Well today I had two hours with an instructor from Babylock and we went over all the questions I had concerning my new Quest. Some things are just easier when you see them done, instead of reading about them. I found out that the instructor recommended Schmetz or Klasse needles. She also recommended Mettler thread. (Please don't cringe...my old Singer was perfectly happy with C & C). I found that the needles that came with the machine seemed either too large, or dull. They weren't marked so I couldn't tell what they were.
The instructor was very helpful. I don't think she had used this machine much, so we were learning together! She recommended the mini-vacuum set that attaches to a regular vacuum cleaner for keeping the machine clean...she does not like "canned air" because it can push lint further into the depths of the machine.
We spent quite a bit of time exploring the Memory functions and the different stitch patterns, elongating, mirror image , etc. I want to spend more time playing with those features to understand them better.
If I have any further questions, I can call or email her; the shop is also going to add me to their mailing list for classes, etc.
So even though it was a dreary, foggy, rainy day, the hour drive each way was well worth it!