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"IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS"
When using sashiko machine, basic safety precautions should always be followed,
including the following.
"Read all instructions before using this sashiko machine."
DANGER-To reduce the risk of electric shock.
1. The sashiko machine should never be left unattended when plugged in. Always unplug this sashiko
machine from the electrical outlet immediately after using and before cleaning.
WARNING- To reduce the risk of burns, fire, electric shock, or injury to persons.
1. Do not allow to be used as a toy. Close attention is necessary when the sashiko machine is used
by or near children.
2. Use this sashiko machine only for its intended use as described in this manual. Use only attachments recommended by the manufacturer as contained in this manual.
3. Never operate this sashiko machine if it has a damaged cord or plug, if it is not working properly,
if it has been dropped or damaged, or dropped into water. Return the sashiko machine to the nearest authorized retailer or service center for examination, repair, electrical or mechanical adjustment.
4. Never operate the sashiko machine with any air openings blocked. Keep ventilation openings of
the sashiko machine and foot control free from the accumulation of lint, dust, and loose cloth.
5. Never drop or insert any object into any opening.
6. Do not use outdoors.
7. Do not operate where aerosol (spray) products are being used or where oxygen is being administered.
8. To disconnect, turn the main switch to the symbol "O" position which represents off, then remove
plug from outlet.
9. Do not unplug by pulling on cord. To unplug, grasp the plug, not the cord.
10. Keep fingers away from all moving parts. Special care is required around the sashiko machine
needle.
11. Always use the proper needle plate. The wrong needle plate can cause the needle to break.
12. Do not use bent needle and latch wire.
13. Do not pull or push fabric while stitching. It may deflect the needle causing it to break.
14. Switch the sashiko machine to the symbol "O" position when making any adjustments in the needle area, such as threading bobbin, changing needle, changing latch wire, or changing presser
foot, and the like.
15. Always unplug the sashiko machine from the electrical outlet when removing covers, lubricating,
or when making any of the user servicing adjustments mentioned in the instruction manual.
16. Keep fingers away from moving parts.
17. The appliance is not intended for use by young children or infirm persons without supervision.
18. Young children should be supervised to ensure that they do not play with the appliance.
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"SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS"
"This sashiko machine is intended for household use."
PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS MACHINE
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For safe operation
1. Be sure to keep your eye on the needle while sewing. Do not touch the handwheel, latch wire,
needle or other moving parts.
2. Remember to turn OFF the power switch and unplug the cord when:
Operation is completed.
Replacing or removing the needle or any other parts.
A power failure occurs during use.
Maintaining the machine.
Leaving the machine unattended.
3. Do not store anything on the foot controller.
4. Plug the machine directly into the wall. Do not use extension cords.
For a longer service life
1. When storing this machine, avoid direct sunlight and high humidity locations. Do not use or store
the machine near a space heater, iron, halogen lamp, or other hot objects.
2. Use only neutral soaps or detergents to clean the machine. Benzene, thinner, and scouring powder can damage the machine, and should never be used.
3. Do not drop or hit the machine.
4. Always consult this operation manual when replacing or installing any assemblies, the latch wire,
needle or other parts to assure correct installation.
For repair or adjustment
In the event a malfunction occurs or adjustment is required, first follow the troubleshooting guide in
the back of this operation manual to inspect and adjust the machine yourself. If the problem persists,
please consult your local authorized Baby Lock retailer.
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For additional product information and updates, visit our website at www.babylock.com
The contents of this manual and specifications of this product are subject to change without
notice.
Do not dispose of electrical appliances as unsorted municipal waste, use separate collection facilities. Contact your local government for information regarding the collection systems available. If electrical appliances are disposed of in
landfills or dumps, hazardous substances can leak into the groundwater and get
in the food claim, damaging your health and well-being. When replacing old
appliances with new ones, the retailer is legally obligated to take back your old
appliance for disposal for free of charge.
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Table of Contents
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INTRODUCTION
Safety Instructions ..................................................................................................... 1-2
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... 3
How Your Sashiko Operates ......................................................................................... 4
Important Notice............................................................................................................ 4
Accessories................................................................................................................... 5
Optional Accessories..................................................................................................... 6
OVERVIEW
Principal Parts of the Machine....................................................................................... 7
Setting Up Your Sashiko ............................................................................................... 8
Turn Machine On/Off..................................................................................................... 9
Needle........................................................................................................................... 9
Latch Wire ..................................................................................................................... 9
Thread......................................................................................................................... 10
Fabric .......................................................................................................................... 10
Side Cover .................................................................................................................. 10
Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment.............................................................................. 11
Presser Foot Height Adjustment.................................................................................. 11
Stitch Length & Stitch Spacing Levers......................................................................... 12
Stitch Length Adjustment............................................................................................. 13
Stitch Spacing Adjustment........................................................................................... 14
Positioning Button ................................................................................................. 15-16
GETTING READY
Winding the Bobbin ..................................................................................................... 17
Loading Position.......................................................................................................... 18
Inserting the Bobbin .................................................................................................... 18
Bobbin Tension Adjustment ........................................................................................ 19
Removing the Bobbin.................................................................................................. 20
Pulling Up the Bobbin Thread ..................................................................................... 21
Beginning a Stitch ....................................................................................................... 22
Ending a Stitch ............................................................................................................ 23
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BASIC SASHIKO TECHNIQUES
Securing Stitches ........................................................................................................ 24
Straight Sewing .......................................................................................................... 25
Curved Sewing............................................................................................................ 26
Pivot Sewing .......................................................................................................... 27-28
Sewing Bulky Seams .................................................................................................. 29
Moving Within Designs................................................................................................ 29
Traditional Sashiko Designs................................................................................... 30-31
USEFUL SEWING INFORMATION
Specialty Stitch Mode .................................................................................................. 32
Quilting Guide ............................................................................................................. 32
Needle Plate Scale ...................................................................................................... 32
MAINTENANCE
Replacing Needle ........................................................................................................ 33
Replacing Latch Wire .................................................................................................. 34
Cleaning the Machine Surface ..................................................................................... 35
Cleaning the Feed Dog ................................................................................................ 35
Cleaning the Shuttle Hook............................................................................................ 36
APPENDIX
Safety Devices ............................................................................................................ 37
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................... 38-39
Bobbin Case Thread Jam ........................................................................................... 39
Thread/Fabric Reference Chart ............................................................................. 40-41
How Your Sashiko Operates
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The Baby Lock Sashiko is different than any other conventional sewing machine you have ever used.
The Sashiko will make one stitch on the top of the fabric after the handwheel makes two complete
rotations when the needle is in the down position. When the needle is in the up position it will make
one stitch after the handwheel makes one and a half rotations. The specialty needle will catch and
release the bobbin thread alternately.
After setting up your machine for the first time, take a few minutes to learn how it sews. Before threading the Sashiko, turn the handwheel counterclockwise (towards you) and watch the movement and
operation of the various parts. At the present time do not worry about placing fabric under the presser foot. It will not hurt your machine to stitch without fabric while it is unthreaded.
Due to the unique function of the Sashiko allow yourself to become familiar with the operation of the
machine. This will enable you to become more proficient in its use.
Important Notice
1. The Baby Lock Sashiko stitching will not unravel, so it is not necessary to make tacking stitch.
2. Always stitch with fabric under the presser foot when machine is threaded.
3. Do not stitch over previous stitching or stitch down the same row of stitching.
4. Avoid stitching over pins.
5. Before removing bobbin case, changing needle, or replacing latch wire; place needle in up
position, remove fabric, and cut thread.
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Accessories
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Your Baby Lock Sashiko has a built-in accessory compartment. To open, slide the “bin” located on the
bottom right side of the machine toward the front, as shown in illustration.
The accessories listed below are located either on the machine, inside the accessory compartment, or in
the machine’s Styrofoam packing as indicated under the Location column.
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Accessory Included Location
1. Instruction and Reference Guide 1 Packing box
2. Quick Reference Guide 1 Packing box
3. Power cord 1 Packing box
4. Foot control 1 Packing box
5. Needles 3 Accessory compartment
6. Latch wires 3 Accessory compartment
7. Screwdriver (small) 1 Accessory compartment
8. Screwdriver (large) 1 Accessory compartment
9. Tweezers 1 Accessory compartment
10. Bobbins 3 Accessory compartment
11. Spool caps (small, medium, large) 3 Accessory compartment
12. Thumb screws 2 Accessory compartment
13. Cleaning brush 1 Accessory compartment
14. Quilting guide 1 Accessory compartment
15. Standard presser foot 1 On machine
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Optional Accessories
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There are optional accessories available for the Sashiko machine. Contact your Baby Lock retailer for
information on purchasing any of the following optional accessories:
Description Parts Code #
Organ QKx1 Size 18 Needles (2) Q0-84007A-DD BLQK-N
Latch Wire Q0-84008A-DD BLQK-LW
Double Fold Bias Binder (1-1/8", 28mm) B0421S03A-E
Double Fold Bias Binder (1-3/8), 36mm) B0421S02A-E
Plain Hemmer (1/4", 7.5mm) B0421S07A-E
Plain Hemmer (1/2", 13mm) B0421S06A-E
Single Downturn Feller (1/4", 7.5mm) B0421S10A-E
Single Downturn Feller (5/8", 16mm) B0421S08A-E
Single Downturn Feller (1", 25mm) B0421S09A-E
Single Fold Bias Binder (1-1/8", 28mm) B0421S04A-E
BLE8-S3
BLE8-S2
BLE8-S7
BLE8-S6
BLE8-S10
BLE8-S8
BLE8-S9
BLE8-S4
Baby Lock
Item #
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Single Fold Bias Binder (1-1/2", 40mm) B0421S05A-E BLE8-S5
IMPORTANT NOTE: Use lightweight to medium weight fabric only. Not recommended for heavy
weight fabrics. Do not use knit or stretchable fabrics.
MEMO: The two thumb screws, which come with the machine, are to be used with the optional
accessories.
All specifications are correct at the time of printing.
Please be aware that some specifications may change without notice.
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Principal Parts of The Machine
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1. Presser foot lever 20. Thumb screw holes
2. Quilting guide fixing screw 21. Positioning button
3. Presser foot holder screw 22. Accessory compartment
4. Presser foot 23. Stitch spacing lever
5. Needle guard 24. Stitch length lever
6. Needle 25. Handwheel
7. Latch wire 26. Bobbin winder lever
8. Wiper 27. Power cord receptacle
9. Thread guide for bobbin winding 28. Main power switch
10. Presser foot height adjustment dial 29. Foot control jack
11. LED for needle up position 30. Bobbin winder shaft
12. LED for needle down position 31. Spool pin
13. LED for bobbin loading, needle changing, 32. Handle
or latch wire changing position 33. Bobbin winder balance adjusting screw
14. Side cover 34. Bobbin winder adjustable thread guide
15. Thread cutter/holder 35. Pre-tension disk
16. Shuttle race clasp 36. Presser foot pressure dial
17. Shuttle race 37. Needle clamp screw
18. Bobbin case 38. Presser foot lock button
19. Needle plate
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Setting Up Your Sashiko
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After removing the packing materials from the box, gently lift your Baby Lock Sashiko by grasping the handle provided on the top of the machine. Place the machine on a sewing table or any
sturdy level surface that provides ample work space to the left of the machine.
Before connecting the power supply, make sure the voltage and frequency shown on the machine
conforms to your electrical power.
With the sewing machine turned off, insert the foot control plug and the power cord into their
appointed connectors as illustrated below. Then plug the power cord into an electrical wall outlet.
The sewing speed of the machine is determined by the amount of the pressure applied to the foot
control. Do not place anything on the foot control, or the machine could inadvertently start and
the foot control or motor could burn out.
This machine uses foot control model YC-485EC.
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CAUTION: Never leave machine unattended when plugged in.
Always unplug this machine from the electrical wall outlet immediately after using and before
maintenance.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Consult a qualified electrician if in doubt as how to connect the machine to
the power source.
Polarized plug information
This appliance has a polarized plug (one blade wider
than the other) to reduce the risk of electrical shock;
this plug will only fit in a polarized outlet one way. If the
plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it
still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician. Do not
modify the plug in any way. (For U.S.A. only)
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Turn Machine On/Off
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Turn on the machine
Press the “ l ” symbol on the main power switch located on
the right side of the machine.
The lamp and one of the LED lights will come on when the
machine is turned on.
Turn off the machine
When you are finished using the machine, turn it off. In addition, before moving the machine to another location, be sure
to turn it off.
1. Make sure the machine is not sewing.
2. Press the “ O” symbol on the main power switch located
on the right side of the machine.
The lamp and LED lights go off when the machine is
turned off.
3. Unplug the power cord from the power cord receptacle.
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NOTE: If a power outage occurs while the machine is being operated, turn off the machine and
unplug the power cord.
When restarting the machine, follow the necessary procedure to correctly operate the machine.
Needle
Your Baby Lock Sashiko uses a size 110/18 specialty needle, which is suitable for most fabrics.
Use the Organ brand needles – system QKx1 (part #BLQK-N).
Latch Wire
The latch wire is located in the front of the needle which slides in the needle groove in order to
open and close the eye of the needle. The latch wire plays an important role for creating the
stitches. In case of skip stitches or fabric damage, change to a new latch wire (part #BLQK-LW).
Thread
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Most threads used on an ordinary sewing machine (cotton, silk, long-staple polyester, etc.) may be
used on your Baby Lock Sashiko, but 100% long-staple polyester thread, cross wound on a cone,
consistently provides the best stitching performance. Because of the thread movement through the
bobbin system the thread must be of uniform thickness and high strength with a minimum amount of
lint being produced.
Good quality cotton or cotton covered polyester threads sew well, though they produce more lint,
creating the need to clean the machine more frequently. Threads of poor grade can result in frequent
fraying, breaking and unbalanced stitches.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For maximum performance of the Baby Lock Sashiko, it is recommended to
use 100% long staple polyester thread within the range of 30 to 100 weight. Wooly nylon, monofilament, or threads that can be easily snagged are not recommended for this machine.
Fabric
Stretchable fabrics, including knit fabrics, are not recommended for the Baby Lock Sashiko
machine.
Depending on the weight of the fabric we do not recommend stitching on more than 4 layers.
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Side Cover
To open for threading grasp the side cover located on the
left side of the machine and pull as illustrated.
NOTE: When the side door is open the orange LED light
will flash off and on and the machine will not operate.
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of injury, close the side
cover before beginning to sew.
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Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment
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The presser foot pressure adjustment dial has been preset at
the factory and rarely needs adjustment. You may find it
necessary, however, to decrease the pressure for heavy
fabrics or increase pressure for thin fabrics to feed more
smoothly under the foot.
To increase pressure, turn the presser foot pressure adjustment dial forward.
To decrease pressure, turn the presser foot pressure adjustment dial toward you.
The presser foot pressure dial can be adjusted from 0, least
amount of pressure, to 9, highest amount of pressure. The
standard pressure setting is 5.
Presser Foot Height Adjustment
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The presser foot height adjustment dial actually has two
functions - straight sewing or curved sewing. This dial is located on the left side of the machine.
The straight sewing position is for straight sewing only.
The presser foot lies on top of the fabric and the feed dog pulls
the fabric through much like a standard sewing machine. (See
page 25 )
The curved sewing position allows for ease of fabric rotation
or movement. When the needle penetrates the fabric the
presser foot will raise slightly so fabric can be easily
manipulated. (See page 26 )
Suggestions for the dial settings are:
0 – Straight sewing
1 – Curved sewing for lightweight fabrics
2 – Curved sewing for medium weight fabrics
3 – Curved sewing for heavy weight fabrics or
fabric with batting
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Stitch Length & Stitch Spacing Levers
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Stitch length lever
The stitch length lever and the stitch spacing lever are conveniently located on the right side of the
front panel. You will notice there are two sets of numbers ranging from 2 (shortest) through 5 (longest)
for each lever. One range is for the stitch length, which forms the actual stitch on top of the fabric.
The other one is for the stitch spacing, which is the distance between the actual stitches.
Stitch spacing lever
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Slide the stitch length lever and the stitch spacing lever up or down to your desired setting by aligning the lever’s pointed extension with the markings indicated on the machine. The levers do not have
to be set at identical settings.
For example:
If you prefer a long stitch length for the actual stitch on the top of the
fabric and a short space between stitches then set the stitch length lever
on 5 and the stitch spacing lever on 2. (Fig. A)
A
If you prefer a short stitch length and a long space between stitches then
set the stitch length lever on 2 and the stitch spacing lever on 5. (Fig. B)
B
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