First of all and I have to say I found this a real plus when I read up on the different models is the fact you can move the lower looper to make it easy to thread and on both my old Janomes this is a terrible problem to the extent I sometimes get so wound up trying over and over again to get the thing threaded I actually stop, give up and wait for a day or two to go back and try again. I also found it is often either luck you get the thing threaded or if its dark and you have no luck that day threading is virtually impossible by electric ight. Even a torch helps little.
But this model has a bit that moves!! The entire looper bit underneath - sorry I do not have the technical names for this part but if you ever tried to use an overlocker and had to thread it you will kow what I am on about:
All you have to do is open the front, locate this blue slider
and the lower looper part moves so its really easy to thread it.
Below normal position:
Thread easily and push back to where it lives for sewing and Job Done!
Next possible Pro - I am actually not sure but that could be a Pro. I just need to get used to this one. To lift the needle/foot the lifter lever is on the right not where it usually lives behind the foot:
I am not used to this so its seriously slowing me down but once I get used to it that might actually make it safer to sew with. Not sure TBH.
Anyway its worth a mention. It might be a Pro or a Con depending on what you like.
Raising the needles fully is really easy and thats got to be a plus because you have a mark to the highest point where on my other you need to do it by eye. See above there is a centre point which works to show needle up point.
Now then the weird stuff.
This is not necessarilly a Pro or a Con just its unusual (for me anyway) to have a machine where you need to thread the left needle first.
You have to select which needle to thread by this switch/ lever. Its easy since they are labelled "L" and "R". So quite straight forward.
Thread guide is straightforward for all threads so you just follow etc.
You can remove the side to make overlocking sleeves easier. Anyway this is sold as a Pro but personally I have sewn a sleeves and I did not find it really any easier than with my old one so not sure this counts really as a Pro but there you know about it.
And maybe the removable bit on the Left to make sleeve edges easier might be useful but right now I just sewed a sleeve and left it on. So Jury is out on that but I will not be throwing that bit away anyway. I might just leave it on except when I remember its there or actually need to use it.
Now Cons and this is a biggy
A MAJOR MAJOR CON!!!
How the hell do you change the needle if you break it?
Or if like me you tend to change regularly because they get blunt and the machine just runs better with nice new sharp needles?
Well I am hoping its just the first time I had this problem because I have only needed to put in a new needle once due to me breaking the thing but I have to say this was hard. It took me and my partner FOUR HOURS to just get a new needle into the slot.
We did eventually manage to change a needle but I already dread having to do it again. You just cannot get them to locate. I had good needles too not some cheaper Chinese ones which I tend to top up with when I do a lot of sewing. Might not for a while, and just use the expensive ones in the hope they will stay sharp a bit longer. Anyway Changing a needle is a complete nightmare. It certainly wipes out the brilliant lower looper easy threading Pro for me. I prefer to have the normal problems with that and have a super fast easy needle change. I change needle more often than I totally rethread my machine.
OK other Cons:
*This machine comes with a CD which is supposed to give you basics on how to use it. My CD did not play in either CD player, DVD player, PC etc etc. Tried every thinga nd even tried an external CD player on my PC but that did;'t work either. Thanks heaven for YouTube.
*Unless you know what you are doing this is set up and sold so you have
to call a dealer to help you and pay another couple of £100 to just get
to use the thing. I did't. I have my partner who is used to bailing me
out and fixing the old machines when I reck them and I have the last 9
years of virtually daily using an overlocker to fall back on. Machine cost me £419 so I really did not want to pay another £80+20% VAT call out fee, plus the fee to then set it up on top of that. Bought from Amazon if you want one.
* Similar to above but worth stating anyway. This machine is not set up when you get it so if you do not have any idea on how to totally set up everything - tension, cutters in right place ( mine had been disconnected), stitch length/width etc etc pay the extra £20-50 and buy from a dealer who will not only set it up for you but also show you what it does. I am still working it out after a month and I am used to using an overlocker that is quite similar.
* I have always bought an overlocker with a few metres/yards of thread to try it out. This comes with nothing. Yes they never give you much but its nice when you get a new toy to be able to play straight away. I actually used old reels I have to start this one off, but I know it works now, so have ordered new overlocker thread, which yes you have to do anyway, but its a bit like being a kid at Christmas and you get a toy and no batteries. I think Brother should provide a small amount of thread and of course you can then also see easily how to thread the thing.
Also when you start out the easiest way to change the thread is to knot the old thread onto the new thread and just pull it through. It what I always try to do hence its actually quite rare I have to completely rethread the thing and that nullifies somewhat the Pro of being able to easily rethread the bottom looper.
*Finally this is sold with a tray to catch the offcuts of fabric and threads. See front tray below.
Years ago I actually started off saving these to stuff cushions. They are fine for eg Floor cushions. I do not bother these days but if you want to avoid sending all those offcust t landfill its something to do with them. Now I use the odd offcut to tie my patterns into tubes to store but otherwise I decided my fabric stash is too big anyway so I just do not want to add any more fabric bits to it so they go in the bin. If you do like to collect the bits or if you hate mess then this might be useful.
For me it just slows me down and gets in the way. Its not for me a Pro but actually a Con ( because it might be why this machine is £20 more than my old Janomes? I don't know but I am not yet convinced this machine is better really) and this tray will probably end up going in the bin. Right now its a new machine and I have still got it. But I do not like it. Yes having the offcuts go on the floor is messy but they are safe there and don't get caught in my current sewing project and a few minutes of using this extra says to me thats whats going to happen so No Dont Like that either.
So heres the overlocker as I am using it most of the time:
I think ultimately there is just one question and I cannot yet answer that because this is new.
Will it last longer or perform better than the cheaper cousin the Janomes?
I own both a Janome 8002DX and a Janome 9300DX and I have simply worn them out. The 8002 was new in 2015. The 9003 I think around 2019 so I should know by 2027 because if its similar it will work well for 4 years then be a total nightmare that requires constant fixing to run it and rarely sews even a top without some hitch, adjustment or similar.
Time and lots of sewing will answer the question and I promise once I have that answer I will be adding it to this post. Ah and this post is going out later than it should for which I am sorry, but this took a lot longer for me to write due to being quite analytical rather than my usual: I made this and this works and this didn't, or this pattern works great and this pattern is rubbish etc etc.
I hope this helps someone who has the same dilemma I had on what to buy and / or where to buy from - overlocker-wise that is.
UPDATE November 4th 2023 so less than 2 months since I got this delivered!
My overlocker has so far been a let down it has to be said. I struggled to get the needles in when I broke one of them. The needle threader doesn't work and the Brother customer support say from the photos I sent them it should do. The wire goes through the needle but apparently not high enough to achieve threading. I checked I am getting the wheel that riases the needle in the correct position and I am so they say its just weird. Not at all helpful. They have said they will look at it though. When I spoke to them it sounds like despite its a brand new machine the threader being a disposable /consumable part means I will probably end up having to pay for them to put a new one on despite I have never so far used it because it doesn't work.
I also struggle getting the tension right - never had that with the Janomes!
Take care and have a great week,
Bracken
Great blog
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