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I was going to get a regular sewing machine, but it was only about $50 extra for one that could also do embroidery. The machine I decided to get was the Brother LB6800PRW. This is exactly the same as the SE-400, except it comes with a carry-cart for portability, and has some 'project runway' branding on it. Both have a 100mm by 100mm embroidery field (4 inches by 4 inches, though the hoop looks bigger in pictures). The LB6800PRW was only a few dollars more than the SE-400 when I purchased it, and the bag that comes with the LB6800PRW will at least keep the dust off the machine once I get bored with it. Both the SE-400 and this one have 512k of memory that can be accessed though USB, so you can make and load embroidery patterns from a computer. I don't understand why that is even optional, all embroidery machines should allow USB connectivity, there is more than just letters to embroider. Software to make your own embroidery is another matter, as nothing comes with the machine for making customized patterns, and it is pretty expensive, so keep that in mind.
The machine has a touch screen for choosing stitches and built in patterns, which I like. I don't like that the default stitch is one that I will never use (left stitch instead of centered in the foot), but I got used to always changing it pretty quickly. The auto-threader is awesome as well, threading the needle was usually a pain, especially with thicker thread. No issues on this one after a few months of use. The auto-thread-cut is a great feature as well (push a button and the machine cuts the top and bobbin thread)
The first thing I did was make some curtains for a small half-moon window in my bedroom. There is an annoying streetlight right on the other side, so it definitely needed a curtain. Trimming one from the store to 24" long solved the problem nicely. The machine did great, though it was only about 40 inches of sewing. No issues to speak of. The feed tracks straight, so when sewing only minimal left-right adjustment is needed to stay on track.
Once that was completed, I wanted to try out the embroidery functions. There were 2 main projects I wanted to use the machine for. Those were a custom shirt for someone at work, and a baby bib for a friend who is having a baby. the first thing I tried was putting my name on a towel for a test using the built in embroidery font. That failed miserably on the first try because I did not use a stabilizer. The instructions said a stabilizer was 'recommended', but it is actually pretty much required. I have yet to find a fabric that can be embroidered on this machine without a stabilizer.
Once I put on a stabilizer, the result looked fine when I took it out of the machine, but as I started to trim the jumps between letters, the thread started unraveling. I put it back in the machine and embroidered my name right over the existing design again, and paid more attention to what the machine was doing. Sure enough, the machine was not locking the thread at the beginning and end of each letter (backing up and going over the thread again to keep it from unraveling). That's a pretty big oversight in the programming. I was able to get around it by manually going over the end of each letter. Still, it was an annoyance, and the results didn't look as good as I would have liked. Some letters are worse than others, with the lowercase 'A' being the worst. In some instances, the 'A' would start unraveling while the next letter was being sewn.
I also broke a needle by following the instructions. The instructions state to gently hold the tread for the first few stitches, so the top thread doesn't pull out of the needle. Well, 'gentle' is actually 'not at all' as the needle can only take a very small amount of force before bending enough to hit the foot and break on the down stroke. So I swapped out the needle, and made my first accessory purchase, a pack of 100 needles.
After giving up on the built in fonts, I tried some graphical embroidery. I looked around for some patterns (besides the ones on the machine) and found that they all cost a decent amount of money. I found a free dragon finally, and put it on a wash towel using some overlock thread I had laying around. It looked really good, and the design had the lock stitches built into it correctly. It was actually a surprising amount of stitches, more than 10,000. It took about 20 minutes for the machine to sew it, so the machine averaged about 500 stitches per minute on that design. I timed a few different designs, and it looks like the average speed is around 300 stitches per minute. I wish there was a way to slow down the machine manually sometimes; I think some designs and fabric would benefit from that.
Since the first try, I have embroidered more than 50 different things with this machine (shirts, patches, dinner napkins, towels, felt), almost all of them custom designs that I created using software called Embird Digitizing Studio. So far, the machine has worked great! Moving designs from a computer to the machine is easy as cake. A regular USB cable is used, and the sewing machine shows up as a drive on the computer. All that is needed is to copy/paste over a design. I tried Windows 7, XP, and a flavor of Linux and they do not have an issue accessing the machine.
I have done surprisingly little regular sewing on the machine, but it works well, with no issues there either. The only things I think could be better is that the cord for the foot pedal comes out of the side of the pedal instead of the back, and the pedal has almost no weight to it. The combination of these 2 things make it so the pedal can move around on the floor when you don't want it to.
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Now that I have had this machine for about a year, I can add more to this review. My LB6800PRW is starting to show it's age I use it all the time, it is just too much fun making stuff! I can't figure out how to check the stitch count, but back of the envelope math on how much stabilizer & thread I have used says I am somewhere between 20 and 30 million, with only a few minor problems along the way.
I do swap out needles often, since they are only about a dime when you get a hundred at a time. I have used about 75 or so. There is no reason not to swap them out often, besides that it is somewhat of a pain to do it if you have larger fingers like I do. I have managed to break a few needles, most of the time it is due to the thread wrapping around the spool pin when unwinding. It happens maybe once a month, so it isn't too bad. I used to wind my own bobbins for embroidery, but that takes until forever, so I switched to prewound ones. I really like the ones from World Weidner here on Amazon, they have constant tension, and unspool well. Several other brands I have tried have winding knots in them, and will jam the machine. I have never had that problem with World Weidner's, and I went though 2 gross of them so far.
One of the problems that I had was that the needle threader stopped working. When I pressed it, it would stick at the bottom, and not try to 'wrap' the needle. I took the needle threader apart, and used a drop of sewing machine lubricant on it, and gently worked it a few times. The needle threader then worked again. I have had to do this twice in the last year.
The embroidery foot itself actually wore out as well. The foot moves up and down with each stitch, and the guide pin actually elongated the hole of the presser foot. This made the foot move enough so that it would block the needle threader, and too much more wear would have allowed the needle to hit the presser foot. I looked all over for a replacement, and couldn't find one on Amazon. I ordered one direct from Brother for about $15 because I could not find it anywhere. It is part number XD0474151, and fits both the SE400, and the LB6800PRW. 20 million stitches sounds more than fair for how long it lasted.
Besides those 2 things, the machine has been flawless. I need to clean the lint out of it and wipe it down, but those are both normal maintenance things. It runs like champ both when doing embroidery and regular sewing. All in all, I highly recommend this machine. I even bought another (though the SE400 instead because I didn't need a case) to give as a Christmas present. It is very quiet, and can sew circles around any machine I have used in the past.
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I thought I had done my research on this machine but man was I wrong! After I had purchased this machine, I read that there is NO DIFFERENCE between this one and the SE 400 which you can buy for a full one hundred dollars less! The SE 400 is 369.00 right now on Amazon.com. Oh yes, there is a difference, you have the name project runway on your sewing machine and you get the little bag to cart your sewing machine around in. For that, you pay an extra 100 bucks! I never had any intention of using the bag, I would be embarrassed to cart around my sewing machine in a P.R. bag, I bought this one because I was told it was recommended by consumer reports so I looked no further. Don't get me wrong, this machine does what it says and is fun but the hoop is small and you have to buy larger hoops to use the larger designs. I could have spent that extra 100 on larger hoops or the embroidery thread you have to buy. Know also that the thread for an embroidery machine is very expensive. As are the hoops. Plan on spending at the very least another 60.00 on additional hoops and the thread for the machine is 5.25 for a full size spool. The smaller ones are cheaper but you get a lot less thread and the machine uses a lot of thread. Even with only the basic 8 colors, you have 42.00 bucks in thread and don't kid yourself into thinking you can get by with only 8 colors. I would buy this machine again but not the Project Runway machine, it would be the SE 400. I was considering not posting this review because its embarrassing to admit you were too stupid to look a bit further but maybe someone out there will benefit from the expensive lesson I have learned.Best Deals for Brother Project Runway Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine
I've owned my Brother LB-6800THRD for just over a week now and I thought I'd offer up my impressions of this machine to others considering it. I pondered long and hard on which machine I should purchase, but like many of the other reviewers, was sold on the multitude of features and low price that were offered from Brother.First off, let me state that the SE-400, LB-6800PRW and the LB-6800THRD are all the same machine (I emailed Brother and asked), the difference between the models comes with who is allowed to sell it. Mine, the LB-6800THRD, is sold by Costco but without the rolling bag that comes with the LB-6800PRW. Rather, the Costco version arrives with a twelve pack of embroidery thread. The SE-400 comes without any bonus accessories but is usually found at the cheapest price.
I am a beginner/novice sewer. In the past, and with my mother's help, I have made a number of blankets (that number would be three) of varying degrees of difficulty. So when the machine arrived I was not completely clueless as to where to begin, just pretty close. :) Set up was easy, it took a little while for me but was pretty obvious. My tension was uneven and despite me ratcheting the dial down from 4 to 2 I was unable to sort it out. After reading thru the manual I realized that two things were wrong, both of which were user-error. First, I'd threaded the bobbin in the under-carriage wrong and second when threading the needle I'd followed the wrong path down from the spindle.
Using the built-in thread cutter for sewing was causing my thread to slip off the needle (the automatic needle-threader is super cool) whenever I started back up sewing. However fixing the tension seems to have also corrected this issue and I now use that button to it's fullest.
I learned to sew on my mother's old (super old) Viking and to me, sewing without using the foot pedal is not really sewing, so it's attached on my machine. Thankfully, the speed control still works so when I "accidentally" press the pedal to the metal the machine doesn't let me sew out of control. My speed is set at medium. I've no idea how fast it can go at max (and nothing to compare it to anyway) but one other reviewer I read complained that fast is not really FAST.
The Brother comes with more feet than I know what to do with, literally. Consulting the manual informed me which was the embroidery foot and that the zigzag foot was required for most of the other regular stitches so these are the two I keep near me. The other five feet I've put in a bag to ask my mother about when next she comes for a visit. Removal of the attached zigzag foot was as easy as turning a screw and connecting the embroidery foot simply required a tightening of the screw .
I've never embroidered before and was extremely pleased to learn that embroidering is a snap; I did use a stabilizer because I was using a thin fabric. I believe if you're using a sturdy/thick material you can get away without it. The only troubles for me came when it was time to swap out the thread colors... am I supposed to also change the bobbin in addition to the spindle? The first time I tried I ended up taking the entire embroidery arm off which reset the machine (good to know for the future). When the arm was reconnected I had to choose the design again and start over. If you are going to change the bobbin then simply take off the hoop to access the area. Personally, I decided that having the wrong side monochromatic is rather cool so I only change the color on the easily-accessed spindle.
First and foremost, I'm a knitter and one hope for me when purchasing this machine was that it would be able to embroider my hand-knitting. I used a cut-off polymer stabilizer attached tightly to the hoop, sprayed on 505 adhesive, placed my knitting on top (and OVER the hoop) and finally adhered a wash-off stabilizer on top of the knitting (also OVER the hoop). And darned if it didn't work! Perhaps I should add that I was embroidering a baby jacket with a small puppy design around 2"x2". This alone has made me over-the-moon happy with my purchase.
Initially, seeing that there were 70 designs included for embroidery seemed sufficient for the small about of embroidery I hope to do. Unfortunately, 26 of those designs are letters of the alphabet leaving only 44 designs, most of which seem to me to be some form of flower. This is remedied by connecting the machine to a computer with the supplied usb connector to drop new designs onto the hard drive. My Macbook Pro was able to accomplish this without any troubles; the sewing machine's hard drive simply shows up on my computer as "unknown harddrive" and I dropped the new patterns onto it. The Brother website (brother.com) has a number of free patterns in addition to other information and projects. It's well worth it to check it out periodically.
Issues:
When winding the bobbin I do have to watch it closely since my machine has a tendency to wrap the thread around the pin just beneath the bobbin.
The included flow-chart was not obvious to me, however, the manual is well worded and easy to follow.
Final Thoughts:
This machine has surpassed my every hope for it. I am thrilled with my purchase and am recommending this machine to my friends who are curious (there aren't many, but a few have at least expressed polite interest). This machine will be able to grow with me as I learn a few more sewing basics, it's light and easy to transport and finally it's easy and fun! If I can do it, anyone can.
Honest reviews on Brother Project Runway Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine
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 youone 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 fabricPLUS 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.
OMGthe 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 Machineespecially if you are in need of a bag or are considering ever taking the machine out of the houseas 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!!!
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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/PkSize 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).
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