
New baby lock BLCS-2
I have a new cover stitch machine and am very very happy with it.
My old cover stitch machine (a Bernette 009DCC) has been difficult more often than not, at times leading me to believe I had figured out how to operate around it’s quirks. Evidently I was wrong and those quirks returned no matter what I did.
Over the years I have tried different needles, different thread of various quality, spool nets, spool disks, seam jumpers, multiple tension and presser foot pressure combinations (whilst swapping needles and thread in and out), hand cranking and holding my breath. And combinations of the above.
I have kept lists of setting combinations, notions + setting combinations, fabric + setting + notions combinations and more. I have read and re-read every tip and trick and review that I could find and all this did very little to help. The lack of consistency of results and performance has been and still is utterly frustrating and I remain unable to sew a line of stitching on that damned machine without skipped stitches, most of the time.
I even had it looked at by the shop but they said everything was as it should be.
Frankly, the Bernette 009DCC is an expensive lemon.
So a few weeks ago I made my way to the very helpful Wellington Sewing Centre, road tested the babylock and bought it. Done.

Oops didn’t remember to match the stripes!
Now, if you are in the market for a stand alone cover stitch machine, the baby lock is a pricey individual but if you can afford it, I highly highly recommend it. Out of the box, I ran up three cotton lycra and three merino long sleeve Ts without a hitch and in no time at all. I only modified thread and looper tensions once or twice.
Then and since, I have sewn over seam intersections without a seam jumper or any other tools and have had no skipped stitches. Not one.
I have used up to three different quality and types of serger thread (sometimes at the same time) while top stitching necklines, and have had no skipped stitches. Not one.
I have stopped and started mid-way through stitching and sewn around fiddly small circumference sleeve hems on the round. Again no skipped stitches. Not one.
Oh the joy of a machine that does it’s job without a hitch. Happy days indeed.