The Baby Lock Zest is a simple, portable sewing machine for first-time sewists, students and anyone who wants a light second machine for classes, travel and quick repairs. You pick from 15 built-in stitches with one dial and set the stitch length with another, so there's no screen or menu to learn. Baby Lock's own beginner guide names the Zest its "Best Budget Model."
Why buy from Imagine Sewing & Vacuum
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Authorized Baby Lock dealer. Only authorized retailers can issue Baby Lock warranties, so your Zest is covered by Baby Lock's 25-year limited warranty.
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Sewing specialists since 1922. We've helped sewists and quilters choose the right machine for more than a century.
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Factory-trained technicians. The people who service Baby Lock machines can help with setup, threading and bobbin questions, before and after you buy.
- Free shipping on orders over $299.
Easy to learn, easy to carry
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Two dials, nothing to program. A stitch selector and a stitch length dial (0 to 4 mm) are the only settings, so you can start sewing the day it arrives.
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The stitches you'll use most. 15 built-in stitches cover straight seams, zigzag and stretch stitches for knits.
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Buttonholes in four steps. Turn the selector through the four buttonhole positions to sew each side and end with the sliding buttonhole foot.
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Free arm for hems and sleeves. Slide off the flatbed to sew around pant legs, cuffs and sleeves.
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Front-loading bobbin. Baby Lock describes it as high capacity, so you refill less often mid-project.
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Built-in thread cutter. Trim threads at the machine without reaching for scissors.
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Darning and simple free-motion. Cover the feed dogs with the included darning plate to mend holes or try free-motion stitching.
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Light enough to take along. At 13 pounds with a carry handle, the Zest travels to classes and clubs.
Is the Zest right for you?
It's the best fit if you're learning to sew, you mostly hem, mend and make simple crafts, or you want an inexpensive, portable second machine for classes.
Good to know before you buy: the Zest has no needle threader, no stitch width dial and no drop feed, and its buttonhole is four-step rather than one-step. It has no screen, speed control or needle up/down button. With a 6-inch sewing bed, it suits small projects rather than full-size quilts.
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Want a needle threader and a drop-in bobbin? The Baby Lock Joy adds both, along with a stitch width dial, drop feed and 19 stitches.
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Want a one-step buttonhole? The Baby Lock Zeal sizes buttonholes to your button and has 25 stitches and 6 included feet.
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Want a screen and speed control? The Baby Lock Jubilant is computerized, with 80 stitches, an LCD screen and an automatic needle threader.
Expert tip
"If thread loops or bunches under your fabric, the top thread is usually the cause. Raise the presser foot and rethread the Zest from the spool so the thread seats between the tension discs. Make sure the bobbin case clicks fully into place behind the front cover, and hold both thread tails for the first few stitches of every seam."
Greg, Owner, Imagine Sewing & Vacuum
Specifications
| Model |
BL15B |
| Machine type |
Mechanical sewing machine with dial stitch selection |
| Built-in stitches |
15, including a four-step buttonhole |
| Stitch length |
0 to 4 mm |
| Bobbin |
Class 15, front-loading |
| Needle threader |
No |
| Thread cutter |
Built in |
| Free-motion |
Darning plate (included) |
| Free arm |
Yes |
| Presser feet |
Snap-on, 4 included |
| Walking foot |
Optional |
| Foot control |
Electronic |
| Lighting |
1 standard light |
| Sewing bed width |
6" |
| Weight |
13.0 lb (machine only) |
| Dimensions |
15-1/2" W × 12-1/2" H × 5-3/4" D (machine only) |
What's in the box
- Baby Lock Zest with electronic foot control
- 4 snap-on feet: zigzag, zipper, blind hem and sliding buttonhole
- Darning plate
- 3 bobbins
- Needle package
- Seam ripper
Warranty
Baby Lock covers the Zest with a 25-year limited warranty: 10 years on parts, 2 years on electrical components and 1 year on labor. Baby Lock only honors warranties issued by its authorized retailers. Imagine Sewing & Vacuum is an authorized Baby Lock retailer, so your machine is covered. Register your Zest at babylock.com after it arrives.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between the Baby Lock Zest and the Joy?
The Joy adds a built-in needle threader, a drop-in bobbin, a stitch width dial, drop feed and 4 more stitches, and it weighs 11.5 pounds to the Zest's 13. The Zest costs less.
Does the Zest have a needle threader?
No. You thread the needle by hand. The Joy, Zeal and Jubilant all have a threader.
Can I change the stitch width on the Zest?
There's no width dial. Baby Lock lists stitch length as the adjustable setting, and each stitch sews at its built-in width. The Joy and Zeal let you set the width up to 5 mm.
Can the Zest do free-motion quilting?
The feed dogs don't lower. You cover them with the included darning plate instead, which works for darning and small free-motion pieces. For regular free-motion quilting, choose a machine with drop feed, such as the Jubilant.
Does the Zest take a walking foot?
Yes. Baby Lock lists a walking foot as an optional accessory for the Zest. It helps feed quilt layers and slippery fabrics evenly. Ask us which one fits before you order.
