Babylock sewing machine?

[MamaRuga]

So, I have never owned my own machine. I want to make a quilt for my DD for Christmas plus have lots of other crafty things I'd like to try my hand out. Right now I do all of my sewing by hand (obviously I don't sew much!)

So, our local quilt shop has a sale on Babylocks. I'm not sure if this is the best place to start or not, though. It is pricey. My mother always just got something cheap from Sears, but I never had good luck using them. This store offers 5 free classes along with purchase of the machine and they do the service there and can help when things go wrong (I could really use that help!).

So, I am looking at some of the lowest end models, like the "Molly" which is manual knobs. Or "Grace "which is their entry level model that is computerized.

I'm just wondering if this is a good place to start or if I should just go with a cheaper box store brand.

[ramama]

If the cost of a Babylock from your quilt shop is not an obstacle for you, I'd go with that. I don't know how much they are. Really, though, the classes are priceless. Any machine is useless if you're new to machine sewing or if you don't know your way around your particular machine. Also, from my own personal experience, it is very difficult to find a reputable and reliable sew-vac shop for repairs and cleaning. At least, I've never had any luck! In fact, they have all bordered on scams. So, having a shop that can service the machine is a definite plus. Generally, the community of women (and some men!) at quilt shops are quite delightful and helpful, and are a great resource if you have questions about your machine, or questions about sewing in general.

I got a machine from a big box store (okay, it was Walmart ) about 5 years ago that cost $190. It stopped working optimally about 2-3 years ago, and has been on the verge of being completely kaput for over a year now. I cannot for the life of me get anyone to actually fix it, no matter how often I try. I sew a lot! Next time I get a new machine (which I hope is SOON!) I will get one from a local shop like the one you described.

[maku]

Five years ago I traded in a plastic Singer for a Babylock Crafter's Choice sewing machine. I'm so glad I did. I tried out quite a few machines before settling on that one. I found it to be very user friendly. I'm also glad I bought from a local dealer that offered free classes. I got some great info out of the few classes I attended.

Have you sewn on any of the machines yet? When I was machine shopping, I took scraps of fabric with me to sew. I asked the salesperson to walk me through threading the machine, etc. and then asked if I could sew. A reputable dealer should be happy to let you try out a machine. They usually have scraps of fabric there, but I wanted to see how the machines would perform on fabrics I anticipated using. Taking the time to sew on a few different machines within my budget really helped me feel confident in my decision.