#39C BERNINA Embroidery Foot with Clear Sole: Your Questions Answered
By Colibri Sewing | Sewing & Quilting Supplies | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Product Reviews
What the #39C BERNINA Embroidery Foot with Clear Sole does, who it suits, and how to use it for buttonholes, appliqués, and couched yarns.
Quick answer
The #39C BERNINA Embroidery Foot with Clear Sole is a 9 mm-machine foot for buttonhole seams, appliqués, decorative stitches, couching perle yarns, and sewing off-the-edge scallops or raised effects. Its clear sole lets you see the embroidery area while you work.
Why the clear sole changes how you work
Most embroidery feet hide the needle area behind metal or opaque plastic. The clear sole on the #39C keeps the stitching visible, which matters when you are placing appliqué shapes, following a decorative stitch, or checking that a couched yarn is landing where you want it. You still need to watch the needle, but you can see the fabric and thread path without leaning around the foot.
Where the #39C fits in a BERNINA foot collection
If you already own a general-purpose embroidery foot, the #39C is not a duplicate. It is built for techniques that need visibility and control at the edge of the fabric: buttonhole seams, off-the-edge scallops, and raised effects. For straightforward free-motion embroidery on flat fabric, a standard embroidery foot may be enough. The #39C earns its place when the work involves placement, edges, or added yarns.
One honest limitation
The catalog lists this foot for 9 mm machines. It is not described as compatible with narrower machines, so check your machine's maximum stitch width before buying. If you sew on a 5.5 mm model, this is not the foot for you.
Common questions about the #39C foot
- What is the #39C foot for?
- It is for buttonhole seams, appliqués, decorative stitches, couching perle yarns, and sewing off-the-edge scallops or raised effects. The clear sole helps you see the embroidery area during those techniques.
- Can I use it for free-motion embroidery?
- The catalog does not describe the #39C as a free-motion foot. For free-motion work, use a foot designed for that purpose; choose the #39C when you need visibility for placement, edges, or couched yarns. Match the foot to the technique rather than forcing one foot to do everything.
- Will it fit my BERNINA?
- It is listed for 9 mm machines. Check your machine's maximum stitch width before ordering. If your machine is narrower, this foot is not the right match.
- How do I couch perle yarns with it?
- The clear sole lets you watch the yarn as you stitch it down. Use a decorative stitch that catches the yarn without cutting it, and test on a scrap first to set stitch width and tension.
- Is the clear sole durable?
- The catalog does not make durability claims. Treat it like any precision foot: keep it clean, avoid dropping it, and store it separately from metal tools.
Product facts
- #39C BERNINA Embroidery Foot with Clear Sole: Designed for 9 mm machines and listed for buttonhole seams, appliqués, decorative stitches, couching perle yarns, and off-the-edge scallops. That combination makes it a technique foot rather than a basic embroidery foot, so it is worth buying only if you plan those specific jobs.
#39C BERNINA Embroidery Foot with Clear Sole
