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I too was having a ton of problems with the lower thread looping under the fabric. It was very frustrating. Finally I figured out how to fix it. Refer to the owner's manual section on inserting the bobbin for photos. What you want to do is drop in the bobbin, and pull the thread through the little slit like it says. But, you have to make sure that the thread goes into the slot in the "tension-adjusting spring" (this is hard to see; pull up the plastic tongue that forms the slit a little with your fingernail to see where it is), although it should go in by itself, then YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE BOBBIN SO IT DOESN'T MOVE AND PULL THE THREAD GENTLY TO SEAT IT INTO THE SPRING. That is the key. After I made sure the thread was all the way in, like magic my lower thread was working perfectly.
Aside from that I am happy with the machine. I especially like the needle threader and think that the top thread is very easy to thread. Now that I figured out the lower thread issue, I want to experiment with all the stitches! I wish the presser foot lever was on the back instead of the inside, but oh well. Be careful taking off the tape because I ripped some off and it pulled up a little plastic on the green part of the machine.
The owner's manual IS hard to read. The Spanish is right after the English, and sometimes they repeat the same instructions twice, and it's not laid out well. It is manageable, though.
They make you think you have to buy special bobbins, but on the box it says you can replace them with class 15, although I have not tried that yet. The accessories seem quite acceptable, except I wish they had given you some ball point needles for knits and stretch rather than just more sharp points.
Overall, it sews fine once you get everything threaded right, and I've made several tops already. Definitely good for a beginner or someone who doesn't want to do anything too fancy.
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This is a great machine for the price. I am teaching my teenage daughter to sew and she is turned off by my clunky old Singer. So I keep that around for the tough jobs and use this new Brother for the light weight stuff.The only major limitation of this machine is that it can't really handle heavy weight fabrics or multiple layers very well. There is no presser foot adjustment, so the foot can only be raised so much, and can't be adjusted for variable feed, depending on fabric thickness. There is only one setting. That means you need to use plenty of pins, and keep the old Singer around for the heavy duty stuff. Otherwise, a fun little machine.
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I'm an intermediate beginner. I have some experience with industrial machines from a sewing class but haven't made any completely successful garments yet. A more experienced sewer suggested I buy a cheap Brother machine. I bought this machine in June largely because of the positive reviews it received on Amazon. Here are the pros and cons I've encountered to date:PROS
--Price
--Bobbin winding and threading are straightforward (especially the threading function)
--Makes a nice stitch so far
CONS
--The manual is difficult to understand in parts and the layout and index are poor. It also confusingly includes a Spanish-language version immediately after the English text instead of following the English version at the end, as is usually the case with dualor multi-language manuals. (Some users over at the Wal-mart site had the same problem.)
--The markings on the soleplate don't run the entire length because the feed dogs and bobbin case (on top of the machine) get in the way. The start of the gauge is fairly far behind the presser foot.
--The thread spindle can only handle small spools. To accommodate larger spools I've had to tape chopsticks to the spindle. I also bought a standalone thread hook to create height and tension, but haven't used it yet.
--The needle threader gets in the way. It's not that hard to thread a needle, and this is unnecessary.
--Has a somewhat toy-like feel. But for $114, that's not surprising.
--Some of the optional feet are not snap on.
--Many desirable presser feet will not fit this model. I think, but am not sure, that this machine is classified as a "5mm presser foot model." The "7mm" accessories don't fit. I went into a store after having researched another foot online. The place talked me into a $40 foot that does not fit and then would not take it back. Make sure any feet you buy will fit on this model, or at least buy from a reputable source like Amazon.
--It has a lot of stitches that I don't really have much use for. All I really want are a reliable and well-formed straight and zigzag stitch.
--The numerous dials are confusing and I can't but wonder if so many functions won't make the machine more likely to break down.
--An invisible zipper foot is not included. That would have been much more useful than the accessory feet provided, which I believe are (they aren't labeled, which they should be), a 1/4 quilting foot, a narrow hemmer foot, a quilting foot and a blind stitch foot.
--It doesn't come with a carrying case.
Frankly, I'm beginning to wonder if I wouldn't have been better off applying the $100 I spent on this machine towards an entry-level Bernina or an industrial Juki. More often than not you get what you pay for and sometimes cheap tools are more costly in the end.
Perhaps I will edit this review after a few more months of experience with this machine.
UPDATE, October 2011: I used this machine a lot this summer. My impression remains the same. It's OK, but even for a first machine, I would invest a bit more money for a little more machine.
Honest reviews on Brother XL2600I Sew Advance Sew Affordable 25-Stitch Free-Arm
This is your basic mechanical sewing machine. The picture they already show is what you get. It's light weight and easy to use. It comes with three all purpose needles plus all the extras they list. I purchased some heavy weight needles for jeans and had no problems sewing them. It has reverse stitching for locking in the stitch. (Though you do need to hold down the button it's not a problem).If you just want a mechanical sewing machine that does the job and is affordable this is it. I use it for hemming; fixing; and sewing curtains and other tasks as they crop up. It has a stitch length dial that is pretty basic. Also a width dial that mostly positions the needle to the right; center; or left.
Now This machine's foot pedal is tender to the touch I work it in my socks so I can regulate the speed better. Good lighting also.
The only bad I would say about this machine is that the tension dial. It is picky beyond belief. It takes patience to find the right number or close to one for different sewing material. I just mark it off so I don't have to look for it again. Go right to my marks and I'm set to go. ( Took one star off because of this).
Now of course if your a professional seamstress or someone who sews a lot and is looking for perfect stitching you better off with the new computerized sewing machines. This sews like machines of the past which is no problem for me. Yes that means occasionally you get tangled in the bobbin area but it never effects my sewing as I'm done by then and just cut out the mess and continue. Price is good; plus I applied for amazon's credit card which made it approx. a $67 dollar purchase and you can't beat that.
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