Baby Lock Serenade
 

Does anyone have a Baby Lock Serenade? How do you like it? Are you happy with it? I am looking at one and hope I could get some ideas on here. Thanks, sewbeadit

Will be watching this thread, I have a Baby Lock Quilters Choice and really like it.

I have one and I like it alot, but I haven't had it very long. The thread cutter does not work well with every brand of thread. I only use 100% cotton thread, and if you use a thread which comes on a short fat cone with a thick cardboard center core (Coats & Clark, Star), the top thread comes unthreaded from the needle and the last two thread guides and zips into the machine's housing. You will have to fish it out and rethread it after using the thread cutter. It works great with all the other brands of 100% cotton thread I have tried (Gutterman, Essentials by Connecting threads, Coats on the small brown plastic spool from JoAnn's, Aurifil). I have heard of other brands of machines doing this same thing when the thread cutter was used. Someone on here with a Pfaff Smarter C1100 solved this problem by having the dealer adjust the machine to leave longer (1.5 inch) thread tails. Also, even with short (0.5 inch) thread tails, you will get a small thread nest on the back of the bottom fabric when you start a line of stitching after having used the thread cutter. I understand it is unavoidable, because those thread tails just get caught up in the beginning stitching. It hasn't been a problem, really, other than it just looks messy. The thread cutter does save time and thread, though. You don't have to take the time to lift the presser foot, pull the thread out, pick up your snips and cut the thread. You also don't have to take the time to grab the threads when starting a line of stitching. Just sew. You should be able to get one for a good price. The msrp is 2,999.00, but mine was on sale for 1,249.00, and I got a 15% discount on that for taking the barely used display machine, so I paid 1,061.65, plus tax.

Very good to hear about this new babylock - I have the babylock melody it is the same as the quiter choice just a new model I believe - the thread cutter is great - just use a stoppy-starty scrap of fabric before you start to sew and you avoid all the problems mentioned by Justabitcrasy. If I understand correctly this new model has an needle plate for stright needle sewing (piecing) and another plate with a slot - they are interchangable. This machine can be programed to make the presser foot rise when you stop sewing and I believe you can thread a bobbin without unthreading you needle. Justabitcrazy got a great price on that machine - so happy for you.

Petey-I don't think the Serenade has the rising presser foot when you stop sewing. It does have a knee lift, so you can lift the presser foot and keep your hands on your sewing. I think the Babylock model which has the lifting presser foot is the Symphony, but that one is missing features the Serenade has (I forget for sure which, but I believe it doesn't have dual feed dogs, something I will not do without!). I don't think the Serenade can wind a bobbin through the needle, either. I see nothing in the operator manual about that, but I might try it. Hey--why not? It may just work. My Pfaff's can do that...The great features of this machine are:
dual feed dogs
thread cutter
needle threader
knee lift for presser foot
separate motor for bobbin winding, so you can wind a bobbin while sewing
low bobbin alert
needle down
start/stop button, so you can use the machine without a foot pedal if you want
sewing speed slide-button controller
auto-lock button (to lock stitches at each end of stitching, instead of backstitching)
vertical bobbin (for great stitches and easy access, even with fabric under the needle-- right at the machine's front)
It also comes with many feet, a huge plexiglass sewing platform, and a ton of decorative stitches and great features associated with those, which I'm really not into, so I haven't explored that stuff yet.

Thanks to all for answering this. I am very interested in this machine. I like the decorative stitches too and the extra arm length. The bobbin winding motor sounds great too. I have never used a baby lock before but people say they are good. Mine is a Janome and I like it a lot but want the features on this Serenade.

JustaBit Crazy thanks for letting me know - I always get the names mixed up on the Babylock machines but I do like my Babylock - Janome is a quality machine and so is Bernia, etc there are so many. You just have to figure out what features you must have before you buy.

I just purchased a babylock serenade last week. I am not thrilled with it. Tension was poor so had to drive 50+ miles to dealer for adjustment. I still can't get the thread cutter to work properly. Every time the thread springs up and out of the needle. I have used different threads, needle up, needle down, pulled the fabric away a little. Useless device that should be a pleasure. Dealer recommended all cotton Mettler which really stretches then unthreads. Only thread that works is Coats which is not recommended. The machine is not fun because I keep rethreading it while trying to piece a quilt. Rest of the stitches are great. It clunks a lot with them but I think its just metal parts working hard. Considering returning it but not much else in the price range with all the features of this machine. I am really trying to like it.

I got the "Serenade" the first of August, 2012 and so far really like it. Had an old Paff that I got in 1977 that broke and could not be repairded and really miss my baby. My friends said that I would be happy with the Baby Lock and the serenade was the closest to my paff that I could get. It is noisy but am getting use to that I think. lol Got a good deal on it for 50% off. Take my first lesson on Monday so hope to learn more than just sewing a 1/4 in seam.
Good luck with getting a new baby.

To scrapinmema - do you have any problems with the thread retracting out of the needle with the thread cutter.? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.