Bernina BERNINA L 620 Air Threading Coverstitch Machine | NZ

Create the neat, stretchy hems and topstitching you see on professionally made T-shirts, activewear and knit garments with the new BERNINA L 620 Coverstitch Machine. Designed specifically for coverstitch and chainstitch sewing, it combines an illuminated One-Step BERNINA Air Threader with a built-in needle threader, BERNINA Free Hand System and generous workspace to make professional garment finishing considerably easier.

At a Glance

• One-Step BERNINA Air Threader for fast, easy looper threading
• Built-in needle threader makes threading the needles easier
• BERNINA Free Hand System (FHS) raises the presser foot and lowers the feed dog with your knee
• Programmable Needle Stop lets you choose whether the needles stop up or down
• Slide-on Table with coverstitch insert and seam markings provides extra support and a useful guide for consistent hems

Machine Type: Dedicated Coverstitch & Chainstitch Machine
Number of Stitches: 7
Coverstitch Width: 3mm / 6mm
Maximum Sewing Speed: 1,200 stitches per minute
Space Right of Needle: 120mm
Looper Threading: Illuminated One-Step BERNINA Air Threader
Needle Threader: Built-in
Differential Feed: Yes
BERNINA Free Hand System: Yes
Needle Stop Up/Down: Programmable
Speed Control: Yes
Clear Cover/Chainstitch Foot #C28: Included
Slide-on Table: Included
Coverstitch Insert with Seam Markings: Included
Machine Weight: 9.5kg

Meet the New BERNINA L 620 Coverstitch Machine

If you've ever looked at the hem of a professionally made T-shirt and wondered how to achieve that same finish at home, a coverstitch machine is the answer.

The BERNINA L 620 is a dedicated coverstitch and chainstitch machine designed for the finishing techniques garment makers use every day. Create stretchy hems on T-shirts and activewear, finish necklines and bindings, add professional topstitching or use chainstitch creatively for construction and decoration.

Unlike an overlocker, the L 620 doesn't trim the fabric as it sews. It can stitch within the body of your fabric rather than only working along a raw edge, making it an ideal partner to an overlocker when you want beautifully constructed garments with a polished, ready-to-wear finish.

Professional Coverstitch Hems at Home

This is where a dedicated coverstitch machine really earns its place in your sewing room.

Look at the bottom hem of a favourite T-shirt and you'll usually see parallel rows of straight stitching on the outside with a flexible thread formation underneath. Coverstitch creates this familiar professional finish while retaining the stretch needed for knitted fabrics.

Use the L 620 for T-shirts, sweatshirts, leggings, children's clothing, sportswear, activewear, lingerie and other stretch garments where a conventional straight-stitched hem may not provide enough flexibility.

Coverstitch isn't limited to hems either. Use it for necklines, bindings, elastic applications, topstitching and decorative effects.

One-Step BERNINA Air Threader

Threading shouldn't be the reason you avoid using your coverstitch machine.

The L 620 uses the illuminated One-Step BERNINA Air Threader for the looper. Simply position the thread at the threading nozzle and activate the system using the foot control. Air carries the thread through the looper path while both of your hands remain free.

Colour-coded one-path threading makes the threading route easy to follow, while the magnetic all-in-one looper cover gives you quick access when preparing the machine.

It's a significant improvement over the fiddly looper threading traditionally associated with coverstitch machines.

Built-In Needle Threader

The looper may be air threaded, but BERNINA hasn't forgotten about the needles.

The integrated needle threader is conveniently positioned at the needle area and switches between the needles to help make setup and thread changes considerably easier.

The presser foot can also swing out to the side, providing better access when threading or changing needles. Lower the foot again and it swings back into position.

7 Coverstitch & Chainstitch Variations

The L 620 provides seven stitch variations for garment construction, hemming, topstitching and decorative work.

4-Thread Coverstitch

Using three needles plus the looper, the 4-thread coverstitch creates three parallel rows of stitching on the right side of your fabric.

It's a strong, stretchy option for hems, decorative stitching and projects where you want a wider professional coverstitch finish.

3-Thread Coverstitch – Wide & Narrow

The classic two-needle coverstitch can be sewn at either 3mm or 6mm wide.

This is the familiar finish you'll recognise from ready-to-wear knit garments and gives you the flexibility to choose a narrower or wider result to suit your project.

2-Thread Chainstitch

Chainstitch gives the L 620 another useful role beyond hemming.

Use it for joining, topstitching, appliqué and basting on woven and slightly stretchy fabrics. It can also become a decorative feature when used with contrasting or specialty threads.

Differential Feed for Smooth Stretch Hems

Stretch fabrics can easily become wavy as they're sewn, particularly around T-shirt hems and other areas where the fabric is being handled and stretched.

The L 620's differential feed lets you control how the fabric feeds through the machine to help keep stretchy seams smooth and flat. It can also help prevent puckering on finer fabrics or be deliberately adjusted to create gathering.

The control is conveniently positioned so you can make adjustments while sewing and see how the fabric responds.

BERNINA Free Hand System

BERNINA's Free Hand System lets you raise and lower the presser foot using the knee lever while keeping both hands on your project.

Raise the presser foot with the FHS and the feed dog lowers at the same time, providing additional clearance underneath the foot.

That's particularly useful for coverstitching, where accurate positioning matters. Whether you're lining up the beginning of a hem, working around a neckline or approaching an existing seam, you can keep control of the fabric without taking your hands away from the project.

120mm of Space to the Right of the Needles

Unlike an overlocker, where much of the sewing happens along a cut edge, coverstitching often requires a substantial amount of fabric to pass underneath and to the right of the needles.

That's why workspace matters.

The L 620 provides 120mm of space to the right of the needles, giving you useful room for garment hems, decorative stitching and other coverstitch techniques.

The included Slide-on Table expands the working surface even further.

Slide-on Table with Coverstitch Insert

BERNINA includes a dedicated coverstitch insert for the Slide-on Table, complete with seam markings.

These markings give you a useful visual reference when maintaining a consistent distance from a folded fabric edge, helping you keep hems neat, straight and evenly positioned as you sew.

It's a thoughtful addition for one of the jobs you'll use a coverstitch machine for most often.

Clear Cover/Chainstitch Foot #C28 Included

The included Clear Cover/Chainstitch Foot #C28 provides a clear view of the needle area while you're sewing.

That visibility is particularly useful for precise topstitching, following existing seams, decorative work and lining up the beginning and end of a coverstitched hem.

Slow Down When Precision Matters

The L 620 isn't simply designed to sew fast.

Its DC motor and BERNINA foot control give you precise control at low speeds when you're navigating a curve, approaching a bulky cross seam or positioning detailed work, right through to a maximum speed of 1,200 stitches per minute when you're ready to move.

The speed slider lets you limit the maximum sewing speed, which is particularly useful while learning or working on a challenging section.

You can also program whether the needles stop in the up or down position, giving you greater control over exactly where you stop and start.

Made for Garment Sewists

If you sew your own clothes, particularly with stretch fabrics, the L 620 fills a very different role from your sewing machine or overlocker.

Your sewing machine remains your all-rounder. Your overlocker can construct and neaten seams while trimming the raw edge. The L 620 then gives you the specialised coverstitch and chainstitch finishes associated with professionally manufactured clothing.

It's particularly useful for:

T-shirts and knit tops
Sweatshirts and hoodies
Leggings
Activewear and sportswear
Children's clothing
Lingerie
Stretch dresses and skirts
Neckbands and bindings
Elastic applications
Professional-looking hems
Decorative topstitching

For garment makers who want their handmade clothing to look as polished in the finishing details as it does everywhere else, a dedicated coverstitch machine can make a remarkable difference.

BERNINA L 620 vs L 660: What's the Difference?

The L 620 and L 660 are complementary machines rather than two versions of the same thing.

Choose the BERNINA L 620

Choose the L 620 when you want a dedicated coverstitch and chainstitch machine for professional garment hems, topstitching, bindings and decorative work.

It's particularly valuable if you sew lots of T-shirts, knit garments, activewear or other stretch clothing and want the familiar finish you see on ready-to-wear garments.

Choose the BERNINA L 660

Choose the L 660 when you want an overlocker for constructing stretch seams, trimming raw fabric edges and neatening seams as you sew.

Its 2, 3 and 4-thread overlock stitches make it the machine for garment construction and professional edge finishing.

Why Own Both?

For a keen garment maker, the two machines work beautifully together.

Use the L 660 to construct and finish your seams, then move to the L 620 for coverstitched hems, necklines, bindings and topstitching.

There's no need to convert one machine between overlocking and coverstitching. Each can stay threaded and ready for the job it does best.