Introducing the Brother Innov-ís BQ3050 sewing and quilting machine

During the last 2 years, I’ve written QUILTsocial posts about 3 different Brother machines – the NQ900, the Dream Machine 2 and the Luminaire.

I loved using each machine, but I always had to send them back after my posts were finished. So – you guessed it – I decided to purchase my own machine. I chose the Brother Innov-ís BQ3050.

 This machine has all the features I was looking for, including:

•  5” x 11¼” workspace for large quilts
• adjustable LED lighting
• a wide table for larger projects
• the MuVit digital dual feed (walking foot) with 5 different feet – watch this Brother video to see how it works
• 2-spool thread stand
• Laser Vision Guide
• V-Sonic Sensor Pen
• Automatic Height Adjuster (AHA) feature for consistent stitch quality
• My Custom Stitch lets you create personalized sewing stitches
• Pivot function facilitates fast and easy fabric manipulation

You can check out all the features of this machine by clicking on the Specifications tab on the Brother website.

For me, the most important thing when using a new machine is finding the perfect ¼” seam. To test my ¼” seam on the BQ3050, I moved the needle position to the center and attached the ¼” foot. My favorite method of testing the seam allowance is to cut 3 – 1½” x 4″ strips of fabric.

Then I sew them together, using the guide on the side of the ¼” foot for my ¼” seam.

When I measure across the center, the measurement should be 3½”. If the measurement is more than 3½”, the seam allowance is too narrow. If the measurement is less than 3½”, the seam allowance is too wide. You may need to make adjustments either with the needle placement or the position of the fabric when sewing to achieve the perfect ¼” seam.

It’s well worth taking some extra time to find the perfect ¼” seam for your machine because you’ll be able to use it for all of your quilting projects.

There’s also a ¼” foot without the guide and, later this week, I’ll be showing the advantages of using that foot as well.

The other thing I like to do with a new machine is try out some of the decorative stitches. On the Brother Innov-ís BQ3050 there are over 500 from which to choose!

I’ve had the machine for only a few weeks, and I’m gradually learning about all the wonderful features on this machine. As you can see, I’m making good use of the Operation Manual with all those sticky notes on important pages!

This week, I’m inviting you to join me on the journey to learn about some of the basic features every quilter needs to know.

I’ll start by doing a crazy quilt design which can be used for a Christmas runner or wall hanging. So gather up some scraps of Christmas fabric (3″ – 4″ strips or odd-shaped scraps will work fine) and join me tomorrow to get started on a new project!