<p>I asked Bernina themselves, and this is what I got in reply to my email:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Thank you for contacting us regarding quick reverse on your Activa
145.</p>
<p>I think your machine sews slower in reverse to aid accuracy.</p>
<p>It is not possible to alter the speed of this function.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I guess for short reverse stitching (locking) it's not a big deal to go slowly and you want to start going forwards again at the right stitch.  The  machine is really meant for finer, more decorative, work than I use it for, but it's what I've got, and very nice too.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-20T08:28:01.697Z
2021-07-20T08:28:01.697Z
Chris H
<p>The manual (<a href="https://www.bernina.com/de-DE/Support-DE/Maschinen/BERNINA-activa/BERNINA-activa-145" rel="nofollow noreferrer">download link with language selection</a> and <a href="https://www.bernina.com/BERNINA/media/Support/Sewing_Quilting_Embroidery/activa/activa_145/Documents/EN/activa-135-145-EN.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">direct download of the english manual</a>) indicates that there are buttons for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Reverse sewing and</li>
<li>Half motor speed</li>
</ul>
<p>I would experiment with those 2 settings. They are explained on page 22 of the manual:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/a1dgL.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/a1dgL.png" alt="detail of operation manual" /></a></p>
<ul>
<li>Press the &quot;Reverse sewing&quot; button twice quickly to activate the permanent reverse stitching mode.</li>
<li>Test the speed on a scrap piece of fabric</li>
<li>Press the &quot;1/2 motor speed&quot; button</li>
<li>Test the speed again</li>
<li>Press the &quot;Reverse sewing&quot; button once to deactivate the permanent reverse stitching mode.</li>
<li>Try the speed in forward and reverse mode (by holding down the &quot;reverse sewing&quot; button)</li>
<li>If the speed is still halved, press the &quot;1/2 motor speed&quot; button while holding down the &quot;reverse sewing&quot; button.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-15T17:11:28.280Z
That all seemed so logical, but if I press the 1/2 speed button while holding down the reverse button, it speeds up *and starts going forwards*. I couldn't get the permanent reverse mode to work at all, either on a straight or zigzag stitch - it sewed once stitch backwards then started going forwards again, or 2 stitches back if I double-clicked more slowly
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-16T04:27:28.883Z
@ChrisH That's strange. Unfortunately the manual is all the information I have and all I can give you. There are stitch patterns that are supposed to automatically revert, but only after 3 stitches. The other option is to hold down the reverse sewing button and clicking the 1/2 speed button. Watch the display to see if any 1/2 speed icon is activated or deactivated while sewing backwards. There's also the possibility that this reduced speed is a *feature*, but I haven't found any information about it in the manual.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-16T04:59:24.963Z
I found the manual to skip over a few things before, but put it down to them being obvious except to this novice. I've just tested and what it doesn't say is that to get into continuous reverse you have to stop, engage it, then restart, making judging foot pressure hard. The half speed  slows reverse stitching still further. The only thing that changes the icon is the button.
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-16T05:04:04.947Z
@ChrisH Then it seems like this is indeed intended as a feature. Don't ask me why anyone would decide that reverse stitching is *so hard* you need to do it at half speed. Both of the machines I have access to (both are mechanical, one is 3 years old, the other more than 40) stitch backwards just as fast as forwards.
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-16T07:26:53.603Z
I might see if there's a reasonable way of getting in touch with Bernina, because it doesn't feel right.  Of course backwards is occasionally fiddly, but for what I do, it's probably less likely to be fiddly than forwards.  I guess I'll just have to live with it and get used to syncing foot pressure to the button.  It's a nice machine otherwise, though not the best match to what I do, as I don't use the decorative features.
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-16T15:03:28.857Z
I have indeed asked them - their contact page said "if you have a question about using..." and I do.
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-20T08:21:30.760Z
@ChrisH Have you got any answer from the manufacturer? If yes, please consider writing an answer with the information they gave you (even if all they say is "It's not a bug, it's a feature.")
Elmy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-20T08:22:53.450Z
received a few minutes ago in fact.  I came here to post it but  got distracted by HNQs. Thanks for the reminder
Chris H
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-14T05:26:22.303Z
2021-07-14T05:26:22.303Z
Elmy
<p>I've got a Bernina Activa 145, which I mainly use for bike luggage and outdoor gear.  That means a fair bit of bar tacking webbing straps etc.  If I keep exactly the same pressure on the pedal, and press the reverse stitch button, the machine runs slower, release the button and it runs faster again.  A nice easy speed for working forwards translates to minimum speed in reverse.  I can speed it up again by pressing the pedal more firmly, so it's not just that it runs at minimum speed in reverse.  If I'm doing a lot I do synchronise foot pressure and reverse mode but this takes a bit of getting used to each session</p>
<p>Is this slow-motion reverse inherent to all machines? A feature of mine? Changeable?</p>

<sewing-machine>
Is reverse stitching on a sewing machine always slower than forwards?
Chris H
# Is reverse stitching on a sewing machine always slower than forwards?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-13)

I've got a Bernina Activa 145, which I mainly use for bike luggage and outdoor gear. That means a fair bit of bar tacking webbing straps etc. If I keep exactly the same pressure on the pedal, and press the reverse stitch button, the machine runs slower, release the button and it runs faster again. A nice easy speed for working forwards translates to minimum speed in reverse. I can speed it up again by pressing the pedal more firmly, so it's not just that it runs at minimum speed in reverse. If I'm doing a lot I do synchronise foot pressure and reverse mode but this takes a bit of getting used to each session

Is this slow-motion reverse inherent to all machines? A feature of mine? Changeable?

**Tags:** sewing-machine


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2021-07-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I asked Bernina themselves, and this is what I got in reply to my email:

> Thank you for contacting us regarding quick reverse on your Activa
> 145.
>
> I think your machine sews slower in reverse to aid accuracy.
>
> It is not possible to alter the speed of this function.

I guess for short reverse stitching (locking) it's not a big deal to go slowly and you want to start going forwards again at the right stitch. The machine is really meant for finer, more decorative, work than I use it for, but it's what I've got, and very nice too.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-07-14. Score: 1

The manual ([download link with language selection](https://www.bernina.com/de-DE/Support-DE/Maschinen/BERNINA-activa/BERNINA-activa-145) and [direct download of the english manual](https://www.bernina.com/BERNINA/media/Support/Sewing_Quilting_Embroidery/activa/activa_145/Documents/EN/activa-135-145-EN.pdf)) indicates that there are buttons for:

* Reverse sewing and
* Half motor speed

I would experiment with those 2 settings. They are explained on page 22 of the manual:

[![detail of operation manual](https://i.sstatic.net/a1dgL.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/a1dgL.png)

* Press the "Reverse sewing" button twice quickly to activate the permanent reverse stitching mode.
* Test the speed on a scrap piece of fabric
* Press the "1/2 motor speed" button
* Test the speed again
* Press the "Reverse sewing" button once to deactivate the permanent reverse stitching mode.
* Try the speed in forward and reverse mode (by holding down the "reverse sewing" button)
* If the speed is still halved, press the "1/2 motor speed" button while holding down the "reverse sewing" button.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That all seemed so logical, but if I press the 1/2 speed button while holding down the reverse button, it speeds up *and starts going forwards*. I couldn't get the permanent reverse mode to work at all, either on a straight or zigzag stitch - it sewed once stitch backwards then started going forwards again, or 2 stitches back if I double-clicked more slowly  
> **username_1**: @username_0 That's strange. Unfortunately the manual is all the information I have and all I can give you. There are stitch patterns that are supposed to automatically revert, but only after 3 stitches. The other option is to hold down the reverse sewing button and clicking the 1/2 speed button. Watch the display to see if any 1/2 speed icon is activated or deactivated while sewing backwards. There's also the possibility that this reduced speed is a *feature*, but I haven't found any information about it in the manual.  
> **username_0**: I found the manual to skip over a few things before, but put it down to them being obvious except to this novice. I've just tested and what it doesn't say is that to get into continuous reverse you have to stop, engage it, then restart, making judging foot pressure hard. The half speed  slows reverse stitching still further. The only thing that changes the icon is the button.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Then it seems like this is indeed intended as a feature. Don't ask me why anyone would decide that reverse stitching is *so hard* you need to do it at half speed. Both of the machines I have access to (both are mechanical, one is 3 years old, the other more than 40) stitch backwards just as fast as forwards.  
> **username_0**: I might see if there's a reasonable way of getting in touch with Bernina, because it doesn't feel right.  Of course backwards is occasionally fiddly, but for what I do, it's probably less likely to be fiddly than forwards.  I guess I'll just have to live with it and get used to syncing foot pressure to the button.  It's a nice machine otherwise, though not the best match to what I do, as I don't use the decorative features.  
> **username_0**: I have indeed asked them - their contact page said "if you have a question about using..." and I do.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Have you got any answer from the manufacturer? If yes, please consider writing an answer with the information they gave you (even if all they say is "It's not a bug, it's a feature.")  
> **username_0**: received a few minutes ago in fact.  I came here to post it but  got distracted by HNQs. Thanks for the reminder  

---

