Stitch Exercises
Jump-start your creativity with read-made Stitch Exercises for your BERNINA.
Creative Designs
Expert Instruction
Beautiful Results
Let Us Help You Get Started!
Use our proven Stitch Exercises to quickly build skills, focus on learning your BERNINA, and enjoy the stitching process.
Stitch Exercises are downloadable PDFs with clear, step‑by‑step instructions. You’ll find Sewing Mode exercises that explore decorative stitches, creative combinations, and key features, along with Embroidery Mode exercises that teach embroidery and computerized quilting while introducing essential Embroidery Mode functions. Each exercise guides you through exactly which BERNINA features to use—and when—so you can learn confidently and stitch with success.
Sewing Mode Exercises
Think Beyond Straight Stitch
Your sewing machine’s stitch library is bursting with creative potential—these Stitch Exercises help you to unlock it. Get started creating with your decorative stitch patterns with our tried and tested recipes and add flair to your projects, decorative borders and trim.
Stitch Recipe 01.
Pair stitch patterns from the Quilting, Geometric and Heirloom categories to craft a recipe with a delicate ribbon effect.
Compatible Machines: BERNINA Machines equipped with these features:
- Jumbo Stitch OR Pattern Extend Function
- Mirror Left/Right
- Change Needle Position
- Camera & Pinpoint Laser (optional but helpful)
Stitch Recipe Width: 1 5/8"
Stitch Recipe 02.
Stack two Stitch Patterns from the Cross Stitch Category for a simple to stitch recipe.
Compatible Machines: BERNINA Machines equipped with these features:
- Change Needle Position
- Camera & Pinpoint Laser (optional but helpful)
Stitch Recipe Width: 3/4"
Stitch Recipe 03.
A great exercise in aligning stacked rows of stitch patterns from the Cross Stitch category to create a uniform and balanced stitch recipe.
Compatible Machines: BERNINA Machines equipped with these features:
- Jumbo Stitch OR Pattern Extend Function
- Change Needle Position
- Mirror Left/Right
- Camera & Pinpoint Laser (optional but helpful)
Stitch Recipe Width: 1 3/8"
Fall Stitch Recipe
The Fall Stitch Recipe uses a stitch pattern from the Nature Category, creating an ideal fall stitch recipe for autumn-themed crafts.
Compatible Machines: BERNINA Machines equipped with these features:
- Triple Stitch Function
- Mirror Left/Right
- Camera & Pinpoint Laser (optional but helpful)
Stitch Recipe Width: 3/4"
Stitch Recipe 04.
Three bold, triple-stitched patterns combine in Stitch Recipe 04. to create this 1 1/2" wide stitch combination.
Compatible Machines: BERNINA Machines equipped with these features:
- Jumbo Stitch OR Pattern Extend Function
- Mirror Left/Right
- Camera & Pinpoint Laser (optional but helpful)
Stitch Recipe Width: 1 1/2"
Holiday Stitch Recipe
This 2" wide stitch recipe combines four coordinated stitch patterns into one seamless embellishment—perfect for trimming stockings, placemats, shelf pillows, and more.
Compatible Machines: BERNINA Machines equipped with these features:
- Jumbo Stitch OR Pattern Extend Function
- Mirror Left/Right
- Camera & Pinpoint Laser (optional but helpful)
Stitch Recipe Width: 2"
Quilt Label 01.
Quilt labels are the finishing touch every quilt deserves, and Quilt Label 01. is not only a perfect place to begin—it’s also a powerful skill‑builder. This exercise strengthens your confidence with Combi Mode and Jumbo Stitch functions while showing how to make the rows of stitches a consistent length, which is important when making quilt labels. Designed for the BERNINA 990.
B 990 Features Used: Jumbo Stitch, Combi Mode, Repeat, Triple Stitch, Mirror Right/Left, Pinpoint Laser and BERNINA Camera optional.
Stitch Recipe Width: 2.5"
Embroidery Mode Exercises
Build your own quilted fabric
Create beautifully textured quilted fabric as the foundation for bags, placemats, pillows, and more! These exercises show how to turn a single decorative stitch pattern into a quilted background pattern that fills your hoop—ready to quilt your fabric and batting layers.
Quilted Background 01.
Learn to take a single stitch pattern and create an overall quilted background pattern —perfect for creating your own quilted fabric.
Machine Features Used: Jumbo Stitch, Repeat.
Embroidery Features Used: Show Start/Stop, Move, Mirror, Duplicate, Group, Save.
Compatible Machine(s): BERNINA 990
Featured Hoop: Giant Hoop
Finished Quilted Background Size: 9.4" x 13.9"
Re-hooping Quilted Background Designs
You have successfully created your quilted background pattern and you want to quilt a large piece of quilted fabric. The next step involves aligning, hooping and re-hooping. How do you keep your stitching seamless and your quilted background patterns aligned? This exercise shows how allowing you to create a larger piece of quilted fabric.
Embroidery Features Used: Free Point Placement.
Compatible Machine(s): Embroidery Compatible Machines.*
Finished Quilted Fabric Size: 19" x 28" *
*This exercise uses Quilted Background 01. Pattern and the Giant Hoop on the B 990 to produce the finished size listed. However, if you’re using a different machine or hoop size you can still stitch along with a Quilted Background Pattern you have created! The marking and re-hooping techniques work the same way, no matter which machine or hoop you’re using.
Quilted Background 02.
Create a starry quilted texture starting with a single stitch pattern—perfect for Christmas or the 4th of July quilted projects.
Machine Features Used: Jumbo Stitch, Repeat.
Embroidery Features Used: Show Start/Stop, Move, Mirror, Duplicate, Group, Save.
Compatible Machine(s): BERNINA 990
Featured Hoop: Large Magnetic Hoop
Finished Quilted Background Size: 7.8" x 10"
Quilted Background 03. Love Loops
Create a beautifully textured heart‑themed quilted background design using decorative stitch pattern #1608 on the BERNINA 990.
Machine Features Used: Jumbo Stitch, Repeat.
Embroidery Features Used: Show Start/Stop, Move, Mirror, Duplicate, Group, Save.
Compatible Machine(s): BERNINA 990
Featured Hoop: Giant Hoop
Finished Quilted Background Size: 10.8" x 15.2"
Quilted Background 03. Lucky Lines
Use Combi Mode and Stitch Pattern #244 on the B 990 to build a custom row of lucky shamrock stitches, then stitch it repeatedly in the giant hoop to form a seamless, all-over quilt design.
Machine Features Used: Combi Mode, Jumbo Stitch, Repeat.
Embroidery Features Used: Show Start/Stop, Move, Mirror, Duplicate, Group, Save.
Compatible Machine(s): BERNINA 990
Featured Hoop: Giant Hoop
Finished Quilted Background Size: 10.9" x 14.2"
The Process
01.
Click "Buy Now" on the Design Shop Exercise you wish to buy. You will be directed to the checkout page where you will complete your transaction.
02.
Go to "My Library" to access all of your Stitch Maker purchases. Your purchased Design Shop Exercise will be waiting for you there!
03.
Select the Design Shop Exercise. Choose to download and print or save the exercise pdf. on your computer, tablet of phone.
Simple as that!
FAQ's
How do I know if my machine has the features and stitches needed for one of the Stitch Recipe Designs?
What Presser Feet are used for the Stitch Recipes?
Are there refunds for this digital download?
Can I share the Stitch Recipe Design I purchased with a friend?
Nice To Meet You!
Meet Connie, the owner of Stitch Maker and creator of the Stitch Exercises designs and patterns.
Connie's journey began as a BERNINA Dealer, eventually leading her to various roles at BERNINA of America, including District Sales Manager, Director of Education and Training, and Manager of BERNINA Embroidery Products. Throughout the years, Connie has worked with BERNINA Dealers and customers and noticed that sewists often invest in sewing machines with incredible features but don't utilize them to their full potential. As a result, she set out to provide high-quality online education to help sewist to understand their machine's capabilities and leverage them to become more efficient and master any sewing technique.
Design Shop Designs are one of the online learning resources offered by Stitch Maker to help you conquer your BERNINA.
Keep Making Stitches!
Connie
Join the Stitch Maker Email List
Stay inspired and in the loop with all things Stitch Maker!
Get updates whenever a new learning tool drops so you can keep growing your skills, one stitch at a time.
