lalaland

I had posted earlier with a few questions and some of you also had questions, and issues, and here's what I found out compliments of Brother, other members, web questions and answers, and working on the machine.

The thread cutter cuts real short, and the bobbin thread is usually "lost". You can bring it back up by turning the wheel, or you can leave it where it is. When you start to sew, it will be there. Doesn't matter if you are doing regular sewing or FMQ'g, it will be there.

Brother suggested I remove the throat plate and clean out any debris, clean the bobbin casing, and the felt liner. I did all that and it still cuts the thread short. I wouldn't bother to take it to your local repair shop, I think it's just the way it is with this machine, although I am aware that some people don't have this problem, it seems most do.

When FMQ'g, I have found that you don't have to coordinate the speed at which you move the fabric and the speed of the machine. As a matter of fact, you can have the machine on full speed, at 1500 stitches a minute, and move your fabric slowly, and you will still have beautiful stitches underneath, no loops or "stutters". This is the case whether you have your machine on a frame, or a tabletop.

It took time and patience, but not a lot, to get this machine "balanced" but it is super easy, and once it's balanced, it stays that way whether you are FMQ'g, or sewing. When I got the machine, the bobbin tension was WAY off, getting it right solved most of the problem. You have to balance your tension (thread tension dial), your bobbin, and your presser foot pressure. After that, the only adjustment you have to make is to your presser foot pressure when you change the position of your feed dogs but the dial is color coded, which makes it super easy.

I love the bobbin casing being on the side because I FMQ with the machine facing me so the bobbin casing is also facing me. It is tricky though to remove it. It releases from right to left and I'm used to left to right. At the shows there's always a vendor selling tools so I got one of these, have no idea what it's used for, but it's great for pulling the bobbin lever forward so I can get a grip on it.

Some people have problems with needle breakage, especially if the machine is on a frame. That happens when you are moving the fabric faster than the machine is going, the tugging breaks the needle. And some people have problems with thread shredding. To solve that problem, use a topstitch needle, 80/12 and 90/14 are both good. They are sturdier and they have a bigger eye. You can use Schmitz needles, they work fine. I use the titanium coated ones by Superior just because they last longer. They work great on embroidery machines too, no more thread shredding, even finer threads. I usually use the 90/14 on the Brother and the 80/12 on the embroidery machine.

I'm really happy with this machine.