 series brochure · 12 pages
Specifications above use the b38 column, not a neighboring model.
PDF files are not hosted here. Where no publisher download is linked, use the title and page references to locate the document.
About this document & page references →
bernette accessories catalog 2025 · 56 pages
Accessory reference. A catalog listing alone does not confirm a replacement part fits your machine.
PDF files are not hosted here. Where no publisher download is linked, use the title and page references to locate the document.
About this document & page references →
bernette accessories catalog 2024 · 56 pages
Accessory reference. A catalog listing alone does not confirm a replacement part fits your machine.
PDF files are not hosted here. Where no publisher download is linked, use the title and page references to locate the document.
Standard shank height, bobbin dimensions and Class 15 interchangeability have not been confirmed. Use the specified bobbin and check the exact foot and stitch setup before buying substitutes.
Bobbin part numbers, replacement bobbin holders, standardized shank classification, accessory adapters and broader replacement-part fit are not confirmed by this guide. Model-specific service and exploded-parts references are not supplied here. No hands-on compatibility testing is claimed.
Alex Shick · Founder and editor. Corrections managed by Alex Shick.
This bernette 38 guide is based on documents, with AI assistance to organize the information. We have not tested or repaired the machine.
Check the document edition with each answer. A source review date is not a machine inspection date or a promise that the manual is the latest edition.
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