@BrendaP & @realale   your tops all look great.  If I re-use a pattern I don’t usually make too much of an alteration perhaps the length but nothing major.
 
I’m the other way one lot of fabric and two patterns so don’t qualify for the competition.

The Bernina accessory book says it should but I would check direct with Bernina or one of their dealers.

It’s 2 straight stitches, a zigzag then 2 stitches and a zigzag and so on.  All the manufacturers seem to call this type of stitch by different names so I think it’s a case of looking at what stitches your machine does.

I have just looked at the Janome stitch chart and 10, 13 and 40 all look similar to the Bernina varilock.

I seem to remember a programme on TV where some one was using a sewing machine on a narrowboat but I can’t remember if it was electric or not.  I wouldn’t risk using a computerised machine off a battery.

I would complain and ask for a replacement cut in one length or a refund.

Is your daughter using the right foot with a zigzag stitch to finish seam edges? 

Good service from Fabworks as I ordered samples yesterday afternoon and they arrived this morning so all I have to do is choose what colours I want.

I don’t know the answer but I considered buying a F & R machine in the early 1970s but was advised against it by the dealer because the needle only swung to one side.