update and thanks on Quest sewing machine

It's a good letter. If you could include the exact dates on which you sent the machine and got it back from the various places, and have copies of any posting certification, that will also help.

Another thing to include is a pile of photos of your samples to go with your the numbered evidence, copies of this in with the machine AS WELL, and also attach your name to the sample quilt, along with the serial number of the machine, so that should they become parted you do at least have evidence that all this was sent off properly labeled and attached. If you can bear to do a duplicate sample with all the same threads, do so. KEEP COPIES OF ALL THE EVIDENCE! Send your letter recorded delivery, so you can track it, AND SEND IT TO A NAMED PERSON, not just an anonymouse director.

Personally, I would not send the machine: get them to collect it. Tell them to do so by a certain date. Tell them to deliver the replacement in person at a date and time to suit your convenience, and that they must wait for you to test it. Do not sign for the replacement until you have done so thoroughly.

Good luck!

Well done, Cindy. Fine letter. Two suggestions: kill the word 'art' where you said you took in the current problem art quilt. Whether it's an art quilt or not is not particularly relevant and some dipstick make take the notion that you're trying to make a quilt of Budweiser beer cans - (which you certainly can with a Pfaff - I've seen it done.) kill the words " even though I saved the original packaging". I don't see how it could make any difference to the problem or the solution. (could be that I'm missing something; just consider.) Warm best wishes, atta girl and GO for it. FWIW, I used to think I would buy a Babylock embroidery machine one day. Not now. Not after your struggle. No way. Polly

I have another question - if you can free motion with the feed dogs up with no problem - why put them down? In a free motion class I took a few years ago, the teacher told us that some machines work better with the feed dogs up while free motion quilting. That is true with my machine. There were approximately 10 students in that class. All of us except one found that our machines did work better with the feed dogs up.

If you still want to send a letter, it's still too wordy. The first rule of business letter writing (and this is a business letter you're writing) is KISS - Keep it Simple, Stupid. I'm not calling you stupid - that's just the 'rule' that's been around for many, many years! I would be happy to write the letter for you - just let me know. I've been writing business letters for more years than I like to think about!

Donna in SW Idaho

here's the letter....

In November 2007 I purchased a Quest at the Chicago quilt show from Fabricsetc2. It was shipped in time for Christmas when my husband wrapped it and I waited to open it. I used it for a few months with varying degrees of success but reached a point where either the stitches skipped every inch or so or the top thread broke. I called then shipped the machine to the dealer in Elmhurst. According to the dealer, nothing was wrong with the machine. I drove to the shop (3.5 hrs away) to get some tips on free motion quilting (which I am NOT new at) and to take the machine home.

Right out of the box I needed to do some regular sewing, feed dogs up ? just simple right sides together attaching 2 pieces fabric to each other. The top thread looped horribly on the underside, and I had to tighten the top tension to maximum to get rid of the loops. Even then, I got occasional loops. I called Mary and essentially was told that there was nothing more she could do. By this time I had the distinct impression that all this was my fault and that, even though I?ve free motion quilted on my little, mechanical Bernina for years without trouble, I?d suddenly become a free motion idiot. Since I was the one who couldn?t use the machine, I was the problem.

In September 2008, the next step was to try a different Baby Lock Dealer. I took it to Stitch and Sew in Arthur IL, a small town only about 45 minutes from home. They promised to take a look and call me back, which they did. They didn?t have a problem with it, so I brought in the current ?problem? art quilt and in their store I couldn?t sew more than an inch without a skipped stitch or a broken thread. So they set up the Quilter?s Choice machine, and with the same thread, the same needle, and the same quilt, I was able to finish one side of the quilt, free motion, without any hitches or skips or any kind of problem at all. Hallelujah ? finally some vindication! So they sent the machine to Baby Lock, and a technician named Sandy replaced the hook or something and fine tuned it and sent it back very promptly. I was then able to machine quilt smoothly with the feed dogs UP, but when I put the feed dogs down, bam. Skipped stitches and broken top thread. I called the Baby Lock educator, Kathy. She told me 2 things to try that I didn?t know, and I did try them. It was an improvement, but I still got skipped stitches and broken top threads. Before calling Kathy back, I decided to do some experiments on my own that were more scientific, numbering each trial and explaining what I did. The attached page outlines those trials. The actual quilted samples are with the machine.

Having fought with this machine for nearly a year, and doing everything every dealer and educator suggested ? I?m returning this machine and I never want to see it again. If you believe that the Quest is a good machine, I?ll accept a new machine in exchange. Otherwise I?d appreciate a refund. Enclosed are copies of the invoices for the original purchase plus the shipping costs I?ve incurred, even though I saved the original packaging. Though I have spent the year complaining to my quilting buddies online, from every corner of the planet, who will gladly testify to the heartache and trouble I?ve gone through with this machine, I will gladly tell them that you have satisfied me with a new machine and that I once again love Baby Lock. Cindy Bettinger, 11 Kickapoo PL Charleston, IL, 61920, 217-348-0870 Attention President: Mr. Steven J. Jeffery

(636) 349-2333ý

The only thing I would suggest is to change the format... and in bullets give a chronological -- month-by-month accounting of the trouble... and the remedies you have attempted. That will (in a more succinct fasion) identify the fact that this has been an ongoing problem since the beginning... and that you have gone above-and-beyond in working with retailers, sales reps, educators etc to try to remedy the situation. For me... your details are lost in lost in the prose. People anymore do NOT want to read a long letter. (Sad but true.) You want to keep it simple... and easy to read. Straight to the point. I would also provide as much information as you have for dealers (names, addresses, phone numbers... ) for each retailer you worked with. For example:

• - November 2007 -- purchased the machine at.....

• - December 2007 -- received as gift at Christmas (machine NOT used from time of \ purchase until after Christmas

• - January 2008 ........

For me -- this format will at a glance indicate this has been an ongoing problem.... and they can quickly get the details needed.

Just my 2 cents...

I agree with everybody's suggestions. One other thing I was stumped on. In your second paragraph, you say you called Mary. Who & where is Mary? Is she with the dealer in Elmhurst or with Baby Lock. I think condensing the letter & bulleting the major points will make it more reader friendly! I am torn about whether you should send the machine with the letter or ask them to make arrangements to pick it up & replace it. Some companies are really sticky about having "Return Authorization Numbers" or something similar. Without having that, your machine could end up in limbo, because the receiving clerk didn't know what to do with it. Just something to consider. You might also mention how many years you have been sewing/quilting - just so they understand you are not a novice & have been using sewing machines for X number of years.

Good luck! This is so frustrating. I hope they do the right thing by you!

Pauline Northern California

here's the letter....

In November 2007 I purchased a Quest at the Chicago quilt show from Fabricsetc2. It was shipped in time for Christmas when my husband wrapped it and I waited to open it. I used it for a few months with varying degrees of success but reached a point where either the stitches skipped every inch or so or the top thread broke. I called then shipped the machine to the dealer in Elmhurst. According to the dealer, nothing was wrong with the machine. I drove to the shop (3.5 hrs away) to get some tips on free motion quilting (which I am NOT new at) and to take the machine home.

Right out of the box I needed to do some regular sewing, feed dogs up ? just simple right sides together attaching 2 pieces fabric to each other. The top thread looped horribly on the underside, and I had to tighten the top tension to maximum to get rid of the loops. Even then, I got occasional loops. I called Mary and essentially was told that there was nothing more she could do. By this time I had the distinct impression that all this was my fault and that, even though I?ve free motion quilted on my little, mechanical Bernina for years without trouble, I?d suddenly become a free motion idiot. Since I was the one who couldn?t use the machine, I was the problem.

In September 2008, the next step was to try a different Baby Lock Dealer. I took it to Stitch and Sew in Arthur IL, a small town only about 45 minutes from home. They promised to take a look and call me back, which they did. They didn?t have a problem with it, so I brought in the current ?problem? art quilt and in their store I couldn?t sew more than an inch without a skipped stitch or a broken thread. So they set up the Quilter?s Choice machine, and with the same thread, the same needle, and the same quilt, I was able to finish one side of the quilt, free motion, without any hitches or skips or any kind of problem at all. Hallelujah ? finally some vindication! So they sent the machine to Baby Lock, and a technician named Sandy replaced the hook or something and fine tuned it and sent it back very promptly. I was then able to machine quilt smoothly with the feed dogs UP, but when I put the feed dogs down, bam. Skipped stitches and broken top thread. I called the Baby Lock educator, Kathy. She told me 2 things to try that I didn?t know, and I did try them. It was an improvement, but I still got skipped stitches and broken top threads. Before calling Kathy back, I decided to do some experiments on my own that were more scientific, numbering each trial and explaining what I did. The attached page outlines those trials. The actual quilted samples are with the machine.

Having fought with this machine for nearly a year, and doing everything every dealer and educator suggested ? I?m returning this machine and I never want to see it again. If you believe that the Quest is a good machine, I?ll accept a new machine in exchange. Otherwise I?d appreciate a refund. Enclosed are copies of the invoices for the original purchase plus the shipping costs I?ve incurred, even though I saved the original packaging. Though I have spent the year complaining to my quilting buddies online, from every corner of the planet, who will gladly testify to the heartache and trouble I?ve gone through with this machine, I will gladly tell them that you have satisfied me with a new machine and that I once again love Baby Lock. Cindy Bettinger, 11 Kickapoo PL Charleston, IL, 61920, 217-348-0870 Attention President: Mr. Steven J. Jeffery

(636) 349-2333ý

Polly, The Quest isn't normal for Babylock. Most of their machines are wonderful I have the Ellageo embroidery machine and love it. I bought it from a girl in Texas, so I got it used. She took great care of it and it was like new when I got it. They know they screwed up on several things on the Quest and are working to fix them. Gen

I know, Gen. I know. We are watching with severe great interest to see if Babylock stands up and does right by one of our own or not. Nobody should have to go through the distress Musicmaker has endured. Polly

You know it isn't even at some point that the machine is bad, it is the way the company deals with the problem. I was warned that Janome is no help if you have a problem machine. I guess that most of Janome and Babylock are good machines is how they do so well. When you buy a machine you look at the brand as part of the whole. You would expect these two names to back up their machines. It appears they don't. I don't guess I'll buy a Babylock or another Janome. I am actually picking up old style Bernina machines on Ebay. They are good solid machines and with spare parts machines I don't have to deal with the company, just a good sewing machine guru. Pretty sad. TAria

Gen wrote:

It could be how individual dealers handle problems, too.

My Janome had a problem when it was newish, and I brought it in to my dealer. They took a quick look, said it needed major surgery, and asked if it would be okay to give me a brand new machine instead of having me be without for several weeks. (Of course I said yes!)

I can easily see how a bad dealer would have made this a horrible experience -- try to say it was something I did, take a long time to repair it, blame any issues on the company. But since the dealer made this so easy, I would definitely buy a Janome again, and definitely buy it from that dealer.

Two suggestions: First, put the relief you want in the opening paragraph -- replacement with a new duplicate machine, or full refund. Keep it later in the letter, but it needs to be up front. Second, don't say you would "appreciate" a refund! Say you EXPECT a full refund.

I agree. This is the reason everyone says the most important thing in buying a machine is the dealer. Mine is wonderful, and has corrected a few things---even being 3 1/2 hrs away is worth it to me Gen