What is the appeal of the automatic cutter?
 

I have read a few posts lately about the automatic cutter on the sewing machines. Several of you have stated that it is a must have.

I have one on my machine and I don't use it. The thread is cut too short and I have to dig for the ends to start my next seam, or I have a little nest. I asked my dealer about it and he said that's the way it is.

What am I missing?

I have a Brother NX 2000, no nests with my machine. I use it all the time.

I never look for the thread ends before starting the next seam. I just start sewing. No thread ends to worry about. The threads should cut to be about 1/4" long and no way to pull them out to begin a new seam. That would defeat the purpose of having the thread cut.

Janie: I have a Brother 1500, it has the first thread cutter that I ever owned. Every once in a while the needle will come unthreaded when the cutter is used, but not often. The convenience of having the threads cut out weighs the minor irritation of rethreading the needle, but a nest underneath would be a problem. This, like so many things in quilting, is really a personal preferance. One problem is the habit of hitting the cut button when you are FM. Can't tell you how many times I have to unsew so the threads are long enough to tie and bury.

I don't use mine all the time - but I do like it. I use it when doing regular sewing - then my machine will do a knotting stitch when it starts again - eliminates the need to back stitch.

I think it like seat heaters in your car... once you get used to them , they are a must have... if you never had one ... its no big deal to cut your own threads. I don't have one on any of my machines , but my Mom recently got one and now she loves it , but it took a bit of getting used to.

Janie, I have one on my new machine. I see it as a real timesaver. I had a Singer Quantum Stylist that would frequently come unthreaded when I used the auto cutter if I forgot to pull the thread longer, but my Babylock doesn't do that, even with the short thread that results from the cut. On it, you don't have to pull on the thread. You just start sewing again. I didn't use the cutter much on the Singer, but I use it all the time on the Babylock.

I have the same machine and find that the "unthreading" happens quite often.... so I rarely use this feature.

My Baby Lock Crescendo has it and I love it! I have it set to lift the presser foot at the end and it's a one button wonder. That said, I wouldn't buy a new machine just to get it - needle threader OH YEAH!

I have the Brother 1500 and the thread would pull out of the needle when using the thread cutter. The dealer kept saying buy a new thread cutter. Why it was brand new! A poster here told me to by pass the three hole bar or use only the first hole and have the thread go down the hole not come up underneath the hole like the picture shows. The bar is used to add more tension to thread. My needle doesn't come unthreaded anymore.