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| BabyLock:BLQ2 Quest (Sewing Machine) | | Viewed 789 time(s) |
3 more reviews for this machine | Review rated Very Helpful by 12 people | | Reviewed by: | cloudlet | | About cloudlet | | CO USA | | Member since: 5/4/08 | | Reviews written: 2 | | Sewing skills:Advanced | | sewing machines reviewed: 2 | | Bio: I'll add this later...right now let's just say I love to sew. I don't sew daily, I sew in fits and spurts. Mainly because I like to do way too many things...knit, spin, weave, garden, play with the ...full profile |
| | Posted on: | 5/10/08 10:08 PM | | Approx price paid: | $1300 | | Had this machine for: | 1 week | | Recommended? | Maybe | Features
- Computerized
- Needle Threader
- Needle Up/Down Setting
- Embroidery Stitches
- One step buttonhole
- Drop-In bobbin
- Free Arm
- Adjustable Stitch Length and Width
- Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure
- Adjustable Needle Position
- Auto Threading
| | What cloudlet likes about this machine
I've only just gotten the Baby Lock Quest after my great friend Pfaff Hobbymatic 955 (19 years old) finally got too tired and needed more repair than I was ready for. I had intended to get another Pfaff because I loved my machine so much. I really don't need super fancy stitches and I've been happy with the mechanical machine, but the owner of the shop where I bought the Quest showed me the bits that made me decide to by it...
The extra high clearance of the presser foot.
The great amount of room under the arm.
The variety of buttonholes.
The auto gathering
The well marked seam widths on the stitch plate, etc.
Being able to do free motion quilting with a "set" speed...not using the foot pedal.
The knee lift for the presser foot.
Those were the reasons I took it home. That and I got what I believe is a great deal. (I did trade in my old machine though, and that made me sad. I hope I don't come to regret it.)
Once I got it home, though, I had lots of trouble. The thread would come of the tension hook; when doing small seams the fabric gets sucked down into the bobbin area; the reverse sometimes didn't work (I'd get the three beeps that says it doesn't do that) and my buttonholes would sometimes be off from left to right.
I went back to my dealer in just a few days, very frustrated. Some things are things that I have to learn differently, but I also think I may have gotten either a lemon or a machine that was out of adjustment. So, the dealer gave me a different machine. I haven't had much time to play with it yet, and I've gone out of town for work, but the second machine seems much better, though the bobbin winder is finicky on this machine.
That it has the Pfaff dual feed.
The needle threader. My eyes aren't as good as they once were.
I tried the free motion with the set speed and it was fabulous! Though I have to remember that lifting my foot off of the ground won't stop the machine. I have to push the button.
I want to love this machine. As I play with it, I'll update. I have my entire sewing life on a traditional mechanical machine, so there will be a strong learning curve. What cloudlet does not like about this machine
Reverse. I really don't like that I have to anticipate where the needle will stop before going backwards.
Having to reprogram my "normal" stitch length for straight stitching and my entire zigzag each time I switch from one stitch to the other. Perhaps I can program these, but I haven't really explored it. The book lead me to believe that I couldn't, but that may just be a bad interpretation.
That the bobbins are smaller than my Pfaff (meaning they hold less thread.) I'd have bobbins the same size as a spool of thread if possible.
The blue LED light. I have trouble with the blue and the shiny metal parts. I preferred the satin finish on the Pfaff feet and I really prefer a yellow light, even if it isn't as "true".
The wide hole on the basic stitch plate. I find I lose fabric in it, particularly when I am on the beginning edge. I know that there's a straight stitch plate, but I go back and forth between straight and zigzag, so I really don't want to switch the plates.
So, we'll see what I can get used to (just like a new car that has all the controls in the wrong spot) and what I can't get used to. Happily my sewing machine dealer said that he wants his customers to be satisified and if I'm not happy with the machine, even in two or three months, he'll happily take it back and we'll look at another machine.
I'm hoping I'll want to keep it. | *LOGIN to add a comment to this review
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| Reader Comments | | granny geek | 5/11/08 | great review! I hope you have lots of happy hours sewing with your new machine. Sounds like you have a great dealer too. I like that you compared it to the Pfaff. It is very helpful when reviewer give us the benefit of thier experience. Thank you for the review. | | * * * | | bestgrammy | 5/11/08 | Loved reading your review...lots of details and very subjective concerning the pros and cons. Thanks. | | * * * | | mufffet | 5/11/08 | Thanks for a great review! I am sure you will get used to some of the features on your machine that seem so new now. Making a transition from a mechanical to a TOL computerized machine with todays lights etc. can be daunting. I found it a bit of a leap, but as far as lighting, I still haven't gotten the perfect lighting. :) Have a terrific time with your new machine - it sounds like a nice one! | | * * * | | sewobsessed | 5/11/08 | Great review! A new computerized machine takes some getting used to and your dealer sounds very understanding. Does he have classes on learning the machine? That might help. I agree on the small bobbin issue. | | * * * | | singer4me | 5/11/08 | Great review! I feel your pain about computerized machines not doing what you expect when you expect it. I've not been very successful getting used to that myself. Good luck. If you stick with it, I'm sure you'll grow to LOVE your machine. | | * * * | | mesos | 5/12/08 | I'm sorry cloudlet is having so many difficulties. I bought my Quest 5/8/08 and spent the weekend putting it through its paces..I'm very pleased...I suggest she read her quick reference&instruction manual(they are well written with great pictures) & try to be patient(19yrs is a learning curve for sure). I read on this site about some of the problems these machines can have and was prepared to work through any I encounter...I suggest reading the quick reference guide & instruction&reference quide before going on, I also received a workbook with mine(it has a card-like page for each item) I'm working through this now. I used to teach sewing machine guide classes as well as sewing classes & encouraged all my students to read the manual evenif it put them to sleep LOL! Hug your Quest it can help you bond. Happy testing | | * * * | | cloudlet | 5/30/08 | Thanks for your comments and encouragement. I return tomorrow after 3 weeks away for work. I'll start playing on it again next week and let you all know how it's going.
I did read the manual, but now I have to fiddle and learn the machine.
Thanks again for the comments. | | * * * | | Donna Matheson | 6/2/08 | Good review. | | * * * | | cloudlet | 6/16/08 | Well, I took the quest back. I came home from my trip and sat down to sew. The first thing I made was a pair of pajamas. The seams looked like they'd been sewn by a novice 12 year old. I thought that part of it was the fabric I'd chosen. It was little gripy. Then I started a pair of shorts. Things were going OK, but I still struggled with the machine. When I got to button holes, things fell apart. This was a problem I'd had on the first Quest I took home as well. The button hole sewed great on two pieces of fabric. But when I added a seam to the mix, it did all manner of things. It sometimes just quit feeding and stitched in the same place. Sometimes it fed and did a button hole that had the two sides not line up. Generally it was just bad. I decided that I didn't want to go through that much trouble to sew. I felt like I was testing a beta machine. Also, it had a penchant for sucking small seams, or the beginnings of seams, down. Wherever I'd done reverse stitching I had nesting on the underside. So, back it went. I ended up with a Pfaff 2058. Which, I love. I spent alot more money, but I don't sew to struggle. I'll review the Pfaff on its own. Thanks for all your comments. I appreciate them! | | * * * | | cloudlet | 6/16/08 | One thing I forgot to add. When I took the machine back to the dealer, he told me that the day before he'd gotten a technical bulletin from Baby Lock saying they were having problems with the buttonholes. He didn't know what they were going to do to correct it. I didn't want to wait to find out. | | * * * |
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