Babylock Crescendo, does anyone out there have one?
 

I am plannning on purchasing this machine, but have found very little information about it. I would really Love it if someone could tell me if they like it, if there is something they don't like? Before it is too late! lol. Please, give me your input!!! I would so appreciate it! Thanks in advance!

I found only one review of this machine at this website:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/Sewi.../Review/1/4808

and found this thread:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-...ard.pl?t=72280

and this review:
http://www.sewinginsight.com/babyloc...ock-crescendo/

thanks for taking the time to send this. I checked all of them out. I guess the machine just came out in October so not too many people have it yet. Thanks again!

Hi,

I really wanted the Crescendo, but couldn't justify it! I have the Symphony that's just two years old and on comparing the two I would gain some features, but not for the $$ in my budget right now! The throat room would be fantastic for quilting and the lighting is awesome on it and then the laser light and pen.......be super nice!!
I love my symphony, I mean love it!! I also have an Elegante2 that's just a few years old also, part of my reasoning for not upgrading.
I would also love to have the quilting machine, the new Tiara......maybe someday.....sigh!
I think you'd love it! I don't know anyone that has one, but it is pretty new.
Go for it!!
Bev

I have the brother dreamweaver, same machine as the cresendo, and absolutely love my machine, there is nothing it can't do. Haven't found one thing I don't like about it. Love the new foot very impressive, embroiders beautifully, lighting is awesome, I love the multifunction foot pedal, love the sew straight laser and the pen with the embroidery function. I now have no interest in accufeed as I once did. I am a happy girl

Hello Dolphyngyrl: You sound like me...I do have the Brother Entrepeneur 650 so I am not interested in a combo machine, just a really Great sewing machine for clothing consturction, quilting and such...I have a chance at a great deal with Babylock because I teach sewing at the dealer's and he is willing to give it to me just slightly about cost. I don't want to make a mistake! I got burned because I became loyal to a particular brand through the years and had the two latest fancy dancy machines and took a bath with both...was not at all happy with either of them. You would think after the first one I would have learned by lesson, but nooooo, I was loyal. Gave them another chance and same thing. So I am off to Babylock. Thanks for your reply, I am so skeetish anymore about plunking money down on a sewing machine...I can still feel the burn.

Where are you in S. Cal? I used to live in Ramona. I Loved it there and still miss it after 10 years.

I purchased my Cresendo in October and so far am very pleased. some features I have yet to master. Just need to take the time to get by the LQS where I bought it and work with the sales people on it. The features I like best are the large throat area especially for quilting, the lighting, the laser light, and the easy needle threading system. This machine does not have the embroidery module but I have not missed that yet. I had a Bernina 180E and sold it. Try it before you buy.

Thanks for your input, Jo. I appriciate it. I will try before I buy. I have been burned too many times. I am hoping this will be my last sewing machine. I have been sewing for 50 years now, and still loving it more all the time. Now I am teaching and that is really fun, to share what you have learned with excited younger people.

I live in the inland empire area, and can say that babylocks are wonderful. I traded in my espire for the dreamweaver but she was a wonderful machine for 2 1/2 years.

I know the Inland Empire well...I used to belong to a motorcycle club there...lots of great folks. Thanks for your input!

I'm so curious to hear how the Crescendo does with free-motion quilting. Anyone tried that yet?

Babylock Crescendo
 

Michelle --

I own the Babylock Espire and like it very much. The Crescendo is the "next generation". This past weekend I had the opportunity to sew on the Crescendo. She is "Sweet". It has a larger throat which makes it nicer if you do your own quilting. There is more lighting on the bed of the machine.

It has a lazer light that you can turn on and off. The lazer shines out 3 or 4 inches ahead of the presser foot. To make half square triangles, you simply line up the corners of your square with the lazer, sew 1/4 inch on either side of the light, and cut in half for your two HSTs. I was hooked on it after the first seam with the lazer light. We used it to do decorative stitches along a seam line.

It has the same sewing features as the Ellisimo Gold, but without the embroidery.

You will be very happy with a Crescendo. I wish I could justify a new machine.

Anita O'Keefe
McFarland, WI

I just took a look at the Crescendo this afternoon at our local dealer. I really would like to get it, but feel as if I should shop around a bit, both at the Brother and Janome stores. I have a Symphony that I bought right before Christmas, but already can see that I Need that extra throat space! The laser thing is cool, and the machine is nice and quiet. Anybody want to buy an almost new Symphony?

I just bought this machine..when i saw it at the Lancaster Quilt Show, that was it. The lighting, ease of operation, quiet motor, can't say enough about. Found several places on the web with instructions. Will connect with a dealer in this area soon..I have two Berninas, the 1630 and the 170E..Oh, and it comes with a table for quilting..Donna

I've had my Crescendo for a few months and I LOVE it! The harp space, fabulous. Automatic threading, terrific (especially for these old eyes!). Auto presser foot raising, very handy. I haven't even taken the time to play with the laser pen yet, I've been too busy FMQ'ing!

Can I ask what you paid at the show?
 

I'm heading to a quilt show in early August and was wondering what price you paid at the Lancaster Show when you bought?

I'm not sure if you all have heard that Babylock is coming out next month with a new sewing/quilting machine its called Babylock Jazz. The good thing about this machine is the throat area, from the needle to the right of the machine it is 12"!!!! I get emails from my babylock dealer so I called about it and he stated that he has the specifications brochure which I had seen already but you're not going to believe how much this machine is!!!! This machine weights 29 lbs total, has 9 feet, stitches 1,000 per min. and more. If you are looking for a sewing/quilting machine only I would definitely check next month with your Babylock dealer for more info. I own the Babylock Spirit, Melody and Imagine serger and in the past I've owned the Babylock Accent (4x4) field only, the Babylock Ellure and the Ellure Plus (upgraded from one to the other) and so forth. I am very impressed with this company and the easy navigation it has from threading it to bobbins. Like I said, look for the announcement sometime in August this year. If you don't believe go to flashsewandquilt.com. They have the announcement tho they covered up the info due to Babylock Dealer rules.

Looks like the Jazz is a basic straight-stitch machine.

If the $799 price is correct, would this new BabyLock be similar to the Juki TL2010Q, which is a mechanical straight-stitch machine? Harp on the Juki is 9 in. to the right of the needle x 6 in. high.

I realize that I am coming into this conversation late, but have to add my two cents. I bought a Crescendo with the upgrade in August. I really like the wider throat space. I like the ability to use the foot pedal to lower the presser foot and start sewing (that was part of the upgrade). I also own an Ellisimo Gold II so I was already very happy with the self threader as well as the needle down function. I am doing a lot of quilting now and was interested in using the laser guide light for quilting. I do both regular piecing and foundation paper piecing.

I've had the machine back to the dealer's twice already because the laser light shines to the left of my intended sewing line for paper piecing. I called BabyLock directly because I really wanted to use the laser light. To my chagrin, I was informed that the laser light is only accurate (that is, straight) for about 1 to 1 1/2 Inches from the needle!! So they are unable to make the light more accurate. If I sew along with the laser light as my guide, I am sewing about 1/8th of an inch to the right of the sewing line!

I can't tell you how disappointed I was to have paid so much for this machine only to find that the laser light really isn't of much benefit! Even using it to join binding for a quilt is worthless because I use a 2 inch binding strip. And using it to sew half square triangles is also worthless unless you want really tiny HST's!

So, bottom line, the increased throat space is nice. I really like the upgrade feature of being able to lower the presser foot and start to sew just by pressing on the foot pedal. BUT if you are thinking that the laser light is going to be a worthwhile feature, you're doing to be disappointed if you need more than 1 1/2 inch of accuracy from the needle!

Can you post a picture of the screen with the laser light? Are you using the Left/Right shift function? There are two different ways to use the light. I use mine centered on the center seam line (straight out of the needle).

There is another button that moves the light. You can see the light and where it falls on the seam line on the screen. Which way are you using the light? Is this what you are having issues with on the machine?

OR: is the light pointing crooked? I want to be sure that my reply is helpful.

I have the machine and love the light. No issues at all.

PS: Have you set the light with the pen function? That might help re-set the light too.

Good Luck!

I actually tried to send a photo of the light to BabyLock but couldn't get close enough with my iPhone camera to get a picture -- I was so close that I blocked the laser light itself! But basically the light starts out just a very tiny smidge to the right of the needle then crosses over to the left side. Of course, the further away from the needle, the further the light goes to the left.

I tried re-calibrating the laser light -- no better.

I am starting out with the light dead center, along with the needle being a dead center. I have tried moving the light to the left and then it is inaccurate much closer to the needle. When you paper piece, you want to sew right down the center of the paper piecing line. My laser light and needle are both set at 3.5.

I really thought at first that the laser light just wasn't aligned correctly, but when I called BabyLock directly, they came up with so many excuses about why it wasn't straight

But I think the light is simply aligned improperly. As I said, I took it back into my dealer twice. Both my dealer and the staff member from BabyLock said that it is hard to align because it is so close to the needle.

Maybe I should try purposely mis-aligning it! Maybe it would straighten out that way! But I would love to hear your ideas! My next course of action is to try another dealer!

Looking forward to hearing your ideas!

I will try to take some pictures for you this weekend. That is odd that you received that sort of response. I will check with my local dealer also about your issue. Wonder if the lights can be replaced. I have both the Crescendo and the Dream without any issues.

Best wishes!

Just wanted you to know that I found another dealer who took a look at my machine and she said the laser light and the pen were not working properly! It is currently back at Babylock because even this dealer couldn't fix it. The light actually crossed over the sewing line -- it started to the right of the needle behind the needle and then crossed over to the left of the sewing line as the light projected outward from the machine! It was so nice to get some confirmation from a dealer that it wasn't working the way it was supposed to. Here's hoping they can fix it!! Fingers crossed!!