Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I absolutely LOVE this machine! I've been using it for about 2 months and I am totally brand new to sewing. I have never, ever used a sewing machine before in my life. I never even learned how to sew by hand, but I developed an interest in sewing and fabrics when I began collecting vintage clothing about 3 years ago. While I can't compare this to other machines, I can offer some insight as a novice sewer. I have to say that I do more embroidering with this machine than sewing (probably 70/30 or 60/40). However I have used the sewing features of this machine to make 3 sets of curtains, about a dozen pillows, aprons, change-out zippers, shorten hems and various other projects - with minimal difficulty. My family cannot believe how many things I've made as a brand new sewer. The automatic needle threading and thread cutting features of this machine make it an absolute breeze to use for a beginner. Although I felt overwhelmed at first - I had no idea what a bobbin or a pressor foot was and actually had to use Google for definitions - I was up and running in no time. I think this is a fantastic machine for a novice. Prior to purchasing, I did extensive research into all aspects of sewing machines and found this machine to offer the best features for the price, and consistently high reviews. Many of the negative reviews have similar complaints: needle breaking and/or bobbin issues. My theory is that the machine has an internal flaw/weakness that occurs on about 10% of machines. Maybe some machines are handled rough and become "tweaked" so that bobbins misfeed and needles aren't precisely aligned. My guess is that Brother is aware of this issue but feels it's an acceptable loss. (Brother is a huge company that makes a wide range of products = less attention to details) If it were a safety issue, there would probably be a recall. The problem seems to occur right away, so I would definitely just return the machine if this happens to you- one of the benefits of Amazon's 30-day return policy. In terms of the negative reviews, you also have to consider the amount of variables that factor into the equation - type of sewing, stitch selection, sewing speed, quality of thread, type of fabric- PLUS cleaning the machine - very, very important. The instruction book is a "must read" and contains very detailed instructions on stitch selection, needle selection, thread selection, how to sew hems, buttons, darn socks, etc. I've learned a lot from the book and refer to it often. I also bought the Brother Embroidery Starter Kit which I would strongly suggest if you are new to embroidery. It contains everything you need to embroider, plus every item is the correct size and compatible with the machine, so you don't have to stress over sizes of bobbins and needles. I also bought the Brother Sewing Starter Kit which I would also suggest. However, if I had to choose only one, I would go for the embroidery kit. OMG- the embroidery is addicting! I absolutely love embroidering designs on towels, bibs, napkins - so easy! The machine comes with a hoop, but CAN be used with the optional Brother SA434 4-Inch-by-6 3/4-Inch Large Hoop for sewing multiple patterns in an area without having to re-hoop. You CAN sew larger designs, and there are large designs that are broken into smaller sections, you just have to carefully re-hoop the fabric. It's a pain, but it's do-able. You CAN download designs using a Mac computer. The machine comes with a USB cord that you simply plug in, and the sewing machine pops-up on your desktop as a "No Name" device. I simply download patterns directly to my desktop (there are free patterns available at the Brother website), and drag-and-drop them into No Name - you do NOT need to buy the additional $100 Brother PED-Basic Software for Downloading Embroidery Designs and you DO NOT need to download special software. (There are free programs available, if you want to be able to open and view a pes file on your Mac. Google "StitchBuddy" and/or "Needle Works" for free software). Occasionally, the "No Name" device does not show up on my desktop when I plug the USB cord into my laptop, but if I turn the sewing machine off for a minute, and back on - it solves the problem. You CAN use the cheaper thread, but you have to clean the machine more often, as it leaves more fuzz behind. You also must pay very close attention to the spools, as they bind up easier and will bend/break your needle. I used and reviewed both radiant threads 40 Spools Polyester Embroidery Machine Thread and thread art Polyester Embroidery Thread Set - 40 Spools (500 meter spools/40 wt.) - Set A Vibrant Colors The bag is well-worth the extra cost of this model vs. the SE 400 Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine- especially if you are in need of a bag or are considering ever taking the machine out of the house- as long as the price difference is reasonable. I looked at the cost of comparable bags and would say that this bag is easily worth 50 bucks, if not more. When I bought mine, the LB6800PRW was only $30 more than the SE400. The bag and wheeled handle weigh a solid 10 pounds and are sturdy and well made. The bag is not attached to the handle - there is a strap on the back of the bag that slips over the handle. It also has a handle on the top so you can carry it without the wheels. The bag is thick nylon and comes with 6 nylon padded pieces that you attach inside the bag to make the sides and bottom stiff and to create storage sections inside the bag. When not in use, you can remove these and the whole bag/wheels folds flat for easy storage (About 5" high so you can easily slip it under the bed or in a closet). Since the bag is made for this machine, it fits inside perfectly with no extra room to bang around or parts poking into the sides - a big plus over buying a generic bag from JoAnn's. Plus there is plenty of room for accessories, notions, etc. If you are put-off by the Project Runway label, it's easy enough to cover up and there is only the one label on the front. All in all, this is probably one of the best purchases I have ever made! I decided to buy this machine over the similarly priced PC-420 because of the embroidery feature. Brother PC-420 PRW Limited Edition Project Runway Sewing Machine. (I had narrowed it down to the 2 Brother PR machines because I liked the features of both, not because of the PR thing - I have never even watched the show). I had no real interest in embroidery, but for the price, I figured it was a nice feature to have. What an understatement! The embroidery is a total blast and as I mentioned, I am totally addicted! I probably should not be posting this, but here goes: I was craving more designs, but was discouraged by the prices of the Brother cards and the popular websites. I ended up buying a CD off of Ebay that has 9000 designs for < 20 bucks. All I can say is WOW! LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS MACHINE!!! ************************************************************************* Just wanted to post an update - as of October 2012. I have used this machine to death! Well, not literally...but I have been using nearly every single day for 10 months, and it still functions flawlessly, like NEW - and even looks brand new. It has held up through literally 100s of sewing projects, including fur, denim, minky, satin, silk, organza...you name it. As far as the embroidery, I am as hooked as ever and have probably embroidered close to 1000 items - truly, it never gets old! I am now expecting my first baby in February and have been going crazy sewing and embroidering blankets, burb cloths, diaper covers, bibs -anything and everything! A few helpful hints I have to offer based on my experience: 1) Clean your machine - frequently! Especially after sewing fuzzy materials like velvet and minky, and/or if you are using anything other than Brother/Pacesetter threads. The cheaper threads (like Radient Threads) create a lot of fuzz that clogs up the area around the bobbin case. Use the tiny screwdriver included in the kit, remove the two tiny screws on the bottom metal plate and get in there with the tiny brush/picker that came with the machine. Anywhere the brush can reach should be cleaned. I even stick my vacuum cleaner tip in there to get the fuzz out and vacuum the entire machine off. (just be careful not to vacuum up the little screws). 2) Buy this--> Machine Oil-3/4 Ounce Dritz (sewing) machine oil - the 3/4 oz size is plenty. Use a few drops of this on a toothpick to lubricate the automatic threader once a month or anytime it shows signs of sticking. TWICE I thought the automatic needle threader was broken, and a quick lube job did the trick. Simply PUSH and HOLD DOWN the little lever on the side of the machine (labelled number 9) and put this stuff up and down the metal shafts and all over the threading mechanism. 3) Change needles FREQUENTLY. I sometimes go through a few needles a day. Buy these--> Brother SASEW8012 Sewing Machine Needles by Organ Organ size 80/12 needles - 100 of these is about 12 bucks. At 12 cents per needle, you can't go wrong plus these needles come in a convenient little plastic, reusable, flip-top box that holds 10 packs of ten. I find this size to be perfect for both basic embroidery (on cotton fabrics) and general sewing. Also, use the correct needle size for the job - 100/16 needles like this Schmetz Leather Machine Needles 5/Pk- Size 16/100 for leather, 110/18 needles like this Schmetz Jean & Denim Machine Needles - Size 18/110 for denim, 75/11 for satin, etc. 4) Use lots of pins, spaced every 1.5-2 inches when sewing through multiple layers or slippery fabrics. I like these Wrights 881428 Flower Head Multicolor Pins, 75-Pack flat head pins the best because they are 2 inches long, very thin (don't leave holes) and you can iron over them. Also, sew on a very slow speed when sewing through layers and slippery fabrics. I also LOVE these Clover wonder clips to hold fabrics together Clover Wonder Clips, 50 Per Pack 5) For best embroidery results, always use stabilizer. My favorite is the tear away sheets like these 50 PRECUT SHEETS FOR EMBROIDERY MACHINES, EASY TEAR AWAY LIGHT WEIGHT STABILIZER PAPER TEARAWAY 9 x 12 INCHES FITS THE JUMBO HOOP AND 5 x 7. I cut these in half and they fit great. Sometimes I use masking tape or painters tape to tape an edge to the top of the hoop (to keep from shifting) and/or tape the fabric to the sheet - especially if it's too small of an item to fit in the hoop (like a baby's bib). 6) For really beautiful embroidery results, google & download "Stitchbuddy" to open and customize patterns in .pes form. This program comes with like 100 free downloads and allows you to see pattern size, stitch count, simulate stitch pattern (so you can visually see exactly how the pattern will stitch) and even change colors - giving you the exact color match & number that correlates to the Brother thread color and number. 7) For best embroidery results, use the built-in features of this machine to adjust pattern size and layout. I always check the layout of the design first and customize it from there. The other incredibly helpful features are under the "adjust" setting of the embroidery menu. You can re-do specific stitches and/or re-do entire colors, if you want a "deeper" or more dramatic 3-D effect. I posted a picture of a Minnie Mouse I embroidered onto a bib above. I embroidered each color twice and it just came out gorgeous (uses more thread, but worth it for certain items).