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| BabyLock:BL137A - Sofia (Sewing Machine) | | Viewed 943 time(s) | | Review rated Very Helpful by 11 people | | Reviewed by: | maedchen | 
 | | About maedchen | | FL USA | | Member since: 1/24/08 | | Reviews written: 25 | | Sewing skills:Intermediate | | sewing machines reviewed: 3 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 10/1/09 12:22 PM | | Approx price paid: | $700 | | Had this machine for: | 4 month | | Recommended? | Yes | Features
- Computerized
- Needle Threader
- Needle Up/Down Setting
- Embroidery Stitches
- One step buttonhole
- Drop-In bobbin
- Free Arm
- Adjustable Stitch Length and Width
- Adjustable Needle Position
- Embroidery Machine
| | What maedchen likes about this machine
I love, love my little Sofia! I purchased her on a whim and just now put her thru her paces. Sofia has 67 built in utility stitches which includes 10 buttonholes. I was so impressed with the ease of making buttonholes. Love the idea that you just put the button in the back of the foot and the machine stitches out the perfect size and beautifully too! I like that better then my sensor foot on my Vikings. I have tried every stitch that is built in and they all came out perfectly. Love, love the basting stitch and triple stitch for topstitching and others! The bobbin winds perfectly every time, another thing I like better then on my other two machines. Also love the way the spool threads, I did not have to buy a spool stand so the thread unwinds the way it should and goes thru the tension disks, another plus. I also love, love the needle threader, it works EVERY time another plus over my Vikings. It doesn't feel as flimsy either. Now don't get me wrong I love my Viking Diamond and Sapphire but they could make some improvements on these issues IMHO. I am amazed that I also have the built in thread cutter, the sensor to tell me when either of the threads are broken and a very intuitive LCD screen. The screen is simple and easy to use for the sewing functions. I do find it more of a learning curve for the embroideries. You can use either the touch pen supplied or your fingernails. I wished it did have a holder for the touch pen like my Diamond has. But then you can't have everything! The embroidery stitched out beautifully and with perfect stitches, tension etc. Sofia comes with 70 embroidery designs built in, 120 frame patterns and 5 font styles in upper and lower case. You can reduce and enlarge the designs and mirror image them and rotate them, which I did to perfection! Amazing for such a small machine. The screen also tells you the time it takes to embroider each design, thread color indicator, this is in black and white, not like my Diamond in color, and other on screen functions. The hoop that comes with the machine is 4" X 4", but you can buy two other sizes, 1" X 2.5" and 6" X 4" which I intend to do soon. I like the idea of having the little hoop especially for monograms. The Touch Buttons for start/stop, reverse sewing, needle up/down and thread cutter are right in front of you and easy to use. You can program the needle up/down and I love the on or off ability for tacking at the beginning or end of stitching. I also used the drop feed to sew on buttons, all went like it should. I had to get used to the idea that the # 1 straight stitch is always with the needle on the left, you can change this by selecting the following two straight stitches on the screen. The embroidery unit is easy to attach and remove, the embroidery foot works perfectly and is also easy to install/remove. Easier then my sensor Q foot for my Diamond! I did find it harder to snap the hoop in and remove it, am spoiled by the ease of the Diamond hoops on and of. Perhaps it's my age and arthritis that come into play here. Another big plus is it has a built in card reader, PES format, plus comes with a USB cable to hook right up to my laptop to import designs! I have not done that yet, but will soon. I keep repeating myself I know but I cannot believe all that comes with this little machine and how beautifully constructed and solid feeling she is. No jumping around for her, fairly quiet, even in embroidery mode. She comes with 8 Snap on Feet, 4 bobbins, these are the standard size 15, I immediately bought more. Soft Cover, necessary tools such as screwdriver etc. She also came with an eyelet cutter tool, which I appreciated since I would have had to buy it! And of course extra needles. You can of course also use twin needles. She is small and dainty and weighs about 14 pounds without the embroidery unit. I constructed a complete garment top to bottom on Sofia and she handled layers beautifully, I had up to six layers of linen and interfacing and she never hesitated. The buttonholes are perfect and buttons were a breeze to sew on. I am sure I have forgotten something but I do know that I think I got a great little machine for the price. What maedchen does not like about this machine
Using the blindhem stitch and the blind-hem foot for knits and trying to hem a soft knit from EOS was impossible. I tried for hours, it just wouldn't feed right. Woven fabrics were easy to blind-hem. I don't care for the blind-hem foot Babylock provided, like the one on my Vikings much better. I could not find anywhere in the instructions to adjust the pressure of the foot, perhaps something this machine doesn't have. I don't need it I believe except for knits. Maybe top fashion designers are right: knits are for other people! Yikes! My Sapphire was in the shop for a routine clean-up and she does blind hemming on soft knits without a problem.
I think their instructions/brochures could use improvements. Especially for the embroidery part of it. It comes with a supposedly quick reference graph in color that looks like an engineering nightmare! The main book is easier and more comprehensive but somewhat overwhelming. | *LOGIN to add a comment to this review
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| Reader Comments | | johnlswab | 10/1/09 | You review was very good; I especially like the comparisons with your other sewing ma chines.
| | * * * | | dbsewer | 10/1/09 | I agree that the comparison is very helpful, even though one is TOL and the other is not. Having never seen this machine, I would love a photo. Your review was well thought out and informative. Thanks. | | * * * | | Loreo51 | 10/1/09 | What is EOS...Thanks so much for a great review. I was/am seriously considering a Viking 835 mostly because I can get it for 878.00. Not sure if the shop is reputable and that concerned me...so wanted to know what I could get comperable for the same price. Your review helped me to consider other options. I do sew lots of knits tho and wonder if over all you might think the Viking is more suited or if you think you just need more time to figure out. It sounds to me like you prefer this machine otherwise. ONE question. I use a walking foot on my Janome mostly because it feeds the layers better ...DO you think with the Viking you do not need a walking foot? Otherwise I understand they are 100.00! Thanks again for a great review. SO helpful. | | * * * | | maedchen | 10/1/09 | For Loreo51: EOS stands for Emma One Sock, a great on line fabric place. I don't quilt so I don't have the need for a walking foot according to my Viking dealer, and I do very much like the settings the Sapphire has for the various fabric types, which is what is lacking on the Sofia. I mostly sew clothes, bags and other fun stuff and just started embroidering. I have a Sapphire 850 which is great for sewing but does no embroidery. Therefore I purchased the Sofia which does all, even though I could not blindhem knits to my satisfaction. And then a special deal on a Diamond got me to buy it too. I love having more then one machine, especially one dedicated to sewing only. Hope this helps. | | * * * | | maedchen | 10/1/09 | For Loreo51: EOS stands for Emma One Sock, a great on line fabric place. I don't quilt so I don't have the need for a walking foot according to my Viking dealer, and I do very much like the settings the Sapphire has for the various fabric types, which is what is lacking on the Sofia. I mostly sew clothes, bags and other fun stuff and just started embroidering. I have a Sapphire 850 which is great for sewing but does no embroidery. Therefore I purchased the Sofia which does all, even though I could not blindhem knits to my satisfaction. And then a special deal on a Diamond got me to buy it too. I love having more then one machine, especially one dedicated to sewing only. Hope this helps. | | * * * | | maedchen | 10/1/09 | sorry about the double post, don't know how to remove it! Deepika? | | * * * | | Mufffet | 10/1/09 | Sounds like a good machine! Thanks for a good comprehensive review. On the Babylock website you can see all the machines and the manuals and the detail is great. Thanks for this review! It is hard to compare TOL sewing machines with those that are mid-line or bottom line (apples and oranges again?). What one should do I think is what this reviewer did, which is to stress what she does like about the machine, while still mentioning something she liked better about this machine which is the buttonhole facility. | | * * * | | Loreo51 | 10/1/09 | Thanks for getting back to me and the extra info....YOu DO have a sewing arsinal! | | * * * | | Franksdottir | 10/1/09 | This was a wonderful review! I am so interested in these new machines, and your description really brought it to life. | | * * * | | 2ndHnd Rose | 10/1/09 | I have been looking at this machine for awhile now so your review was very timely. You wiped out any misgivings I had that it might not be enough machine for me. Great review. | | * * * | | Citygrandma | 10/2/09 | Maedchen - good to read your review. Ithink I am interested in a babylock Ellisimo - have you tried it? let me know, kay. thanks. | | * * * | | maedchen | 10/2/09 | for citygrandma: No I did not try the Ellisimo. The little Sofia - for the price - had totally captivated me! I am afraid to get near any more machines in case I can't resist them! | | * * * | | Lil Flo | 10/2/09 | This machine resembles the Brother SE-350 and Brother HE-240. I think Brother makes Babylock. Very cute machine. Really enjoyed your review. | | * * * |
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