I ended up going with the Tin Lizzie for a few different reasons... I felt the table had a lot less vibration.. and I liked that it wasn't dependent on an electronic screen.. and I liked the orientation of the machine itself. At the show yesterday I was by the Babylock Tiara (identical to the HQ S16) and the bobbin got goobered up. No biggie until she needed to raise the handwheel. She had someone standing on the back of the machine to do it. Yeah, not so convenient if you have to get up, go around to the back of the machine and raise the handwheel then go back to the front to fix it.
The HQ/Tiara also needs a table overlay to use the stitch regulator or do ruler work. The table design is flawed. It is not flush with the needle plate so they made an overlay to go on top of it (msrp $99) to fix the issue. I think they just need to fix the table or give you the overlay... there is a promotion going on with Babylock maybe with HQ as well for the overlay but the HQ dealer there didn't know anything about an overlay. She had never heard of it.
I felt they both machines stitched nicely. The HQ was a little quieter than the Lizzie. Both machines can be converted to be used on a frame. The dealer assured me that the sit down can be converted to frame use but I doubt I would ever use it on a frame. I just didn't like the space a frame took up which is why I'm going with a sit down anyway.
Yay! I'm so excited! The Juki is just waiting for me to start piecing on her. I wish I didn't sleep so terribly. I think today I'd sew my finger in to my project. I'll be busy rearranging furniture and assembling furniture and cleaning up the room so my day will be spent wisely
