BERNINA 790 ULTRA Sewing, Quilting & Embroidery Machine
The BERNINA 790 ULTRA is a premium computerised sewing and quilting machine with advanced embroidery capability. Designed for ambitious quilters, garment makers, textile artists and embroidery enthusiasts, it combines the familiar working space of the BERNINA 7 Series with integrated stitch regulation, sensor-enabled stitch plates, precise design placement and powerful on-screen editing.
At the centre of the experience is a large 7-inch colour touch screen with an on-machine Help Center. Creative functions such as Jumbo Stitch, Stitch Designer, Sideways Motion and computerised quilting give you room to develop original work, while practical features—including BERNINA Dual Feed, the Pinpoint Laser, automatic needle threading and a front-loading Jumbo Bobbin—help make detailed projects easier to manage.
- BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulator for free-motion quilting and ruler work
- Jumbo Stitch scaling from 25% to 500%
- Automatic recognition of three included sensor-enabled stitch plates
- 2-, 3- and 4-Point Placement with Morphing for embroidery and quilting designs
- Advanced computerised quilting tools including Crop and Connect
- Stitch Designer and 360-degree multi-directional sewing
- BERNINA Pinpoint Laser for a clear indication of the needle entry point
- 7-inch colour touch screen with Help Center and USB mouse support
- 254 mm of sewing space to the right of the needle
- WiFi and USB connectivity for supported design workflows
Who Is the BERNINA 790 ULTRA For?
This machine is particularly well suited to makers who want one high-performance platform for several creative disciplines:
- Quilters: use integrated stitch regulation for free-motion work and ruler work, or explore computerised quilting with editable BQM designs.
- Embroiderers: position, reshape, crop, connect and edit designs directly on the machine when using a compatible embroidery module and hoop.
- Garment makers: benefit from generous working space, automatic functions, BERNINA Dual Feed and precise needle-position guidance.
- Decorative sewists and textile artists: enlarge stitches and monograms, draw original stitches and sew sideways-motion patterns in multiple directions.
- Experienced makers planning a long-term upgrade: access advanced tools without moving to the larger physical format of a 9 Series machine.
Integrated Stitch Regulation for More Flexible Quilting
The BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulator, or BISR, brings stitch regulation into the machine itself. Attach the included 5.5 mm BISR Stitch Plate with Sensor and select a suitable BERNINA quilting foot for the technique. The machine then helps maintain a consistent selected stitch length as you move the quilt at changing speeds.
Because regulation is integrated, it can be used across free-motion quilting applications and ruler work with compatible BERNINA quilting feet and accessories. This is particularly useful when moving between stippling, echo quilting, detailed motifs and guided ruler designs without being limited to one dedicated stitch-regulating foot.
Automatic Stitch Plate Recognition
The B 790 ULTRA identifies its sensor-enabled stitch plates as they are installed. This adds an extra level of protection by helping the machine account for the fitted plate when determining suitable needle movement and stitch settings.
Three sensor-enabled plates are confirmed as included:
- 9 mm Standard Stitch Plate with Sensor
- Straight Stitch Plate with Sensor
- 5.5 mm BISR Stitch Plate with Sensor
Stitch plates for earlier machines should not be assumed to provide the same recognition or BISR functions. Please confirm individual part numbers with Two Petals before using an existing plate.
Make Decorative Stitches Bigger with Jumbo Stitch
Jumbo Stitch allows a suitable stitch or monogram to be resized from 25% to 500%. Rather than simply making a conventional decorative row, you can turn selected stitches into larger design elements for quilt borders, bag panels, cushions, clothing details and textile-art projects.
The wider scaling range is especially useful when you want a stitch to become a focal point. Results will vary with the selected stitch, fabric, stabiliser, thread and scale, so testing on a prepared fabric sample is recommended before stitching the final project.
Create and Sew Your Own Stitches
Stitch Designer lets you draw, adjust and refine individual stitches on the touch screen. Undo and redo controls make it easier to test changes, while Sideways Motion enables the machine to form compatible patterns in multiple directions rather than relying only on forward and reverse fabric feed.
Together, Stitch Designer and 360-degree directional sewing open up creative possibilities for custom borders, decorative motifs, monograms and surface embellishment. The Pinpoint Laser complements this work by indicating where the needle is expected to enter the fabric across the available needle positions.
Advanced Embroidery Placement and Editing
When the B 790 ULTRA is set up with a compatible Embroidery Module L and hoop, its placement functions help align designs with real fabric features rather than relying only on the centre of the hoop.
2-, 3- and 4-Point Placement
Define reference points on the hooped project and use them to position the design. Depending on the selected function, the machine can place the design proportionally or morph it to fit the boundary you create. This can help with quilt blocks, garment panels, bag sections, borders and projects where the available stitching area is not perfectly square.
Crop and Connect
The Crop function can remove portions of a compatible quilting design along an adjustable line or at the hoop boundary. Connect can join multiple quilt-design elements with connecting stitches so they can be managed as a more continuous layout.
Customisable Quilt Designs
Supported BQM quilt designs can be scaled and adjusted with control over quilting-oriented settings such as stitches per inch. The machine can also work with saved BQM projects, giving embroiderers and quilters a bridge between domestic machine embroidery and computer-guided quilting techniques.
Important: embroidery and computerised quilting functions require the appropriate embroidery module, hoop and project setup. Package contents can vary by market or promotion, so confirm the exact module and hoop inclusions with Two Petals before purchase.
Smart Guidance on a 7-Inch Touch Screen
The centrally positioned colour touch screen supports familiar gestures such as dragging, dropping and swiping. A compatible USB mouse can also be connected when you want more precise control while editing or positioning items on screen.
The built-in Help Center provides access to machine guidance, tutorials, the user manual and the Creative Consultant. Supported Help Center information can also be viewed on a smartphone or tablet by scanning the displayed QR code and connecting through WiFi.
Automatic Needle Threading and Everyday Convenience
At the push of a button, the automatic needle threader guides the upper thread through a compatible needle. BERNINA specifies automatic threading from needle size 70 when using suitable standard embroidery needles. Needle style, eye size, thread thickness and condition still matter, so very fine needles or specialty threads may need to be threaded manually.
Additional workflow features include automatic thread cutting, automatic presser-foot lifting, adjustable presser-foot pressure, upper and lower thread monitoring, bobbin winding while sewing or embroidering, the BERNINA Free Hand System and a programmable foot control.
Fabric Feeding and Bobbin Capacity
BERNINA Dual Feed provides additional top feeding for compatible presser feet. It can be helpful when working with slippery fabrics, patterned layers, quilt sandwiches and materials that tend to shift. When it is not needed, the Dual Feed mechanism moves out of the working area.
The front-loading BERNINA Jumbo Bobbin holds up to 70% more thread than a conventional BERNINA bobbin. This reduces interruptions during long seams, decorative stitching, quilting and embroidery while retaining convenient access from the front of the machine.
Compatibility and Package Checks Before Buying
- Embroidery module: embroidery and computerised quilting require a compatible Embroidery Module L, which Two Petals includes with this machine as standard.
- Presser feet: use BERNINA feet approved for the machine’s 9 mm system and the selected technique. Dual Feed requires a compatible “D” foot.
- Stitch plates: the three included sensor plates support recognition, but older BERNINA plates should be checked by part number before use.
- Bobbins: use genuine bobbins made for the BERNINA Hook system rather than assuming conventional domestic bobbins will fit.
- Needles: the machine uses household flat-shank needles from the 130/705 H family. Match the point and size to the fabric, thread and technique.
- Software: embroidery software is not required for the built-in machine functions, but separate software may be useful for digitising and more advanced design creation. Confirm software inclusions and current system requirements separately.
- Older accessories: many BERNINA accessories are model-category and part-number dependent. Please ask Two Petals to check older hoops, feet, plates and specialty tools before purchase.
Browse BERNINA sewing machines and sewing machine accessories , or choose project-appropriate supplies such as BERNINA jersey and embroidery needles .
BERNINA 790 ULTRA Compared with the BERNINA 790 PRO
Both models share a spacious 7 Series platform, Pinpoint Laser, automatic needle threading, WiFi, BERNINA Dual Feed and advanced sewing and embroidery functions. The B 790 ULTRA extends the concept with BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulation, automatic recognition of its sensor-enabled plates, Jumbo Stitch scaling, 3-Point Placement with Morphing and expanded computerised-quilting tools such as Crop and Connect.
For buyers primarily interested in conventional sewing and embroidery, the 790 PRO may still cover many desired functions. The ULTRA becomes particularly compelling when integrated free-motion regulation, ruler-work support and advanced computerised quilting are central to your projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the BERNINA 790 ULTRA sew, quilt and embroider?
Yes. It is designed for sewing and quilting and has extensive embroidery capability. Embroidery and computerised quilting require a compatible Embroidery Module L and hoop, so confirm the exact Two Petals package contents before ordering.
Is the embroidery module included with the BERNINA 790 ULTRA?
Package inclusions may differ between countries, promotions and dealer bundles. The B 790 ULTRA is compatible with the Embroidery Module L with Smart Drive Technology which Two Petals includes as standard with this machine.
What is BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulation?
BISR is the machine’s integrated system for regulating stitch length during free-motion quilting. Install the included 5.5 mm BISR sensor plate and a suitable quilting foot, then move the fabric manually while the machine adjusts its stitching response to your movement.
Can BISR be used for ruler work?
Yes. BERNINA specifies BISR for quilting applications including ruler work. Use a compatible ruler foot and rulers designed for machine quilting, and ensure the foot height and machine settings suit the thickness of the quilt sandwich.
Does the B 790 ULTRA still work with a traditional BERNINA BSR foot?
The machine introduces integrated regulation through the BISR plate and can also work with BERNINA quilting accessories. Because quilting-foot compatibility can depend on the exact accessory and intended mode, ask Two Petals to check the part number of an existing BSR foot before purchase.
What does the Pinpoint Laser do?
The laser indicates the expected needle entry point, helping with accurate starts, corners, placement marks and alignment. It works across the machine’s available needle positions and can be used during sewing and embroidery preparation.
How large is the working area?
There is 254 mm or 10 inches of space to the right of the needle, with approximately 127 mm of workspace height. This provides room for quilts, garments, bags and other larger projects while keeping the machine within the established 7 Series format.
How large can the BERNINA 790 ULTRA embroider?
The machine supports an embroidery field of up to 400 x 210 mm when used with the correct Embroidery Module L and compatible hoop. Actual usable area depends on the attached hoop and selected design.
Can I enlarge every stitch to 500%?
Jumbo Stitch provides scaling from 25% to 500% for suitable stitches and monograms. Not every functional stitch or setting will necessarily be available for extreme scaling. Always test enlarged decorative work with the intended fabric, thread and stabiliser.
Can I design stitches on the machine?
Yes. Stitch Designer lets you draw and refine your own stitch on the touch screen. Sideways Motion can then form compatible designs in multiple directions for decorative sewing.
Can I connect a mouse to the screen?
Yes. A compatible USB mouse can be connected for an alternative way to navigate and edit on screen. The touch screen can still be operated directly with a finger or suitable touch-screen pen.
Do I need WiFi to use the machine?
No. Core sewing and quilting functions do not depend on WiFi. WiFi supports selected connected features such as design workflows, the Help Center and compatible app functions. USB remains available for supported file transfer and updates.
What bobbins does the B 790 ULTRA use?
It uses the front-loading Jumbo Bobbin made for the BERNINA Hook. Conventional domestic bobbins and bobbins intended for other BERNINA hook systems should not be substituted.
What needles does the machine use?
Use suitable household flat-shank needles from the 130/705 H family. Choose a universal, quilting, jeans, stretch, embroidery, Microtex or other specialty point according to the fabric and thread. The automatic threader is specified for compatible needles from size 70.
Is the BERNINA 790 ULTRA suitable for a beginner?
The large screen, automatic functions and Help Center make the controls approachable, but this is a feature-rich premium machine. It best suits a committed beginner who wants room to grow or an experienced maker ready to explore advanced quilting and embroidery.
Can I use presser feet and hoops from an older BERNINA?
Some accessories may be compatible, but compatibility should be checked by exact model and part number. Do not assume that an older stitch plate will support sensor recognition or BISR, or that every older hoop will provide the maximum embroidery area.
What support is available from Two Petals?
Two Petals is an authorised BERNINA warranty provider and offers direct in-house assistance, routine servicing and repairs. This local support is especially valuable for machine setup, accessory matching, software questions and maintaining a premium sewing and embroidery machine.
Warranty and Local Service
The current Two Petals listing states:
- 10 years on mechanical parts
- 5 years on motors, electrical and electronic parts
Warranty coverage is subject to the applicable Australian warranty terms, proof of purchase, correct use and any required maintenance or registration conditions. Contact Two Petals for the current written warranty details and exclusions.
Buying Summary
Choose the BERNINA 790 ULTRA if you want a premium 7 Series machine that can move comfortably between precise garment sewing, decorative work, free-motion quilting, ruler work and advanced embroidery-based quilting. Its defining upgrades—BISR, sensor plate recognition, Jumbo Stitch and expanded placement and Crop-and-Connect functions—are most valuable to makers who intend to use the machine’s advanced creative tools rather than only its everyday stitches.
Before completing your purchase, confirm the exact embroidery module, hoop, presser-foot and promotional inclusions with Two Petals. You can also discuss the compatibility of accessories you already own and arrange advice on delivery, setup, servicing and ongoing support.
