So this happened today....
06-11-2021, 06:48 AM
#23
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,372
My first and only Brother....was a.....wait for it.....typewriter! It was a great typewriter.....actually had a memory and if you caught your mistake without going too far, it would print over them with the white "erase" tape. I think I had something like 16 letters to catch my mistake in. Actually, we do not have a brother dealer up here and I think the chain stores only carried singers or something like that....so, I bought Vikings and then Bernina's and now have too many accessories for both to change. Have fun, makes me want to go out and pick one up too....but I do have one viking, 2 berninas, 1 pfaff, one singer 66, an apqs lucey longarm, and a viking serger. And I worked hard to downsize to just those.
06-11-2021, 07:36 PM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 1,994
I love Brother machines and bought 2 similar but not exactly like yours. I bought my oldest daughter one and my granddaughter one. I have Brother emb machines and love them. Have fun! Your sample stitching looks great!
06-11-2021, 08:24 PM
#25
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 251
I like to piece with mine while in bed and have it on my lap sitting on the Quilters Cut n Press board. It's a Project Runway with 100 stitches. Love the serpentine stitch. Also getting used to using the buttons instead of foot control and I really like it. At first it felt very awkward and made me nervous, but I'm getting the hang of it now.
06-12-2021, 01:53 AM
#26
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Gainesville, Missouri
Posts: 520
Great idea on the stitch dictionary, I'll be doing that for sure, thanks guys!
I think what I like the most about this machine so far is the variable speed. It's amazing when you get a new item that you didn't think you needed in your life, then when you get it, suddenly it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm really impressed with the speed and power it has, I was reading the manual earlier and couldn't get over the top speed - 850 stitches a minute?! Holy cow! This is also the very first machine I've ever owned where I didn't have to oil it, that's going to take some getting used to.
Super excited to get to work on my nephew's quilt, his fabric and thread came in yesterday and the colors are so vibrant (going with various shades of blue), his is going to be a treat to work on.
I think what I like the most about this machine so far is the variable speed. It's amazing when you get a new item that you didn't think you needed in your life, then when you get it, suddenly it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm really impressed with the speed and power it has, I was reading the manual earlier and couldn't get over the top speed - 850 stitches a minute?! Holy cow! This is also the very first machine I've ever owned where I didn't have to oil it, that's going to take some getting used to.
Super excited to get to work on my nephew's quilt, his fabric and thread came in yesterday and the colors are so vibrant (going with various shades of blue), his is going to be a treat to work on.
06-12-2021, 03:27 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,101
I like Brothers, both at the bottom and middle and I haven't had that much experience on the high end, but I have friends who love their Embroidery machines.
My first Brother was a Costco "quilters" special and I ran it hard as a portable machine for years when I was doing a lot of classes and traveling to friends houses and such. Wore the little thing out, but it was used as a trade in for someone who was getting an embroidery machine.
My current Brother is pretty much a bottom of the line machine, probably sold for about $100 total when new, I bought it in the box at the goodwill for $20 and then had to spend another $20 for a bobbin winder to actually use it. When both my old vintage machine went out (foot pedal fell and the 60 year old bakelite or whatever inside shattered) and my modern Bernina needed a new thread sensor but shops were closed due to covid, out came the Brother and it sewed many a mask and other project.
I think Brother works very hard for usability, I find their diagrams and such to be understandable and the machines easy to thread and maintain. It's pretty hard at this point to thread them incorrectly although things do happen.
I was very pleased with how easily I could go out and buy a 1/4" quilters foot for the Brother. It is very accurate and was just on the notion wall at Walmart? Joann?? didn't even have to order it.
My first Brother was a Costco "quilters" special and I ran it hard as a portable machine for years when I was doing a lot of classes and traveling to friends houses and such. Wore the little thing out, but it was used as a trade in for someone who was getting an embroidery machine.
My current Brother is pretty much a bottom of the line machine, probably sold for about $100 total when new, I bought it in the box at the goodwill for $20 and then had to spend another $20 for a bobbin winder to actually use it. When both my old vintage machine went out (foot pedal fell and the 60 year old bakelite or whatever inside shattered) and my modern Bernina needed a new thread sensor but shops were closed due to covid, out came the Brother and it sewed many a mask and other project.
I think Brother works very hard for usability, I find their diagrams and such to be understandable and the machines easy to thread and maintain. It's pretty hard at this point to thread them incorrectly although things do happen.
I was very pleased with how easily I could go out and buy a 1/4" quilters foot for the Brother. It is very accurate and was just on the notion wall at Walmart? Joann?? didn't even have to order it.
06-12-2021, 06:02 AM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Round Rock, TX
Posts: 2,197
Nice! have fun with it! I have 2 Brother machines. My older model comes with a sewing cabinet. It was a steal! The lady that sold it wanted $125.00. It came with the sewing chair and the drawers were full sewing notions such as elastic, buttons, snaps,patches and other stuff. I'd say about $300 would have been a minimal price to have bought that. I also own a Brother SE425 machine that sews and embroiders. I love it! Love them both!
