The Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery Sewing Machine combines art, creativity, and technology to give beginners and experienced sewers a complete and total sewing package.
It does it all – mending, garment construction, embroidery, quilting, heirloom sewing, and craft sewing.
This is exactly the same as the Brother SE350 with one important upgrade – the addition of a USB port so that you can download designs and updates through your computer.
Table of Contents
(Click Ahead!)
Built In Stitches / Embroidery Patterns / Letter Fonts / Presser Feet / Functionality / Video / USB Port / SE400 Software / Accessories / Embroidery Hoops / Brother SE400 Consumer Reviews / Pros, Cons & Manual / Price
REVIEW SUMMARY
MODEL: Brother SE400 Sewing Machine
REVIEWED BY: Erin
RATING: 4.4 
LAST UPDATED: April 9, 2015
COMPARE PRICES
Amazon
Brother SE400 Stitch Count
(Back to Top)
Because this is a combination embroidery and sewing machine, let’s break the stitch descriptions into their two parts, starting with the built-in sewing stitches.
Built-in Sewing Stitches
The Brother SE400 comes with 67 built in stitches including 10 styles of 1-step buttonholes. More stitches don’t necessarily mean one machine is better than another but having more does allow you to do certain kinds of sewing more easily. The selection that comes with the Brother SE400 means you can try your hand at quilting, making clothes, hemming your jeans, working with different materials, making bags (a popular project these days!), and even paper craft sewing. The built in stitches include an assortment of Straight, Zigzag, Overcasting, BlindHem, Applique, Stretch, Patchwork, Quilting, Eyelet, Smocking, Decorative, Heirloom stitches and Side Cutter stitches.
Like having a built in serger!
Side Cutter stitches trim the fabric off at the seam during sewing like a serger. Such finished edges are critical to making clothing like you’d find in stores. The side cutter prevents fraying and rolling at the seam. Some sewers have multiple machines – a sewing machine, an embroidery machine AND a serger to do what the SE400 does all by itself. Now, the side-cutter stitches aren’t going to have 3 and 4 loop threading like a serger but they still provide a very sturdy, polished and professional finish to your garments.
NOTE: You can see the Side Cutter stitches above, #63-67. See the letter ‘S’ in the lower right corner of each of those stitches? That means that you need the Brother SA177 Side Cutter Presser Foot
(Click here for a complete list of stitch names: (SE400 Stitch List))
Stitch length adjustable to 5mm and stitch width adjustable to 7mm for select stitch patterns.
Stitch functions include: Mirror, twin, multi-directional, side cutter, satin stitch regulator. Think of a stitch function as another way to use a built in stitch. The mirror function lets you sew a decorative stitch in the opposite direction as the original setting. This is used for making symmetrical patterns, for drawn work, and for customizing your own stitch designs using the built in stitches.
To select a stitch, use the arrow keys to page through the stitch icons on the screen until you see the one you want, select the stitch with either your finger or the stylus and then you’ll see the various stitch setting options for that stitch.
Embroidery Sewing Patterns
(Back to Top)
There are 70 built-in embroidery designs including flowers, roses, baskets of flowers, animals, plants and birds. You choose the pattern and the machine will guide you through completing the pattern with step-by-step instructions including thread color selection. The LCD screen shows how much time it will take to complete each step.
Easily add to your embroidery design collection.
These built in embroidery designs are available to you at any time but you can also add to your collection of embroidery patterns either by buying Brother embroidery cards for the card reader slot located on the side of the sewing machine or by downloading designs you find or buy online through the included USB connection.
Stitch outlines around your embroidery designs.
There are also 10 frame types (such as square, circle, diamond) used to frame patterns and 12 stitch styles to use with those frames for a total of 120 different styles of framing options. For example, you could do a circle frame using a straight stitch or a circle frame using one of the more decorative styles in the set of 12.
Brother SE400 Letter Fonts
(Back to Top)
For monogramming or for use in embroidery stitching, there are five fonts that contain five different types of characters: upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, symbols and European characters. Font styles include Gothic, Outline, Calligraphy, Serif, and Sans Serif.
Just how big are the fonts on the Brother SE 400? This review shows it has really good-sized fonts. Fonts you could read across the room with the right fabric and thread combination!
There are three sizes available for each font: small, medium, and large.
The exact dimensions of each font size are slightly different based on which of the five fonts you select but the small size is approximately 3/8 by 3/8 inch square, the medium size 5/8 by 5/8 inch square, and the large size is 1 1/4 by 1 1/4 inch square. To the left are some pictures to help you get a feel for the size and scale of these fonts.
Brother SE400 Presser Feet
(Back to Top)
The Brother SE400 comes with 8 snap-on presser feet. The Zigzag foot has a leveling button to help it maneuver over thick seams or fabric edges (as is often necessary when hemming denim for jeans). The presser foot height has 3 settings: down, regular up, and extra up for slipping thick fabrics under the presser foot.
- Buttonhole Foot
- Overcasting Foot
- Monogramming Foot
- Zipper Foot
- Zigzag (General Purpose)
- Blind Stitch
- Button Fitting Foot
- Embroidery Foot
(Some product listings – even the Brother website – say the Brother SE400 comes with 7 presser feet but they are not counting the embroidery foot in that list as only the other 7 are actual sewing presser feet rather than embroidery feet.)
Brother SE400 Embroidery Sewing Machine Functionality
(Back to Top)
Brother didn’t just pack in a ton of cool stitches, presser feet and embroidery patterns to lure sewers towards the SE400, they also employed some of the most updated sewing technology to ensure solid performance, easy set-up, and fewer thread and jamming issues:
- Horizontal top thread delivery
- Quick-Set drop-in bobbin
- 7-point feed-dog system
- Drop feed-dog lever
- Automatic needle threader
- Automatic bobbin winding system
- Upper thread and bobbin sensors tell you when thread has broken or is running out
Control speed, start, stop, and the needle with the push of a button.
Then there are the features that simply make sewing easier no matter what level of experience you have:
- Push button thread cutter
- Needle Up/Down button
- Start/Stop sewing button
- Speed control slider – This particular speed slider serves two purposes. Either it can control the maximum sewing speed while using the Start/Stop button to sew without the foot pedal or, if the foot pedal is attached, the speed control slider can be used to adjust stitch width as you sew.
- Reverse/Reinforcement stitch button – If you program the machine to use the automatic thread cutter, the reinforcement button is automatically set as well so no “oops, I forgot a step” once the threads have been cut.
While the machine’s settings are preset for most functions, there are also control dials to change settings necessary for more complex work. This is the type of functionality that becomes more important the more you learn to sew:
- Adjustable top thread tension
- 15 needle positions
The Brother SE400 sewing machine is also capable of twin needle sewing which creates a parallel line of stitches using two needles which may contain the same color thread or two different colors of thread.
Max speed is 710 spm (stitches per minute), has a removable extension table to allow for free-arm sewing, a built in carry handle and a work light.
For free motion quilting, lower the feed-dogs and attach the quilting foot or the open toe presser foot.
Brother SE400 Computerized LCD Control Panel
This is really where all the action happens, on the LCD control panel. It is a touch screen measuring 38mm x 71mm (1.5 inches x 2.8 inches) that can be operated with either your finger or the provided touch pen (stylus).
All of your stitch selection and settings are controlled through the panel. Scroll through the stitch pattern icons to find the one you want, press it, and you’re shown the settings and options for that stitch.
Control panel guides you every step of the way.
For each stitch, the machine shows you the required presser foot, width and length settings, whether or not a twin needle may be used, and which of the press-button functions you have selected (needle up/down, reinforcement, etc.) You can also save certain stitch settings in the sewing machine’s memory so you can quickly get back to the same stitch pattern for a particular project.
An on-screen help button provides quick access to pictures and instructions for threading, bobbin winding, bobbin loading, presser foot changes and more.
Brother SE400 Video
(Back to Top)
This is as close as you can get to seeing the Brother SE400 in video. The following is actually a video from HSN demonstrating the Brother HE 240 embroidery machine which is the same as the Brother SE 400 but with a model number exclusive to HSN. In fact, if you look up the information on the Brother website, the HE 240 is a retired machine but the user manual is EXACTLY the same as the one for the SE400 and the SE350.
The video review will give you all the information you’d want to know about accessories, stitches, and embroidery functionality. You can see examples of the stitches in proportion as well as much more detail in the available embroidery patterns. Especially helpful is the overview of how the sewing machine works with the computer USB port.
The Brother SE400 is just an incredible combination machine with tons of features for less than $400. It’s probably one of the best bargains you can find on a combination sewing and embroidery machine.
Brother SE400 USB Port and Machine Updates
(Back to Top)
The USB port and included software allow you to connect your sewing machine to your computer so you can download machine updates and new embroidery patterns.
Our Brother SE400 review shows this is where things can get a bit confusing and thanks to one of this site’s visitors, I’ve had a chance to clarify not only how the USB port works but also clarified the answer to a question many have about the USB port and that is whether or not additional software is needed to download new embroidery patterns.
The answer to that question is NO. While there are now three different software packages you can purchase separately that are compatible with the Brother SE400 Embroidery machine, you do not need any of them to get started. You only need the initial software that comes with the machine to get started. That software prepares your computer to be able to talk to your sewing machine.
Without the other software packages you can still embroider the built in designs that come with the machine, you can still import designs you find online using the USB port, and you can embroider from embroidery cards you insert into the card reader slot located on the side of the sewing machine. You can read more about these other software packages here: SE400 Software
The Brother SE 400 comes with a set amount of computer memory inside. You can use that memory to store new embroidery patterns that you download from the internet. The USB port allows you to transfer downloaded designs to the sewing machine’s memory so that you can use them later without being connected to the computer.
The SE 400 memory reads and accepts embroidery designs in .pes and .dst file types. These can be purchased from websites specializing in embroidery designs, found free on some craft sites, and Brother’s own site often has a selection of free, new embroidery patterns to download each month.
Brother SE400 Software
The Brother SE400 Embroidery machine comes with the basic software needed to allow your computer to talk to the sewing machine but that’s really all it does. There are now three separate software programs available that work with the SE400 to give you more flexibility in working with existing and new embroidery designs.
No additional software purchase is necessary unless you want to burn designs onto reader cards or create your own designs.
Remember that there’s only a limited amount of actual storage on the sewing machine’s hard drive. That means that if you take your sewing machine to classes or clubs and don’t take your computer along with you, you’ll only have access to the built in embroidery designs and any of the few designs you’ve stored on the sewing machine’s hard drive.
Here’s where the first level of software, PE-Design/PED Basic, comes in handy. The software has the ability to write embroidery design data onto blank reader cards that fit into the reader card slot on the SE 400. Instead of constantly hooking your sewing machine to your computer or laptop to juggle embroidery designs, you can organize patterns on blank reader cards you create using this software package and then just take those cards with you as needed.
There are two sizes of blank reader cards compatible with the Brother SE400:
Some .pes and .dst files come with code attached that describes the embroidery patterns which the SE 400 cannot read without those files being edited because the additional detail takes up too much memory. The software allows you to edit those files if you do not have another type of editing program available for those file types.
Keep that in mind when considering your purchase of this machine. The software generally runs $120-150 depending on where you buy it (currently on sale here at Amazon). You can always put off purchasing the software until such time as you can justify the expense.
“Want to create your own embroidery designs?”
The second level of software you can purchase for the Brother SE400 Embroidery machine is PE Design Lite which allows you to turn your own artwork and photos into embroidery patterns. This software package does everything that the Basic software does but it also digitizes images, photos, and clip art and turns them into embroidery designs. For anyone who wants to embroider pictures of their kids or family onto pillows or wall hangings or on clothing projects, this software does the trick. You’re still limited to the max hoop size of the Brother SE400 but you can do some pretty amazing things when you get to embroider your own pictures.
PE Design Lite also includes 35 additional fonts to use on your machine.
The most current software is PE-DESIGN® NEXT which is not yet available online. This has everything the previous two software packages have but includes an upgraded user interface and loads of tools helpful to those who own their own embroidery related business.
How about a free embroidery design software for use with the SE400 embroidery machine?
I just came across this free software download that will let you view thumbnails of your downloaded embroidery designs, convert design formats, and increase or decrease the size of your designs. It’s called TrueSizer e1.5 and you can get it by joining Embroidery Startup here. The software is user friendly, compatible with Windows operating systems, and has a dashboard similar to that of Microsoft Office programs. If you’re not ready to invest in expensive software but need to be able to manage your downloaded designs Wilcom’s TrueSizer software is a great solution. And it’s FREE!
Embroidery Functionality
Embroidering with the machine requires that you remove the extension table and slide the embroidery unit onto the machine. Then place your fabric in the embroidery frame and ensure the right needle, thread, and presser foot are in place.
The control panel will walk you through thread color changes and keep you notified of the design progress. All you need to do is supply the right color thread and push the start button for each step. You don’t need to use the presser foot. The machine does all the work.
The design hoop size on the Brother SE 400 is 4×4.
While testing this machine I asked the saleswoman why I would ever want anything larger and she said (I kid you not), “Honey, as soon as you start to learn how to machine embroider you are going to wish you had the biggest size possible.” She explained that the hoop size determines the maximum size of one design block. If you wanted to do a single, connected design on a 12 x 12 inch pillow, for example, you couldn’t do it on a 4×4 hoop – you could only do blocks of designs. To get the maximum machine embroidery size we’re talking about machines that cost at least $1000. For similar performance as the SE 400 but with a slightly larger hoop size, you might take a look at the Brother PE770 with a 5×7 inch hoop size.
An embroidery card slot on the side of the machine accepts digital design cards, which can be purchased online and at a number of retail locations, so that you can sew embroidery patterns that didn’t come with your machine.
These remind me of the old FisherPrice View-Master toys where you could buy different sets of cards to stick in the View-Master so you could experience different characters or movie scenes. They don’t look the same (they’re not round little disks with pictures on them) but they have a variety of pictures embedded onto each card. Embroidery cards hold a quantity of new patterns. When you want to use one, insert it into the machine and your machine is provided all the necessary details to guide you through that pattern.
Make sure to use only embroidery cards that are compatible with the SE400 sewing machine frame size – a 4 x 4 design area.
The Brother SE400 requires SA156 or SFB (XA5539-151) bobbins.
Dimensions: L 18” x W 12” x D 8”
Weight: 20 pounds (est.)
Brother SE400 Sewing Machine Accessories
(Back to Top)
Is it just me or are the accessories that come with the machine nearly as exciting as getting the sewing machine itself? Is it because they’re small and fun to hold and sort through? (Reminds me of going through my mother’s sewing kit when I was a kid.)
The Brother SE400 comes with all of the following accessories and sewing notions:
- Seam Ripper
- 4 Bobbins
- 3 Bobbin Clips (caps off a bobbin that is not in use so that the loaded thread won’t unwind)
- 6 Needles (2 size 75/11, 2 size 90/14, and 2 size 90/14 ball point)
- Twin Needle
- Cleaning Brush
- Eyelet Punch
- Screwdriver
- Touch Pen for the LCD touch control panel
- 3 Spool Caps (small, medium, and large)
- Extra Spool Pin
- Spool Net (really – this is like a little hair net for thread. 🙂 Just use it to cover thread that unwinds off the spool too easily like clear, nylon thread. The net keeps the thread on the spool while you sew.)
- Scissors (Now, why would you need scissors if the machine has an automatic thread cutter plus a thread cutter on the side of the machine? Well, to cut the bobbin thread after winding, of course! It took me a minute to figure this out so I thought I’d share my little insight in case I’m not the only one that has that question.)
- Disc Shaped Screwdriver
- Embroidery Frame
- Medium Size Embroidery Sheet
- 1 spool of white embroidery thread
- Accessory Bag
- Soft Cover
“You’ll want to stock up on colored embroidery threads – kits are a great way to go.”
One thing you want to have on hand when buying an embroidery sewing machine is a great selection of embroidery thread. Nothing like getting your beautiful new embroidery machine home and having nothing but some white, black, and brown thread hanging around.
You can buy embroidery thread in kits with a selection of colors readily available to complete any of the patterns on the Brother SE400 Embroidery Sewing Machine.
Brother SE400 Embroidery Hoops
(Back to Top)
The Brother SE400 Embroidery machine comes with on 4×4 inch embroidery hoop. The built in embroidery patterns are designed to work within that size. However, there are several other compatible hoops that can be purchased separately and which might come in handy depending on the kind of work you do.
Two are traditional machine embroidery hoop shapes but in different sizes. One is slightly larger, the Brother SA434 4-Inch-by-6 3/4-Inch Large Hoop
Another option is to buy one of these Embroidery Hoop Packages that includes the 3 hoop sizes that don’t come with the SE400 along with an assortment of thread and a pair of embroidery thread stork scissors to help you trim close to your fabric.
Finally, I just found a specialty hoop that works with the SE400 for embroidering baseball caps! It’s called a Cap Hoop and you can find it here: Embroidery Cap Hoop.
Consumer Reviews
(Back to Top)
Until now, this Brother SE400 review has been all about performance and features. The fact that it’s taken me thousands of words and more than two years to assemble this information (that’s a bit mind blowing!) says a lot about this particular model.
Yet, the most important points are about to be made – consumer reviews from real buyers and users of the SE400. It’s one thing to describe a machine but knowing how others felt once they’d completed their purchase and actually used the machine for an extended period of time really add flavor to the stew, so to speak.
There are more than 360 user ratings online regarding the SE400. Overwhelmingly, the comments are extremely positive. I always analyze the comments for trends regarding any issues with the machine, it’s components, its core functions and user interaction. In this case, nothing stands out as an issue with this machine. Would I buy the Brother SE400? Absolutely.
You can read more here: Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery Sewing Machine Reviews
Average Rating: 4.4
The Brother SE400 is perfect for those who:
- Want a reliable combination sewing and embroidery machine for under $400
- Need more than one sewing machine font to choose from
- Would like the option to add machine embroidery to their projects
- Like a wide variety of patterns to embroider on their projects
- Want to embroider store bought items for personalization
- Need a flexible sewing machine that can handle making clothes, alterations, quilting and embroidery
- Don’t want to be limited in the projects they could explore in the future
Pros, Cons & Manual
Pros: USB port for easy updates and design downloads. Drop feed-dog capability. Embroidery card slot. Variable needle positions. Large selection of intricate embroidery patterns. Speed control slider. Start/Stop button. Needle Up/Down button. Combination of embroidery and sewing functionaility. Wide selection of utility stitches and buttonhole styles for clothes construction and home projects. Soft cover case included.
Cons: Presser foot pressure is preset and not adjustable. (However, because of the leveling button the machine can handle thick fabrics without needing to make many adjustments.) Using stabilizing material can improve the machine’s performance on thinner fabrics and sheers. No hard cover case included.
Manual available online here: Brother SE400 Manual
Manufacturer’s Warranty: As of this date, Brother offers a 1 year warranty on parts and labor, a two year warranty on electronic pattern control and selection components (parts only), and a 25 year warranty on shafts and rods on the machine head.
Price
(Back to Top)
The price of the Brother SE400 embroidery and sewing machine hovers between $330 and $370 online. Amazon and Walmart are the lowest price options and because of how often the price moves on either site, it’s best to check both sites when you’re ready to buy. Both sites are also licensed, approved Brother retailers so warranty information applies to purchases through those sites.
For current pricing information, click the links below to compare prices:
COMPARE PRICES
Amazon
Features Summary Review:
Brother SE400 Built-in Stitch List
If you made it this far, I’m sure you realize the Brother SE400 embroidery and sewing machine has so much to offer. Hopefully this thorough review has given you all you need to know to decide this is the right machine for you. If not, be sure to read the numerous comment below or leave a question of your own and I’ll answer as quickly and as thoroughly as possible!
Hi, thank you for this review as well as the comparison of the PR6770 and PR6800 compared to the SE-300. I have been pulling my hair out trying to see if there were any other significant differances other than basically a travel case, a PR sticker and the USB cord port. This has answered my questions and then some. Thanks for a great review. I have ordered an SE-400 and am excited to use it
I bought and have used the SE400 for 6 months. I have found it is MUCH better to use the 60 wt colored bobbin embroidery thread. The 40wt does not produce nice sharp results in the 4I bought a 7×4 hoop that fits the SE-270D and PE-400D. These are older models and can be bought on-line for about $39.00.
I also suggest investing in a magnetic hoop, making it easier to move your fabric, rather than re-hooping.
I enjoy my machine. It took awhile to learn the best way to make it “play well with others”. . . and it occasionally hiccups, but all in all it’s fun to use and I like to results, especially since I changed to the 60 wt ThreaDelight.
oops SE-350 I mean
I’m so glad! I’ve been drooling over this machine (in either version…:) ) for awhile. I just bought a basic Janome but I really wish now I’d held out for a combination sewing and embroidery machine and this would be the one. I saw some simple white tablecloths where a friend added some embroidery to the edges and the corners and I would love to be able to do those. I think you’re going to have so much fun! Enjoy!
Erin
Can you use the larger hoops on the SE400?
Barb – No, the Brother SE 400 only takes the 4×4 hoop size. I know some of the newer Innov-is line of Brother sewing machines use a larger hoop and the PE 770 EMBROIDERY ONLY machine has a 5×7 design size, but not the SE 400. Darn, huh? 🙂
Erin
On the Brother web site, one accessory listed for the SE-400 is a 6 3/4″ x 4″ hoop.
Mike – Yes, I noticed that just recently when responding to someone else. Plus, there’s a 2 x 1-1/2 inch hoop, too. I think it’s time to go back and update all references to hoop sizes in my post! Thanks!! 😉
Erin
I had the SE400 and now have the PE770 because of the hoop size. Let me explain the confusion between the two. The SE400 only comes with the 4×4 hoop and the PE770 only comes with the 5×7 hoop. Both machines can use both hoops BUT the difference with the SE400 is that if you use the 5×7 hoop (order separately) you can only still do a 4×4 design BUT you have the option of adding lettering without re-hooping. After your 4×4 design is finished you can move the hoop up or down (has 3 pins instead of the usual two to fasten to your machine) and add the lettering in the empty half of the hoop. If you get the PE770 you can use either a 4×4 design or a 5×7 design. I bought the 4×4 hoop to go with the PE770 so I wouldn’t waste too much stabilizer by using the 5×7 hoop for a small design. The lettering option on this machine is better too since you can do larger/longer names. This is a better choice if you want a machine for embroidery only.
Hi! Thanks for the very through review. I’m torn between the 450 and the 770. Seems like the only major difference is the hoop size? I really only embroider names and monograms on things like baby bibs, burp cloths and purses – and not very large (small or medium size letters look like what I’d use). Do you think there’s any reason I need to spend $400 more on the 770?
Thanks!
Lisa – Boy, I don’t think I’d spend the extra, if I were you. The hoop size and the font size on the SE 400 should work for small monogramming projects like you’ve described. You can always move the fabric within the hoop to make longer words or phrases as necessary. I’ve started to review the PE 770 and will add it to the site shortly but I haven’t seen anything that would make it more suitable for your purposes than this one. Save the money for things like fabric, fabric, fabric! 🙂
Erin
Exactly what I wanted to hear! Thanks for the quick reply! I can’t wait to get the SE 400!!
Oops, one more question…does the SE 400 come with pre-programed monogram styles?
If I understand the question correctly (and I might not!), all monogramming is done with the five fonts. Those are programmed right into the machine. To monogram a name, you’d select the letters you want and the size and the machine does the rest. It’s literally a few buttons to push and you’re on your way. You wouldn’t have to load new fonts or designs to do that. Does that help?
Enjoy! And still plenty of time to get great projects done for the winder holidays and presents – ooh! – and stockings! 😉
I was thinking of more traditional monogramms…the kind with your first, middle and last initial only. Wondering if there were any of those styles pre-programmed. Thanks again for all the helpful info!
Oops – understand now. No, I don’t believe there are. All the monogramming is done with the fonts and letter selection. The fonts include characters, too, like period, comma, and dash to separate the initials if you like.
You are more than welcome. Glad we were on at the same time!
There is a big difference. The 770 is embroidery only. I think the 770 also has the usb port, for awhile, you had to get a 770ii to get usb.
If you don’t do large projects the 400 should work and the USB is a great feature. Monogramming with any of them is a bit of a challenge due to work area & font size. A long name could be very problematic.
I had a 770ii for awhile & sold it as it perpetually jammed. I suspect the fabric type also impacts how well they work. Heavy fabrics were fantastic. Lightweight (such as T shirt’s) caused jamming. Just my personal experience but I have been thinking of a 400 unit recently.
It was fun to do the embroidery things.
I have had my machine for a little while now. At first I loved it. I am having trouble with the normal every day sewing. It is not making loops. It is feeding the material and the needle is passing threw but the thread stays put and is not trying to tie. It worked wonderful when I first got it. I think I may be doing something wrong or is this a common problem?
Sounds like you might have a bobbin problem. Try another one. Also, the brother machines are pickey about the thread type ~ the heapie cheapies do not work well. Get quality thread & you won’t regret it.
Can you add additional fonts to the SE-400 through the USB port? Say you wanted to use a TTF font. Could that be converted to a .PES file and then used on the machine somehow?
If not the SE400, then how about the 770?
Thanks!
Wes – you can add fonts through the use of compatible Brother embroidery cards that are loaded with fonts. The Brother SA298 Alphabet Embroidery Card is one, for example. It has six fonts. I think there may be one for font card that can be used with this machine.
You could convert letter designs to .pes files with the right software and embroider a new font that way. It might take some work and you’d want to make sure sizes were consistent between the letters.
The 770 – which is an embroidery machine only – can use that same SA298 card and has two other cards (each with one font) that appear to be compatible.
Interesting question I hadn’t considered before. Thanks!
Erin
Erin — Thank you so much for the info!!! i was having
trouble understanding what the differences were between
the se400 and lb6800thd (Costco) This really cleared things
up for me. I am going to buy this soon and look forward to
sewing again after many years. I was to freaked by past bad
experiences with threading the needle, thread breaking, tension
problems, getting the bobbin in right etc. that i gave up now at last, maybe i will have a fighting chance to actually get to sew. Thanks again.
Stara – you’re going to be thrilled with your machine! Sewing with today’s machines is not at all like the stressful series of thread disasters it used to be. (If you have any questions about that you should see the post I wrote about going back to my mom’s and using her old 1973 machine again!) I am sure you are going to have no problem getting back into sewing. Plan a few fun projects so you can get used to your machine and just let your creativity roam free. 😉
Erin
Thanks Erin. I have discovered the PC420 — $50 more +/-
and am pretty impressed with it. What do you think about
this machine. I read your comprehensive review — sure
seems like a nice machine – worth the extra money?
Stara – Yes, the PC420 is a great sewing machine. The difference is that the PC420 doesn’t have the embroidery capability of the SE 400 so choosing between the two really comes down to the types of sewing you want to do. If you’re mainly going to make clothes, home decor projects, maybe quilting, then the PC420 is a solid machine and you get one of the richest sets of stitches you can get in this price range. However, if you have any desire to do some machine embroidery then the SE 400 is the better of the two. Does that help?
Thanks! Erin
Thanks Again Erin – It really helps. Now i
just need to make a decision. I’ll let you
know what i decide on….isn’t that embroidery
capability appealing — but on the other hand
all those gorgeous stitches…..sigh….I appreciate your help.
Stara – Good luck! I know how difficult it can be to make a decision. Here’s a tip. Go to Joann’s or go to a sewing craft site and look at some finished projects. Or browse sewing patterns online. Make note of any that immediately catch your eye. Were there any with embroidery work or do you find yourself more drawn to clothing, blankets, jackets, and such? That might help you better choose between the two. As soon as I saw a white table cloth with pretty embroidered floral corners I wished I’d gone with the embroidery machine. I didn’t. So guess what’s on my Christmas list… 😉
Erin
I have not purchased anything yet as I am in the beginning stages of researching an embroidery machine. I am looking for something for a beginner that will allow me to expand if this is something I truly like. Some friends have lots of extra fonts that they purchase for their machines. How do you do this and what websites do they come from? Is the SE400 capable of downloading extra fonts and applique designs??
Thanks for your help,
ashley
Ashley,
Yes, you can add new fonts and embroidery designs to the Brother SE 400. There are a couple of fonts available in reader card format like this one: Brother SA298 Alphabet Embroidery Card. There are also loads of sites online where you can download compatible .pes designs such as this one by Brother:
ibroidery.com
Another popular site is embroiderydesigns.com.
Once you see some of those designs in color on those sites, it’s much easier to imagine the kinds of projects you might tackle with a combination machine like this one. 🙂
Erin
I have been researching on the different types of embroidery machines that monogram handbags, bibs, and fabrics using large font sizes and curly fonts. I also am on a budget so the SE-400 looks like a good option but I am a bit confused. I have seen a few pics from websites where the customer has purchased a SE-400 computerized machine and has monogrammed items in very large font sizes, (showing that it can be done w- this machine.) However all the info I am seeing states that all the font sizes are under 2inches. So my question is: Does downloading allow you to do this or buy buying the software for larger fonts? I am new to all this and just trying to make sure I purchase exactly what I’m looking for. Thanks
Charla – There are two ways to do letters on the SE400. One way is to use the built-in fonts and the other is to use embroidery pattern fonts. You can only enlarge the built-in fonts by so much, as you can see in the pictures in the review. However, you can increase embroidery fonts to a larger size. Embroidery fonts do not come with the machine and have to be purchased separately, either in an embroidery card compatible with the machine or through some of the sites online that sell embroidery designs. If you need to embroider letters larger than the maximum 4×4 embroidery size, you might need special software to break the letter down into 4×4 squares for completion.
If that works for you, then I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results you get with this machine and it really is such a great value! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin
I just wanted you to know i decided on the SE 400.
Costco had a great deal on it and included 12 rolls
of embroidery thread for about $400…so it’s on the
way and i can hardly wait. Thanks so much for your
help, i really appreciate it. Have a fun day.
Stara – Perfect! Just an FYI, last night I found that Brother is doing a $30 mail in rebate on the SE 400 good from November 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010. I’m still trying to confirm that it’s good for Amazon and Walmart purchases since both of those are listed on the Brother website as authorized online retailers. I’ll check on Costco, too. While your purchase date might precede the mail in rebate date you never know…maybe there’s something they’d do for you. Here’s the link to the rebate form: Brother SE 400 Rebate Form 2010.
Either way, it sounds like you got a great deal and it really is such a great machine! 🙂
Erin
Chuckle — thanks again Erin. I appreciate the heads up! Of course, i ordered it the 30th of Oct…lol. Anyway, i will see what you find out and when it comes, i will call Costco and see if they can do anything to help. Your site is just
awesome! Nice to have the help…. Hope your day is a delight.
Hi Erin,
I’m really enjoying this thread (no pun intended)…
I am wondering about this machine and how it is with different types of fabrics. How is it sewing with fine lightweight fabrics as well as thicker fabrics? Can you sew through several layers of fabric? does the foot have trouble with lightweight fabrics? how about the embroidery function? Are there any restrictions on types of fabric that you can embroider? How about embroidering on thick layered fabrics like quilted polar fleece?
In your opinion, is this a beginner’s machine? I personally would like something intermediate at least. I love to sew and make clothes but also like the capabilities of the embroidering function…
It is so hard to find the right machine! Too many great ones out there!
Thank you for the help!
Jill Anne
Jill Anne – Now, that was cute! 🙂
This machine is great with most fabrics. As with any machine, the less “common” the fabric, the more adjustments or accessories you may need in order to make everything work as it should. For example, if you’re going to work with really sheer fabrics, a teflon foot can keep from damaging the fabric or you might need to actually adjust the tension instead of leaving things as-is. For thicker fabrics, you might need a different size needle. I have no personal experience with this particular machine on every possible fabric so all I have to go on is how the design is meant to deal with different thicknesses and materials and how it worked on the types of fabrics I have used. I haven’t seen it hesitate, bunch up or skip stitches on the medium weight fabrics I’ve tested.
This is more than a beginners sewing machine. While it’s a great machine for a beginner to grow WITH it also offers lots of features for those who are more advanced. I think Brother is trying to use this machine to do several things: offer a less expensive way for advanced crafters to tackle more types of sewing, expose more beginners to sewing machines that do more than just a few basic stitches, and (my guess!) pave the way for those who sew to want some of Brother’s more expensive machines. Can’t blame them there and if we get a great machine in the process, well, more power to us. 🙂
I know how difficult it can be to make a choice amongst all the options out there. My best advice would be to think about the types of sewing you really like to do and also think about the types of sewing (even specific projects) you want to do but haven’t yet tackled, and then make sure you get a machine that can do all of those things.
Good luck!
Erin
Hi Erin!
Thank you for the reply! After reading through more articles on the site, vie decided to take your advice and get two separate machines…one for sewing and one much later for embroidery. I am an artist and ultimately would love to be able to make my own embroidery designs. What fun! In the meantime, back to the drawing board I go… I am most interested in garment construction so I think I am interested in a good Janome. I really like the one you have but am also reading about the Threadbanger TB30. It sounds like since it has an adjustable presser foot, I might be able to work with varying kinds of fabrics for clothing. I do love the one you have though. It is so cute ! (even though that is not supposed to be an influence on my decision). I wonder if there is another model of Janome I should consider for garment construction?
Jill Anne – Believe me, based on looks alone, the Magnolia 7330 and the TB30 are THE cutest sewing machines! I know they did that on purpose. 🙂 They’re impossible to resist. And I absolutely LOVE my Magnolia. The only thing I regret is not having more stitches.
Let’s look at the practical aspects of the two machines (sigh…so much less fun than looking at how cute they are…). Knowing that you’re interested mostly in garment construction makes it far easier to pick a machine. Most of the functionality is the same except the TB30 has adjustable presser foot pressure and the 7330 does not. However, you lose a couple of stretch stitches on the TB30 that might come in handy for making clothes.
Because of that, you might want to check out one of the Janome DC machines:
The DC2010 (you can read about it here)
The DC3050 (read my report here)
Neither has adjustable presser foot pressure but they have more stitches. I just added a review for the DC3160QDC (read that here), too, which is geared towards quilters but there’s also a 2160 model that I haven’t reviewed yet. It has 60 stitches and adjustable presser foot pressure.
You can read the manufacturer’s brochure. The only thing I’m unsure of on those last two is how stable they are during sewing as I haven’t sewn on either one. Both weigh just over 12 pounds vs. 16-18 pounds but they’ve got great features and fabric control.
I probably didn’t help much there…LOL! 😉 I guess what I’m saying is I wouldn’t sacrifice adjustable presser foot pressure just yet as I do think it might come in particularly handy for your specific needs and I think you can get it in a Janome along with more stitches.
Let me know what you think!
Erin
You are sew smart! Ha ha ha…thank you, yes I totally agree. I secretly want it all. I know, greedy. I want adjustable pressed foot AND more of those pretty stitches! I read your review of the DC 3160QDC and loved it! But as I read more online about people having problems with the bobbin, I got scared. It has all the features I’m looking for but I don’t think I am a figure-it-out type who can trouble shoot tech problems. I would get pretty mad and stop sewing. I wish that weren’t true because that would be an awesome machine! I’ll check out the others as you suggested! By the way, this website is awesome! I’ve enjoyed it so much. You do a wonderful job!
Today I checked out the Janome DC2160 and the DC3160QDC at my town’s dealer! I got to sit down and test them a bit. It was so wonderful to use them that i pretty quickly decided to get one of those models. I’m not sure which one yet. They are so smooth, it was like driving a Bentley (not that I have had the pleasure to drive one, but I imagine it’s smooth!). I also decided to purchase my machine from my local dealer for some major reasons. Mostly, in this economy where small businesses are struggling against these internet monoliths, its nice to support both the store and my town by shopping there. Also, I don’t really care for Amazon’s lack of ethics either. The dealer offers private lessons for customers to really learn hands on their new machine lessening the user error mistakes.Great! Now I just have to see which one. It’s hard to decide when you hear all the nifty things you can do and think about what you can live without….
Jill Anne – Glad you got a chance to check them out and I’m sure either one will be a great match. Glad you found a local dealer you can work with, too. You might not realize just what a plus it is for you to even have some local stores available at which you can buy sewing machines. We lost several in our area and when my mother and I went shopping in her area the closest one was still 30 miles away. Even then, they don’t always carry all brands or all models. Brother has a slightly different distribution strategy for some of their sewing machine models so some can only be found online. At that point, it comes down to getting the best online deal.
Wishing you success with all the projects in your future. I’m sure they’ll be marvelous!
Erin
I also am new to the world of embroidery. You mentioned that the fonts that come with the machine are, at largest 1.25 x 1.25…does that mean that is the maximum it will do with addional fonts purchased or can you do larger, for example and 2.5 x 2.5 sized font (purchased separately)? I was under the impression anything that would fit in the 4×4 area could be done. Please help clarify. Thanks so much.
Sheron
Sheron – Ooohh…that’s a good one. I might have to dig a bit. As I recall, you cannot increase the size of the built in fonts – on that I’m 99% sure. However, I don’t know whether or not you can increase the size of separately purchased fonts. I would think so because you can edit most .ped files under the right circumstances. It may take me a day to get a more definite answer on this one. I’ll come back with more shortly!
Erin
Erin,first let me say I love your site and this review is what helped me to determine to buy my SE400 ad I love it! I just learned to sew, finally, when I was pregnant with my daughter and I have since opened an Etsy shop and begun selling my handmade items. I had a new basic singer model that I received as a gift, that had me so discouraged, I almost gave up! This machine definitely changed all of that :)I am still learning everyday, but I recently found that you CAN actually enlarge & decrease the built in fonts on the machine, and also some of the designs and fonts I have bought from Etsy with the machine with absolutely no extra software. As my business is expanding, I am now looking for the best affordable software that will merge single letters into words from fonts I have purchased from Etsy. Do you have any suggestions or has anyone used anything other that PE lite that is more affordable and can do this?
Stephanie – The key words in your question are “more affordable”. When it comes to embroidery software, there are some free software programs that each do a little bit but nothing free lets you do too much and any of the other software seems to cost a fortune. The letter fonts you buy online as embroidery patterns are treated by the machine as individual embroidery images. You would want ta software program that can combine images. I’m not aware of anything that will let you combine the patterns AND costs less than the PE lite software.
However, there are some folks on here with more experience in the embroidery area and they may have some suggestions. Anyone?
Hope we find something for you, Stephanie, and I’m so glad your business is working out online! Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Erin
I’m really interested in the SE-400 – and found your review very helpful. I’m an experienced quilter and have been sewing for 20+ years. My old Babyloc machine died and my circa 1970’s Kenmore still works…BUT….I’d love a NEW machine with a few more bell’s and whistles. This machine sounds great – and is in a price range I’m comfortable with.
Your review only briefly talks about quilting. While I mostly hand quilt – having never had a machine that truly machine quilted well – I’d like a little more info on how it performs and is the quilting foot extra? How is the range of motion?
Tammie – Ah! The 1970’s Kenmores must have been popular. That’s what I learned to sew on. It was my mom’s machine and she still has it and it tortured me this summer when we went to visit. I almost have her convinced to try a new one!
You’re right – I got so caught up on the embroidery functionality that I’ve barely touched on the quilting. I am not an experienced quilter but I’ve read up on the subject and my mother-in-law just finished a large quilting project for her mom. I’ve developed what I think are some of the most important things to look for in a quilting machine. First is the ability to sew through layers of fabric plus batting and the SE 400 can handle multiple layers. Fabric is well controlled with this machine and easy to guide under the needle. There are at least three tools that come in handy for machine quilting: a walking foot, a quilting guide, and an extra wide extension table. They aren’t necessarily required – they just make things easier. Now, you can buy the Brother SA188 Open Toe Walking Foot and I think AllBrands.com
is still carrying the Brother SA551 extension table (plus, they also sell a great customized, acrylic extension table) but I can’t find a quilting guide.
Finally, having some nice stitches that can enhance the look of machine quilts is great for customizing and embellishing. The Brother SE 400 comes with many stitches for quilting plus some decorative heirloom stitches.
If you were going to do NOTHING but quilting (and tons of it), you might want something else that includes more of the quilting features instead of requiring that they be purchased separately but if you want to do machine quilting as well as embroidery then this is a great choice!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks for the additional information. While I will do a considerable amount of piecing for quilts – the machine quilting and embroidery are things I’m interested in trying out – and I think this machine will be a good fit.
Also, I’m starting to do more home sewing, costumes for theater for the kids, and this really sounds like the best all around machine for me for now – and the next couple of years.
Thanks for the great information.
Anytime!
I am a beginner sewer and am looking to purchase my first machine. I have only used my friends to sew a few blankets and now I have the sewing bug and want to learn more! I am seriously considering the Brother SE 400. I am looking for a durable machine that will allow me to sew denim purses, blankets and other fun projects that can then be enhanced with the embroidery features. I got a little scared by some reviews that said they had a problem with the tension and needles breaking. How much is the teflon foot? Is that recommended if I plan to use finer fabrics. So much to decide! So grateful there are people out there like you who can help!
Jeannie – Your projects sound so fun! Great ideas and, yes, if you’re considering denim and embellished bags you want to make sure you get a machine that can do it all.
MOST (not all, but most) of the time that users mention tension issues or thread issues or issues getting through fabrics it is because the machine is not being equipped or adjusted to handle the particular project.
I have an entry level Janome. It doesn’t have tons of stitches but it will pound through thick fabric. I’d seen it do so during my own tests on my own fabric scraps. About three weeks after it arrived, my son brought me a pair of jeans he’d ripped. I thought I’d repair them and chalk up some “mommy” points! (He’s a teen so these are hard to come by anymore… 😉 ) I sewed up the rip, gave him the jeans, and was thrilled at how happy he was he could wear them still. He wore them to school the next day and came home to show me the thread had pulled right out and left him with a gaping, embarrassing hole through most of the day. I’d used the wrong thread and the standard needle and the wrong stitch. When I actually spent some time to put the right settings and accessories together, I had no problems at all and the jeans were truly repaired.
So, as long as you use the right foot, right thread for your fabric type, adjust thread tension for the fabric type and use the right needle, the machine should perform as designed and the Brother SE 400 can handle thick fabrics and the projects you describe.
The teflon, or non-stick, Brother SA114 presser foot costs about $20 and does certainly keep sheer fabrics from being caught, ripped, snagged, or melted by metal presser feet.
You’ll also want to make sure to order some size 16 needles for your machine to use with denim and other thick material along with cotton thread in size 30 or 50. Start out slow to test out new fabrics and tension settings for each new project and you should be just fine.
No matter which machine you’re going to get, you can plan on spending at least the 1st week getting used to how your machine works. Most websites have great return policies so just to make sure you can live with any sewing machine you buy, build up a supply of fabric scraps in different thicknesses and plan on spending your first week sewing through them, adjusting your machine to deal with different threads, fabrics, and needles and working through the manual adjusting it according to the instructions and you’ll learn loads about how well the two of you will be able to work together over the long haul.
Let me know if I can help with anything else!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks! Great information. I’m hoping I can get the Brother dealership down the street to give me a discount on the SE400. They have it for $499 but it is also listed on JoAnn’s for $399. Walmart has it for $369. We’ll see if he will give me a better price. The advantage buying from the dealer is that all repairs can be handled there and are under warranty and they teach free classes on how to use the machine if you buy from them. Wish me luck!
Jeannie – Both Walmart and Amazon are approved retailers of Brother sewing machines to purchases made through them are also covered by Brother’s warranty but, absolutely, your local dealer can give you some add-ons that you can’t get from one of the big online sellers. Classes can really help you learn your machine and get comfortable with all that it can do. It’s also a great way to find like minded crafters in your area. Print out either the Walmart and/or Amazon listing for the SE 400 and take it with you to your dealer. I’ve found many will negotiate or they might clue you in to a future sale date where you can get closer to the Walmart or Amazon price. $$ saved is always more money for you, your family, fabric, the holidays…all the millions of other things that demand a chunk of our wallet theses days! 🙂
Sincerely,
Erin
I just called my local authorized Brother retailer – I wanted to get a demo of the SE-400 before making the final purchase. They told me that the SE-400 is ONLY sold on the internet and tried to talk me into a 950D instead.
The 950D is 2x the price (over $900), doesn’t appear to have the same capabilities and most of the designs it comes with are Disney, which I’m not the least bit interested in.
When I asked for more information about the internet only comment – they told me the SE-400 was a ‘cheep’ machine for internet and big box stores and the internals were of sub-par quality.
I’m not one to be ‘fooled’ by marking tactics – but their comment about the internals of the machine really does have me concerned. There is nothing on Brother’s website that indicates the SE-400 is anything more or less that a ‘regular’ fully warrantied Brother product.
I was wondering if anyone else had this experience? Is their any truth to what they told me? I wonder what Brother would think of this marketing?
Tammie – My local retailer said the same thing although the discussion was in person and it was more like this:
Me – Do you carry the Brother SE400?
Salesperson – Uh…(glances off to the side) that model is only sold online and is made with cheaper (glances down at her feet) parts.
It may very well be true. I don’t know. Something allows this machine to be priced less than competitive models like the Innov-is 900D or the 950D. Brother must see a price savings somewhere that allows them to practically give this one away. I have a feeling that perhaps there is some truth to what the sales person has said BUT that it’s not as bad as they’ve made it sound. I wrote a whole piece on the strength of today’s plastic. Brother probably explained to their retail partners that this model is made with parts that are just as strong but less expensive to manufacturer which is why the price is lower and the retail stores’ sales people – grasping to figure out how not to lose a prospect – have come up with this less than tasteful explanation. I’m sure it’s not what Brother expects or wants them to say.
Here’s what I look at, though – there are lots of online reviews for the Brother SE400 and the SE350 that go back two years and no one has mentioned anything about the insides falling apart. In fact, the only negative that comes up is having to work with the thread tension at times or that a needle has broken which I think is a pretty typical situation with a sewing machine that has this many features.
If you want to do a demo, though, call your store back and see if they have the Brother LB6770 PRW in stock. It’s the exact same machine except it has the Project Runway label branding and no USB cord. In fact, it’s the model listed on the inside of one of the current in-store Brother Sewing and Embroidery folded pamphlets – side by side with the Innov-is 900D. 😉
Erin
Erin,
The dealer wouldn’t budge on the price so I got it from Costco.
If anything happens and I have my receipt I can take it back. It even has a 12 pc. thread pack (full size not mini!) They have it for $389.99 Total cost with tax was $414.36 and with the rebate it will be $30 less. Where on line is the best deal on the thread and needles?
I can’t wait to get my machine!
Jeannie – Congratulations! I’m sew 🙂 excited for you! And with the holiday weekend coming up hopefully you’ll have your machine AND time to play!
Needles – my mom SWEARS by Schmetz universal needles for her sewing machine. I haven’t tried them in mine yet but I picked some up at her recommendation. Hancock Fabrics looks to have slightly better prices than Amazon and Joanna’s at just over $4 for a 5 pack of size 14 needles. They also have decent prices on embroidery thread kits. I’ve found most people start with a 40 spool kit to cover all the color ranges in the provided embroidery patterns.
Have fun and be sure to come back and let us know how you’re doing, too!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Erin
Hi! Did you ever find out if the $30 rebate can be used on the costco machine?? I have a “feeling” santa is bringing it to me as my first machine!
Stephanie – Yes! Thanks for reminding me. Costco is an approved seller for Brother sewing machines. You’re going to be a happy camper, no? 🙂 Stock some colored threads away somewhere so you can play when it arrives!
Erin
thanks erin! the costco brother machine comes w/ 12 spools of embroidery thread, so I think I’m all set!! I can’t wait to learn how to sew!
my daughter(110 wants a sewing machine for Christmas. I am torn between getting her a basic machine now and embroidery later if she wants it. the brother 400se appeals to me, because I think it could be fun to have an embroidery machine in the “house”. I do not know how to sew and I don’t want to get too much machine for her since she is very much a beginner. In you opinion is this a good basic machine for her to learn on?
Thanks
Sorry, she is 11 years old.
Kristi – Good question…I have all boys and my brother has all girls so I’m trying to mentally use a picture of my 12 year old niece to answer this question. 😉 I’ll probably just give you some things to think about that I hope will help you decide based on your own daughter.
The SE400 IS a lot of machine and I’d say it’s more than basic. However, it’s really two machines in one. Let’s say your daughter has no interest immediately in the embroidery. Then the hoop and embroidery attachments are off to the side and she has a great sewing machine she can use without the distractions of the other functionality. Still more functionality than most basic machines but enough so that she can do whatever kind of sewing she’d want to try.
The next thing to consider is the computerized controls. They’re pretty easy to learn, especially for kids who are so much more comfortable with technology than their parents were at the same age. If your daughter has no issues with technology and can follow the manual’s instructions, she’ll be able to operate this machine without becoming frustrated.
If she enjoys sewing, it isn’t going to take her long to want to try out the embroidery capabilities. And she’s almost a teen. And she’s going to want to embroider everything at some point. I want to embroider everything at some point. (lol!) If this sounds like your daughter, it’s possible she’ll actually get more use from the embroidery stuff than the regular sewing somewhere along the way.
One more thing to consider – and this is different for every kid – is your child’s tendency to stick with a new skill or hobby. I have one son who tries everything but doesn’t stick with any one thing for longer than a season, a month, a semester. Another son knows what he likes, is well organized and when he decides he’s going to take up something new he’s in it for the long haul. When either son asks me for something I spend in line with the potential life of that product in our house. 😉
I just re-read one line of your question that makes me think this may be too much machine after all. You said “I don’t want to get too much machine for her since she is very much a beginner”. I think this is a beautiful machine and it’s hard not to look at it and say “what a great gift!” but your daughter will say that no matter which one you get her and if you don’t know how to sew and she is really just beginning, then you can count on helping her through the instructions every step of the way. You’re going to end up learning along with her on this one. (Which isn’t all bad, either! 😉 ) If you’re okay with that and are hoping to get a machine that will grow with her for years, this is a nice choice. If you’re hoping to get her something she can learn on and practice with so she can develop what may or may not become a life-long hobby, another choice might be best.
Oh, I’m not sure I helped a lot here. I hate to give yes/no answers but maybe something I said will trigger your decision either way?
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin
Thank you for your fast response. She does have the personality of learning and sticking with things. My only concern is overwhelming her. I am her Junior Girl Scout leader and the troop recently took a sewing class at Joanns. She wants to take more, which I plan on signing her up for. She is able to take her machine to the classes and they will teach her on her machine-huge plus. I’m trying to think further down the line, that’s why I like the embroidery option. I saw the Brother 6800thrd at Costco, it looks very similar. Is that a better option or about the same? Thanks again
Kristi – This sounds like it good be a great fit for her then, especially with the classes. She’ll be teaching you in no time! 🙂 The Brother LB6800PRW is exactly the same stitching and functionality as the SE400. The only difference is that it comes with the Project Runway logo and the Project Runway travel case. You can read my comparison of the two. If you can get it for the same price or close, the added travel case is always a plus but it doesn’t have the $30 rebate that this one has through year end.
A note, in case you hadn’t thought of it – make sure to have some colored threads on hand or as part of the gift so she can play with the embroidery part right away instead of having to wait for someplace to open after Christmas. You can buy kits of embroidery threads in different sizes and numbers so even $20 can buy a good supply to get her started! Also, a pack of plain, white, cloth napkins make great practice fabrics and the embroidery work always looks amazing on white fabric. 😉
It doesn’t sound like you’re going to overwhelm her. She’s already had a taste for sewing, she’s looking forward to sewing classes and she’s going to be a teen before you know it (sorry – not to rush things – I know!) and this machine will be able to grow with her. The Brother manuals, too, are the most detailed of all so she’ll have lots of material to walk her through every step with good pictures to help. I bet she could have this up and sewing at least a straight stitch in minutes. Then it’s just a matter of figuring out the other buttons over time.
Pretty neat gift and it’s the kind that keeps on giving, too. Take a look at that comparison to the 6800 and let me know if you need anything else. 😉
Erin
Erin,
Is there a hoop we can get for the SE 400 that will do koozies and other small items?
Blake – Koozie? 🙂 I’m out of the loop – are koozies those can covers?
Besides the included hoop there are 2 other hoops that work with this machine: 1) 6 3/4 x 4 inch hoop and 2) 2 x 1-1/2 inch hoop.
Will either of those work for koozies?
Thanks!
Erin
Hey, Thanks for the response. Yes they go around cans. Is there a 2 x 1/2?? That seems small but you know way more about this machine than me..lol. We have had some problems with jamming. Is this due to thread quality? We tighten the fabric in the hoop as best we can so we do not think this is the problem. Thanks for your time..
Blake – Oops, I must have gotten a little carried away. That was supposed to be a 2 x 1-1/2 inch hoop. I went back and corrected my previous comment just so it won’t hang out there confusing future visitors. Any hoops that say they’re compatible with the SE350 are also compatible with the SE400.
Any time there’s jamming, I’ve read you should look at a few things and, yes, thread is one of them. Is this happening only while you’re embroidering or also while sewing? If just while using the embroidery functions check to make sure you’re using a size 11 needle unless you’re embroidering on thick fabric and also make sure you’re using a thread made for embroidery machines. Polyester or cotton-covered polyester embroidery thread is supposed to work best. If you’re still having trouble try an extra-fine embroidery thread and see if that does the trick.
Let me know how that goes!
Erin
Thanks Erin, We will try this.
I have the SE400 computerized embroidery and sewing machine and embroidered my grand-daughter’s name “Paige” by reducing the size to 80%. Now I have been battling to get “Lacey” to fit that has the same number of letters (only the “i” may take up less space) and I keep getting the message that the pattern is too large for the embroidery frame. Is there anything else I can do to make a five letter name fit?
Aileen – I assume it won’t do the same for “Lacey” as it did for “Paige” because the width of the five letters in “Lacey” must be larger than the overall width of the first name. A couple of thoughts but use sample fabric to test these out:
1. Can you shrink “Lacey” by ANY amount so that it fits without it visually appearing smaller than how “Paige” printed out?
2. I did read something recently about breaking the word into two sets of patterns – four letters in one and one letter in the 2nd pattern and then shifting the fabric in the hoop between patterns so that they line up. This would require some practice on scrap fabrics to get the spacing just right and then maybe tailor’s chalk to figure out where you need to line up for the final letter but it might be an option for you.
Let me know if either of those work out!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you, Erin.
I did shrink the name but 80% was the smallest it would go and still no luck. BUT I tried using all small letters instead of the first letter in Caps. and it worked!
I was embroidering the twins names on a border at the bottom of the dresses and the border is smaller than my hoop. I did stabilize it with tear-away and tacked the material to the stabilizer but it still puckered a little. Should I use iron-on stabilizer? I prefer not to have a large piece of stabilizer ironed on to the back of the garment. I just got my machine and am trying to find good ideas to make good-looking garments.
I had the same problem with wmbroidering my twin nieces names, Layla & Tayla in the script font on the bottome of skirts I made for them. The T & L are almost identical in shape, but turned different ways and I still don’t know why it wouldn’t work. I had to rehoop & take the stiches out until I got it lined up right. However, I have now learned that for instance, if I used the medium letters the first time, I can start with the small, to make all of the letters fit and then enlarge the whole name as large as the machine will let me, and I usually can’t tell a difference in the size, especially on 2 different garments. Hope this helps!
well i bought the se-400 before reading this review, and i have to say i’m sooooooo pleased with this machine.. sew excited to have gotten it for my bday!!! When i 1st started using it i had trouble with tension and needles breaking but after playing with it for a few days i got the hang of it! NOW i love it, i sew every single day, even made a few gifts for my family for christmas!! Its not very noisy , which is good dont want to keep anyone awake late at night, when i’m sewing lol
Just remember anyone buying this machine new to embroidery like me, jus have some extra needles on hand, and sulky thread is the best!! very bright colors, no problem with breakage, just perfect!! BUt now to move my embroidering to a new level i’m looking for a software that will worth with the se-400 to take real pictures for your digital camera etc and convert them into a embroidery design.. can anyone help me???
ty soo much!!
Megan – Sounds like you’ve been having a blast and your tip to buy thread and needles is perfect!
Yes, there is software that works with the SE-400 and will convert your own images into embroidery designs. It’s called PE-Design Lite Embroidery Software and it’s made by Brother. It costs a bit but you can use it to do all kinds of things including converting your own images, clip art, and scanned images into embroidery designs for the SE-400. It also has additional built in fonts and you can use it to edit images to make size and color changes, among other types of modifications. A great addition to your birthday present! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Yup sure am having a blast!!! lol
I use it just about every day since i got it nov 27th lol
OK i guess i’ll have to add that to my list maybe santa will bring it to me LOl ( keeping fingers crossed) 🙂
Hate my bday is so close to christmas 🙂
Oh, my husband is the same way as his bday is December 1st. I used to think that was so cool but now it’s just so hard to think of each of them as separate events since they’re in the same month. I think sometimes he wishes he could move it! 😉
Crossing my fingers on your behalf!
Erin
Erin
I decided on the 400SE for my daughter for Christmas. I think she is going to love it. I was reading about the software. We aren’t there yet, but what is the difference between the PED BASIC and PE DESIGN-LITE? Do you need the BASIC to use the DESIGN-LITE?
Thanks
Kristi – Your daughter is in for a very sweet Christmas! In regards to the software, PED BASIC allows you to import embroidery patterns you find on the web, do some minor editing (size and some color choices) and export designs onto blank embroidery cards. Since the SE400 only has so much memory on its hard drive, the ability to save extra patterns on cards is convenient for those who take their machine to sewing clubs or sewing classes and need to have a selection of embroidery patterns with them without taking their laptop along.
PE DESIGN-LITE does all that PED BASIC does but it also has digitizing capabilities. That means it can take any of your pictures or computer clip art and convert it (digitize it) into an embroidery pattern. If your daughter wants to make a pattern out of pictures of she and her best friend, this is the software you’d need. PE DESIGN-LITE can also combine designs so if you want the flowers from one pattern with the picture of a baby from another, you could do so.
Basic is really just that – basic. It provides some convenience but not really a lot of flexibility. It’s DESIGN-LITE is the software that offers flexibility and design customization.
Hope that helps!
Happy Holidays,
Erin
lol, my fiance alaways says why did u have to be born that close to christmas!! LOL
i always say back, i didn’t chose when to be born lol
but thanks for crossing ur fingers for me! it would be such a wonderful gift!
Thanks for your extensive knowledge of this product! I am very interested in this machine, but a little gun-shy still. I have been doing a lot of work on oilcloth (purses, wallets, etc). Mainly, I use transparent, nylon thread for my projects. However, I’ve been seeing that this machine is picky about it’s thread. Is that for the regular sewing or just the embroidery stitching? I’m hoping to find a good all-in-one that can handle all my projects.
-Amy
Amy – the thread comments mostly have to do with embroidery. The manual suggests certain kinds of threads for embroidery but that’s really easy to miss. I’d come across a statistic just last week that said something like 80% of all machine issues have to do with thread or needles or incorrect set up. I would not think you’d have a problem working with oilcloth on the SE400 but if you want to be really sure, find a Brother retailer in your area, bring a few scraps of your own oilcloth and test it out on the Brother LB6770 PRW. That’s the same sewing machine but with the Project Runway label (and usually a bigger price tag). The SE400 is mostly an online only model and even if you find it in a store, it’ll be Costco or Walmart and not set up for testing so testing the similar model will give you a good feel for the SE400. If you can’t get out to do that, let me know. I actually have some oilcloth from a sewing machine cover project I’m working on and I know my local retailer has the 6770 set up for demos. 🙂
Sincerely,
Erin
Love the website! Very informative and great topics. I just bought the se-400 (haven’t received it yet) but can’t wait to jump in and get embroidering! I think I am like the only guy that has replied on the running blog but I know they are out there. I enjoy digitizing and creating my own designs and logos but didn’t have a way to quickly see what my designs looked like in the real world before sending them out. That is when I saw the se-400 and the attractive price point of $320 when all said and done. I can’t believe how costly these machines are. They are like very compact cars with needles as an engines (sorry guy talk) and cost just as much! 😉
Anyway, I am sure I will have many questions when it arrives and look forward hearing from all of you!
Steve – Welcome! Now I know I saw another guy around here somewhere…but us women probably won’t let you get a word in edgewise! 😉 Actually, I have an idea for a post on guys and sewing. Maybe it’s time I get that done. Hmmm…where did I put that…
Speaking of cars…my last job? Cars – a LOT of cars. 😉 It’ll come up in that “guys and sewing machines” post. Along with kites, upholstery and, of course, embroidery! Very glad you found us. I think I’m going to need to add a forum here at some point!
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin, I don’t know how you do it…having the patience answering all of our newbie questions…BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I think a forum would be a much better place for all of these great topics and answers. Also it would free you up from personally answering all of them 😉
Anyway, back to my review on my SE400. I have had it now for 3 weeks and I am loving it! Great little machine! Nice having the sewing function along with the embroidery.
My advice so far is straight out of the box I needed to adjust the bobbin tension screw. Now it says nothing about it in the manual but embroidering on cotton jersey’s with heavy pull away stabilizer, I noticed my bobbin thread was coming through my top designs. I keep my top tension at the recommended 4 setting and moved the screw a whole turn CW until it was just right. I recommend everyone to use this Brother web site and download the pattern and see where your bobbin thread is.
I am now trying to figure out how I can get small letters .20 of an inch to appear tighter when embroidering. Maybe smaller needle and thread? The quest continues…
Steve – When you work from home and the kids are in school all day…well…these comments have become my connection to the “real world”! But I absolutely see a forum in the future. 🙂 You should see me fly off to Google for research and grab the phone when a tricky question comes up!
Couple of thoughts for you on bringing the letters closer together. These are untested – off the top of my head:
1. Have you tried doing each letter individually and re-hooping the material yourself? I realize this might be a complete PAIN but it’s a temporary solution. You’d have to do some trial and error to perfect placement each time.
2. If you have editing software and a downloaded font, could you combine the letters for each project into a singular design? I think this might give you some control over letter placement. Maybe?
It’s on my list still to check out some embroidery software alternatives. In fact, someplace in my list of 30 open tabs (my laptop is screaming at me) is a mention about a free resizing software. I don’t think it will help with you bringing the letters closer together but it might help with other projects.
Let me know if you reach the end of your quest. Other adventurers would surely benefit! 😉
Thanks for sharing your tips with us. Huge help!
Erin
This link should work…
Brother Solutions
I think I messed up your first one. It worked but my site does “stuff” to links so I think I chopped it…Test again, if you get a chance. It worked for me but I’d certainly like it to work for others, too!
Thanks!
Erin
Erin, I have an SE400 and my daughter recently wanted me to learn to quilt. so I did. I am looking for the free motion foot to stipple with and on the Brother site, it is only listed for the 350. If I read correctly, the 400 is the same exact machine as the 350 so the feet will feet both machines? Thank you so very much for your help.
Leza – Yes, the stippling foot that works with the SE350 should be compatible with the SE400. Sometimes retailers (and manufacturers) remember to list all of the models and sometimes they don’t. I hope your daughter is going to help you with that quilting! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Ok… I have had the se-400 for about 3 months now. Ive used it off and on but now I am on vacation and have been working on quite a few projects (commissions). This is the first time I really use it daily and Im about ready to throw it out the window.
I LOVED this machine at first, but now it jams up all the time. Ive done everything I can think of. I am sewing with fleece, this is the only fabric I use. I use proper needles for fleece and have used fleece the first 3 months with little trouble. Now all of a sudden I am sewing along and it goes “CLUNK CLUNK” like the needle is about ready to bust off and fly at me. I have no idea what is causing the problem… it feels like its in the bobbin casing, but I really don’t know. I have stuff to do and I can’t deal with this. Honestly, my CHEAP $100 brother sewing machine has worked better than this one.
Any idea on how to stop my machine from jamming?
Ally – Not a good time for a problem at all, is it? 🙁 My first thoughts are that maybe you’re having some build up of “fleece fluff” around the bobbin case. There’s a set of instructions in the manual about “cleaning the race”. I assume you’ve tried that?
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks Erin,
I have done that. Today the only way that I could get it to work was by changing the thread, it isnt AS BAD but still gets really clunky once in a while. Im thinking I might need to use really expensive thread on thsi machine (I thought this was only the case for when I embroider… but this machine is really picky overall I am finding).
Ally – what kind of thread are you using? One test is to look really close at the thread. If you see ANY fraying or fuzz around the thread then the thread could be gunking up your machine. I have read, too, that you’d only need special threads for embroidering but maybe not the case. Try an assortment of different thread qualities, clean the machine in between each thread, and see if you notice any improvement. Good luck! Sounds like you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you and your machine shouldn’t stand in the way.
Erin
tryin unscrewing the metal plate and cleaning it out under there, mine was doing the same and thats what i had done, now its great! also i found that Sulky thread worked the best for me, its expensive but worth it! Joanns carrys it.. HOpe this helps!
Megan – Thanks for the tip!
just a little thing i had to do when i first got my machine, i had the jamming problem when i 1st got fine, come to find out there was some fabric jammed in there, i had to take the plate off, cleaned it out, then it worked perfect!!! just a little tip that may help!
looking for a seger… can anyone recommend one for me??? cant afford a whole lot…
Megan – Can you give a brief description of what you want to do with the serger (what kind of materials and how often you’d be using it?). I don’t have a serger but I did spend some time playing with my mother’s this past summer and I really liked it. For the life of me I can’t remember what brand she has. Let me talk to her, check with a few friends and do some research and see if I can’t come up with some suggestions for you. More in a bit!
In the meantime, maybe someone else will jump in with some recommendations, too!
Sincerely,
Erin 😉
i work often with medium weight fabrics, fleece, flannel etc I do sew ALOT so i’d be using it on a daily basis, about 5 times per week, probably on most of my items i would be making! i tried searching for a used vacume/sewing repair store some times they have good ones for sale! but i had ZERO luck in my area 🙁
thanks for your help, this will be the last machine i need for my collection 🙂
Megan – If I were going to buy a serger and I wanted to keep costs low I’d take a look at this one.
It’s a Brother Lay-in Thread Serger, Model No. 1034D
with 3 and 4 thread lay-in and lots of accessories and features for the money. It’s under $200, one of the lowest priced new sergers I could find and has hundreds of positive reviews. Sounds as if it could hold up to the types of fabric you’re working and the amount of time you sew.
I checked all my favorite online haunts and that seemed to be the best deal. Even Overstock’s refurbished listings (which I check often for deals) didn’t have anything better. Other than eBay or maybe Craig’s List, this seemed the best option. I’ll keep looking and update this if I find anything else.
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin
Is there anywhere to get a smaller hoop other than the internet? We want the 2 x 1 1/2.
Thanks Blake
Blake – Have you tried local retailers? You can use this page to find a Brother dealer near you: Brother Dealer Locator. Maybe call a few and see if they have one. If they don’t, ask if they’d order one for you. You might also see if you can find a small mom and pop sewing shop in your area. You never know what they carry or what they can get!
Good luck!
Erin
ty soo much for all your help!! thats the same one i have been looking at!! walmart carrys it online, so if anything goes wrong walmart takes anything back!! lol This is going to be my christmas present lol
Megan – I think you made a great choice! 😉 Merry Christmas! (Hope Santa brings you some new fleece patterns to work with, too!)
Sincerely,
Erin
thanks erin! i hope santa brings me some too 🙂 Hope u have a wonderful christmas!
Dear Sir. Am interested in buy a Brother SE400 Embroidery Machine.Would you please quote CIF Santiago de Chile one Machine.Payments Terms and delivery time. Regards. hugo Paredes.
Hugo – I don’t actually sell these sewing machines. The SE400 is available in the US at several online sites like Amazon and Walmart. I’m not sure if either ship to Chile or not but you might check there.
Good luck!
Erin
I bought a font online and have used it successfully for embroidering one initial at a time, but can you explain how to connect letters to spell out names using online font files.
Thank you!
Ophelia – To the machine, each letter is an individual embroidery pattern. You can store 12 patterns on the hard drive of your sewing machine. If you’re embroidering a name that is less than 12 characters long, use your USB cord to transfer each of the letters you need for the name from your hard drive to the sewing machine’s memory. Once they’re loaded, you should be able to see them in the LCD screen. Use the selection keys to put the letters in the order you want to spell out the name. If it’s too long for the frame, you may have to play with the Adjust button to get them to fit.
If the name is more than 12 characters or too long to do in one frame, there are instructions in the manual (page 146) that will walk you through “connecting” patterns seamlessly.
Let me know if you run into any trouble. I was hoping I could find a video for you to refer to as well but no luck so far.
Sincerely,
Erin
I’m still not clear on how to do this. I have been successful at loading each letter (pattern), but cannot figure out how to select more than one pattern at a time. The fonts that come with the machine allow for multiple letter selection, but I haven’t had luck with the downloaded fonts. Can you only select one downloaded pattern at a time?
Thanks for ALL your help!
Ophelia – I don’t have an SE400 sitting in front of me at the moment so I’m leading in the dark a bit but if you have some practice fabric, we’ll get you there yet. 😉
The combining feature does only work with the included letter fonts, sorry. If you have the PE Design Lite software, you can combine patterns and you would use that feature in the software to combine the letters you need into one, new pattern.
Without the software, you will have to use a grid and marker system to line the letters up manually. This article will walk you through how to create templates for each letter and mark the points on your fabric where you need to start each letter. I’m still looking for a video that will show you because I think it’s easier to understand how to do it with a visual but maybe the article will get you started. Use practice fabric to get the process nailed down before working on your finished project.
Would love to hear if this works out for you. I have a sneaking suspicion you’re working on a Christmas project with a looming deadline and I want to make sure you can get it done in time! (Maybe that’s not the case but the thought can’t be avoided considering the time of year.)
Sincerely,
Erin
I am considering getting the SE400 and after reading these postings I feel better about it… Santa is taking me shopping… besides the thread.. what else should I pick up so I can go home and start embroidering. I know “VERY” little about machine embroidery. I know I have to have a stabilizer but not sure what kind. I also need to find out what kind of threads work good with the SE400… Thank you all for all your help..
Sandy – Santa has good taste! 😉 The SE400 is such a great value and once you begin embroidering I bet you don’t ever want to stop. Here’s what you should get so you can get started right away:
1. Stabilizer – stabilizers come in several forms and materials. There are rolls, sheets, iron-on and water soluble and tear away. Tear away sheets are easy to work with and Threadart is a popular brand. Follow this link to see what it looks like: Regular Cutaway Embroidery Stabilizer – 8×8 200 Precut Sheets
2. Selection of colored thread – polyester or cotton-covered polyester embroidery thread is supposed to work best. It’s worth buying high quality thread because it’s sturdier, breaks less, and does not “fuzz” or fray easily. Sulky, Gutermann, and Coats & Clark are well-known, quality threads. However, for just starting out, lots of people buy this Threadart kit: Polyester Embroidery Thread Set – 40 Spools (500 meter spools/40 wt.) – Set. It’s 40 spools of sample colors and you can choose to get the kit in either Vibrant, Brilliant, or Jewel colors.
3. Bottom thread – the top thread provides all the color so get a couple of good sized rolls of white embroidery thread to use in your bobbin. It’ll save you from using up your pretty colors where they won’t be seen. Try this: Embroidery Bobbin Thread – 5000m Spool – 60wt White – By Threadart
4. Fabric to embroider! I love to practice on crisp, white table napkins. You can usually find a set of these for next to nothing online or at Walmart or Linens & Things. Embroider the corners to check out the patterns and then you can still use the napkins for tea parties or to dress up your dining room, the buffet, a bread basket…. 😉
5. Extra needles – you should always have some hanging around. You don’t want to start a new project only to find you’re current needle is dull and you don’t have a replacement on hand.
That should do the trick!
Happy Holidays!
Erin
THANK YOU so much….All this information helps. Do you recommend getting a 5 X 7 hoop… I know it can only stitch a 4 by 4 pattern but I have been told to get the bigger hoop that it would be best to maximize the 4 by 4 stitching area.
Also so many people told me that I should look into software so I can do bigger patterns like something called Hoopworks… Any recommendations on that?
Wish the Brother website would have tutorials on that machine but they don’t.. Hope I can figure it out.
Thank you again!
Sandy – I hadn’t heard of HoopWorks so I can’t say for sure that it will work but I watched the video this morning and I can’t see why it wouldn’t. HoopWorks is compatible with .pes files which are also compatible with the Brother SE400. The software also handles custom hoop sizes so it should be able to split embroidery designs into smaller .pes files which can be used with the SE400 and the 4×4 hoop. If you buy the software, you can work within the 4×4 hoop size for any design. If you do want a bigger hoop, I’d go with the Brother SA434 4-Inch-by-6 3/4-Inch Large Hoop which the Brother website notes is compatible with this machine.
Since I have no direct experience with HoopWorks, you might want to buy from a retailer with an easy return policy in case the software doesn’t work. If it does, let us know, though! Sounds like an excellent option for anyone who wants to do larger embroidery designs on the SE400. (I may have to test this out myself in the near future!)
While the Brother website is lacking in tutorials for this particular sewing and embroidery machine, there are a ton of small training videos for the Duetta® 4500D. While they are not the same embroidery machine, the videos on using the hoop, attaching presser feet, choosing your patterns and other embroidery related tasks are performed similarly on each machine so they may be helpful in getting you comfortable with using your machine. The manual is also very detailed and thorough. You’ll learn a lot just browsing through it for an hour or so.
Don’t worry – you aren’t going to have any problems! You’ve done your homework, you know what you want, and I bet you already have an idea for your first project ready to go! 😉
Erin
Oh Erin,,, I plan to make myself and my family amateur radio Tshirts with our call letters on it… However,, I noticed that the SE400 only has alpha characters. My ham radio call has 2alpha characters then a number followed by 3 alpha characters…. any suggestion how I would do that since it doesn’t come with numeric characters.?
Sandy – The SE400 fonts do include numbers 0-9 as well as a few punctuation marks. I just did a revision of this review to add more detail so maybe I mis-stated something that led you to think they weren’t included? I better do some proof-reading!! 😉
PS – Love to hear about the neat projects people have in mind. The ideas are endless and all so unique. Ham radio call letters! Who would have thought! 😉
Have fun!
Erin
Thank you Erin for all your help. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on an embroidery machine and find out I am not going to use it that much. I mainly plan on putting my amateur radio (ham) call letters on T-shirts, making little designs on T-shirts… etc..etc.. and I will go on from there. I have read good reviews on this machine. I have many hobbies… and bounce back and forth between all of them. However, machine embroidery has also appealed to me… but a $15000 machine is out of the question.
More problem for me 🙁 Thanks to your suggestions before about changing the thread. I went with some gutterman thread and it has been working excellent since… until now. Once again I repeated all steps, cleaned out the bobbin case, took off the metal plate and use a can of air to check everything out, rethreaded, even changed teh thread in the bobbin to a full bobbin and now its going clink clink CLUNK when I sew, and when I sew multiple pieces of fleece together forget it!! It goes CLUNK and then my machine says it has to stop to prevent damage, or some error like that… and Im terrified to break the needle like I did initially so I just put it away, once again being prevented from finishing my projects. I want to love this machine, but its very hard to when all these setbacks are happening and I have clue how to fix this problem 🙁
Allyson – Oh, so close!!! I’m glad the thread change worked and if we get you back to working again see the note someone left in the past day or so about Sulky thread working really well, too.
Okay – let’s try a few things. Run your machine (slowly) without the needle and see if it makes the clunking sound. If it does so without the needle, then at least we know the problem is not with the needle. However, if you have no problems without the needle being attached, it stands to reason the needle is part of the problem and you’ll want to see if using a different type or size of needle helps.
If that doesn’t work, clean the race again, use a new needle, re-thread the machine and see if the problem continues. If so – is it the same whether you choose sewing or embroidery options?
If the problem persists you may need to see a licensed Brother service center. Your machine may have developed an issue with timing or some other mechanism and you’ll want that to be professionally fixed.
Hang in there and let me know how it goes. There’s hope yet! (I’m a persistent optimist!) 🙂
Erin
Thank you so much for your help! You are so kind to offer so many suggestions and help with troubleshooting, I really appreciate it 🙂
I THINK it’s fixed! I did what you said, I ran it without the needle and it sounded perfectly fine, so I switched to a package of ball-point needles that I had bought and never opened… and its been working well since 🙂 Time will tell, I just spent about 5 minutes finishing up my project and it went smoothly. I am crossing my fingers that now combined with good quality thread and this type of needle I may have some luck! When this machine works properly its great, I can’t emphasize that enough, and if my problems can be fixed with a little bit of troubleshooting the better, I dont want people to read this and be concerned about the quality of the machine, because it really is a great buy 🙂
OH and a note about Sulky, that is the thread that I use for embroidery, its very expensive compared to the other brands but it works GREAT! Maybe in the future I can invest in more thread that I can use for everyday sewing as well, this machine is definitely picky about what thread you use!
Allyson!! Yay!!! I’m so happy for you. Crossing my fingers on your behalf that things hold solid from now on!
Thanks so much, too, for sharing your feedback on this machine. Prospective buyers just want to know all the ins and outs and nothing helps more than the impression from someone who has and uses the machine itself. Troubleshooting is just a fact of life. It reminds me of all the little things my mom knows about her sewing machine that no one else knows. The mark of experience. You’re earning your stripes! 😉
Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and here’s wishing you great success with the rest of your projects!
(Of course, if you get stuck again, you come right on back!!)
Erin 🙂
allyson- sulky is the best!! i had zero problems since i switched to sulky! and the best part Joanns is having it 50% off starting the 30th!! I’ll deff be at joanns =-) Good luck!! I love this machine as well!
THE NEEDLE MIGHT BE COMING LOOSE AND HITTING THE RACE I HAD THAT PROBLEM WITH
MY 400SE
Has anyone tried the Threadart brand of embroidery thread? It is reasonable but if this machine is picking I hate investing in the wrong kind of thread. Thank you!
I got my SE400 but have to get thread, etc to work with. The manual doesn’t tell you what to do if you are embroidering a t-shirt etc etc… It just shows how to do a small little design on a square piece of fabric. My question is if you are doing a denim shirt… I am assuming you just have to make sure to keep it free of the embroidery UNIT.. but can you put the shirt gently over the embroidery UNIT… or do you have to hold it up…?
Sandy – This video will show you how to drape the shirt material around the hoop while embroidering a design on one portion of the shirt. NOTE: The machine in the video is not the SE400! I think she has a little more room to work with but the concept is the same. 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ60yUhjthQ
I have not used the Threadart thread so I can’t comment on that particular question. There are a couple of reviews on Amazon but not enough to draw any strong conclusion. I do know that it is often purchased with this sewing machine but that does not suggest anything regarding it’s quality. Hopefully someone who has used it will answer that comment.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hey all, I have no idea where to start so I’m trying to brush up on the manual before I ever turn my machine on. But I have a question right off, I just got my se-400 and i am wondering if i can upload any applique designs that i purchase online or do I have to purchase a special software first? Also, I do know it has to be for 4X4 but does it matter the detail of the design? I didnt know if it was best to stick to the simpler designs. I’m excited to get started on new projects!! Heard great things about brother machines. Im hoping to use it mainly for applique and monogram projects.
Sorry, just saw that no additional software is neccessary!! Great news!! But I still need to know how detail of an applique my machine can sew before I purchase any?
Stefanie – There is no restriction on the detail of the design. As long as it’s in a compatible format then you’re good to go! If you get stuck, watch the video in this post as it might answer some of your questions. The Brother website doesn’t have video tutorials regarding the SE400 embroidery functionality but it does have some on another embroidery models and the functionality is similar enough that it may help you understand what you need to do. Things like attaching material to the hoop, positioning the hoop, and walking through the design are a few examples.
Have fun!
Erin
can’t seem to get the tension right on my se-400… i keep getting little stray threads when its embroidering i have sulky thread, so its goo quality!! any suggestions?
Megan – oh, somehow I missed this comment, sorry! Are the little threads from your Sulky thread, from inside your sewing machine (fibers from other projects) or from the material on which you are embroidering?
Thanks!
Erin
its the actual embroidery thread leaving loops on the top of the design… now that i think about it i wasn’t using sulky, i had the coats and clark, i’ll try cleaning out the machine, i just went and bought more colors of the sulky, so i’ll let you know how this works!
this machine is very picky with thread!!
This sounds like a great machine! I am a beginner sewer looking for a machine to sew mainly through jean material. I want to make jean bags and embroider on them. Is this a good machine for this kind of work?
Christine – Yes, the Brother SE400 can do jean bags AND the embroidery. Just make sure to use the right thread and needle combination for denim – the instruction manual includes a chart that will walk you through the standard thread/needle/fabric options. It really is an amazing machine! 🙂
Erin
Thank you for the amazing review. I ordered one today (well I guess technically yesterday!) & can’t wait for my SE 400 to come!!!! Any suggestions for a hard or rolling case? Trying to keep the cost down as I went a bit over my planned budget on the SE 400, but I thnk it’ll be worth it!!
Natalia – Congratulations! Get your thread and fabric ready. 😉
Hmmm…so far I’ve got two suggestions for a rolling case. Haven’t found a hard case that fits yet. For rolling cases, the Hemline Camel Studio Collection Machine Trolley Bag
is probably the best bargain. It still costs a bit but has wheels and holds your accessories.
Another option, although considerably more money, is the Large Hot Pink Mascot Tutto Sewing Machine on Wheels
. Tutto sewing machine totes always have high marks, come in different sizes for sergers and such, and are stackable so you can put your smaller totes on top of the larger one take everything with you. These are probably best for people who sew on the go for a living (alterations and garment construction).
The challenge is that most of the generic sewing machine cases look too small, soft-side bags without wheels mean you’re going to have to lift the machine and put it in the case each time you want to put it away, and the wheeled cases add another $30 right off the bat.
You will want to make sure your sewing machine is covered when not in use but making an every day cover can be a fun project. Maybe then you just get a soft-side case for those times you need to actually transport your machine and then buy one of the more expensive wheeled cases down the road? Just thinking “out loud” to help you keep your costs down! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Well I got my SE400 up and running… first opportunity I had since Christmas morning.. Whew… I used the RA thread in 40 weight in the Rayon. I have a question… One of the fonts works good for 4 alpha letters but when I put 6 it says “too large”… but when I do the 4 it looks like their is plenty of room for 6 to fit… I put the 4 letters on large but the 6 letters had to go to small! However all the other fonts the 6 letters work for Medium except for one font… Weird… because there is plenty of visible room left.
Also I am trying to figure out what is the biggest size .PES file that I can download that will fit on this machine.. I can’t find this information anywhere..
Last question for today… I know it says to use 75/11 needle for embroidery on the DVD but it says you can use the 90/14 depending on fabric… Can I use the 90/14 for Tshirt material that is 50 percent cotton, 50 percent polyester?
Thank you for your help.. and Have a Happy New Year..
Sandy – LOL! I think you lost me! Ok – so the 6 letters fits in the frame using the medium except for one of the fonts? Which font? While it looks like there may be extra room, their may just be one small piece of one of the letters (depending on the font) which falls outside the embroidery area so the machine says the whole thing won’t fit. You know, a little slant at the bottom of a letter, the little decoration on the tops and bottoms of certain fonts – one little line is all it takes to push the design outside the frame area. Have you tried the manual connection process described in one of the earlier comments? Might help if you really want the larger font. Just practice on scrap material first!
I don’t know the maximum file size for the machine and I’m going to assume you mean to load to the memory of the SE400 itself. When you’re USB is attached can you see it on your computer or laptop and does it show you the available memory?
Is the 74/11 needle not working on the T-shirt material? If not, you can try the 90/14 as long as it is NOT the ball point needle.
Happy New Year to you, too!
Erin
Boy it is hard putting thoughts into words.
What I did was typed in K9ko (on the 3rd font on the screen) LARGE DESIGN and did that on scrap.Came out fine… Took up only 1 couple inches across..
Then using the same font did Ka9gmb (2 more letters than K9ko) and for the Large it said…Pattern too large… Then for the Medium ..it said pattern too large. So I had to do that font in small. I don’t know why it wouldn’t let me do the large since there was plenty of room. I tried another font in large and it did good for that font. i WILL try tomorrow.. I was able to do the Script in large …and it is the same size as the font that would do it..
The reason I asked about the needles is because I have several 90/14 titanium from a friend… If I can use that as a universal needle I would save a little..
Regarding the size… I am referring to the “pattern” size.. If it says “pattern” size of 3.75 by 3.0 will I be able to use that on my machine?…I am assuming as long as the pattern size says 4.0 x 4.0 or less I should be able to use that right?
Sorry for the confusion… too much embroidery today… 🙂
Sandy – I’m just a little fuzzy today anyway. All that post/pre holiday stuff!
As long as those needles aren’t ball point then you should be fine and, yes, the machine handles embroidery patterns up to 4×4 but you can also do larger patterns IF you have the software that will break them down into smaller 4×4 chunks.
Sounds like you’re making lots of progress! A nice way to spend the holiday. 🙂
Erin
Thanks Erin,
So far I did one of the preloaded designs…however until my online order comes in the color selection didn’t match the pattern…lol but I had to see how it worked..
What software are you familiar with that will allow you to do Bigger designs?
The machine allows you to store 12 patterns… I trying find out when I try one of these patterns that I downloaded (free ones) if they give you the color choices on the screen like it does for the preloaded.
Only problem I encountered was when i ran out of bobbin thread…. I couldn’t get the machine to pick up where it ended and it left a gap…BUT… I will have to troubleshoot… there is lots to learn..
It is 6:35 in the morning and I had to wake up to play with this today 🙂
Sandy – I was thinking of the HoopWorks software that you’d come across. That is supposed to let you break larger designs into smaller chunks so that you can do them on the SE400 even with the hoop size limitation.
Some of the downloaded designs will give you color information like the pre-loaded designs. Just depends on the detail included in the file.
LOL! Getting up early for something fun is ten times better than getting up for work, right? 🙂 Wishing you lots of uninterrupted time and embroidery success!
Erin
I purchased the SE400 and I love it. Now I want to purchase some additional presser feet. Some of them say for all 5mm feed dog machines and some say for all 7mm feed dog machines. How do I know what size feed dogs are on the SE400? Is it a sideways measure or a front to back measure? Oh just tell me what it is.
Anita – Oooh! Good question! Presser feet compatibility is determined by width and the SE400 has a 7mm width. 🙂
I’m glad you like the machine. My mom and I were just discussing getting one for one of my niece’s. I think I might have my mom convinced to get this one for herself, too… we’ll see!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi, am I right to say if I want to design my own embroidery, I just purchase Brother PE-Design Lite. Using my computer to convert the design and use PE-Design Lite to convert it? Do I need to buy additional blank card to transfer? Also, by any chance do you know the voltage range and power Amp output? I was thinking to import this machine from US to my country in Singapore. Not sure if I need to buy any power converter. Thank you!
Yes, in order to create your own embroidery designs you will need to the PE Design Lite software, not the Basic. You would only need additional reader cards if you won’t have room on the SE400’s memory to store any created design on which you want to work.
I do not know the voltage and amp output details with any certainty. My slightly-educated-guess is that it’s a 110V based on the fact that I know the Brother CS6000i is 110V. The plug in is a flat, polarized US plug in so the prongs are flat and one of the blades is wider than the other, if that helps?
I should study up on step-up/step-down converters as this question has come up once or twice on a couple of the Brother machines. 😉
Good luck!
Erin
Hi Erin,
I really appreciated your prompt answers and it really clears some of my doubts. I am very tempted to get Brother Innov-is 900 or 950. Which do you recommend as compared to SE400?
Thank you!!!
Cheers!
Takeabreak (love that, btw!) – I haven’t done an in-depth review of either of those but in comparing the details just now the 900 and 950 appear to be the same as each other so I suppose if you’re looking to pick one over the other I’d go with whichever was cheaper. 😉
Erin
Thank you Erin!
You’re more than welcome! 😉
YOU CAN STORE YOUR DESIGNS ON YOUR COMPUTER AND DRAG AND COPY THEM TO YOUR MACHINES REMOVABLE DISK THEN WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR MACHINE YOU WON’T
LOSE THEM.
Hi! I got the LB6800 this weekend for my birthday. I have not sewn since I was a child and this is SO easy to use! Of course I have run into some bumps in the road, but am figuring it all out. So here is my question….
I have bought some fonts off etsy for monogramming and have downloaded them but am unable to view thumbnails of them so figuring out which letter is where is tricky. I downloaded a trial of “buzzXplore” software and it is allowing me to view the letters which helps so much, but has made me aware that i need some sort of software. Also, b/c I don’t have any software when I want to monogram a name I have to do one letter at a time which is do able but obviously would be easier to transfer the monogram to a card and do it all at once…. so my question is what is my best investment. I have seen that there are a lot of software options out there beyond the brother, but am I better to stick with brother? If i just want to be able to create words and transfer over am I better with lite or basic?
Lastly, I monogrammed the name “gracie” last night in a 3 inch font on a blanket and I had to break it up into 2 letters at a time and hoop it three times. I don’t mind purchasing the bigger hoop, but will the machine recognize that I have extra room or still tell me that it’s too small of a space and make me break it up any way?? Does that make sense?
Thanks for this thread! I have poured over the info and it is all so helpful!
Stephanie – The larger hoop is only going to give you a little bit of extra room and might save you some re-hooping but not a lot. While it doesn’t cost too much (relatively speaking) it’s something I’d look it if I were embroidering every day but not if I was only going to need it once a week or so. Make sense?
First, without more digging, the Brother software is a good deal because it is often less expensive than alternative software and because they offer several different versions you can pick the one that suits you best without having to “overbuy”.
However, and this is where my non-sewing life kicks in, there have been lots of times I needed a software tool or program to do something for me and resorted to looking for freeware. I have NOT tested any embroidery freeware but I did find some online that I think I’ll block some time to test. In just your etsy font example, if there was a software that let you edit or combine those letters or rename the letters into individual files so you could find the letters more easily, that might be all you’d need.
Until and unless something like that is located, I’d recommend PE Lite for most people and here’s why. Basic is really basic. It provides some efficiency in being able to load designs onto embroidery cards but that’s about it. As you and several other readers have discovered pretty quickly, it doesn’t take long before even trying to monogram a name requires some editing of embroidery designs. Basic isn’t going to handle that so PE Design Lite, while a bit more expensive, is far more useful. Buying Basic only to find you later have to buy Design Lite would be a waste of money.
The one other software program on my list to take a look at is something called HoopWorks which another reader mentioned a few days ago. You can view the video here: HoopWorks. They also offer a free trial here.
Some things to play with, anyway. Download safely – no risking your computer to improve your embroidery experience!! 🙂
Let me know if you have further questions!
Erin
Thanks for the info Erin!
I don’t really care about digitizing (or atleast I don’t think I do). I live in the south and monogram a ton of my children’s clothing at $5 a pop. I would love to be able to do that monogramming myself, so basically I just want to be able to view the fonts that i purchase from places like etsy and set them up as a monogram, save as one image and sew directly with out having to do each individual letter and am trying to find the best program to do that. I read on a forum about this one : Embird
Do you know anything about it? Also if I find a non brother program do I have to have the card reader to transfer over saved designs or can transfer complete monograms via USB once I have saved them under another name?
Stephanie – The digitizing would only be handy if you wanted to put actual pictures of your kids on their clothes in embroidery. Might not be what you (or they) are after. 😉
I think I bookmarked the page on embird based on your earlier comment and I was just thinking about you (how freaky is that?! You know it’s bad when the blogger has you in mind!!) but only because Steve here mentioned software and viewing and I thought you had used some software already for viewing. What was it you used for the etsy thumbnails?
You do not need the card reader to sew non-Brother designs with the SE400. You only need the card reader if you want to import designs from a card or burn them onto a card for later use. Otherwise, the USB cord will work to get the design over to your SE400.
I’ll work on some software information here shortly!
Thanks!
Erin
Erin,
Right now I am using a 21 day trial of buzzexplore. It is allowing me to view my .pes files as images which is super helpful, but it doesn’t allow me to put letters together as a monogram and send them over as one file which is fine, but just adds a little more work on my part while attempting to monogram.
My basic goals as far as embroidery goes is to be able to monogram 3 letters, names and do applique. I guess I am trying to figure out the best program to allow me to do this. I would like something that will break bigger designs into 4×4 chunks toos. I dont’ think I really care about the digitizing factor as I dont see me wanting to turn pictures into embroidery.
Oh I have also downloaded the trial of pe -designs, but haven’t played with it enough yet to figure it out, especially since I have no manual to try and figure it out! I have gotten it to make the monogram image the way I want but haven’t figured out how to transfer it via USB…. I am pretty sure they are only lettign me at some features since its a trial version.
Erin,,
Have you heard of “Embilliance Thumbnailer”… it is a new software program (you can find at some places through googling it) but it looks pretty neat.. There is a you tube on it also. What it does is allow you to see THumnails and view the PES and other embroidery files on your computer.. Do you know how sometimes you can have designs on your computer but you don’t know exactly what it is…this reads (for lack of a better term) and displays all the files like they are pictures… so you can see what the files look like before you put them on your machine… I thought it was kinda neat. Runs around $39.95.. Just thought I would pass this information on..
Also,my neighbor was moving and gave me a bunch of sewing stuff since she didn’t want to hall it…She gave me brothers PE Design 6.0…. software only… Can I view my files with this…don’t I need the hardware to go along with that? I guess I am asking what can I do with this or is it useless… I think it must be old …because she said her machine was old and she sold that..
Thank you
Sandy
Sandy meet Stephanie. And Steven. (Steven – it’s a mini-forum!)
Sandy – I’ll add Embilliance Thumbnailer to the list to check out. That one had not come up in my research yet. I also asked Stephanie to share the software I think she used for thumbnails a few days ago. (At least I think it was Stephanie…it’s statistically and realistically possible I’ve lost track of who said what…!)
I’m seeing the software thing come together. There’s a need for viewing designs (thumbnails), resizing, editing, digitizing, cropping larger designs into chunks that can then be combined manually, and something to bring the letters closer together when necessary.
I think your version of PE Design 6.0 should still come in handy depending on the compatibility with your computer or laptop. You can get updates for it, get support, and check system requirements here.
I can’t tell for sure if it will work without the reader but it’s absolutely worth exploring as that software will let you digitize pictures into your own embroidery patterns as well as edit existing designs. Here’s the link to the online manual. I’d check the system requirements and then (assuming compatibility) load that software up and start checking it out!
Would be cool if that software turned out to do a number of things you’ve been looking to do the past few days, huh? 🙂
Sincerely,
Erin
Replying to this thread but the response is really meant for all those who asked about various software. I came across a free embroidery software download that lets you view thumbnails of your design. It’s called TrueSizer e1.5 and you can download it after you register here. I’ve only played around with a few functions but I can see thumbnails of designs inside the software, I can convert designs from one format to another, and scale designs to make them smaller or larger. The dashboard is similar to that of any Microsoft Office program so it’s easy to maneuver and there’s a pretty good Help manual attached. And you can’t pass up free, right?
Sincerely,
Erin
I finally got my machine working properly after spending money on all sulky thread!! this darn machine is sooo picky with thread!!! I was using gutterman, and the machine didn’t like that one, so it wasn’t working properly when i tried to embroider things and it was causing it to have lose threads at the top of the designs! Soooo glad its working great! Purchasing all sulky thread was well worth it! Can’t wait to do more on this machine, haven’t gotten to do all the bells and whistles yet! =-)
Megan – so glad you got it working! Now the fun part, right? 😉 Sounds like I should be out scouting for the cheapest place to buy Sulky thread. When I find it, I’ll pass it along. Maybe if we all gang up and place a giant order, we’d get a discount. LOL!
Erin
LOL yes the fun part is here!!!! I went and racked up at joanns for the new years sale, king spools were 50% off so they were about $5 for each!!! I’ll deff let u know if I catch another sale again on it at joanns, it does go on sale often but they normally run out of stock very quickly!! But if u find a place I”ll deff order some more, and hopefully we will get a discount!!! LOL
Ooh – that’s quite a deal on the thread! Thanks for the tip. Thread and software are on my list to research. The list that keeps moving from day to day to day…LOL!
Income tax time is about here, And I’m going to invest the Pe design lite!!! Can’t wait!!
Gees – I can’t believe it’s coming up on that time of year again! Sounds like a good way to spend the return, though!
Thanks Erin for the links … I will check them out. My neighbor also gave me Gutterman thread and I will use it for my old sewing machine because my embroidery machine does NOT like that either…lol… It does like the RA so far…waiting for my thread to be delivered… black and white thread is boring!
Viewing the thumbnails will be very very helpful…
Hello Erin,
After reviewing your website and watching videos I decided on the SE 400, which arrived this morning. I’m a beginner and I have been having a blast with this machine. I wanted to thank you for the reviews and the abundance of information you’ve provided for the site…AWESOME!!!
Yvette
Yvette – So glad this information was helpful to you! No one will hold it against you if all of your tablecloths, place mats, and even your socks are embroidered with cute little roses by tomorrow morning. 😉
Enjoy!
Erin
*sigh* Its me again 🙁 So want to know whats new with me and my se-400? Last week the automatic needle threader stopped working. I have no idea why, Ive tried everything to fix it but I said whatever, the machine is running fine now, I can deal with this. Today… you know what went? THe automatic thread cutter! Its just a little ridiculous. Im pretty much ready to contact Brother. I inspected inside the machine and I was appalled at what I saw… there are tiny notches and a crack in the black plastic part just before the sharp part that cuts the thread… it looks like the needle was pounding on that and now it prevents the thread from getting to the cutter. Obviously the needle went off and should NOT be penetrating that part of the machine… it just shouldn’t happen. My machine has been still sounding a little clunky now and then but has been sewing fine… I wonder if a problem from the start was that it was somewhat off, who knows!
I know so many people here are so happy with their machine and Im confident that it IS a great buy. I take care of mine, Im now using expensive thread, proper needles, I clean out the machine after every project, and in general I baby my stuff to keep it looking and acting new. It just isn’t working out, and I think its because I have a lemon.
But anyways… I still have my original receipt, and apparently I bought it 11/03 from Walmart and I called them and Im doing an even exchange tomorrow! Hopefully this time I wont have all these problems!
Oh, Allyson, I’m so sorry for you! I know you’ve had one thing after another come up. I’m glad Walmart is doing an exchange for you. They’re good to work with and hopefully the new one will work perfectly! Keep me posted. I’d love to know that you’re off and sewing happily once again.
Sincerely,
Erin
I did an exchange simply enough… and this machine I believe is acting a lot better, I dont want to jinx anything… but I think I will be a lot happier now. I havent tried the embroidery on my new machine yet, but thats part of the plan for today. I am pretty convinced my first machine was a lemon though!
Allyson – Oh, good! It’s supposed to be fun, not frustrating! 😉 Let me know if you run into any snags.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
Was searching in the manual but couldn’t find what I was looking for.. What do you do if you run out of bobbin thread and you are in the middle of a project? Well luckily it was not anything important …but then again I have no clue how to correct the situation.
Thank you,,Sandy
Sandy – I’ve read (but not tried!) that you should back up a few stitches in your design, remove the hoop, replace your bobbin thread, reattach the hoop and the needle should pick up close enough to where it left off that it will not leave any empty spaces. Might be worth trying intentionally just as practice to see how that works!
Thanks,
Erin
Look on page 148
My SE400 is still going! The machine is great it’s just me and my digitizing software is what is killing me. Those who are into marring a computer with an embroidery machine and having total control over every stitch in your designs should consider getting digitizing software. However, the price is high for software and there is a big learning curve so be warned. The software I am using is Wilcom’s ES-65 and now I am at the point where I would like my trims and jumps cut by the machine when stitching but I keep banging my head against the wall.
Still trying to concur these tiny stitches!
Steve – “marring a computer” 🙂 As I had just downloaded the free Wilcom version and a trial version of the Brother software I fully understand that statement. I’ve already burdened this laptop with more photos and digital imaging software then it can handle – the embroidery software threatened to take me down!
Trims and jumps – you’re miles ahead of me but I’ve got to make a trip out to the local Brother store in the next day or two so I’ll ask around.
And I think I’m missing a few comments from a day or two ago about where to download free software trials. Had a little host issue that dropped a day of data. 🙁 if it’s not embroidery software it’s website stuff. Woe is me. LOL!
I need some help! I have the Brother SE400 & I have download & Embroidery off of the Brother website, everything went smooth. But I have been trying to download off of some of the other ones that offer free ones and when I do I can’t seem to open the zip files. Do I need another program in order to download, open, & send to my machine? It’s not as easy as using the brother website for some reason. Any help will do….
Michelle, I assume you can see the zip file in your download folder and it ends with .zip? What’s the message you get when you double click on the zip file?
You may need another program depending on the file extension of the embroidery pattern itself. This free software might help you: Wilcom TrueSizer.
Let me know what the error message is, though, and I’ll give you some additional thoughts.
Thanks!
Erin
To open this file, windows needs to know what program created it. I guess this is where I get stuck & don’t know what to do from here????
Michelle – When you hover over the zip file, right click. You should see an option to Extract All. This should open up that zip file so you can see the files inside. Then try opening one of those individual embroidery patterns and let me know if that doesn’t work.
You’re almost there!
Erin
Thanks so much finally figured out!…I didn’t have my machine hooked up to my computer when I was trying to open the files. But that was a learning experience…lol!
Okay now since my bobbin has ran out, I have filled it and placed it back into the bobbin slot now my tension seems to be a bit off. How can I fix my new problem I’m having…
Read my post above and go to the link on Brothers web site that I have posted.
Just want to say Thanks So Much, That was very help full so I’m re-posting the link Brother Solutions
Michelle… I was just going to reply…same thing happened to me… I clicked on the file and it says Windows wanted to know what program created it…then I remembered that the machine is reading these files… Yes it is a learning experience. I ordered the Embrilliance Thumbnail for $39.99 so I can view these files like I do my pictures and see the butterflies and the flowers and all the other patterns in true life instead of butterfly1.pes,,, etc etc… I won’t be getting it for at least 10 days they are out of stock but I need to view the pictures…
Hi embroidery friends! I have been playing with all different trial softwares and wanted to share this one with y’all as it is the best price and does what I need it to do….. Sands Computing
It also will turn any true type font into an embroidery font which is awesome!
Stephanie… Does that software let you view all your pes files at once on the screen like you do when you view your pictures or do you have to take one file at a time and then it lets you view it??? Thank you.
I know Embrilliance Thumbnail…you can see ALL your patterns on the screen… but you can’t modify…just for viewing and finding things quickly and for organizing.. I don’t like see butterfly 1,, butterfly 2,,, etc but with this Embrilliance Thumbnail it is pretty cool you can quickly glance through all your stuff to find a pattern you want without reading titles…
looking for prices on this software, can’t seem to come accross anything. PE-DESIGN® NEXT
Do you have any info for this??? thanks
Megan – PE Design Next is the top level Brother embroidery software and sold only by licensed Brother retail brick and mortar outlets. I haven’t even been able to find a trial version although Brother is good about offering those on all of their other embroidery software. Must be something intense! 😉
Erin
i know i’m sooo curious to see what this one is all about!!! have been debating on this and the pe-design lite
Hi Erin, I purchased the se 400 a few months ago and everything was going great but all of a sudden when I am monogramming the machine says to check the upper thread and rethread?? Somehow the upper thread keeps coming out?? What could be causing this and do you have any ideas of how I can fix this? Thanks a ton!
Leah – Hmm…mmm..mmm (those are my thinking sounds… 🙂 )
I assume you’ve already tried rethreading but do it just once more, slowly, and make sure the thread goes into each tension slot as it is intended. It’s so easy to miss just one little hook inside the tension slots. I’m sure you did it right but if it comes down to having to take it in at least you’ll be able to say that you went through each step meticulously.
If that doesn’t do it, my only thought would be to try a different brand and/or weight of embroidery thread. Test a few to see if the problem happens no matter what kind of thread you use or not. If you find it happens with some thread but not others then you can at least narrow it down to the kinds of thread your machine likes best.
If neither of those work, let me know and I’ll see what else I can find, okay? 🙂
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin…this issue is driving me crazy. There should be a way to have the se400 trim jumps and in-between letters. I see the trims and jumps in ES-65 but for some reason they are not being translated to the machine. I don’t know if it is the digitizer or the Brother, both or just me. I have saved the file in .dst and .pes, changed jump lengths, and messed with machine format values. Maybe it needs to have a particular format that the data needs to be in but whatever it is I can’t solve this one.
If you come across who knows Brother or anyone else knows if our little work horse machine is able to do this or a work around when creating designs and/or text? Much obliged.
Steve.
Agreed! In using ES-65 to do this, are you using the letter fonts from the SE400 or a downloaded font? Seems one possible solution would be to combine the needed letters into a single pattern so you can control spacing. Have you tried that? Not sure what functionality you have in the ES-65.
I’ll keep digging, too. Almost made it to the sewing store yesterday but there was this motley crew of young men with me and a slight problem between my sweater and a tooth flosser at the archery store…a long and embarrassing story. Okay – not long, just embarrassing;)
Erin
Good Morning, great info. I think I need a walking foot or even feed foot for my se400. I am new to machine quilting and am not happy with the quilting as it goes over the pieced seams. I have sewn on my Elna Super for 35 plus years and treated myself to a new machine…I think the Elna has spoiled me and I expect too much!! Do you know which part number I need? I do not know whether this would be a low shank, high, or just which type and can find no specific part number to order for this model. I am also having the same problem that many seem to with the thread and tension. I have to force myself to keep trying, learn and have patience when I really want to just go get on the old machine and get it done! I had far better results with the poly cotton thread and a cotton blend on a shirt than the cotton I am using with this flannel for a baby quilt. Thank you.
Char – A walking foot can certainly help. For the SE400, you need a Brother SA166 Walking Foot
. Just a note that the SE350, SE400, LB6800PRW, and the LB6770PRW are all basically the same machine (give or take USB port) but many accessory listings only reference the SE350. Such a pain! They will work for any of the four model numbers, though.
The presser feet are low shank and it will take a bit of experimenting with thread and your fabric to find the right combination. Not sure you’ll ever hit Elna status, though! 😉 Just ask away as you go. There’s quite a friendly group of SE400 users here with lots of helpful information.
Sincerely,
Erin
Some of the Brother models have the option of attaching a knee lift. Does the SE 400 have that capability? Thanks!
Susan – No, sorry, it doesn’t. I tried searching for a generic knee lift kit thinking maybe someone has come up with one that could adapt to other sewing machines but didn’t find anything like that.
Sincerely,
Erin
Ok…I have regained some confidence in embroidering small (.20in)(5.08mm)letters. I know it’s rare but I have a logo that I am designing on a child’s pique shirt so everything is scaled down due to the size of the shirt.
Erin – would be nice to post images of different fonts (forum board 😉 but here is what I have found so far owning the SE400.
1) Everyone should download the bobbin test pattern to make sure your bobbin tension is set correct. (link listed above) and keep the recommended 4 setting on the upper thread tension. Mine right out of the box was off by a whole turn of the bobbin screw.
2) If having the need to scale down the font size like I mentioned above, I have found that rather messing with the BILLION settings that one can make in a very crazy but ultimate control digitizer like the Wilcom ES-65 that I am using, use a 65/9 needle and 60 weight thread for embroidering.
I was hesitant to use such a fine thread/needle combo in fear that I could snap the needle. Well I haven’t yet. I have snapped the fine thread though from time to time but more times then not I have succeeded in making something look like LETTERS in very small sizes.
With the bobbin tension set you can now deviate from a know setting and if to little bobbin or to much bobbin thread is coming through your design then you can now set it just right.
I am giving Brother a call tomorrow to find out what the heck is gong on with losing all my format data (jumps, trims and even x,y placement) no matter what file format I save in.
Hope it helps ya’ll
Steve.
Steve – your information is a HUGE help! You’re digging into the nitty gritty of putting your design plan into a finished product and sharing the strategies you use to get it done. This will save others a lot of time and hassle. Will be interesting to hear what Brother has to say. I’m putting the link to the Brother Bobbin Test Pattern information here again: Brother Solutions.
Keep it coming! 😉
Erin
Well I spoke to Brother and was told that their “home” machines do not have the ability to import the codes from other programs. Only their way higher-end models allow this. I am not sure if this goes for other manufactures but BOOOOOOOOOOO on BROTHER! If you have a computer format language that you encode your designs in THEN that language should not be filtered on models and should be consistent over all machines that use it. We spend a lot of money on these machines just to make a lot of stitched holes in our crafts. Double BOOO on Brother.
I will have to continue my work around which have been to change colors of each letter…that works but you have to be there to manually start the machine again.
Brother if you happen to stumble across this post, listen to what your customers want and should be able to do with your products. This information should be published and not have need for us to call your representatives to tell us this information. Would be nice in the future for an upgrade in firmware.
Also increase the darn hoop areas for these machines. Just stinks that you have drop a ton more money just to have this capability.
And we wonder why 95% of our embroidered textiles are imported. Corporate greed killing our creativity!
Steve.
Steve – Eek! Glad I’m not Brother! LOL! 😉
It does seem, though, as if you have a unique situation and I’m wondering if there isn’t some better overall solution for you in particular. It sounds like the machine that would make your life easier is out there – it just costs a small fortune whereas the SE400 doesn’t quite do what you need it to do but is much more reasonably priced. You’re using this for a business, right? I ask because I wonder if I couldn’t help you find some alternate solution that would let you produce more goods more quickly without breaking the bank…
Erin
Well I assumed…(never assume Steve, what’s wrong with you) Never picking up a needle before in my life, I am a computer network engineer by education and enjoy digitizing on the side. I just needed an entry level machine to stitch out my designs from the digital world to the analog world so I can see how they look before sending them out.
Just can’t believe that even in the sewing world stuff like this goes on. I guess no hobby is untouched. Oh well…I still love this machine! It stitches and I should leave it at that.
Steve.
LOL! As soon as you included the word “encoding” in your comment I was pretty sure there was some technical experience back there somewhere. Figure if I pried that out of you I could tell you to design the software that will do what you want and sell it and make your millions (ha ha)!! I’ll help you promote it! 😉
My background is business management so I was really headed towards “hmmm…there’s got to be a way to fix Steve’s problem without it costing a fortune…” Business problems are like jigsaw puzzles to me – love ’em!
Funny how our backgrounds play into our perspective on things, huh? 🙂
Erin
Ok I need some help here… I’m Looking for a embroidery design card that has shapes like a triangel square etc for kids! I have a really neat project I’m just dieing to work on, but I can’t do it without all different kinds of shapes!! thanks =-)
I don’t know of one off the top of my head but I’m off and searching. 😉 I’ll let you know what I find!
Megan – Here’s a set you can buy online showing several geometric shapes in .pes and .dst formats ranging from 1″ to 5″ and the cost is $5: Digi Dolls and Shapes. Will that work for you?
Sincerely,
Erin
THanks soo much, i have been searching, and couldn’t seem to find anything!!!! I just sent the person a message asking for a square and rectangle etc, all the shapes a child would normally learn in school! thanks soo much! =-) i’ll have to post a link to the pic when its all finished, I think it’s going to come out pretty neat!! =-)
Someone mentioned that their machine did not sew well on knits/stretchy fabrics. It’s not your machine. It’s your stabilizer. The SE400 is a wonderful machine and like all embroidery machines, you have to match the stabilizer to the fabric. I use the sticky back on all knits to keep it from moving. You put the sticky back on your bottom hoop sticky side up and then GENTLY lay your knit fabric over it and press in place. DON’T stretch it! No top hoop is required. Just gently pull the stabilizer off the back when you’re finished holding onto the stitching so you don’t pull it out. You can use iron on too. Just press it onto the wrong side of your knit and use as one piece of fabric in your hoop. You will need your top hoop to hold it in place.
Susan – A ha! Brilliant! Thanks so much for sharing. We’re slowly – unintentionally – building the definitive guide on embroidering with the Brother SE400/350/LB6800PRW/LB6770PRW (they’re all the same +/- minus USB port for two of those models and I put that only to help attract those who are searching on the internet under only one model # vs the others – the mind of a website master… 🙂 ). Every trick helps!
Much appreciated and welcome to the club!
Erin
Gee I wish I would have read this a few days ago… Before I really messed up a brand new onesie. The lady @ Joanns told me to get some stitch n tear…Umm that sure wasn’t the right kind of stabilizer to use for a onesie even though it’s pretty heavy. I will try the sticky back next time…
Hello,
I’m looking for an extension table that will fit my Brother SE400 If anyone out there could hep…PLEASE pass it along! So far I Love this machine and the more I use it, the more I Love it!!!!
Chell0 – While I think there must be a Brother brand extension table that fits the SE400, I can’t find one by model number. I tried looking for ones that fit the SE350, LB6880PRW or the LB6700PRW as they’re the same but no luck. I do know that if you go to Allbrands.com and search for “acrylic extension table” that they carry a custom-design, clear acrylic table that can be made for any sewing machine. It has a built in ruler, is nice and sturdy and very reasonably priced – it even costs less than some of the Brother extension tables. If I find the Brother model # for a compatible table, I’ll update the post to include that information but for now I’m only aware of the acrylic option
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks I will check that out!
I have another Question, When your embroidering with fonts is there a blank space? (If you want to embroidery more then one word) The last time I had to use a . then rip it out… NOT SO FUN doing it that way!
Yes, there is a space key for the letter fonts – although I admire the creativity you used to come up with a solution on your last machine! 😉
Just wondering how this set up will work with a Mac that runs in its native OSX operating system?
Theresa – An excellent question. I haven’t mentioned anything about operating system compatibility and that’s a very important point. The SE400 (and it’s twin, the Brother LB6800PRW) are compatible with Microsoft Windows Me/2000/XP/Vista – also compatible with Windows 98SE once the appropriate driver is downloaded from the Brother website. The USB port does work with a Mac port but you’ll just see your sewing machine as unknown external hard drive. It’s enough to transfer designs to the memory of the SE400’s hard drive. If you want to do more with the designs you’ll want to make sure you have embroidery software that is Mac compatible.
Thanks!
Erin
Ok so I have never sewed a day in my life but I want to learn and I am looking for a machine to make the ruffled pants and appliqued shirts and monogrammed shirts for my 2 year old daughter I have been doing my research and I know I want a brother machine for sure just not sure which one is best for me. I know I want one with a USB slot, I also want to be able to monogram bags and anything else. Will this machine be a good beginner machine and I’m worried about the hoop size I have read that the 4×4 will keep me limited from doing things.
Amy – Welcome! See, this is why I wish there were at least one girl in my brood. My boys just won’t wear those cute, ruffled pants. 😉
First, the SE400 makes a great beginner machine. You won’t have any trouble learning how to use the control panel. It’s easy to thread and set up. It has a number of beginner-friendly features like a drop-in bobbin. At the same time, there’s enough variety that you won’t outgrow a machine like this.
There are only a couple of current Brother combination sewing and embroidery machines that come with the USB port. The SE400 is usually the lowest option in that bunch. The LB6800PRW is exactly the same as the SE400 but has the Project Runway label and comes with a roller bag so it’s usually priced more than the SE400. Then there are a couple of Innov-is models that you can get at your local Brother retailer. They have more stitches and some additional features so they also generally cost more but the way they work is the same.
In regards to the 4×4 embroidery hoop size, it does make things a little more complicated when you want to do a bigger design, however, you can in fact embroider patterns that are larger than 4×4. Doing so requires manual intervention and some embroidery software but you can break larger pattern into 4×4 blocks and plot them out on your material. I won’t kid you, though, it takes some practice. An alternative is to get one of the Innov-is models with a larger hoop size but the cost can go significantly for those machines.
Hope that gives you some guidance but don’t hesitate to ask more questions as needed!
Sincerely,
Erin
Well since I’m new to this and not sure if I am going to stick with it I am trying to keep my budget less than $500. I have to buy a computer also so I’m trying to stay in a certain amount if money. Lol you helped a lot I think I will get this machine I can’t wait I spend tons and tons on monogrammed clothes and outfits and , and I would like to say I made that when people compliment her outfits lol. Do you know of any sites or anything where I can find how to make pillow case dresses outfits? Thank you so much for the fast response!!!
Amy – For under $500, the SE400 is a great choice. You’ll be sewing and addicted to embroidery in no time! 😉 Plus, as your little girl grows, you’ll be able to teach her to sew.
I found this free tutorial on the pillow case dress. Is this what you were after?
Glad I could help and I’m excited for you. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Erin
I don’t think you can go wrong with this machine… unless it’s a lemon! It’s so easy to use at a push of a button, very easy to figure out, and I believe it has all the features your looking for. I have never Embroidery before so I am still learning by trail and error. The different fabrics vs. stabilizers, & had some trouble learning how to open zip files. I have had my machine for about 3 week or so and have done so many different projects that I wasn’t able to do with just a regular sewing machine. It’s really a “FUN MACHINE” to use.
I just want to say that I really enjoy this site and that it’s very helpful too! It would be nice if people could post pictures of some of there projects to pass along some new ideals. 🙂
Michelle – Pictures of projects would be fun, wouldn’t it? If anyone wants to send me some just let me know. I could easily start a page for those!
Glad you like the site and thanks for adding your thoughts on the SE400 for Amy. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I think pictures would be great!!! I made this awesome alphabet blanket, pretty creative huh? =-) lol
I LOVEEEEE my machine!
Erin: I just recently purchased a Brother SE400 Embroidery/sewing machine. Purchased from Amazon.com – waited a bit for it and it finally arrived yesterday. I have been sewing for nearly 50 years and love it. Mostly quilting but wanted to dabble in embroidery. Having a hard time how to download more embroidery designs from my computer. Do I have to plug in the usb cord and download directly from computer website to my machine. I’m so dumb at this computerized stuff! But I so much want to learn. Thanks for your help.
Nancy – So glad you’re enjoying your new machine! Yes, to get a design from your computer to the SE400, you need to attach the USB cord. Think of it this way – your computer has memory in which it stores files. The SE400 also has memory in which it stores files, just a much smaller amount of memory. The only way to get designs onto that bit of SE400 memory is through that USB cable.
The SE400 can’t download designs directly from the internet so you have to download them to your computer and THEN they can be transferred to your sewing machine through that cable. When the cable is attached you should be able to click on My Computer on your computer and see a new drive available representing the sewing machine. You can then select files on your computer to click and drag over to the sewing machine drive.
For some reason, the actual USB manual doesn’t always come in the box but you can find the online version here.
Let me know if you run into any issues and if I can’t help you, another reader might have the answer. There are some avid SE400 users that drop by now and then. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks, Erin – I’ll try and hopefully some others sewers might have answers for me also.
Nancy
Nancy,
I just learned how to do this my self as well, I sat at my machine and computer for almost 2 hours trying to figure it out lol…
Once your desings are downloaded, Locate them in the file, have the machine and computer conected with the usb, and select the design u would want to work with, Right Click on it, and go to where it says SEND and click on REMOVABLE DISK and once the design is transfered there, It will send it right to you sewing machine,and u will see on pop up on your screen! HOpe this helps! =-)
for anyone that loves to use sulky thread Joanns is having a sale 50% off on SULKY feb 4th -6th!!! I know I”ll be buyin some =-)
Cool!…I’ll be there! Thanks for the heads up!
no problem steve! I always know where the sales are before I leave my house LOL!! I love to shop, esp buying stuff for my machines. I bought a few fun colors my self! =-)
OK i’m not really seeing the difference between the pe design 7 and the pe design lite!
the only difference i see is the card reader.. or maybe i’m just missing something??? lol…
the pe design next is a little out of my price range $500!
thanks!!
ooo maybe i do! pe design 7 only has certain functions? so my best bet would be to go with the pe-design lite??? just tell me what i need to buy lol, I dont’ mind spending the extra $$ for the better one! =-)
ooo one more thing!!! i can’t find where the pe design is compatiable with windows 7..?
Megan – next on my list was to do some research on your software questions but did you see what Stephanie shared today? She’s had some success with another software that might be less expensive than PE Design. You can read the list of features here: Sands Computing. Does it look like it would do what you need?
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Se400 Friends!
I have been playing with my machine for about a month now and am doing tons of monogramming and appliquing on it! I highly recommend checking out a downloadable software called sew what pro before spending big bucks on PE Lite. Unless you plan on digitizing this software should do pretty much everything you need!
Between the software and purchasing the larger hoop I am able to do much larger projects. Sew What Pro let’s you divide your large hoop into 3 4×4 sections and stitch it out with out rehooping. It has been a life saver! Just wanted to share my success!
Stephanie
THanks for the tip! but i wanted to take real pics and convert them into embroidery designs and start to create my own! will sew what pro let me do that??
THank you very much for sharing!!!!
I downloaded other trials and IT wouldn’t ever let me add words and stuff like that, so I got annoyed with them, but i just downloaded this and love it so far! ty
Stephanie – Sounds like you’ve been having a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing. This sounds perfect!
Erin
erin,
thanks for the link, I just downloaded it a few mins ago, so far sooooo good! but the only thing i LOVED about pe design is u can take real pics and turn them into embroidery designs! I have to wait a few weeks before purchasing a software any way so I”ll try the trial version of the one stephanie shared =-)
but i did find that pe design is compatiable with windows 7, so we are good there!! so noo need to do research thanks though =-)
I hate having sooooooo many options to chose from, well its a love hate relationship lol.. It’s very hard to make up my mind hehe… anyways i’m having tons of fun with this machine! sooo glad i got it!
Cool! But I do think the Sew What Pro doesn’t do digitizing which is what you’re going to need. It’s been on my list to research digitizing software but I’ve been sidetracked by another project (and a million other little things that suddenly seemed to pile up!) but I’ll get there. 😉 Thanks for keeping us motivated and up to date on thread sales!
May I ask where you got the larger hoop from and what size is it?
Michelle, I didn’t get a larger hoop yet, But am looking for one… =-)
Stephany… What size is your large hoop that you are using for this Sew What Pro? This program does sound interesting and is there a free downloadable trial version? Thank you…
Sandy – Just interjecting to give you the link to Sew What Pro where you can get a 30 day free trial: Sands Computing. I was just working in the background when I saw this come through so thought I’d at least get that part out to you. 😉
Thanks Erin for the website… I am not sure the biggest hoop you can put with the SE400 so maybe Stephanie will comment back on that one… curious since she said she didn’t have to rehoop…
Sandy – The largest hoop you can attach to the SE400 is this one (as far as I’ve uncovered): Large SE400 Hoop. It just gives you a little more room to work with so you can move the project over without having to rehoop the fabric as often.
To all – If someone has attached a larger hoop with success, please let us know! Thanks! – Erin 😉
Just seeing this. That is the hoop I purchased. It’s the only other one that fits our machine.
I have been WANTING this machine since before Christmas but the hubby didn’t pick up on my hints. Since then both Walmart and Amazon have sold out and the price hjas increased by $100 on Amazon!!! Does anyone know where I can get my hands on a Brother SE400 right away???
Ashley – I can relate to hubby missing the clues. It’s taken hubby and I a few years to sort out how to handle Christmas presents.
What timing…I just published a post about this. Brother ran a year-end rebate on the SE400 and boy, did inventories disappear. I’m starting to suspect that was the goal, as it’s been very hard to find ever since. Walmart hasn’t carried it in stock since Christmas and Amazon has 1 or 2 available every week or so but they’re usually gone within 24 hours.
I scoured the web for online listings last week and the only thing I could find were a few places who had significantly raised the price (some listings were for as much as $700! – takes me right back to my college economics class – it’s all Supply and Demand) AND were taking up to a couple of weeks to ship which makes me wonder if that’s to give them time to buy it from someone else…
The best price option is to consider the Brother LB6800PRW. It’s exactly the same but comes with a rolling tote bag. While the price is higher than the SE400 was running around the end of last year (sometimes as low as $330!!), that rolling tote bag accounts for some of the additional price. I hate to pay more, too, but I’ve been watching the LB6800PRW and its supply has also been declining on Amazon so I wonder how long that option will also be available.
I check this model every day so I’ll let you know if I see it come back in stock anywhere soon but that hasn’t been the case all month. Sorry!
Sincerely,
Erin
Have you tried looking in some of the Walmart stores? I still see them on display. I believe they were about $389. or so
Michelle – good point!
Ashley – Walmart ONLINE is out of stock but I think even their site mentions it might be in some of the stores. Certainly worth calling them or dropping by your local Walmart!
If you are a costco member costco.com has them for $389. That is where I purchased mine from. It comes with 12 really large spools of embroidery thread, but no rolling case. I am actually already considering saving up for the other brother machine costco has i am loving this one so much!
Pre-Purchase Questions about the SE 400:
In terms of storing additional embroidery images, isn’t it possible to save downloaded designs onto a USB flash drive, and then upload them into the sewing machine when needed? From what I’m reading here, and in other locations, it seems like you can only download a limited number of designs into your sewing machine at once. You could store them all on your computer if you wanted, of course. Or you can buy the embroidery cards. But couldn’t you just as easily store downloaded material on an USB card and save the memory of your computer and sewing machine? That would also seemingly erase the need for the PED Basic/PE-Design.
Secondly, I’m feeling uncertain about the basic hoop-size question, so I want to clarify for myself: ~if~ I purchase this machine, and I also purchase a 5×7 hoop, I will be able to create larger designs than I would with just the 4×4 hoop, correct? It may seem like a silly question disregarding all logic, but I wasn’t positive whether it was the hoop purchase or the machine software that would limit the design size capabilities.
Thanks in advance for your input!
Jennifer – For some reason, I have it in my head that you cannot use a thumb drive with the USB port as you described but for the life of me I can’t find why I think that. The USB user manual for this machine does not mention a thumb drive at all but I do know that the USB cord is simply a method for transferring data from a computer to the sewing machine’s memory. It might have had something to do with the fact that the sewing machine can’t PULL data it can only ACCEPT data? Which is why the USB cord is used instead of a thumb drive because you can “push” designs to the sewing machine using the computer’s controls.
You actually don’t need the PED Basic or Design programs to get started. There are free software programs that can let you organize your designs on your computer and you can then transfer those using the supplied cord. It’s only if you want to do more with those designs such as edit them or load them onto reader cards that you might find the software handy.
No matter what hoop size you get, you cannot embroider larger than a 4×4 area at a time. You can still do larger designs, you’ll just have to break them up into 4×4 sections (special software is required to do this). The benefit of a larger hoop with the SE400 is really just a matter of convenience. If you are doing a large design, you might not have to reposition your fabric as often and can instead just reposition the hoop.
Let me know if you need more info.
Thanks!
Erin
Hello Erin,
i just wanted to thank you for this website and the info you provide.
i’ve bought today this lovely SE-400 from eBay, unfortunately i don’t live in the US, and it will cost me much more to be delivered to me 🙁
and we don’t have local sellers (for this model in specific)
(FYI, i paid $414 for it including shipping to US address, will pay around $200 to forward ship it to my country.) it’s still cheaper than Brother 4000 for example, which cost around $4,000 here.
can’t wait to receive it!
i’m planning to embroiderize almost anything lol
but mainly i’m working on cushion covers.
thank you again for the info.
just one question please,
is it possible to increase the embroidery area by buying a bigger frame maybe?
oh i found the answer to my question in the previous post by Jennifer :S sorry i didn’t notice before 🙂
Elle – Glad you found what you needed. Every now and then I take some of the info buried in the comments section and move it up to the review and it might be time to do that again. 😉
Wow! We in the US are certainly fortunate. That’s a lot of shipping expense! Glad it’s a better deal for you, though and I’m sure you’ll be putting out beautiful cushion covers in no time.
Sincerely,
Erin
I just bought the Brother SE400 and I just love it. But I was reading on your website that you don’t have to buy additional software to download fonts and designs. Is the software already built into the machine or should the software come with the machine? The only software mine had with it was the How to video. Thanks I love your website
Vickie – Without any additional software, you can still download embroidery designs in compatible formats to your own computer and then use the supplied USB cord to transfer those designs from your computer to the SE400. The sewing machine itself knows how to handle the .pes and .dst files once they’re transferred over. However, you can’t see thumbnails of them on your computer, edit the designs in any way, or create reader cards of your favorite designs without special software.
Since you can at least do the basic operation of transferring designs, this lets you experiment a but with designs you find online and hold off on buying software until you’ve had a chance to decide what features you need from a software program.
Glad you like the SE400 (and my site, thanks!)!
Sincerely,
Erin
Great I will try that tonight. That way I can try different designs and get better at if before I spend a lot on software. I have been sewing and making quilts for years but I am new to embroidery (except for hand embroidery & cross stitch). I have already embroidered a few things and think this may be my new hobby. Thanks so much for all your helpful information.
Happy Friday everyone…Just poking my head back in from time to time to see what good stuff is going on in the se400 blog. I see a lot of you are thinking about getting some digitizing software. The ones that I currently use are from Berninna, Embird, Viking and Wilcom. As I mentioned in my previous post be warned that there is a big learning curve when using digitizing software. I am in the IT field and deal with software for computer systems and I am blown away on how crazy hard it is.
For example, I wanted to add a satin border outline around my text. Sounds simple? NOOOOOO! I was hoping for a “magic button” to do it but it does not exist. I had to copy the image, convert it to vector graphic format, apply offset as input C format and adjust the stitch length! AHHHHHHHHHH! That took me the course of a week to complete!
Or…I could have just bought a already done two color text but that defeats the purpose of having digitizing software!
I won’t even begin with overlays…. 😉
I don’t want to scare people away but just be prepared to be very frustrated. If there are others out there that have software that they think is easier…I am all ears.
The things I would like to have on my SE400 would be a bigger design area, stitch speed selector and a multi head system with 6, 8, 12…hahahaha oh I am losing it…TGIF!
Steve.
Steve – Happy Friday to you, too! Glad to see we haven’t lost you to a tangle of thread and embroidery hoops! 😉
You must have the patience of a saint. I got lost at “offset as input C format….”. You sure you don’t want to write some new software? Or a book? I’d set up a “Steve’s Corner” section of this site, even!
You know, I laughed when you mentioned Brother ever coming along and reading the feedback from this site but Janome dropped by a couple of weeks ago so your vision might not be as far-fetched as I thought! :0 Keep the good ideas coming. And may all of your designs by as smooth, flawless and vibrant as Rose’s Heart of the Ocean diamond.
Happy weekend!
Erin
Erin…Do tell more…Janome…Vision likey. 🙂
Janome linked to my review of the DC5100 from their site! When I figured it out (traffic coming straight from Janome sort of stands out in one’s site statistics…) I was a bit…ecstatic. Let’s just say a call to my mother and a happy dance were all part of my mini-celebration.
I’d love to see Brother come along and read up on all the interest people have in the SE400. Especially if they’d let me in on whether or not they’re going to keep making it or stick with just the LB6800PRW! Of course, I should just call and ask… 🙂
So, I am trying to find time to sit down and read all these wonderful posts from you ladies. I think I will just ask my question here and read up later. Hubby said I could by the SE400 with our tax return!!! My question is can I download applique designs like this Machine Embroidery Applique Design and embroidery designs like this Damask Monogram and use them on the SE400 when I get it? Will I have to buy special software?
Thanks a bunch,
Ashley
Ashley,
“So, I am trying to find time to sit down and read all these wonderful posts from you ladies.”
I am the neighborly post up from yours…me Steve “represent’in” the guys that embroider are out here also ouch…hehe
🙂
P.S. From your post…”Pillow featured is 12×16″ and uses the 5.5″x5.5″ size”. Is the only one that you would not be able to do unless you split the design. I haven’t gone down that road yet…anyone have success splitting designs on the SE400?
Let me follow up by saying that 4″x4″ is the max allowed without splitting. You could resize it to 4×4. But not 5.5×5.5
Awesome Steve!!! Thanks!
Ashley – Nice hubby! 😉 Yes, you can download and embroider designs like the ones you found on Etsy. The machine reads designs in .pes and .dst file types and both of the designs you referenced come in both of those file formats.
Once you’ve confirmed a design’s file compatibility, you want to look at size. The maximum embroidery size of the SE400 is 4 x 4 inches. This doesn’t mean you can only embroider designs in that size. It means that the maximum embroidery space the needle will cover at one time is 4 x 4 inches.
If you are doing designs that are no larger than that maximum size, it’s as simple as pushing a few buttons and working with your thread colors to complete the design.
If you want to put a bunch of 4×4 designs together or repeat a 4×4 design to cover more space, you can do this by manually repositioning your fabric and making sure that the start point lines up with the rest of the blocks.
If you want to do a single design that is larger than 4×4 you will need special software to edit the design and break it up into sections that are no larger than 4×4 AND keep track of where you need to position the fabric for each of those sections. It takes a little practice to get this right.
The Prince Charming design you found was available in the 4×4 size and is done with 3 different files so while the finished design is larger than 4×4 the design is already broken up into 4×4 chunks.
The Damask Monogram design is a little more complicated – maybe. All of the individual designs look to be smaller than 4×4 except for the medallion which is 5.5×5.5. However, there are two different medallion files and one is smaller than that – I’m just not sure it replaces the larger medallion file or if the two work together. If you needed to complete the 5.5×5.5 you’d need software to break that file up into pieces no larger than 4×4.
Make sense? I hope? 😉
There are a couple of folks who visit here and have more embroidery experience than I and whom I hope jump in, too!
Sincerely,
Erin
You are making total sense. I am SO glad I asked!!! So I did a little cyber shopping on Amazon. Is this the software i would have to purchase to edit the sizes of these designs: Embroidery Software ? I am thinking it will all make even more sense once I get my hands on a SE400!!
Yes, that is one of the options for software that has some editing capabilities. I think “the group” here (the loyal followers who come back to check on this thread periodically) have come across some less expensive options and they’re noted throughout the comments section. At some point , I’ll corral all of those options up into the software section of the review. There are several which have 30-60 day free trials you can download online, too, so you can test them out before deciding which one will work for you. Goes well with getting your hands on the SE400 and practicing, practicing, practicing! You’ll have a lot of fun! 😉
ashley-
I’m purchasing the software u were looking at on amazon the pe design lite in a week or so, If u are interested in it, i’ll let u know how it once i give it at try!! have u down loaded Sew what pro??
thats a really good one, and its a free 30 day trial!
good luck =-)
Hi Erin,
Great informative site you have here! I dropped in the other day, and got some invaluable technical information on making my decision.
Some of my options for purchase:
1. Walmart site to store—$369, with a 90 day return policy.
2. Costco online———$389, with a 2 YEAR return policy, no questions asked. Includes 12 spools of embroidery thread.
3. Sewing machines whatever—-they didn’t even have any, but when they get them in, the Project Runway model would be $499. Of course, it does include the wheeled transport case. Their return policy is 30 days. Since they are not far away, they would give me free lessons to familiarize me with the machine.
My “advisors” thought I should order from Costco, especially with the long return policy. That is what I did.
A question: Do you know where I could get a walking foot for this machine? There is one that I have found, but it is for a 5mm model, and this is a 7mm model. If you find one, I would be interested, since my first project will be on velvet. (I won’t try to embroider on the velvet, just straight sewing.)
Misty
Misty – Glad you could get your hands on one. 😉
The Brother SA188 Walking Foot should be the one you want.
Have fun!
Erin
I have a question….
when I do embroidery on my machine, will the machine automaticly lock the stitches in place to prevent them from coming up??? I haven’t had any issues with this, I just thought of it, and probably should have way before I ever started embroidering …
ooops =-)
Megan – Hi, again! You’re covered. The machine automatically reinforces your stitching when it stops at the end of a color. Phew! 😉
PHEWWWWWW is right!!!! LOL
Thanks again, Just have to make sure!!
Erin
I just bought the Brother SE-400 Sewing/Embroidery machine and so far so good. I am self teaching myself this machine. I just bought the Brother PE-design lite software and when it arrived this afternoon, it doesn’t say a word about being able to use it with Windows 7 which is my operating system on my laptop. It only states Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista does this mean it won’t work on with my computer???? I am just sick about this.
Thanks for your help.
Nancy
Nancy – I believe your software is compatible with Windows 7 without requiring any update. If you refer to the Brother Windows 7 compatibility document, you’ll see that the software for PE Design Lite says “Available” in blue text which, according to the definitions at the top of that document, means the full functionality is compatible with Windows 7. If you would have required an update, the “Available” would have been in red.
You should be in good shape!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks, Erin – I love your website and you helped me to breathe a little easier.
Have a great evening.
Nancy
Anyone else out there using the PEDesign Lite and what are your comments?
thanks, Nancy
I’m not yet, but will be ordering soon with in the next week… have u tried it??
ok a friend of mine is in a jam… Since the bobbin is a drop in bobbin there is no way to adjust the tension in the bobbin is there?? she doesn’t have the se-400 but she has a older brother embroidery machine she had bought off some one, and she thinks shes having trouble with the bobbin tesion.. this would be great if anyone knows about this TY
Google is your friend…has your friend looked at my posting above regarding Brother bobbin tension?
I”ll take a look right now steve and pass the link on to her! thanks!
no not yet because I’m still confused about whether or not it will work on my windows 7 operating system on this laptop???? What do you have for a operating system on your computer?
Nancy
Question – I’ve just done a really cute tiger head on my grandson’s t-shirt and I want to put the words GO TIGERS underneat it. How do I get the space between GO and TIGERS????
thanks for your help
I am using a Brother SE400 Sewing/Embroidery Machine
Nancy
Nancy- the underscore symbol in your list of characters acts as a space key. And the tiger sounds adorable!! What a cute idea!
got it – just figured it out!
Nancy
Erin – my question from earlier about being able to use the PE Design lite software on my computer with the Windows 7 operating system is still puzzling me. My son in law says it will not work with my computer. I called Amazon.com where I purchased the software and she told me to call Brother direct and they would send me a “patch”. I called them and they are temporaily down because of a snowstorm and I should call back tomorrow. Is this patch something I should try or will it work with this software?
Thanks, Nancy
Nancy – Did your son in law mention why he thinks it won’t work? He may certainly know something I don’t know but the Brother website does not call for a patch for PE Design Lite. If a patch was required it would be made available as a download from their solution center here but I’m not seeing it. I did find another compatibility matrix that is easier to understand, though. It actually sounds like they are saying Windows 7 came with a driver that works with this software and that they’re not offering a custom Brother-created driver since it’s not necessary. That’s how I’d interpret this phrase anyway: “Brother does not currently plan to develop and offer Brother Original Windows 7 drivers for this model.”
Have you tried installing the software or are you concerned about opening it until you can confirm compatibility?
Erin
Erin – I haven’t opened and tried to install because of compatability. When I called the gal who sold the software she just told me to call Brother to get this patch. Do you think I should just try to install it. I’m so new at this and so confused and flustrated?
Thanks again for all your help.
Eek – I hate to give software/computer advice in case it goes wrong BUT if it were me, I’d try the software. 😉 Either there’s a patch or it’s going to work without one and you’d be fine either way. Installing it will at least tell you whether or not you really need a patch?
Roll the dice and install it.
I’m trying to see about it operating on windows 7 as well, called someone at allbrands.com they said it will not work on windows 7 uughhhh, unless I buy it straight from brother’s website, but that doesn’t make any sense!! now i feel i’m back to square one with finding software!!! I was sooo looking forward to this software for months now! Hopefully you can get it working =-)
OK I called brother, once you purhcase the emroidery software you have to go to the brother site and go to software down loads.. select pe design lite, down load the driver and hook up your card reading and good to go!! =-) So it will work for window 7 =-)
There is no driver available on the Brother’s software downloads site for PE Design Lite. If you follow their software download options for PE Design Lite it only takes you to the PDF document which explains that the full functionality of the software is compatible with Windows 7 without requiring a software update or download.
I did find a digitizing software program a 30 day trial its called sewART if anyone wants to give it a try
Erin, I read everything on your website last week and today I am a excited owner of the SE400….but…I cannot fiqure out how to get my laptop to read the downloaded files…I have Windows 7….I download from the Brother website a free design…but when I try to open it….I get a message that says it cannot read the file. I called Brother support and she sent me the same instructions I have…I know how to hook up the USB cable to the laptop….I just can’t get my laptop to read the file. I read something about converting the file name…yiks!!!!! I don’t know how to do that! Can you help?
I fiqured it out!!! I am a happy camper now….thanks for a great website!
Margie – Glad you were able to figure it out and congrats on your new machine! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
this software is very fustrating !! I want to purchase it, but I’m sooo nervous too, that I won’t be able to get it to work on my computer!! The lady assured me from the help line that it would work for windows 7 and there was a download to make it work!
I hate to speak for them (but that won’t stop me… 🙂 ) but I think she may have been confused by the fact that most of their software does require a software update/patch in order to work with Windows 7 EXCEPT for PE Design Lite and 1 or 2 others. She probably gave you a generic answer that’s right most of the time except for this particular software. That’s just an educated guess on my part, though. 😉
LOL!! OOO ok so then I shouldn’t have a problem with it getting it to work! I have the program in my shopping cart as we speak just waiting to hit pay, But i wanted to make sure before I spent a lot of money on it! Then I would be really upset If it didn’t work LOL
Well, “shouldn’t” and “won’t” are two different things. 🙂 I’ve tried searching everywhere to find someone who actually has this set up to confirm no update was needed but no luck yet. I’m hoping Nancy comes back and lets us know if she finds out anything. (Nancy, Nancy, Nancy – you there? 😉 )
I know i have been waiting patiently for nancy to come back with some info LOL Hopefully its some really good info =-)
i gave in and just purchased it *fingers crossed*
OK yeah its me again ( i know i’m a pain lol )
So with some research I found a digitizing software program that is $73 compared to pe design lite that is $285.. The one I have found is SewART here is the link SewARt Digitizing program
I think I am going to go with this instead of the PE-design lite, I just hope I’m making the right decision here .. TO me from what I have read on it It pretty much does the same thing as the pe design lite, but doesn’t come with the card and the card reader. Has anyone tried SewART?? If so what did you think of it, I just can’t seem to make a decision
This looks like another inexpensive digitizing option. It supports .pes file formats so should produce compatible designs. There’s also a 30 day free trial. Those are the best because you can try things out before you buy. Another one to add to the test list! 😉
Thanks!
yes I tried it, I liked it ok, but u can’t add fonts, so u would have to use 2 different programs just to do so.. so i just went ahead and made my finale decision to purchase pe-design lite! =-)
can’t wait to try it!
Hi Erin,
I’m a sewing beginner who is researching sewing machines to buy and I love the concept of having a sewing machine and embroidery machine in one. The Brother SE400 has caught my eye and is so far on the top of my list. I’m very close to buying the one on the Costco website but I just noticed that they are also selling a Singer CE 250 that is also a sewing and embroidery machine for a little more money. I didn’t see that you’ve reviewed the Singer CE 250 on your website, just the Singer CE 150. And you mentioned with the Singer CE 150 there has been some problems with it working with a Mac and I have a Macbook so that’s a concern for me if the Singer CE 250 has the same problem. So, what is your opinion about the Singer CE 250 versus the Brother SE400?
Thanks and love you website!
Kim
Kim – Glad you like the site! 😉
I have a list I use to decide which sewing machine to review next and after I did the CE150 I pushed the CE250 further down the list. The reason is that the whole Futura series seems to have the same sorts of problems. While I love the layout, the machines themselves just don’t seem to perform as well as one would hope. The online reviews fall below the SE400 for almost any model. In fact, I discussed the Futura line with a Singer rep at one point and future versions of this machine will be put out by Husqvarna Viking and will be updated, hopefully in an effort to improve performance. Until then, I’d rank the SE400 over either the CE150 or the CE250.
When it comes to software, though, the SE400 USB manual says it is only compatible with Windows operating systems. You can connect it to a Mac and you can transfer designs from a Mac to your sewing machine but if you want to do more you’ll need an embroidery management software that is Mac compatible.
Let me know if you have other questions. There are also a few regular SE400 users here who are really helpful and knowledgeable about how the SE400 performs, if that helps.
Sincerely,
Erin 😉
I have been using the SE400 for embroidery and wanting to use it for the “Applique” feature… but for now I am totally confused on how to do that.. and the instructions don’t seem clear to me.. Maybe I should take a nap…LOL.. and come back to it.. Any links to brother’s where I can see a similar machine doing just the APPLIQUE function…? Thank you…
Sandy – There are several stitches you can use to do applique with the sewing side of your machine. There is a designated applique stitch but you could also use your zigzag stitch (that might be the part of the manual that’s confusing – it tells you to select a stitch and then shows two different stitches). You might practice with either one to get a look you like. This video will show you how to actually sew around the various curves when doing applique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlPECmbwSOc.
Of course, I find a nap never hurts….. 😉
Erin
Hello again Erin and every1 🙂
i found this interesting FREE embroidery design software while browsing,
didn’t try it myself yet, but i saw some recommendation on a blog
the software is here
www (dot) pixelhobby-usa (dot) com/software.aspx
let me know if you try it and like it
Elle – Thanks for the share! I took a look at the software but it doesn’t mention which file formats are supported or produced for output so I can’t tell if it’s compatible although it might be useful even if the output format is not compatible but could be converted to another format. It looks like a potential alternative for digitizing one’s own pictures and images into designs. I changed the link format, though, until more research can be done. Some of the other users from the blog post on which you found the link mentioned a question about how to note thread color as the software looks to be made for some other purpose and doesn’t convert colors to anything but a colored pixel. Interesting, though! Gives me hope that there are a number of free options out there. I’ll add it to the list of software to test. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin and all the other girls – I’m back on today – I finally got through to the gals at the Brother company and she pretty much told me I have to go to their website and download what I think she is saying is a patch. I didn’t understand all of what she told me and I asked her to e-mail me the directions and so far nothing. She said to uninstall my anti virus before installing the new software and then something else about the reader writer card. Make any sense to you Erin. I too am so flustrated – I paid $284 for the software on amazon.com and it came to me from a sewing shop down in Alabama and when I called her and asked the question about being compatible to Windows 7, she gave me the answer to call the Brother company direct. They have had massive snowstorm this past week so it was most difficult trying to get through to talk with someone.
Nancy
Ewww..Uninstall your virus software before you download something from the internet??? Eeek…I’m pretty internet savvy but that’s not something I’d take lightly. I also can’t wait to see what link they give you for getting a patch since the page on their site that links to all the driver downloads does not have a link for PE Design Lite for Windows 7…hmmm….I’ve tried calling my local store but I think they’re closed today as they’re not answering. We’re all rooting for you on the call to Brother and I’ll continue to try to reach my local store, too. (Plus scouring the internet. It’s an obsession now!).
Thanks for keeping us posted. Appreciate it!
I hear you Erin – I’m not excited about uninstalling my anti virus either and I’ve been on all those Brother websites that say Windows 7 drive included so I guess I’m going to call my computer geek tomorrow and ask him what he thinks and then wait from Brother for a few days otherwise, I’m going to download the software and see what happens.
Nancy
try and download it and see what happens,. i called brother as well and she gave me the same directions as u! i just ordered the same software yesterday so hope it works!!
Erin – did you ever try calling the Brother company direct to see if you can understand what they are telling those of us who are calling. This is the number I called and got through to a sewing/embroidery machine geek 877/276-8437
Nancy
I don’t think I have but I’ll do that right now and let you know what happens. 😉
Nancy – OK, I just got off the phone with Brother. The woman I spoke with confirmed PE Design Lite IS compatible with Windows 7 and DOES NOT require any update or patch. It’s one of the few Brother embroidery software programs that’s compatible with Windows 7 out of the box. I didn’t think about it until I was half way through my discussion with her that when their phone system asks for the product’s model number you’re calling about that I said SE400 instead of PE Design Lite. Not sure it explains why we got different answers but thought I’d let you know.
This lines up with what their website says and I think you’re safe to try your software but that decision is up to you. 😉 (Do you feel us all with our faces pressed against your sewing room window chanting “open, open, open”??) 😉
thanks for calling erin and getting answers!! its soo funny how 3 ppl called and we all got different answers LOL
I know! I hate that! By the time I called and got answer #3 I figured it was nearly meaningless. On the other hand, it does mean their website was right so I feel a little more comfortable again with that as a resource! 😉
Does anyone have the software from Buzztools.com They also have a trial version and their software is around $170. I now have the DE design lite for $284 and I’m going to see if they will take it back if I can’t get any help. I have not opened the box.
I’m open to any help at this point?
Nancy
Nancy…I looked at the BuzzTools software, but ultimately decided on the PE Design (when I get my tax refund in a week) because it has both the reader and the editing features. Tools has only the downloading function (design to reader/card to sewing machine). You can’t change thread color, or edit anything. It’s very simplistic. You would need to buy BuzzXplore on top of the BuzzTools. So that’s buying 2 software packages instead of just one, and it is more expensive in the end than PE Design. I actually talked to a salesperson who happened to be “out in the field” at the time and wasn’t really familiar with my Brother SE400 machine. Didn’t make me feel very comfortable as a possible purchaser. Hope that helps. Of course, you can always download trial. I didn’t because I already had the Edit N Stitch downloaded. I don’t mind that, but again, have to purchase separate card reader package (Little Max?). And I didn’t like trying to change my thread colors while in edit mode either. It didn’t always work right.
Ok Erin – I’ll try it and hope it works. All of you keep your fingers crossed. Did she say anything about uninstalling my anti virus?
Nancy
I forgot about that part but you should not have to uninstall your antivirus. If I understood you correctly, those were the instructions from Brother just to download the patch and there’s no patch to worry about so you just need to put the disc in and let it run. 😉 We’ll all be crossing fingers!
I won’t get time today and but hopefully tomorrow –
Nancy
Got it on and was painless – all that frustration for nothing. All you software users out there. PE Design Lite for the Brother sewing/embroidery machine does work with Windows 7 on your computer. I haven’t played alot but the little I have done, this will be an amazing piece of software and addition to my little embroidery hobby. Love it so far.
Nancy
Nancy – Thank goodness!!! I’m so glad it went smoothly. Even more happy that the software looks to be so useful, too! Have fun and thanks for keeping us posted. 😉
Erin
ooo THANK GOD!!!!! that would be soo terrible to waste all that money, mine is on its way in the mail!! SOOOOOO glad u got it to work, now a weight is lifted off my shoulders! =-) Can’t wait to see what it can do =-).. I got mine off ebay from a authorized dealer, came with some free designs as well!
Happy sewing Nancy!
oops – I have the Brother SE400 machine.
Nancy
Now I know I haven’t done much with this but another question. A week ago I found some really, really cute designs on-line and the gal sent me this wonderful cd. I couldn’t open it so she told me I needed the software, ok now I have the software and I can go on and view all the designs and they are very nice but can’t get them from my computer to the sewing machine. I tried to copy onto to the memory card and it won’t let me. All the other designs that I previously downloaded and not on a cd worked just fine, why do yo suppose this doesn’t work.
Nancy
Are you able to get them from the CD to your computer, just not from the computer to the sewing machine? If so, it might be the format of those files. Are they .pes or .dst files or something else? Even with the software, the machine only handles a couple of embroidery design file formats but the software might have the capability to convert non-.pes and non-.dst designs into .pes and .dst which you’d have to do first before trying to transfer them. Can you see the file format (the 3 letters at the end of the design file names) for the designs on the CD?
My Brother SE400 is on it’s way…got mine from Amazon over the weekend and can’t wait! I have an old Babylock from the 80’s…still works but wanted to do some fun embroidery projects.
I have read about these prewound bobbins…is this something that I should invest in? I bought my stabilizer, thread(brother from Thread Art) that is made for this machine and am running over to Hancock today to buy a few basic Sulky colors…but wasn’t sure if I needed to buy more bobbins and what size/type.
Thanks, great forum here and glad I found you!
Betsy – Tell the family to leave you alone for a good week cuz you’re going to have some FUN! 😉
Extra bobbins is helpful, especially if you’re going to use the sewing features a lot, too. Just saves you some time from swapping back and forth. The bobbins for this machine are Brother Style SA156 Sewing Machine Bobbins
and you can usually get a 10 pack for about $5. The machine comes with four to start with so you can manage without if you want to wait and see how often you need to change out.
Glad you like the site and hope you create marvelous projects with your new machine! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I just purchased the SE400 online from Amazon and am already anxious for it to arrive – that should be next week! woohoo
But, after pouring over dozens of machines for consideration I saw a feature that I thought was wonderful and need to know if it is on the SE400 – The ‘TRACE’ feature that will let you see how the design will be stitched on your project. Please tell me the SE400 has this – it is not mentioned anyplace. =(
(Granny’s Drawers is the name of my little cottage industry that I am starting – get’s your attention, huh?? lol)
I LOVE the name!! Yes, it gets one’s attention! 😉 I’m pretty sure the SE400 does not have the trace feature, sorry. Do you remember which machine you saw that had that? I’ll have to do some research!
Sincerely,
Erin
I am pretty sure I read it on the HE240 and the PE770 shows it on the videos. This feature seems like it would be invaluable for a novice like me! And, I LOVE this site. It has answered most of my questions that I already have, – and I don’t even have my SE440 yet! I have been typing ctrl-C and ctrl-V for hours to create my personal manual!! Eight pages so far! =)
That’s a riot!! There are a ton of SE400 tips on here thanks to some experienced users who have shared their knowledge and advice. Does make for a handy mini-book, doesn’t it?! 😉
Hi Granny’s Drawers,
I have had the LB8600 thrd, (same as SE 400) for about a week, and there is a feature on it that corresponds somewhat to the “trace” feature you mentioned. I’m not sure what the name of the function is, but once you have your embroidery pattern selected, you can push a function, (I think it is “check” but I’m not sure) that will make the needle go around the outline of the area that the pattern will cover. I did it, and then forgot what I did! Sorry! Anyway, it exists. It was helpful for me when I was embroidering a name on children’s pajamas with a print.
With the “adjust” feature, you can move the name up, down or sideways to avoid the printed stuff on the fabric and get the name on a stretch of background color. Then, with what I THINK is the “check” feature, you can have the needle move around the perimeter of the area to be embroidered to make sure the name or embroidery pattern is where you want it.
I love this little machine! It is the greatest. I have run into some issues, though, probably mostly operator error. One thing that happens to me if I am winding a bobbin, is that the bobbin thread goes down under the bobbin and winds itself around the spool underneath the bobbin winder. Just a mess to clean out! I think that winding very slowly and keeping your eye on it might help.
I have broken many needles. I had just put the embroidery attachment on, and started to sew. The attachment was evidently not on properly, because a needle broke immediately. I have learned to manually turn the wheel to make sure that the needle is not hitting the embroidery attachment. I have yet to figure out how to attach the side cutter without having the needle hit the attachment. One of the problems is that the needle shifts position after the side cutter is attached and you are in the dark as to what it will do. If anyone has any tips for this issue please post them!
I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “trace” but there is a button on the touch screen that once you have uploaded your design you can press this button and it will move the hoop and show you exactly where you design will stitch out. It will give you a ball park idea of how big it is (ie will you overlap onto the collar of a tee shirt type thing). You have to upload your design , hit adjust then layout. On the bottom right corner there is a button that shows an arrow going around in a square… that will show you where your design will stitch out. Hope that helps!
Hmm. That must be the function I used, not “check”.
Besty –
I love my machine and now that I have the software working, I love that too. You will need software and I purchased the PE Design Lite from amazon.com also. I bought the thread Art threads too from amazon.com but wouldn’t purchase them again. I’d buy from the fabric store – I have JoAnn fabric and Hancock fabric nearby. If you buy cheap, you get cheap. Invest in the better thread, you won’t regret that. I have discovered this the hard way. I have found that on the cheaper thread if you use the mess cover up it works ok. The cheaper thread unravels to quickly. I got a roll of wrapping tape like my grandkids use for ankle wraps for injury and cut into trips to wrap around the thread to keep it nice when storing in my container. I’m a new learner and a self taught. Everyone keeps telling me I should not have bought from amazon.com because you won’t have dealer support but so far I’m doing ok but I’ve only had my machine about a month and I just installed the software this morning. This is a wonderful forum – nice to be able to help one another out with problems and questions.
Thanks Erin and Nancy!
I’m excited to get started but I tend to go overboard and want to make everything at once…Luckily my sons are both in college and I’m an empty nester! LOL
Shoot, I thought I got a great deal on that thread and the reviews looked good…oh well. I didn’t get those off Amazon though but at that Thread art site…same ones I suppose.
I will buy some Sulky colors..probably online because our Hancock store has no sales on them at the moment. Will get some more bobbins too, thanks Erin!
You’re very welcome! Reminds me I should get a regularly updated “thread sale” page going so we can keep track of all the best deals. 😉 I was just talking to my husband about what I’d do with some of these rooms when the boys are out of the house. He says I started drooling and my eyes got all big…I think he was teasing me….I think… 😉
How about this deal on Sulky? 🙂
Sulky 40-weight Rayon Embroidery Thread Colors (Set of 12)
Yeah! Like that! Not bad, huh?
Oh my…my thread just arrived!!!! It’s called “polystar”…lots of colors and a nice amount on each spool…I’m impressed with the box too to keep them in…and super fast shipping. Now if they only will work on the new machine…will let you know.
Did you girls just read on overstock.com that one of the reviews the girl that bought sulky rayon says that Brother does not recommend for the machines we have????
And your thoughts on that Erin
thanks, Nancy
I didn’t see that but I know a couple of people here have noted they use, and love, Sulky with great success but maybe it was a different blend? Megan, you use Sulky. Which blend are you using?
hey erin, sorry took so long to come check new posts on here, have been sick! but yes I do use sulky I have the king spools from them that is 100% viscose and the smaller spools that is 40wt rayon.. I have never had any problems with it, it has broke on me a few times, that I think that was me not knowing what i was truly doing with this machine lol.. I didn’t see anywhere that brother doesn’t recommend this brand as well. I have tried coats and clark and the machine didn’t like that one too much lol.. What is everyone else using???
Besty where did you get that thread? If you get a chance to buy the following book, it is very good… Embroidery Machine Essentials by Jeanne Twigg
. It was recommended to me by a friend who had done years and years of embroidery.
Let me know how the thread works.
Nancy
Nancy,
Look here: Polystar embroidery thread
The reviews were very positive and I think there like 20 some reviews…it is actually made for the Brother machines so that’s what convinced me to give it a try. I love the look of it and for the money, I think it was a great buy…but will it work? Will let you know! Fingers crossed!!!
Thanks sooo much for the book recommendation! I just bought another one yesterday off Amazon called: ALL ABOUT MACHINE ARTS I bought a good used copy as a new one was a bit much…after all my other recent spending! LOL Thought it looked good as well! Love books, thanks!
I love books too and some are very helpful resources. For the most part the thread I bought works pretty good as long as I put the net over when embroidering. Good luck with your machine and stay in touch. I love comparing notes with others who like the same hobbbies and I do. Where are you from.
Nancy
Besty – did you buy the pack for 99.99 looks like a good deal and then it has the snap on the bottom to keep the thread in place – that might be a real plus. Let me know.
Nancy
Yes, that’s the one I bought…looks like it is already out of stock on that site. Glad I got it when I did! Maybe it will work out okay.
I’m from Maryland. 🙂
I am so happy with my new software – Just had a wonderful day trying new and different things. Even designed one of my own… So happy after all the frustration.
Nancy
Did u draw up your own design??? I”m confused by this software LOL.. glad everything worked out!!
For all those of you who had or are having problems with threading the needle with auto threader. I have found that if you must replace a needle be sure that the needle is in properly and all the way up to the stop or it will not thread with the auto threader.
The adjustment screen + or – is great if you have to replace the bobbin or have to stop the machine because you can go back several – or ahead + if you feel you have missed a spot.
Nancy
some good tips nancy!!
Have u figured out your Pe design lite software??/ I got mine today, installed it, but I”M SOOOOOOOOOO lost with it LOL!! I figured out some basics like resizing adding text etc but that is about it!
Megan
Megan: I have the Coats & Clark Triobnal mini king thread and have never had a problem with the designs I’ve sewn at all. Granted I’m a newbie as far as you all are concerned. I just bought my machine on 1/28/11. But I dig right in! I just finished my first embroidered baby quilt! YEAH! And, I must say, I am SO GLAD I watched the CD that came with it. I had a problem with one of the designs I bought from Embroidery Library. It was the lion from the “safari animal” package. FIRST, the picture shows the tail on the right. SECOND, when the stitching begins, it begins with the feet and the lower tail, with the tail on the LEFT! The next section/color change looked strange to me, so I took a moment to figure it out. It was the mane, and lower tip of the tail, but it would have embroidered on the RIGHT!
Yep, you read it right. WOW, what a thing for a newbie, first design on a project to deal with! But, the CD helped so I knew what to do. I backed out of where I was all the way to layout, then hit mirror image, and went back in to the area where I go “section by section” (spool icon) or “stitch by stitch” (needle icon) and went forward (only had to go once) to the second section beginning where I was before. Now it picture showed tail tip on LEFT. It was okay now to stitch.
Now I had to go back out all over again to repeat mirror and all that not knowing for sure if the ears & head would be okay (very hard to tell). But it worked out for the rest of the design. THANK GOD! So lesson learned: make sure you watch the CD with your machine; and follow book or take notes and go back through manual (book) so you understand what you just watched; AND pay attention to the design screen. Nothing is perfect! I did go into Edit N Stitch and fix section 2 with horizontal mirror and saved it for future so I won’t have that happen again!
Found what I was calling the ‘trace’ feature on the SE400 – it is the TRIAL KEY – see pages 143-144 #8 in the manual. It is on the bottom left of the Horizontal Mirror Image Key, and to the right of the Starting Point Key. The TRIAL KEY moves the frame to check the pattern position!
Donna – That’s really cool!
yes, Megan… I love the software and I’ve played with it for two days now… And done a lot of fun things so far – Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I have so far. Any questions that I can answer, I’ll try to help you. Nancy
thanks nancy! I appreciate it! But I do have one question for you… what embroidery thread are you using??? I use sulky but its sooooooo darn expensive when you can’t catch it on sale, and I was wondering if there was another brand that worked great with the se-400.. As far as my software I only got a few hours to play with it yesterday, added some text to a few images.. Have you tried to transfer pictures into a embroidery design?? I tried but it just doesn’t seem that clear on the software. (i haven’t tried embroidering it to see what it would turn out like) thanks Megan =-)
I totally agree with you Megan. All thread is expensive though, as I was told…”you’ve just started an expensive hobby!” I wait for 50% off sale at JoAnn’s to buy mine! C&C is $5.49/mini king spool. JoAnn’s flyer right now (in Toledo, OH anyway) on the back has been running $5 off purchase of $5. So I make sure I use that on a spool of thread each time so I get one for $.49. Not bad deal. I started my hobby luckily with the 50% thread sale..and purchased 24 spools to start with. I’m up to about 36 now. Whoopie!
Megan – I took some designs that I had purchased and were on a cd and changed them and then save on the memory card, put in my machine and embroidered. I have a grand daughter that is a wonderful and talented soccer player – is on our high team that won a state championship last year and so I love doing t-shirts for her. I found a soccer player that I changed colors and actually inserted her player # and embroidered – she was so impressed and excited.
Nancy
awwww thats sooo exciting!! sounds very cute!! I have sooooo many designs, i just ordered 25,000 designs the other day =-) can’t wait to give them a try!!
where did you order from. No I have not tried pictures into embroidery and when I first bought my machine I ordered the Thread Art threads they had on-line. Since then I have bought a few extra colors in the Sulky brand but I know what you mean about being expensive… JoAnn Fabrics had them at 50% off a few weeks ago and I bought some then. Now if you read an earlier post from Besty – Think she bought some for $99.99 and I checked that out and that seemed to be a deal too. She was going to let us all know how those threads worked. Right, Besty??? The thread art ones I bought unravel very easily and I use a net over the spool when sewing and that is a pain to put on each time. Have fun.
I defiantly got some at Joann’s when they were on sale last week, wish I had gotten more!! but it does go on sale there at least once a month! I ordered 25,000 designs from a guy on eBay it was 2 cd’s for around $12 bucks! There is everything u can possibly imagine on these cd’s! My software I purchased from a lady on eBay also, she was an authorized dealer for $275 came with a bonus of designs on a cd too. I will probably just stick with sulky since I know it works, I’ll just have to buy more when It goes on sale again!
Okay, got my machine last night and have played most of the day! Now don’t laugh, but all I’ve done so far is straight and zig zag stitches with regular thread! I feel a bit intimidated!!! I have sewn for years on the same machine and I’m just a bit afraid I’m going to do something wrong and mess the machine up! So I’m taking it S-L-O-W!!!
It may take me a month to get to that new embroidery thread Nancy! Sorry…but I do promise to let you know how I like it and if it works okay.
I’m impressed with you girls using that software already…It sounds like a lot of fun!
Maybe one of these years, but I’m just getting my toes wet right now. ha!
Oh, I did see where Hancock has Sulky on sale on Monday here in town…will be running there to pick up a few spools in case these are a bust!
Besty – jump in with both feet. I did and I just love it. I am and have been a sewer for years and years but something new is always fun for me. I own many different machines and love them all but this one with the embroidery is just so much fun. I’ve dont t-shirts, dish towels, hand towels, tote bags, and it’s all been lots of fun. Remember I am the one that had the problems with putting the software on my computer but now that I have that up and running, I love it. Stay in touch. Big snow storm here today, yuk but a nice day to just be inside sewing.
Nancy
I’m not loving my software =-(
The main thing i wanted it to do thats on the trial version for pe design 7 was to use the shapes on the left hand corner and drag them out to the desired size.. I’m not good a drawing so I can’t even use the tools to draw them.. Or am I doing something wrong and there is a way to use those shapes??
Megan – I got that trial version too but I haven’t tried it yet. Maybe I’ll try it today. Nancy
Megan – I can’t get anything on the PE Design version 7 really confused me.
Nancy
I know it’s weird they send u the trial but, you can’t really use it, because it doesn’t allow u to save things! =-(
I love pe design lite for editing my images i already have stored on my computer but as for anything else, not loving it for all the money I just shelled out! Or maybe it’s just me and not really knowing how to use it! I hear a lot of ppl use embird!! hhhhmmmm I really do NOT want to shell more money out for more software
$121.45 INCREASE on SE400 online since 2/18/11! Sure glad I ordered mine at $368.54 2 wks ago from Amazon. Went online to check other acces. prices and they have stayed the same – whew!!
Donna – There was one class in college I didn’t like as much as the others. (Well, there were a couple of them actually…) It was Economics and I’m constantly amazed at the how consistently the underlying principle continues to play out today. We all know it, too, whether we took the class or not, whether there’s a recession or not. Supply and Demand.
I’ll tell you a secret. As soon as Walmart ran out, the price went up. We’re back to having to hunt around for the SE400. (It’s my economics class all over again! Also a great example of why competition is good for consumers! 😉 )
A note to others in case Amazon runs out next: There is the LB6800PRW option or the Costco LB6800-THRD model (doesn’t have ALL the goodies but does come with a thread kit).
Sincerely,
Erin
First of all, I bought the SE400 after reading so many great reviews on here. But the one thing that I was really disappointed about was I had the understanding that the walker foot was included but it’s not! Does it depend on who you buy it from? I originally tried to get it through Amazon, they put me on backorder and then when the machine became available they closed my order and told me if I wanted to make a new order I could but it would be $60 more…not happy. So I cancelled and ordered from Allbrands. It has everything else you showed on the accessories but no walking foot. I checked the list that came with the machine (where they said if something wasn’t on the list to call them) and it wasn’t there. Erin, I see on a couple of posts you mentioned the SA188 open toe foot but there is also the SA140 and the SA166. Is there an advantage to the open toe foot? This is confusing. I know I need to get the SA177 for the side cutter but don’t know the capabilities/advantages of the different walking feet (which are essential to sewing my beloved Minky fabric). I have to get a blanket done soon, my grandson is due April 1st and I haven’t started his Minky blankie! Can anyone help me?
Dawn – You know what? I do think I have the walking foot listed in the Pros section but it doesn’t come with it no matter where you buy it from. I’ve made that change and apologize if I confused you.
An Open Toe foot differs from a regular foot in that it has a broad opening at the front so you can 1) have a better visual of your stitch work, 2) perform thick, decorative stitches with less risk of snagging the foot on the thread, and 3) use it for side-to-side stitches. A regular walking foot does not accommodate side to side stitching.
If, for example, you’re doing applique on thick quilting or thick fabrics, the walking foot could come in handy but wouldn’t work with a zigzag stitch unless you had the open toe version.
Both the SA140 and the SA166 appear compatible but some retailers have a longer list of machines that can use the SA140 which might be best in case you ever need to interchange feet with another machine. However, the SA188 open toe provides more flexibility since you’ll see the stitches better and can use it with your decorative stitches.
Congratulations on the pending grandson!! Such a beautiful event and a great reason for a blanket. (Which reminds me that my mom has blanket somewhere she started for my first son. Ummm….he’ll be 17 in two weeks and I don’t think she ever finished that…oh, my…where did 17 years go???!!! I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to enjoy every precious minute of that baby!)
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you so much Erin, that really helps, and I would want the option of the side to side with making blankets. I’m so glad I asked you! After I wrote I felt guilty for complaining because I have a definite advantage over most people who have written you about the embroidery software costs. I am an embroiderer by trade and the company I work for uses Melco Design Shop Pro which has amazing capabilities and I already know how to use it. I can just do my designs here at work, email them to myself, download them on my computer, send to my machine at home and voila! I can do my own embroidery here at work but when you try to make ALL your Christmas gifts, it can get pretty hectic to say the least. Now I have more options….it’s all about options! And I will have to enjoy my grandbaby by Skype and a webcam on the computer for a couple months because my son is in the Presidential Honor Guard and hundreds of miles away…Phooey!! Thank you for the great service you do here Erin, you’re really knowledgable and ready to assist us and it’s really appreciated!
Dawn – I’ll tell you, I had many minutes of guilt there, myself, pouring over that post trying to figure out where my info had gone astray and I felt horrible. You actually did me a HUGE favor by bringing it to my attention so I could make sure to have the most accurate information possible.
Of course, now we’re all jealous of you being able to do your designs through work, darn it, so…. 😉
Thank goodness for Skype! Think of it as giving you lots of time to decide where to plant that first grandma kiss – the cute cheeks, the sweetly scented forehead, or on those tiny little hands. Just remove the lipstick first. I’ve never been able to get my mother-in-law to try those lipsticks that don’t smear. That’s my tip for the day. 😉
Thanks for the help and the kind words. Very much appreciated!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
I’ve had my machine for a couple of weeks now, but have not purchased any software. I find the whole software thing very confusing! I think I might want to learn to digitize, since I am an artist, and that excludes ped basic. PE design lite will not do anything over 5 x 7. That’s fine for the Brother se400, but what if I really get into this embroidery thing, and get a machine that can do a larger hoop?
Do you know anything about Embird? Maybe Steve can jump in here, since I noticed on one post that he mentioned he uses it. It seems that the sky is the limit for some of the embroidery software. One company charges $1600! I know that Embird is less than $150 for the initial purchase, and I think there are plug-ins if you need more features. That seems like a sensible way to go, but I don’t know anyone who has used it.
What are your thoughts?
Misty – It’s so confusing I think I need a whole month to get through all the software (not to mention an Excel spreadsheet, some Tylenol, and a couple extra pairs of reading glasses). I haven’t used Embird so I hope Steve jumps in, too. 😉 You’ll certainly want special features in order to translate your art into embroidery but it would be well worth it.
I’m going to just sit here and make silent, blogging calls to Steve for a bit…(I’m going to have to put him on retainer or something!) 🙂
Sincerely,
Erin
hahahaha ur the best!
Chello ladies…yes a guy is blogging here! 😉 Hmmm…Where do I begin…well I use a VERY expensive software ($15k) program that the pros use and it is called Wilcom ES designer. That is the best of the best IMO. However, since then a ton of embroidery software has hit the market. Yes, I like Embird and like many of the embroidery software it is “a la cart” and you pay for what you need it to do.
What exactly are you looking to do? If you are trying to take your artwork and convert it to embroidery then you will need a good software program. A lot of the top end software programs team up with drawing software companies like Corel etc.. and merge the two worlds together.
But if you are looking to do text and pre-made designs then Embrid will do that but if you want to do the art work thing then you will have to bump up the cash for that capability.
I wish I was an artist but I can only draw stick figures which btw, come out great when I embroider them! 😉 Have fun and let us know along the way with what you go with.
Embroidered stick figures!!! Cracking me up! Actually…I have this odd feeling you could do something amazing with those. I suddenly got a vision of embroidered stick figures done as a sort of “flip book” and filmed for YouTube. Could be the next thing like those hand dancers on the McD’s commercial!
Thanks for helping Misty. 😉
Hi Steve!
Thanks for responding. I’m not sure what I am trying to do. I thought maybe eventually I would try to digitize some of my drawings, but I’m not there yet, (and may never be.) 15k is definitely not in my budget, though. If you think that Embird will work for me, I think that is what I will get. I can always get the digitizer plug in later on. Right now I”m just trying to unzip some spiderman stuff! I have no software yet. I’m trying to study the advantages of some of the different ones. I don’t want to get a package and find out that it can’t do what I want it to. Thanks for the help.
Misty
Misty/Erin –
If you go on the following website http://www.secretsof.com you’ll find inform on EMBIRD – its on one of their blogs.
Hope that helps you.
Nancy
Thanks for that information, Nancy. It was useful in helping me make my decision. I think I’ve decided on a program. Or, my computer decided for me. I have one of those mini pc’s I got for traveling. I downloaded a “free” program, and found out that the screen resolution had to be a certain size, and I couldn’t get the mini pc screen to go to that size. I also have a Mac laptop with a larger, more user friendly screen, so I thought I would try that. I found out that there is only one embroidery program that works on a Mac!
It is called “Embrilliance.” Here is the web site:
Embrilliance
The main program, Embrilliance Essentials, is $150. There is a thing called the “Thumbnailer” which allows you to see your designs in “Finder.” That is $50. This program also works on a PC. This is a fairly new program, and I think they will have some digitizer plug in’s later on. I am starting with the “Thumbnailer” which is all I need for now. As soon as I can afford it, I will get the Embrilliance Essentials.
Anyone out there doing some machine embroidery for sale and if so how are you charging. Someone recently told me to charge by the stitch but don’t know really how much per stitch.
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Most places do charge by the stitch and how many articles are being embroidered. My boss uses a flow chart he set up. The minimum stitch charge is for 5,000 stitches and then it increases each 1,000 stitches. The more pieces you embroider the less you charge per piece. Anything less than 12 pieces gets a set-up charge because so much of the time is used up in that process. But if you are doing a business of mostly one article at a time you may wish to do it differently. I hear that embroidery shops that are set up in Walmart charge something like $10.00 or more to embroider someone’s name. Just make it worth your time or you will get tired of the work real fast. Maybe when you’re practicing or doing some embroidery for fun or for yourself, keep track of the time it takes you to do the job, how many stitches are in the design and go from there. Decide how much you think your time is worth for half an hour and multiply it according to how much longer it takes. This is what I was told when trying to decide what to charge for portraits. Hope this helped some.
Thanks Dawn – I want to do this just as a little hobby but I know several people have asked if I’d do something for them and I really don’t know how to charge. Enjoy your evening. Nancy
hey Nancy, I do charge for adding embroidery on my fb shop. I charge $3 for names, and depending on the design how long it takes/ how much thread it takes up, and figure I have to make a little something for doing it! I charge $3 to $12.. or if they are purchasing something from me sometimes, I’ll throw in free embroidery on their item as a sale etc
Hello again Erin and all 🙂
FINALLY !!!!
i got my machine yesterday!!!
and of course i started embroidering a couple of things already, lol
let me tell you i’m sewing machine illiterate! never even made a single stitch except (when i was around 8 or 9) those little needle ups/downs on my mom’s Singer when she wasn’t looking lol
but with a few tries i managed to thread the thing and i’m so proud of myself now!!! lol, seriously, it wasn’t so easy, for me at least, but still it isn’t so hard to learn.
let me express a couple of annoyance and i wish i can find solutions here
– i hate the extra thread the machine leaves between the embroidered letters :@, it’s annoying to have to remove them later and some are very hard to remove
– i tried to embroider a rose, it all went fine except that when it’s done i thought it’s just an outline or something! it used only one line thread and it gave me a very simple looking one-stitch design, not even close to the image.
what ive done is i re-embroidered on top of it again, round two! it made it a little clearer.
but isn’t there a way i can chose how thick the design should be? or the type of stitching used?
thank you again for your patience and for the info you have here 🙂
cheerz!
Elle – Oh, I bet you’ve been having fun!!! It’s okay to do a happy dance by yourself when you do things like thread a sewing machine for the first time in years. I COMPLETELY understand. 😉
I don’t have a solution for you on having to do all that thread trimming. Make sure you use the programmable cutter when you can and just keep a little pair of embroidery scissors
handy.
As for tightening up the density of the stitches in your pattern, I’ve read, and I think Sandy mentioned on this post, too, that you might get a better look by using 60wt thread instead of 40wt. If you’re already using 60wt, scroll up and find the posts from Steve dated January 4th. He gives a link to a resource on Brother’s website that might help.
Keep us posted and enjoy all the new goodies!
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin…any chance we can have a place to display our stitchings?
YES! 😉
Sorry, guys. Been traveling this week (kids, spring break, grandma & grandpa time) but I’m grabbing a few minutes to catch up here and there.
I’ve got a neat tool I can use to start a photo gallery. I just want to be able to do it in a way that ties each of the photos to the person who submitted them. Might take me a week or two to work through the details (and recover from vacation brain) but I’m on it!
Elle, the term your are referring to is called “stitch density” unfortunately if it is a premade design and you don’t have any software to modify that setting then you are at the mercy of the person that created the design.
If you use a 60wt thread make sure you use a 65/9 needle or the thread will be loose due to the size difference of the 75/11 needle.
Have fun!
Steve.
Elle – that rose pattern is what it is. You’ll have to choose something else if you want it completely filled in. As for the thread between the letters, etc. That to is the way it’s going to be. Just keep practicing and you’ll love it. (hopefully as much as I do)And keep in mind that I bought the software and that opened another whole world of things to be able to do.
Have fun.
Nancy
Can you help me with :
What software did you purchase, and what did it cost?
I’m not able to get to my manual, What software extensions will the SE400 read without purchasing addistional software?
Thank You,
Nancy R
additional (Ophs)
Nancy R. I purchsed the PE Design Lite which is compatible to Windows 7. I paid $284 on amazon.com. I love it. Does what I want it do – just a little hobby for me and so far it has been working great.
Nancy
hey nancy, did u find out how to select how to fill the design and to just have an outline???
And nancy r. I have also purchase pe design lite, I like it, paid $275 on ebay, I don’t know how to do much on it just yet, but I think once I learn everything I’m REALLY going to love it!
no Megan I have not – I have an idea and will try it later today and let you all know.
Nancy H.
ok awesome!! Cause I can’t figure it out to save my life LOL.. Maybe u will have better luck! =-)
I too would like to know how easy it is for just an outline of an object. For me it is a lot tougher than than is looks.
Steve.
Hi, I have read that the Brother SE400 can only handle embroidery data files in.PES and.DST format. I would like to purchase a blank embroidery card, but those that I have found are in .ped format. Will that work with my Brother SE400 machine?
Janice – Yes, cards like the Brother Sa309 Blank Embroidery Memory Card 4MB
are in .ped format and work with the SE400.
To load designs onto a blank card, you need a software program like Brother PED-Basic Software for Downloading Embroidery Designs
. The software and the card have to be compatible (PED software & PED format card) AND have to work with .pes and .dst designs (the design format compatible with the SE400) and the PED Basic software does that.
Did that make any sense at all? Sometimes it sounds like gibberish even to me! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I’m trying to help my Aunt with her brother SE-400. She was told she could get something (software maybe) that would make a designer 1 hoop compatible with her machine. I have been googling all day and have not found any information that sounds like it is possible.
Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
Thanks in advance!
Bonnie 🙂
Bonnie – I’m not familiar with anything that would do that but maybe some of the more experienced embroidery experts know and would respond. 😉 I’ll keep looking, too, but like you I’m not finding anything. Sorry!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
It’s me again. I got my Brother LB6800THD from Costco and I’m loving it! I’m making my first shirt now and I bought the Brother SA177 Side Cutter Presser Foot that you mentioned above but I can’t get it to work. I followed the instructions that came with it to attach it to the machine but it won’t cut the fabric while it’s stitching. I’ve made the initial cut in the fabric before stitching but it doesn’t pick up the cutting from there. Could there be something obvious that I’m missing? Help!
Kim
Kim – The side cutter only works with the stitches marked with the side cutter symbol. Are you using it with those stitches?
Erin
Hi Erin, yes, I tried using 3 of the stitches marked with an ‘S’.
Kim – I’m trying to find a video that will help but no luck yet. I did find this article which might help. You can click on the pictures to expand for a clear view and I’ll keep looking for a better explanation to help. I do know you have to start with a cut in the fabric and you want to get the fabric positioned correctly with the cutter inside the foot but I’m guessing you know that part already… 😉 Side Cutter Video.
Hi Erin, thanks for finding the how-to site for me. I was looking for a video too but couldn’t find one. After reading your reply and looking at photos on the how-to site, I realized that I was missing something obvious. I wasn’t feeding the fabric inside the presser foot. I was just laying the presser foot on top of the fabric. Duh! The pictures on the how-to site are much better at showing this than the instructions that came with the presser foot. Thanks so much for you help!!!
Kim
Thank goodness! I had found a video of Singer’s version of this foot but the foot itself was significantly bulkier and I wasn’t sure the instructions would help in that case so I’m really glad the pictures at least jogged something! 😉
I have a question about bobbins for the SE400. I purchased a dz SA156 and the SE400 came with 4 SA156. But, I also ordered the Brother Embroidery Starter Kit, and the bobbins in the kit are PWB250 (pre-wound) and seem to be a little different. They are also a different kind of plastic and the color is kinda bluish and have a ‘3’ stamped on the column. The ones that came with the machine are flat on the inside and the ones in the kit seem to be slightly hour-glass like. I still have not sewn or embroidered with my SE400 yet ’cause I know once I start it will be soooo hard to stop! lol
Does anyone know if these slight differences will cause a problem? I don’t want to break needles, ruin a project, etc. . .
Donna: I have the Brother SE400 and if you look on page 22 of your manual, it says to only use the SA156 bobbins. Since I got my machine and the software, I’ve not stopped making things… especially embroidery projects. So much fun. Once you get started the projects will be endless. Go for it and have fun!
Nancy
ok… anyone out there that is experienced at this little Brother se400 embroidery machine, how often do you change your needle? And Betsy how is the thread working that you purchased?
thanks Nancy
Hi Nancy,
I certainly wouldn’t call myself experienced, because I have had my machine for only about a month. But I can pass on some advice from a Joann’s expert. She said that she changes her needle for every new project. I sometimes check my needle for rough marks, especially if there is a funny noise or I have been having breakage problems. I had only been sewing for a short time with my latest needle when I noticed that it was a little bent.
I think the Joann’s expert gave some really good advice. Needles are cheap enough that if changing them more often avoids some problems, why not do it?
Bobbins…it takes like a minute to rewind a bobbin on the Brother. Use only the SA165 L type. I love hearing the horsepower of that motor and wind up. It’s like the only joy I have until I get back to the crazy life of finding out what works and what doesn’t! 🙂
Only if you are having the need for adding color thread to other bobbins to have on hand why just buy some blanks and bobbin thread and wind them up yourself. It’s been working for me.
Steve.
Whoops…I meant SA156 L type!
Nancy, I STILL haven’t tried the thread…been so busy here. I have been working on learning the embroidery directions though…LOL Now I can’t seem to figure out how in the world you SAVE the pattern to your Brother…I have bought two PSE digital patterns I’m dying to try online….I put them in my K drive which opens up when I am connected to the SE400….but THEN I can only open it on the Brother when I click on the USB icon. I can’t get it to save it no matter which button I press. I also can’t get it to go in the sew screen…what am I doing wrong? I’ve sewn with the machine without problem…made new curtains for my kitchen, but I can’t get this embroidery program to work yet for me…not from the USB port. Not directions in the manual and I have been to the online site, but when I do what they tell me to do to save the pattern, nothing happens.
There has to be a better way to hoop stuff…Does anyone know of a clamp down style hoop for the SE400?
Also…for the first time today I used no stabilizer on the back part of a baseball cap. To make matters worse I was embroidering on that open mesh and under that was elastic! It worked great! My brain is tired today…can someone tell me why we use that stuff?
Sure would be nice to show you all…Erin 😉
Steve.
Keeping with my tired brain theme…I love having the sewing feature! Just is cool to sew up an annoying hole in my cotton sock! However, silly me one time forgot to change the foot and went with my trusty zig zag stitch and broke the needle! hahahaha love it! Not sure if any of you got that Brother safety message that comes up! hehehehe oh I need a nap.
Steve.
Steve,
Not sure what you mean by a clamp style hoop, but there is a hoop called magna hoop. It works with magnets. I don’t know if it works for a 4 x 4 though. You would have to check into it, and see if they have one for the Brother se400. Also….I took a class the other day, and we learned what types of stabilizer to use for different fabrics. We also learned that some methods do not hoop the fabric, but hoop the stabilizer, and place the fabric on top of the stabilizer and attach it with a basting stitch. Toweling, for example.
Stabilizer keeps the fabric from being pulled down into the feed dogs. It has happened to me a time or two. I’ve also gotten that safety message once or twice for the same reason you did. Congrats for the success on the baseball cap. Will this site support a picture if you uploaded one? I would love to see some of these projects.
As I head to breakfast with the family, I can see the topic of discussion is going to be how I escalate my gallery. However…in the meantime, if you email me your photos, I’ll do a whole post to showcase your work! I think that would be really cool!
Travelin’ Erin 😉
Never mind! I just this minute found this site that helped me solve my problem.
I really am on the learning curve here but will conquer it soon! I think I can start to embroider now. Nancy, I will be using my new thread any minute! Yahoooo!
Still new to SE400, but loving it EXCEPT for PRESSER FOOT HEIGHT. I am used to a Necchi and a Kenmore from the early ’70s. Their presser foot lever would LOCK into an upper position so you could ‘work’ with your materials/zipper/trim, etc. But the SE400 only raises about 1/4″ and only if you (somehow contortedly) hold the lever with your right middle finger, while your index and thumb hold your materials while the left hand tries to further adjust whatever you need to do! LOL It bearly lifts high enough for me to even get my double layer fabric under the foot to even begin sewing. Future projects are for canval bags and I am already dreading fighting with this lack of space when sewing double, and sometimes triple/quad layers, as in straps. Is there something I am missing, or is this lack of height and/or locking position something I will just have to live with?
oops – that is CANVAS bags! ;P
Nancy,
Hope you see this post, but finally used my Polystar embroidery thread from the Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew website. I did my first embroidery project…a dog’s head which was about 3 1/2″ wide or so…I loved how the computer transformed the colors I needed to the Polystar colors..so that I didn’t even have to figure out which ones to use. I’m not sure if it does that for all threads? Any way…no problems until color #5 and then my needle broke. I tried several times to rethread and the thread kept breaking on the new needle…but I realized after about FOUR times that it wasn’t the upper thread but the bobbin…and once I cleaned it all out, I was good to go again…so I don’t think it was the thread’s fault. I really liked how it turned out overall.
Sounds good. Hope all continues to work out great for you. I am just in love with this little machine.
Nancy
Betsy,
I’m not lovin’ that Polystar thread. They were out for a while at Mr Sew and Mrs Vac, so I was limited to the thread that came with my machine (from Costco.) That was great thread. They finally got some Polystar in at Mr Sew and Mrs Vac,, although it was not the same selection, so I bought some. I’ve never had so many problems. There were so many knots under the metal plate (unbeknownst to me) that it pushed the bobbin case out, and pushed everything up so that the plastic part on top and the bobbin case just popped right out. I finally got everything cleaned out, and it is sewing again (straight stitch) , but the bobbin case is chewed up on one side. I will probably have to get a new one, because the thread could snag on a rough part of the bobbin case.
Even before this happened, the Polystar thread was shredding and breaking. I don’t know if I want to try and embroider again with this thread or not. Especially if I buy a new bobbin case. The thread that came with the machine is called “Pacesetter,” but I haven’t seen it for sale. It was probably provided by Brother. It is really nice. It’s funny, both threads say it is 50 weight, but the Brother thread seems thicker. Never had any thread breakage at all with the Brother. I’m wondering if the factory that provides Mr Vac and Mrs Sew substituted a lesser quality this time around. I will be interested to know if your breakage problems happen again.
Misty
Hi Erin! I really enjoy reading your blog!! It helped me make the decision to “pull the trigger” and buy the Brother SE 400. I have had my machine less than a week and so far so good. I am hoping you can help me with the first (and only, I hope) problem I am encountering. I have a few websites that I would like to purchase downloadable applique or embroidery designs from. I did purchase one and on the website it gives 7 or 8 different formats the design comes in (they do not give an option to select just one), however the pes and dst are listed in the available formats. So, I purchased a design and saved it to my computer. I then hooked up the usb cord to my machine and copied and pasted the design into the brother temporary folder per the instructions. However, when I do this the machine shows how much memory is being taken by the design as it is supposed to, but it does not show the design. I am not sure what I am doing wrong as I went step by step thru the instructions and everything works and looks as it is supposed to, except I can’t choose the design I want to embroider/applique. If you or anyone else could offer advice that would be great!! Thanks, Tara
Light bulb moment…I figured it out!! 🙂
what did you have to do because I have that same problem sometimes.
Nancy
Hi Nancy…I was putting them into the “removable disk F” while in a folder. You must open the folder first, choose your design, then transfer it over!! Took me reading that over and over before it sunk in!! 🙂
I have the same problem too and I am not putting folders of the designs in my temporary folder. Sometimes the designs transfer to my machine fine and other times they do not and I am not doing anything different. And my machine also shows how much memory is ebing used but it does not show the designs.
My wife just freaked when she saw that the biggest the letters would get were just a little over an inch. Can’t this thing monogram letters up to 4×4 inches? If so how?
I have not found a way to do that. I have the PE Design Lite software and some monogram cd’s and then you can decrease and enlarge with the software.
Nancy
You mean the software will allow you to make the letters larger?
Brint – Sorry, you caught me with my suitcases down. 😉 I’m on the road this week and not getting to log in as often as I do normally.
There are two ways to sew letters on the SE400. You can either use the fonts, which cannot be enlarged beyond what I show in the above pictures. The second way is to use an embroidery design font which you can buy separately and then you may use embroidery software to increase or decrease the size of the letters. With this approach, you are still limited to embroidering within the maximum size of this machine which is 4 x 4 but that’s a pretty good size letter and you also can only do one letter at a time with this method unless your particular embroidery software manages oversized designs and breaks them down into 4×4 sections for you (there’s at least one I know of that will do this).
The software piece does get confusing but there are lots of options, some of them free, and literally thousands of embroidery designs that you can purchase or download for free that are compatible with this machine.
Hope that helps!
Sincerely,
Erin
I have a different cd that I purchased with just alphabet letters and numbers,etc. and with the software, I can increase or decrease my work up to the 4×4 size.
Brint, maybe we can help…what are you embrodering and on what that needs to be over 4″ letters?
i use sew what pro which is way cheaper than brother’s embrodiery software, google it and you can download a free trial. It allows you to use your whole sewing field. I also bough the 6×4 hoop which helps too. SWP will break your design into three 4x4s and you just have to move the hoop up during each part.
I am a real beginner at this game, but I purchased the HE-240 sewing/embroidery machine from HSN. I really haven’t done any sewing with it yet – just tried a few of the stitches out. At this point I am trying to learn as much as I can from folks like yourselves, before I tackle the machine.
I noticed that Natalia was looking for a tote. I am planning on taking classes, and I did purchase a tote. I ordered it from Hancock Fabrics, and it’s perfect for the HE-240; two removable pockets inside the tote with several more on the outside. I ordered the Black and Purple Canvas 2 Wheel Sewing Tote. Product ID: 129065945 Item Price: $34.99.
Natalia, maybe this will help in your search. Thanks all for your sewing machine knowledge. Carol
Erin – I have a question. If I want to embroider on a tablecloth or pillowcases, can you recommend a type of stablizer to be using so it doesn’t show on the back side
Thanks, Nancy
Would a tearaway stabilizer work for that? I don’t have experience with it, but I think that’s what I’ve read for embroidery. Think Erin is traveling, so thought I’d try to help, but might be clueless. 😛
http://www.secretsof.com/content/3712
Tear-away or water soluble will do the trick. If you are going to have the thread show on both sides then remember to wind up your bobbin thread the same color as your top thread.
Wow…I dropped a needle in the embroidery tray slot. The slot that the embroidery arm moves on… I knew my skills of getting the prize out of a cracker jack box came in handy…disaster averted. 🙂
I had a needle break and the tip is somewhere inside my machine!! OMG!! I have turned the machine sideways and upside down, but don’t hear any tinkle/rattle. I pray that it does not hurt anything!!
And the needle that broke was some freebies I got with a thread kit – some kind of Titanium type – broke 3 in a 3 day period! Going back to the ORGAN type – they seem to be perfect and so smooth! Gotta do some more reading in my 5-7 assorted books about embroidery that I bought! TIP: buy the USED ones from Amazon.com – they are usually 1/3 the cost and I have not gotten a bad one yet!
I saw before a post on when do you change a needle…well I do it until it breaks. Motto: Don’t change it until it breaks! But really I would say it depends on what you are embroidering through. Double thick nylon dog collars like every other collar that is you don’t break it in the process…but really thin soft fabrics I wouldn’t worry for months!
Wow – I had asked that question from someone who did a clinic or seminar on embroidery and they were told to change needle after every project. Think that is a bit much but you can tell when your needle seems to be getting dull because remember it makes alot of little pokes compared to regular sewing.
DOES ANYONES MACHINE MAKE A SLAPPING SOUND SOMETIMES IT SORT OF COMES AND GOES.
WHERE can I find a reliable list of PRESSER FEET/ACCESSORIES for the SE400?? The info online is so conflicting. The closest Brother retailier is 150 miles from me, and since I bought my machine online (amazon.com), they are not really excited about helping me. I specifically want the
SA134 Blind Stitch foot;
SA109 Binding foot – attaches bias tape!! Great for trimming out bags.
SA210 Piping Foot – attaches the piping to two pieces of fabric in one step
Taping Foot SA212 – attaches tape and ELASTIC to stretch fabrics – does it work with regular fabric?? (I make lots of baby rompers with stretchy leg openings.)
Top Stitching Foot SET SA226CV
Spring Action Guides SA170 states for PQ series – ??
Gathering Foot SA171 shows it gathering a piece of lace
Gathering Foot SA213 joins 2 pcs of fabric gathering bottom fabric while sewing both together in one operation – WOW – really need that one!
Sorry this is so long, but some are pricey and the S/H really adds up with this many to buy.
Or if someone has a SE400 and would just like to chat with me about what accessories they use would be a great help. Grannydrawers @ gmail.com – would love to hear from anyone! 😉
Donna – I tried to e-mail you some info but it came back to me undeliverable. Send me your correct e-mail.
Nancy my e-mail is bnhofschild @ frontier.com
Nancy – That might be my fault. I tried to spare Donna some unwanted email by spacing out the characters in her gmail account. Computer bots scour sites for email addresses so they can send out their garbage. If you close the spaces, it should work. Maybe…unless there was a typo to begin with. If you want me to space yours out, too, just let me know. I’m probably being overprotective but I’m sensitive to those things as a “webmaster”. 😉
Erin
LOL Thanks for trying – my CORRECT EMAIL is grannysdrawers @ gmail . com
I do keep trying, don’t I. 😉 I hope the two of you had a chance to connect what with all my “space” meddling. (Which I did again but I only touched the space key – I promise!)
Yes, Erin go ahead and do that for me and thanks. I’ll try Donna again unless she’s already gotten some answers.
Nancy
Erin – no matter what I do, I can’t get that e-mail to Donna to work.
Nancy
Looks like it’s missing an ‘s’ – should be grannysdrawers @ gmail . com (remove all the spaces). I may have deleted that s in my haste to protect her. Sorry!!
Thanks Erin – I’ll try that. Question for you. I attached the open toe walking foot on my new little se 400 machine but it does have one of those guides to insert into the walking foot so I can get accurate lines when quilting. Should there be one or must that be purchased separate?
Thanks, Nancy
They come separately. If you bought the Brother SA188 Open Toe Walking Foot, you’d want the compatible Brother SA132 Quilting Guide.
I know it seems they should come together but that would just make it too easy. 😉
THANKS LADIES – never received any emails from anyone, but that is OK! I got reply from Brother. The website has a listing for acceptable feet that fit the SE350 and SE400. Unfortunately, many of the speciality feet I want are not listed, so I guess I will just have to do some things the old-fashioned hard way! But I am still loving this machine and having a ball! lol
Thanks Erin – that’s really a bummer considering what you have to pay for the walking foot… you would think that guide could be included.
Nancy
I agree. At $30-40 might as well just throw in the quilting guide, right? Sigh. 😉
Erin – Actually I just finished machine quilting a 40×60 size quilt and that open toed walking foot worked very good without the guide. This little Brother machine is quite the gem. My first machine quilting project and I think I did pretty good. Only next time I’ll quilt using invisible bobbin thread for the back side. I used the same as the top and think it would look nicer with the invisible thread.
But if anyone out there is even considering this little machine, my comments for that are go for it. I luv it.
And I own about 6 different machines and my quilting one cost me a whole lot more then the $368 this little Brother did.
Nancy
Nancy – Good to know about the open toed foot. Would love to see your quilt – and that was your first machine quilt, too? Nice!
When the SE400 was hard to find earlier this year I got really worried because, just as you said, it’s a great deal at it’s current price. Now that it’s easily available again I’m breathing easier. And you know what’s coming up? Mother’s Day and I’m thinking this would be a great gift for some moms out there. Having said that…it would be a great gift for my mom…hmmm…Mom, stop reading! 😉
Erin
Erin – does the SA177 side cutter work on this se 400 machine? I’d really like to purchase that but need to know if it fits. Anyone out there with it and how do you like it?
Nancy
Yes, the SA177 fits the SE400. It works with the stitches in the panel marked with an S. There were some comments from Kim who was looking for instructions on how to use it but not sure what her experience was with it once she got it going. Also a comment from Misty that she had trouble with the needle hitting the Side Cutter anytime she tried to use it. Part of the challenge seems to be that there are no good instructions accompanying the foot so while I’m pretty sure it works, it might take you some tweaking to figure out exactly how to use it so it works as well as it should.
thanks Erin: I read one other spot where it wouldn’t thread the needle with this attachment on but then I can thread the needle myself without the automatic threader. Guess I’m going to try. I have a $20 off coupon with Brother so I have nothing to loose because it will only cost me about $9. Any comments from you guys and gals out there would be appreciated. Thanks. Nancy
So I ordered the large hoop and received it today only to be disappointed that it is a “re-positioning” hoop. I would love to do 5 x 7 designs. Erin mentioned on here that there is a program that will cut an over-sized design down into sections to work with
4 x 4 area. I am currently using “sew-what-pro” and love it!! Does anyone know what program will do this? Thanks, Tara
you can’t do a 5×7 design on this machine… you can do larger designs w/ the bigger hoop but it does just break it down into 3 4×4’s. I got my machine in january and have already upgraded to the pe 700 to be able to do 5x7s. I still use my lb6800 alot for monograms with the bigger hoop because most monograms a 3inch middle letter is big enough ( i monogram a lot of children’s clothing). But for appliques i love my 5×7!
Does anyone own a cap hoop for the se400? If so how is it?
THANK YOU for this review. I have a Brother SE400, wanted to be able to add additional fonts, and couldn’t find good info anywhere until I stumbled on your review and your merry band of commenters.
In return I have a tip for all of you, courtesy of my mom who has worked with embroidery machines extensively for years. When I asked her which stabilizer to buy, she just laughed. Her advice? Use freezer paper. Tears away beautifully and stabilizes the fabric just fine. I tried a couple of different combinations (because I am an engineer and therefore must test things for myself). Freezer paper was so much easier to use than any form of stabilizer, it was ridiculous. Good luck to all, I love this machine!
Trina – I DO have a great group of commenters, don’t I? I completely lucked out. 😉
And moms are simply the best, aren’t they? Especially true with Mother’s Day approaching (ooh…time to remind sons and my darling hubby…), right? Freezer paper – who would have thought. Thanks for the tip!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hello all, I have read the entire page and I am still confused. I am totally new to sewing never sewed in my life and I want it mainly to make my own modest clothes and veils(headcoverings). If I purchase this machine what exactly are the accessories I will need because from the comments I’m not sure. I know some have said stabilizers (don’t know what they are), foot pressers? thread and embroidery thread? bobblins? larger hoops? extra needles? fabric, pins. Please help because I don’t know what I need to start. Thanks!
Renda – This page has sort of taken on a life of its own, hasn’t it? 😉
Let’s start with needles, bobbins, and presser feet.
The machine comes with a small number of needles but they don’t last forever. The rule of thumb is to replace the needle on your machine in between every project, although you may be able to use the same needle through several projects if you’re doing only light work or working with only light fabrics. You also need a different size needle for different kinds of fabrics. There’s a guide in the manual that will help you decide which needles you need so you should be fine with the ones that come with the machine to start with and then you can refer to the manual to decide which additional needles you might have to buy to replace ones you’ve used or to work with different fabrics.
The machine also comes with a few bobbins. If you are going to do a lot of sewing with different colored thread, you may find it more convenient to keep a number of bobbins on hand already loaded with your different colored threads rather than take off the last color and put on a new color each time you want to do a new project.
Presser feet hold your fabric down against the feed dogs on the machine so that the feed dogs can push your fabric along under the needle. A generic presser foot – often called a Zigzag foot or a General Purpose presser foot – can be used for almost everything but specialty presser feet can be used to do some cool things that people used to have to do manually. For example, there’s a zipper presser foot that’s shaped differently than a General Purpose presser foot to help you attach zippers to your fabric. There’s a buttonhole presser foot that makes buttonholes almost all by itself. The SE400 comes with a number of presser feet, probably more than enough to get you started. As you become more experienced, you might find it helpful to purchase another kind of presser foot for some new project.
Stabilizer is a paper-like material that you put on the back of your fabric when you machine embroider or when sewing with very thin materials. It stiffens your fabric so that you can get the right amount of tension on the fabric and makes your embroidery pattern and stitches more precise and accurate. You place this under your fabric as you sew and then either pull it off around the stitches, cut it away, or wash it off depending on the type of stabilizer you use. You can get some here: Regular Tearaway 8×8 200 Precut Sheets for Embroidery Machines.
The SE400 comes with some white bobbin embroidery thread but no colored embroidery thread and no general sewing thread. If you’re going to do embroidery, you’ll want a selection of colors available so buying a kit like this is helpful: Polyester Thread Set. Sewing thread is often purchased when you buy the material for your upcoming sewing project so that you can get a coordinating color.
The SE400 also comes with an embroidery hoop so you’ll be able to get started. There are also specialty hoops you can buy later, if you find it necessary. For example, there’s a special hoop to embroider on baseball caps and other small items.
Pins always come in handy while sewing if, like me, you just don’t have enough hands to hold everything in place while you sew. (Sometimes it would be nice to be an octopus.) 😉
So, to get started, I’d go with an embroidery thread kit and stabilizer, have some practice fabric on hand and then you’ll always be able to buy the other things you need later after you’ve had some time to work with the sewing machine.
If I left anything out of there, let me know. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you Erin, I think I have it now. In addition to the machine I need some thread, stabilizer and fabric. The other stuff can wait. So should I just get this embroidery starter kit?
Renda – Yes, that kit would get you started. Plus those steel snips will help you trim the embroidery threads better than regular scissors (which don’t always get really close to the fabric). Nice find!
Then spend a week exploring your new machine and reading the manual. I think you’re going to find it’s surprisingly easy to get comfortable with all of the features. 😉
Enjoy!
Erin
Thank you very much Erin for all your help. I ordered both the SE400 and the embroidery starter kit. Can’t wait til they get here. Again thank you!
You’re welcome and I can’t wait to hear how much fun you’re having with your new machine! 😉
My automtic threader has stopped working…not sure why! Any suggestions?
Oh, those things can be picky. If the little threader hook and the eye of the needle are off by even the tiniest degree, it won’t work. Try replacing your needle and when you screw in the new needle make sure you’ve pushed the needle back and to the left just a bit to make sure it’s in the right spot, completely screw the needle in and then try the threader again. If it still doesn’t work, you might have to go the old fashioned route.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Erin
One other question, but before that, I just want to thank you guys…I have found soooo much useful information to help me with my machine here. So I was having a tension issue, but with the tension pattern someone posted from Brother, I have fixed that! Yay! However, while I am embroidering, somehow I am losing the bobbin thread between each step. So I have to take the hoop off, and pull the bobbin thread back up. I am threading it right and it is running the right direction. But, if I don’t go and pull it back up, then my stitch doesn’t take…any ideas?? Thanks!
Erica
Erica – Am very glad you found our site and pleased the information has been helpful. Now, let’s fix your bobbin issue! 😉
There could be a couple of reasons this is happening. Taking these steps might help you find the cause for your particular machine:
1. Clean out the bobbin area. There might be a fabric scrap or a build up fluff in there that’s pulling on your bobbin thread.
2. Change out the bobbin. It might also be pulling on your thread.
3. Change out the needle.
4. Try different thread.
Give those steps a try and let us know what happens.
Sincerely,
Erin
I bought my Brother SE-400 last year and have loved it…but the last several times I have used it, my upper thread keeps breaking and sometimes it is being “skinned” by the metal piece labeled “6” just above the needle. For some reason, that metal thins out the thread, and the leftover thread is collecting above in just inside the machine. Any ideas? And my bobbin has been acting up too, with the thread bunching up underneath the fabric. Is it the thread?
Being new to sewing and embroidery, I am so excited that I have found your site! I really appreciate all the information that everyone has posted!
I am truly a beginner and decided to buy the Brother se400 to do primarily monogramming and appliques. But, I would love to learn how to sew cute little outfits for my kids eventually:) I did order the machine through Amazon.com and have taken the last couple of days to study the manual and various websites. This may be a silly/dumb question, but I haven’t read anything about choosing the color of the bobbin thread. Are you suppossed to always use the color you are sewing with as the bobbin thread color, or can you just use white since it doesn’t show?
Oh, also, how do you know what tension to use? Does it depend on the fabric? Is it trial and error? I am mostly going to be sewing on tshirts, burpies, bibs, etc.
I really appreciate any advice you can give:)
So glad you’re enjoying your new machine!
You do not need to use the same color thread for the bobbin as you are using for the top thread, at least for most projects. Buy some white, black, and maybe ecru colored bobbin embroidery threads and you can use those for most of your designs. Look for deals and buy in bulk and you can save money over time – just make sure it’s the right weight and is embroidery thread as specified in the manual.
Now, certain fabrics might be very delicate and some embroidery designs aren’t as dense and then your bottom thread might show through, in which case you’ll want to match colors or at last make sure to use a light bottom thread with a light colored top thread and a dark colored bottom thread with a dark colored top thread.
Tension works the same way. You may need to adjust your tension depending on the particular fabric and thread you are using. If you see your stitches pulling your fabric too tight or if they stitches are too loose, that’s a sign that you should adjust your tension.
In the end, it really is a bit of trial and error as you get to know how your machine responds to the fabric and thread you use with your projects. You know how when you have a first baby all you know is that they need to eat, sleep, and be cleaned but there’s no exact instructions that say this is precisely when you need to feed the baby and this is precisely when you need to change the diaper but over the course of a few weeks you get all those details figured out? That’s what it’s like getting to know how to work with any tension settings on your machine. There’s some general guidance….and then you’re going to start to pick up on clues about tension requirements the more you work with your sewing machine. 😉
Good luck and let us know if you need help with anything.
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks so much Erin for your advice! I have stiched out a couple of monograms and appliques and I think they look pretty good:)
I do have a couple of questions though:
1. I am having a really hard time centering and straightening my projects (shirt, burp cloth, etc.) in the hoop. That really has been my biggest struggle right now. Do you have any good tips?
2. I have downloaded the free trial of Sew What Pro and am loving it for appliques. But, I am have trouble figuring out how to align letters in name and/or monogram. For example, I am using a purchased font from 8 claws and paws. I figured out how to merge the letters and move them around in the grid, but am having trouble getting them evenly spaced. SWP users, what am I missing?
Thanks in advance for any/all tips!
lcs4711 –
It’s just too much fun, isn’t it!
Well, I am NOT the embroidery pro, but I’m an expert with the search engines. 😉 This article has some great tips for hooping your fabric when doing machine embroidery: Hooping Tips.
It gives a great idea for using double sided tape or for using a drawn 90 degree angle to help you keep things lined up. See if that doesn’t help you keep your fabric straight.
As for Sew What Pro, I don’t have any experience with that software. As far as I can tell from searching online, everyone suffers through manually trying to line up the letters. Somewhere it does mention gridlines. Are there actual gridlines you could use to help you with the spacing or do you have to eyeball it?
Someone else suggested trying Embird’s font engine tool. Embird is not free but you can get a 30 day trial – just not sure if the trial offers full functionality or not.
Sincerely,
Erin
I have a new se400 and have been looking for a site for support. I need to know how to transfer a design from my computer to the machine. Any help appreciated. Thanks.
Liz from SE Texas
Another thing I forgot. I’m having a hard time getting the quarter inch seam for my quilting. What is the solution for this? Thanks for your help.
Liz in SE Texas
I have another question. After embroidering how do you get the presser foot for straight sewing back on. I am very frustrated right now. Please help. Thanks.
Liz – You poor thing! Okay, to put the presser foot back on, raise the presser foot lever all the way. Position the sewing presser foot under the presser foot holder. Hold it in place and lower the presser foot lever. As the presser foot holder comes down, you want to line up a little cross pin into the slot in the top of the presser foot itself. This video might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpV5OvyBpco&feature=related
Let me know if that doesn’t help and I’ll find something else for you! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I kept working with it and finally got it back on. Like a dog with a bone. Have some more blocks to make. Thanks for the info. I will watch the video.
I have recently purchased a Brother SE 400 and it worked real well until lately. I am making blocks to make a quilt for my little grandson who has Downs. My problem is this. I did quite a few blocks in embrodiery and they did well. Lately, though the bobbin thread is pulling up to the top of the top thread. (Did I explain that right)? I have tried the tension and it still pulls up. I have cleaned out the bobbin and the entire bottom and rethreaded everything. I am at a loss! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!!! My husband went and gave me my anniversary/birthday present all together. We can’t afford a bigger more expensive one. Thank you for any help you can and be willing to give.
Grace
Grace – Chances are this is just something to do with the needle, the thread, or the bobbin. When you said you tried adjusting the tension, did you follow the instructions on Brother’s website? If not, give that a shot.
If that doesn’t work and you’ve already replaced the needle, try a completely different brand of thread. The SE400 can be a bit picky when it comes to thread, although since you had success until just recently I’m hoping it is just the bobbin case or needle. It’s been suggested that Sulky is one of the best to use with this machine.
Try the bobbin case adjustment, needle change, and thread and let me know what happens. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you so much! Still messing up. Heard on Tuesday that the SE400 is really touchy about what thread to use in the bobbin. So tried that again and it is messing up again this morning. Did change the needle. My husband is more patient than I am in dealing with these things and he is working on the machine now trying to get it to work. I still have over half a quilt to finish. Thanks for the information. Did go to the site you recommended and printed it off on the bobbin.
Donna
Donna – Glad your husband is able to help out. Hopefully between the bobbin adjustment and maybe a thread change, you can get back on track and get that quilt finished! Keep me posted, if you get a chance.
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks so much for the most complete review of this machine, which I’m about to order. However, I was wondering –
is there a quilting foot needed or available for this machine? Also, the other machine – the 7500 which is more for quilting
has a larger table attachment. Can this machine work with that larger table?
I never embroidered before, but it looks great. I will be quilting quite a bit; making pillows with this machine and
not sure which one is more suited. I realize the embroidery features would make this machine ideal… if it can also do
quilting well.
Thanks so much
Diane – Both machines will do quilting and pillows just fine but only the SE400 will do embroidery. 😉 It’s amazing what you can do with that, too!
The Brother SA125 1/4 Inch Quilting Foot
is compatible with this machine.
I don’t believe the extension table for the CP7500 will work with the SE400, however, you can order a custom acrylic extension table through AllBrands.com Sewing Machines
.
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you Erin for responding to me so quickly. Now I can make a decision about the SE400!
I love this website and so happy I discovered it through searching for machine comparisons. You are really serving a wonderful purpose by helping people find their way in a sea of information especially since you respond to questions and comments.
Much appreciation!
Ah, shucks! (blush) Thank you, Diane!
Erin, you’ve created an amazing site! Thank you and your commenters so much for all the information and links (especially the links!) to even more information and/or items to purchase. I received my Brother LB6800PRW yesterday but alas, I have to get thread before I can play around with it lol. Obviously, I did not read this review before I bought my machine otherwise I would have known to buy the thread first 😉
Thank you Trina for reminding me about freezer paper! Such an awesome product 🙂
Lately I’ve been into sewing bags (purses, pocketbooks) and clothes. I do change my needle after each project. I also follow the needle guide that came with my sewing machine and use needles appropriate for the fabric I’m sewing. Since I often repurpose stuff, my fabrics vary tremendously between projects (from silk to pleather) which pretty much forces me to change needles. Knock-on-wood, I haven’t had needle or thread problems and I really do attribute it to changing needles and using the correct needle for a project.
I think my needle changing habits will be a little less frequent with my new LB6800PRW because I won’t be sewing into straight pins (lol) and I’m thinking it may be less actual sewing per project as compared to making a garment or a bag. We’ll see…
I also use compressed air on the inerds of the machine after each project to remove the lint, and dog hair, and cat hair that accumulate.
Thanks again Erin & everyone for all the great comments and suggestions!
Ellen – So glad you found us even if it was too late to get the note about thread. Believe me, you wouldn’t be the first person to get their new sewing machine and then not have the sewing notions that help you get going (and I’m speaking from personal experience). 😉
Speaking of sewing into straight pins – you should meet Sean. He’s a great help on this site and also just starting out (although secretly I think he’s going to be a sewing superstar in no time). Between him and zippers and you and straight pins, it sounds like you could empathize with each other a great deal!
Thanks for the kind compliments and you just let us know if you need anything, k?
Sincerely,
Erin
Happy Mother’s Day to Everyone! 😉 Has anyone seen/used the MAGNA SNAP HOOP?? It uses powerful magnets to hold your fabric/stabilizer and lays completely FLAT – no more forcing your fabrics into an inner ring and thus scarring your project!! Seems to have a special adapter that attaches the frame to your embroidery arm. I need to know if it will fit the SE400?? It is quite pricey, so I really need to know it will fit my machine. Girls, this could end carpal tunnel forever!! lol
Donna – I can’t answer your question about the Magna Snap Hoop fitting the SE400 so I’m hoping someone else can jump in here but I’ll do some digging and let you know if I find anything definitive.
And Happy Mother’s Day to you, too, and all other mothers out there! {{HUGS for all MOMS}} 🙂
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin: I have a question about the thread cones? The se400 requires that you put the cones in vertical but someone gave me quite a few of the bigger commerical type ones that are half used but they are large and won’t fit. Is there such a thing as a thread stand or something I can attach to the machine so the cones can fit upright?
Thanks, Nancy
Oops erin – I said that wrong, my machine the spools lay horizontial and the big ones must go vertical… Sorry about that.
Nancy
Nancy – Yes, there are universal thread stands for large thread cones that won’t fit your machine. This one, the Superior Heavy-Duty Thread Stand just costs a few bucks and is weighted at the bottom to keep it from tipping while the thread is being pulled to the machine. Joann’s usually has some on hand, too, if you have one nearby. Just test it out slowly to make sure nothing is catching and your stitches aren’t pulling. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks – Erin, I’ll check out JoAnn’s…
Nancy
I am interested in purchasing the brother se400.. i have sewed but never embroidered. I want to embroider dog collars and leashes.. do you think this machine is capable of handling a material that thick? Also, do you think it is an issue with the 4×4 embroidery space if you are embroidering straight across? For example, dogs name straight across a collar.. usually 1 inch in height and maybe 12 or so inches in length. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Heather – the Brother SE400 will embroider through thick fabrics and it’s supposed to be able to handle thick dog collars and leashes but I’m not sure that it could hold up for long if you’re planning on doing a lot of them. If this is for a business you want to start, you might want something more robust but you’d have to spend three or four times the price. An option might be to use the SE400 to start with until such time as you could afford one of Brother’s commercial-type embroidery machines. You’d want to change the needle OFTEN and you probably wouldn’t want to leave the machine unattended in case one broke during the embroidery process.
The Brother SE400 comes with five built in fonts that aren’t limited to the 4×4 embroidery space. That might work for you in doing the dog collars. Otherwise, to use the embroidery function, you’d have to buy a font embroidery pattern and combine the letters to spell out a name. For any names longer than the 4 inch embroidery field, you’d have to manually reposition your material to line up the next 4 inches of letters or use a special software to help you break down the design into 4×4 sections.
Would you be doing just dog collars and leashes and how many do you think you’d be doing on a weekly basis?
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks for the advice! I just wanted to do a few for my own dogs to see if i could get the hang of it. I spend a lot of money on embroidery and figured I need to learn for myself! I’m going to ask for the machine for my birthday. Any recommendations on accessories? You seem to be the expert!!! I appreciate the quick response.
I am SO glad you asked this question, Heather, as it is *exactly* the question I have been trying to have answered!!!
I’m pretty sure this is the one I’m going to get, but had a question about the warranty. On here it says, “As of this date, Brother offers a 1 year warranty on parts and labor, a two year warranty on electronic pattern control and selection components (parts only), and a 25 year warranty on shafts and rods on the machine head” But everywhere (amazon, walmart, brother website) I look I see that it only says 25 years limited warranty. Have they changed it so that the 1 year on parts and labor and the 2 year warranty on electronics is no longer? Also do they view Costco as an authorized dealer? Thanks.
Laura – Costco is one of a number of authorized dealers for Brother so if you buy through them, you are protected by the warranty. Same with Amazon and Walmart. The description “25 year limited warranty” that you see on other sites is accurate – it’s just that I include a little detail about what the “limited” part means. The exact verbiage from Brother is: “The “Warranty Period” is one (1) year for parts and labor from the date you purchased this Product. Electronic pattern control and selection components will be provided free of charge for a period of two (2) years from date of purchase (replacement labor excluded). Head parts such as shafts, connecting rods, etc., are covered for a period of twenty-five (25) years from date of purchase with the exception of needles, light bulbs, belts, pulleys, motor, and replacement labor.”
You’re going to love this one! I’m just about to start a project for my mom and I know it would be that much cuter if I could embroider the sides but I’m going to have to settle for appliqueing a few flowers instead so I’m rather lamenting not having the SE400 myself at the moment. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I must have missed it….why do you not have an SE400 at the moment?!
Ha ha! I bought a Janome Mangolia 7330 before I realized I might really want to ever embroider anything. I love it but as it is, the poor thing has no space but the top of a dresser that doubles as a desk in my office. The SE400 wouldn’t stand a chance for any space of its own until I reorganize my entire house and reclaim some space from the kids. 😉
Hi Erin,
Thank you for all of your wonderful information. I am looking for an embroidery machine to make custom clothing labels for a small business I am starting. I like this machine because of the small hoop that will work well to embroider my labels. The machines I had looked at locally that would accept a small hoop were 5 times as much! Do you have any thoughts on this machine for my needs? It seems too good to be true…Or is there a better option? I am not experienced in embroidery so any comments you have would be appreciated! I was planning on creating the labels from satin ribbon. Thoughts? Thanks!
Loretta – The Brother SE400 is probably perfect for what you need. It’s by far the least expensive combination embroidery/sewing machine and really well rated by consumers. Not only would you have the embroidery capability but it’s a great sewing machine, too, with lots of stitches and features so it could act as a back up for you.
It’s pretty easy to get started with machine embroidery. With just a little practice, I bet you start to feel pretty comfortable the same day you unbox the machine. 😉 If you’re going to do just lettering for your label, just make sure the font sizes I mention in the review will work for you. Otherwise, you can buy/download other fonts that you can embroider with the machine. Then there are all the little designs you could use to embellish the labels OR you could get design software for use in creating your own embroidery patterns to customize your label and sew those customized designs with the SE400.
It really is a great machine with lots of functionality for a very low price and I think it would be great for the purpose you describe. Good luck with your business!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks Erin! I’ll let you know how it goes!
Have a great day!
I am thisclose to buying this machine, but I am interested in the free fonts that you can download. I have read in the messages that some people buy fonts from Etsy as well. Could you please share some of the free websites and the websites where you can buy single fonts?
Also, I have a Mac computer. Is the SE400 compatible? I am NOT technologically savvy, so I need it to be easy! 🙂
You totally rock. I am SO glad I stumbled across this site!
CAB – The SE400 is compatible with a Mac but it’s not pretty. The USB cord will attach and you can transfer designs from your Mac to your SE400 but you can’t really do anything but see a generic list of those designs. If you want to do more than that you’ll need embroidery software that’s compatible with your Mac to allow you to tweak those designs and files at all.
Fonts are harder to find for free but try this site: http://www.8clawsandapaw.com/. They offer some free designs, frequent freebies and specials, and even have the full set of Curlz font is only $2.95 right now. That’s a great deal!
I’m glad you found us, too! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi all,
While I am not new to sewing, I am new to Machine Embroidery. I just bought a new Brother SE-400 and so far I am loving it! I have made a few things already, but, I am having a tough time with 1 thing. I was wondering how I can get a space between two words such as Black Rose II. If I can get the II part right under the wording, I would be happy, but, after doing searches upon searches, I have not been able to find any real answer to this puzzling question. Any help/advice would be most welcomed =D
Sincerely,
Mary
Mary – If you’re using the sewing fonts and not an embroidery font, there is a space key so you can separate the words. It looks like the space key symbol on a keyboard. Like this “]” turned sideways. Although I think someone at one point used just the period symbol and ripped it out.
Let me know if that works or if you’re working with an embroidery font instead. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
Thanks for getting back to me =D I am thrilled that I came across your site! It has so much info on it =D I am using the embroidery fonts that came with my machine. I looked today, but, didn’t see anything that resembled what you mentioned.
I was also wondering if anyone could recommend a digitizing software that doesn’t cost a fortune. Being disabled and on a limited income, kinda limits me. My dad got me my machine for doing a lot to help him out while he is in rehab. My ultimate goal would be to have Black Rose II across the top, and then have our insignia right under the name, and then under that, have the title that the person holds, such as Captain. I portray a pirate at local Renaissance faire’s and am part of a ship’s crew. I thought it would be nice to make every one a shirt with our ships name, plus our insignia, and their crew position. I might be asking a lot from the machine I have, but, am willing to give it a try =D I am also working on a quilt for the Captain and it would be nice if I could have the same type of set up for the middle.
Hope you had a great weekend =D
Sincerely,
Mary
Mary – You just brought back such memories. One of the first things we did when we moved here to Phoenix was to go to our local Renaissance festival. We went for several years and then moved to the other side of the city and haven’t been since. I should really try to go again this year. My youngest has never seen one. They’re so much fun!
The SE400 can absolutely do what you describe. It’s going to be the digitizing piece that will be the tricky part and only because digitizing software costs a couple of hundred dollars. If you haunt eBay and Craig’s List, you might find a used copy for less. It sounds like the insignia is the piece you’d need to digitize, right? If it’s not overly complex, is it something you could free-embroider? You could use the sewing part of the machine, drop the feed dogs and sketch out a template to do a little free motion design. It might take more time, too, so if you have a lot of shirts it could take awhile but it’s less expensive.
Someone else might chime in here as there are a number of readers who have tested out different embroidery software with this machine.
Certainly sounds like a set of fun projects, either way!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hey Erin,
I have been doing Ren Faire’s now for 12 years and it never gets old =D Where else can you play dress up and escape the real world for a day =D You younger one would love it I bet! He/She can be a prince/princess for a day! The younger kids really love it and there is so much to do and see =D
I will keep my eyes open for a used copy if I can. Just not sure which would be the best to go with. I can afford 200.00, but, not over that as it is that will put a dent in my budget, but, well worth it. I could try free hand, but, my arms just aren’t what they used to be. The insignia isn’t to extreme, but, enough..it’s a black rose with two swords crossed under it. I really don’t want to pay someone to do it for me, as I would really like to do it myself if I can.
Do you know where I can find a manual or other aid that might tell me a bit more on how to possibly set it so I can have a slight curve to my lettering. The manual that came with my machine is a bit vague if you know what I mean. Or anyone else that follows your blog, it would be greatly appreciated =D
I really hope you can get back to the Faire! I am hoping to get to other Faire’s outside of the New England area one of these days! Would be nice to see different ones!
Thanks for all your help and I will keep you posted =D
Mary
Erin – I’m struggling with my Brother se400 embroidery machine as far as downloadiing designs from different websites that are zipped. Sometimes I can unzip them and other times not. Someone recently told me I need to purchase software that will unzip????? Help.
thanks, Nancy
I love my machine
Nancy – I’ve never heard of having to buy software to unzip files. There are several free utilities to do so and most computers come loaded with one such utility. I assume you’re downloading the files, finding them in your download directory, and then “extracting” the files to open the zip file? Are all of the embroidery designs that are giving you trouble coming from the same source?
Sincerely,
Erin
Hola Erin! I’ve read and re-read this entire post at least twice and I just wanted to give you a very sincere ‘Thank-You’ for creating this page! I was one of the many people who discovered your website through initially doing google research for a janome product…and now i’m definitely getting a brother 400! It will cost me more, since I’m in Canada – but totally worth it! Steve’s comments have been invaluable…I’m going to call Brother on Monday to find out if the Ped Basic unit filters out any more data than the Ped Light (read somewhere that Ped Basic formatted cards cannot be read by the Ped Light unit), and if either/both of these units filter out any more data over using a USB link from the computer. I realize that it may not make a huge difference since Brother has already admitted that their home machines are programmed with a limited ability to read format data, but hey every bit counts right?! I like knowing the limits of gadgets 😉 …and I like pushing the limits of what’s possible. I’m stoked to order my machine & thread & stuff today…sadly my bank account will take a substantial hit because I’m ordering a good supply of EVERYTHING at once – but hey maybe I can figure a way to turn this fun into profit! Pura Vida!
Melinda – Oh my! You read the whole page twice!?! This page has grown so long I hate to tell you the word count these days. 😉 I’m glad it was useful and Steve has absolutely been a huge help in all things related to this machine, embroidery, and embroidery software.
I do hope you find a way to turn your embroidery into profit and I think it’s highly possible, too. I’ve had people mention some of the most interesting things they make to sell. It can cost a lot to stock up supplies at first but you’ll get a good feel for the things that you use the most. Then you can keep your eyes open for deals on those items and buy in bulk when they’re on sale to cut your costs.
Thanks for commenting and enjoy your new machine and your great new hobby!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks for the props from both of you…Stitchn Steve is still out here in embroidery land. Lately, I have been doing baby onesies with names and designs. I have found that using a light stabilizer with some spray adhesive works great on those things.
Also people enjoy bird designs and logos. I guess from my inventor side of my brain where I have invented a one of kind camera bird feeder that you can view on your tv. I just love creating things with embroidery and inventing things now.
Just having fun!
Steve.
Anyhu…if you are interested or know someone who is a bird lover…check out my live video streaming site at:
http://justin.tv/birdsiviewcam
Now back to stitching….Steve.
Steve – that is so cool! I actually had that camera up for awhile, afraid I’d miss the birds if I switched windows. I forgot I had it on until I actually heard a bird sound and realized I still had the live stream up. Hopped over and there was a happy bird just sitting in the tray of the feeder cooing. This is such a neat idea. I’ve got to get one for my parents! (I also shared the link on my Facebook page.)
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin,
Just wondered if you could help me…I’m new to all this and have my eye on getting a Brother SE400. When I watched the demo video on youtube it looks like when using lettering the letters in a word are linked together with a fine thread between them. Is there a way of having writing, on a bib for example, without having the thread inbetween each letter? Or is it just the type of font that was used that made this happen? I hope I have explained that okay? 🙂
Vicki – There are two ways to sew words using the Brother SE400 and then several ways to do so where you wouldn’t have that connecting thread between the letters.
The first way to sew words is by using one of the letter fonts. The letter fonts are on the sewing side of the machine, not the embroidery side. You choose which letters you want to put together and then the machine sews them and it DOES leave a thread in between the letters. You can either trim those threads (and they make very pointy embroidery scissors meant to get up close to trim those threads) or you can choose to tell the machine to sew just one letter at a time and manually reposition your material in between sewing each letter.
The second way to sew words is by downloading an embroidery font and using the embroidery side of the machine. Most embroidery fonts count each letter as a single design so you can either embroider one letter at a time, again manually repositioning your material in between each letter or you can use an embroidery software to combine letters. You might still have to reposition your fabric if the combined letters exceed the 4×4 embroidery space but using the software might reduce the number of times you have to reposition your material.
A lot depends on the length of the phrase your sewing. If you’re just doing a three letter monogram on the bib, then I’d use either the sewing font and snip the threads or I’d use a really decorative embroidery font and repositioning the fabric just twice for the three letters wouldn’t be too bad.
You explained yourself just fine – hope I did the same! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I know you have heard this before! I have my eye on two brother machines: the PC-420 and the SE 400. I really like the PC-420 as a sewing machine but I am afraid to choose it incase I ever wanted to get into embroidery. My question is this: How does the sewing side of the SE 400 compare to the PC-420? Are they relatively the same or does the PC-420 make a better stitch? I know the PC-420 offers more stitches but is the quality relatively the same? I’m obviously looking for this machine to last for years and I just want to make the right decision. 🙂
Rebecca – The sewing side of the two machines performs the same and the quality of the stitches is identical. I’ve tested a number of Brother sewing machines in the under $200-500 price range and the stitch work is the same throughout. It may be the process they use in manufacturing but whatever it is, it works to provide consistency between the machines.
The stitch count is different but the SE400 makes up for it with the embroidery capability. The 294 built in stitches on the PC420 includes 165 font stitches. The Brother SE400 has five fonts instead of one and those stitches aren’t being counted in their built in number. Both machines have the same core 67 built in stitches and then the PC420 has another 62 decorative, satin, and cross stitches that the SE400 doesn’t have. However, some of those stitches can be accomplished through embroidery patterns.
Another difference is the feed dog. The SE400 has a seven point feed dog vs. the six point feed dog on the PC420.
The final difference is the My Custom Stitch feature on the PC420 which does not come on the SE400. If you have a need for creating your own stitches, this feature might have more value to you than being able to download embroidery patterns.
I probably gave you more here than you asked for originally. 😉 In a nutshell, the stitch quality is the same and the differences have more to do with the way you sew and the projects you’re going to create.
Hopefully that gives you some guidance.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi,
I have learned so much from this very long string of comments, and based on your review and the subsequent comments, I ordered my new Brother SE400, some thread and stabilizer, and it should be here today! Anyway, I am an extreme beginner sewer, so I know that I will be mostly studying the manual and everything for a week or so, but I did have a question. I am just wondering what kind of software I should buy – I am not interested in digitizing. I mainly want to do some monogramming and small baby designs. I have already purchased some premade designs, and will want to make some designs where I can do some stacked monograms with a picture and that sort of thing. Any suggestions? I have read a little about Embird and Sew What Pro. I like the price point of Sew What Pro, but read a review that said fonts were a little hard to stitch out, and since that is mainly what I am interested in, I wasn’t sure if that was the way to go.
Thanks so much, and thanks to everyone who has left their helpful comments!
Connie
Connie – You could stack the embroidery work manually if there was no overlap between the designs. This would come down to manual repositioning of the fabric between patterns. I haven’t combined designs myself so I’m hoping one of the other readers will step in with some suggestions for you.
Hope you’re enjoying your new machine!
Sincerely,
Erin
Oh my, I have spent several hours reading all of this as I too am considering getting this embroidery machine. I want to make sure I understand this correctly. I want to embroider small items like burp clothes and bibs. I would be doing names and monograms. In order to do a full name in a font I bought from a website, I would need a software program to do that. I would be able to lay out that name and then ‘save’ it into one file. Then when I put that file onto the machine, it would embroider that full name at one time without me having to manually reposition after each letter. I could do the name without the software, but then I would have to manually move the burp cloth after each letter hoping to get them lined up straight? Am I correct in this thinking? I’m this close to ordering this machine and I was okay with spending $400 for the machine but now I’m seeing closer to $550 with the machine and software. I’m considering the Embrillance Essentials software.
Thanks again for all of your knowledge. I have learned A TON about this machine.
Olivia – You’ve got it. To use any of the EMBROIDERY fonts to do more than a letter, you’d need the software do combine them or you would have to manually reposition your material. Otherwise, you could use the SEWING fonts and do the letters together but they’re not as fancy as the embroidery fonts you can buy.
There is a lot of information on this page. It’s like the big book of SE400. 😉 Glad it helped clarify things for you!
Sincerely,
Erin
I would think that the Brother optional embroidery fonts sold on memory cards would be used just like the internal fonts, ie. linked together into a single ‘object’.
Olivia – when I bought my se400 I also purchased the Brother PEdesign Lite software from Amazon and I love that.
nancy
I just purchased the Brother Sa434 Embroidery Hoop that has a 4″ X 6 3/4″ design area!! Now my SE400 is not limited to 4″ X 4″ designs!! I can either use larger 4″ X 6 3/4″ designs or combine smaller designs and don’t have to re-hoop!! WOOHOO!! Get yours at Amazon.com for only $34.00 and FREE shipping!! Sorry to be so short, but I have lots of embroidering to do!! lol
On the amazon website it doesn’t say it can be used on the se400 – Does it work on there? I have a se400 and just love it and would purchase this if it works on there?
Thanks Nancy
Donna – LOL! Now there’s a girl who’s excited about her embroidery! Glad that bigger hoop is going to work out for you. See Nancy’s comment above (below..? where am I?!). Let her know if it helps you re-hoop less.
Hope you got a lot done and get a chance to come up for air periodically! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin – I was just told by a Brother dealer that just because the hoop such as the sa434 is a bigger size such as 4×6 3/4″ doesn’t mean that if your machine sews a 4×4 design that it will work. What are your thoughts on this one?
Nancy
Nancy – I hate to tell you she’s right since, but she’s right. The bigger hoops on the SE400 are only beneficial in that you won’t have to re-hoop as often but it won’t help the SE400 embroider any more than the original 4×4 field at a time. The machine is programmed to only sew within the fixed 4×4 field and nothing will change that. The same goes with other embroidery machines. It’s like built in stitches on a regular sewing machine – you can’t change them later. :O
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks Erin –
Darn it!! lol I see what you mean – have not tried larger design, but fully understand that the SE400 will ONLY do a 4×4 – the embroidery ‘arm’ can only ‘dance’ in a 4×4 square. BUT, at least I can combine designs and not have to rehoop. Still worth the $34! My only problem now is that I am in love with the Quattro 6000D because of the InnovEye function – the little ‘snowman’ design positioning function. But, I don’t have $5000-9000 to buy it, so in my dreams it will have to stay! (one on ebay for $5000!!)
Hello all and happy summer to everyone…good thing our sewing machines don’t give off lots of heat b/c my AC is humming big time here in Tampa. I have been doing a lot of baby items like onesies and boys and girls shirts/dresses. I really have been pushing this machine a lot to its limits to see where it faults when it comes to embroidery.
I am currently trying to embroider small letters like .25 of an inch or smaller. Now I know it is possible to do this but there are a lot of factors that need to be considered when embroidering small letters. This is what I have learned so far with use on the SE400.
1. 65/9 sharp/ball needle a must smaller needle smaller letters.
2. 60wt thread to match the smaller needle.
3. Very simple font style like block in order to give the small letters max coverage.
4. Pull Compensation – This is a feature in embroidery software that allows for small spaces within the stitches and needle.
5. Stabilizer type, thickness and fabric type also need to be taken into consideration.
So far I am seeing that it can be done but with some practice. I wish it was plug and play but it isn’t. If anyone can add to this please do in order to help us all out.
Erin – I’m having a problem winding bobbins on my se400 – The other day I did about 8 and today nothing works. Any ideas.
Thanks Nancy
Nancy – That’s odd! You didn’t change bobbins, did you? Thread? Is everything the same as the 8 you wound without a problem? If something changed, go back and use the same bobbin or thread and see if it works that way, just isn’t working with the new bobbin or thread. If nothing changed, then watch closely as you push the spindle over while getting ready to load the bobbin. Is it snapping into place properly?
Let me know!
Thanks,
Erin
Nope Erin – did everything the same – just can’t figure it out. I’ve tried so many different things and can’t get it to work. Took everything apart, cleaned it good. Took the machine off of embroidery and onto regular sewing and still nothing works…
Nancy
I am so glad I found all of this information! My problem is that I want to add our new church logo onto polos and caps. I was told I could get a Singer machine for under $1000 that would do the job. However, when I went to the store, the dealer said he won’t carry that embroidery machine as they constantly need repair. I have gone to many sewing machine stores and searched all day, and have given up hope on finding a machine that was within my budget. My question: Will I be able to take our new logo from a computer and embroider it to shirts and baseball hats with the Brother SE400? It is a simple design, but the font is one that the designer created. If anyone has thoughts I would love your input on which machine/software etc to buy. (Regaining a flicker of hope!) Thank you so much!
Hi Lynn! I have been looking into buying a machine and doing my own monogramming for a while now because of my children and my boutique (I pay someone else to do it for my customers) and found that the SE-400 is by far the best machine for the price but you would have to have the designer or a digitizer change the format to a .pes or .dst in order for the this machine to read it and in turn enbroider it. I had to do with my business logo.
Hope that helps.
Guess what Erin – today it worked – I’m so confused and not sure what’s going on but I just wound 8 bobbins without a problem…
Nancy
Anyone else out there ever have this problem?
I have a problem with it not winding the embroidery bobbin thread EVENLY. It starts going up & down properly till about 1/3 full, then it gets uneven. Then near the end of the full bobbin it gets wavy at the top and bottom and doubles back on itself – hope that makes sense. So, consequently, I only fill my emb. thread bobbins about 1/2 full. Would it pay to purchase the SideWinder Bobbin thingy? – Sure hate to spend more $, but ya gotta have properly wound bobbins. Any comments welcomed! 😉
I have had the same problem with my machine. It winds the regular thread just fine but the embroidery thread looks like something my daughter would hand and say “Here mommy, I helped!” and wound it herself. I unfortunately use my old stand by LS-1217 for my bobbins. i guess it is a good thing that I still have it.
Nancy – I think electronic devices must periodically mess with their owner’s minds in order to exercise some degree of individuality and superiority. 😉 Hope it never acts up again!
Sincerely,
Erin
I am considering buying this machine (and live in Australia) I know I will need a step down converter, power here is 240V not 110V. I have been trying to find out the Hz of this machine. It would be either 50Hz or 60Hz. Could someone who owns the machine have a look on the information that is usually printed on the side of the machine near the power plug?
Thanks. I really want this machine and a similar Brother Machine retails for about $1,000.00 in Australia.
Just looked at the plate on back of my SE400 and it states 60Hz. Good Luck – I know you will love it!
Donna – Thank you for helping Andrea!!!
Sadly I think the machine won’t work here as our power (for motor timing) is at 50Hz. Some appliances are built with tolerances so work 50-60Hz.
Looks like I need to save up for the more than double the price to buy it here in Oz.
Thanks so much for helping though!
I too live in Oz and would like to purchase the SA400, my husband has been doing some research and wondered if it is possible to get the power supply replaced locally having bought the machine from the US. Any ideas?
Whether you can use as US machine in OZ depends on the internals of the power supply of the SE400. Many modern electronic devices can convert 110-240VAC 50-60Hz into one or more DC voltage(s) that are used internally. Case in point my Brother laser printer uses 100-120VAC 50-60Hz. I could use a simple inexpensive voltage transformer to convert 240 to 110 VAC to use it in OZ. Devices that rely on the frequency ( 50 or 60 Hz) for internal timing need a slightly more expensive solution. A device that takes 240VAC 50HZ and would out 110VAC 60Hz. This is easily done by using two devices. One to convert your 240VAC 50HZ to 12 VDC and a second device to convert the 12 VDC to 110 VAC 60HZ. Depending on the the power (wattage) that the SE400 requires, you could cobble together a converter like this for under $100.
cheers,
Rick
(Retired electrical engineer)
Hi Erin,
My Joann’s Fabric flyer shows Sulky thread 40% off starting July 31!
Lynn – Thanks for the tip! Everyone stock up (think HOLIDAY EMBROIDERY PROJECTS)!
Sincerely,
Erin
I have had the SE400 since about March of this year. Overall I am happy! I have been having a lot if issues with knit fabrics. I have ruined so many projects after the stitches get messed up, the fabric puckers and stretches, etc. I have been using tear away interface (2 sheets) and sometimes the project turns out fine sometimes it is a disaster!! I then tried embroidering on canvas tonight and my bobbin thread kept pulling up to the surface. I tried 3 different needles and 3 types of interface with the same result!! I have researched interface for knits but I haven’t found a good solution. I am really hoping you all can help me! I am so frustrated!!!
Ashley,
There is a bobbin tension adjustment on the Se400. Perhaps that might help.
I would also very carefully check the top thread threading path and make sure its correct.
I think you are right. I must have been threading my machine too fast! Always good to re-read the manual now and again;-)
Ashley – So sorry you’re having an issue with the knit fabrics. Someone hear had mentioned using freezer paper instead of regular stabilizer just for regular embroidery and I wonder if you want to give it a try with your knits? Also, I found some recommendations online for stabilizing the top and bottom of knits to keep them from slipping, moving or bunching while in the hoop. I haven’t tried that myself and would suggest you use a practice piece of material before you commit to such a strategy.
Anyone else have any suggestions for Ashley?
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks for the help Rick, much appreciated.
My pleasure Helen. I hope to have my SE400 on order in a day or two. Looks like a terrific machine! Hope you can get yours at a reasonable price.
Rick
Well my SE400 is on its way. Will be delivered Friday. It’s going to be an interesting weekend.
I’d like to thank Erin for the wonderful web site and all the great posters here who have helped me tremendously with my decision to purchase the SE400.
Rick! I’ve been horribly absent this week (family was in town and I’m in the middle of another project) but I’ve seen the posts from you as they’ve come through my email and you’ve been SO incredibly helpful!! I couldn’t let another minute go by without telling you that. 😉 Be sure to come back and let us know how much fun you’re having this weekend!
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin,
I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful web site and review of the SE-400. I’ve had my machine for a couple weeks now (notice I haven’t been around 😉 ) and I’m very pleased with it. I did manage to break the auto-threader mechanism but it was entirely my clumsiness at fault. I called Brother and they sent me a exploded parts view of the machine so i could confirm the part I broke. I ordered the part and I had it in just a couple days. I actually found a video on the web that showed how to replace the part. I’ve included the link in this post for everyone’s benefit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsF9a6oSX44
Fixing the auto-threader took all of 15 seconds. 😉 I’m very impressed with Brother’s customer service.
I’ve been testing several different embroidery programs but haven’t decided which one to purchase. Embird seems to be the front runner but I don’t like the way they ‘nickel and dime’ you with the ‘extras’. 😉
The SE-400 is a great machine.
Hi Erin,
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of our questions! I have the SE 400 and I love it! This thread has been so helpful! I am new to seweing and am trying to embrioder and applique children’s items for my 9 month old son. Could you tell me what software is compatible with transferring PES files from a MAC to the SE 400? I’ve tried Stitchbuddy…are there others? Preferably one that allows you to edit the digitized image before exporting it to your machine…
Thanks again!! 🙂
Danielle –
I bought PE Design Lite and love it. But I have an HP with windows 7
Hope you will enjoy your machine as much as I do. I think I sew or embroider almost every day.
Nancy
Danielle – You can transfer designs from a MAC to the Brother SE400 through the provided USB cord. The MAC will see the attached SE400 as an unknown device but you can still transfer files. You won’t be able to see the design images or edit them on the MAC, however, unless you get embroidery software that is compatible with a MAC. There are a few available but I think this one allows you to do some editing: Embrilliance Essentials.
Hope that helps!
Sincerely,
Erin
I was told by a fellow monogrammer that there is an accessory for Brother machines that lets you use/hang multiple threads so that all you have to do is thread them when ready instead of having to remove one and put the next on but have not been able to find this. Anyone know whether this is true or not and where to find one if it is true.
BTW – Erin this is the most fabulous site I have found for information on the SE400. Thanks so much for putting it together!
Something like this Staci …
Brother SA539 Thread Stand
Here’s the free standing unit Staci …
Thread Stand
Rick
Thanks so much that is what I am looking for.
I am just curious about what size/type needle you all use when embroidering in knit/jersey/stretch fabrics. Also what brand and weight stabilizer do you use with your knit/jersey/stretch fabrics?
Now that I have been sewing up a little inventory for my little business, I realize I need LABELS for my items! Has anyone successfully created personalized labels on their SE400? Looks like it would be quite easy on satin ribbon, but the sizing is challenging – for me, at least. ;P I realize I will need to play with the stitch concentration and possibly use a finer needle – mind boggling, to say the least. (And buying custom-made is expensive. Any suggestions?? Maybe I just resort to using fabric paint-pens on ribbon??
I think I understand this, but if anyone could clarify my gray areas, I would appreciate it. I have always wanted an excuse to buy an embroidery machine and I recently have a chance if I can get one for a decent price (under $800). I am looking for on that I can take my jpg files (or other graphic files) and convert them into PES? format so that I can take me already designed logos and put them on polo shirts, hats, lanyards. ect. If I understand correctly, the se400 will do this for me. It comes with software for my PC from brother to change from a graphic file to PES format, then download it via the USB cable, then start embroidering. please correct me if I am incorrect in my thinking. I am a computer guy and have never done much sewing, save my old fashion, none computerized machine. how many colors can a logo be? is it limited to the number of times im willing to change the thread?
Pete – (a name that’s near and dear to my heart, btw – it’s a family name!)
The Brother SE400 can accept files PES files that have been created from your own work HOWEVER the SE400 itself does not handle the process that actually transforms the files. That must be done with special embroidery software. This software does not come with the SE400. The software that comes with the SE400 only works with your Windows based computer so that you can view and organize your designs on your computer’s hard drive. To embroider your own designs you’d need to buy an embroidery machine, like the SE400, AND an embroidery software program that includes digitizing functionality. Brother offers several versions of this software, each one with more functionality (and more expensive) than the next. The most basic of their digitizing software is PE Design Lite but I think the more recent versions are only available at your local Brother retailer. Plan on spending $200-300 for just that software.
I’m not sure what the color limitations might be but in looking at some of the finished products on the Brother’s website, you can do quite a good number of colors in a single design.
I’m rather more techie than I am crafty and I manage to sew with very little problem (ok…there’s some minor user error but I swore I wouldn’t talk about that…). Seriously, though, your technical background will be a big help in using the machine. It’s very user friendly and the manual is easy to understand. You can always practice on material ahead of time so you can’t really mess up to badly.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin! I purchased my machine factory refurbished about a month ago and I don’t seem to have gotten a CD that has any kind of software on it for the machine. I have an instructional CD but that is it. Do you happen to know if this is the same CD or am I missing one? I am also missing my embroidery foot so I am thinking that maybe this got left out as well.
Staci – You should be able to download the software for your machine here. If you click first on the box to the upper right that says “What’s New” and follow the link for an explanation of the update, you’ll find a set of instructions for checking to see if the software is perhaps already loaded on your machine.
Let me know if that doesn’t fix the problem and I’ll see what else I can find. 😉
Good luck! I think you’ll be thrilled with what this machine can do.
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks Erin! I only had the 1.0 software. I am using monogram wizard with the machine and I love all the thing that I can do!
I just purchased the Brother SE400, mainly for embroidery and potentially starting a home business or to increase my Etsy shop sales. I’m not very advanced in the computer aspects of buying designs online and having to unzip pes files and then how to open them in an embroidery software program. Can someone help me or direct me to a tutorial or something, using baby steps, on how to get the most out of my machine. I know this machine will do so much more for me, if I could just figure things out
Here’s a page from the Brother FAQ pages for starters.
Sorry that link above was so long it didn’t make it …
Follow this link …
http://www.brother-usa.com/faqs/default.aspx
Then select the “Home Sewing and Embroidery” for the Product Group and “SE-400” for your model. Then enter “USB” in the keyword section. You will then be presented with 2 links with information on using the SE-400 USB connection with your computer.
Depending on your computer operating system you should be able to just double click a .ZIP file to UNZIP the contents to a .PES embroidery file that can be transferred to your SE-400 over the USB connection.
The basic steps are …
1. Download PES file
2. If PES file is in ZIP format, UNZIP it first
3. Connect SE-400 to your computer with USB cable
4. Your SE-400 will now appear as a “removable drive” on your computer
5. Transfer PES file from your computer to the “removeable drive”, i.e. your SE-400
6. Press the USB symbol on your SE-400 to access the PES file
I’m in the exact same boat as you are! Did you download a program to unzip your files? i know theres a few free ones but I’m not sure which one is best. Also, did you find a embroidery software program or was the link Erin recommended to change the size, etc. work just as well?
Hi Guys,
I just Bought the SE400 and I love it!
However since I’m a rookie I am having trouble adding a space between words when i use it. Do i have to run the machine for every word i write or is there a way to write the whole thing just once and let it run? Like for example if I am writing a first and last name: (ex:Elvis Presley)
Thanks Guys!
Press the _ key for a space
I have been using my SE400 with Monogram Wizard for about a week now and haven’t had any problems until today.
I went into Monogram Wizard and designed a monogram saying “Austin” and saved it in a .pes format like always. I then went in and copied it and then pasted it into the removable file for the machine as usual. I went to the machine to upload it and it pulls the screen and tells me it’s there but it’s not. The screen doesn’t show anything but the amount of KB in the upper left corner, the little pocket w/up arrow and P1/P1. Have deleted it from the removable file and recopied it and I even deleted the whole file and recreated it.
Any ideas anyone???
Any chance the design is larger than 3.94″ x 3.94″ (or 10cm x 10cm) ? I had this happen to me once and i think the design was too big.
Hey!
I am brand new to the sewing/embroidery world, and I am highly considering purchasing the Brother SE400. I am interested in doing applique/embroidery mainly for infant/children t-shirts and maybe other small projects. Do you think this would be the right machine for me?? Thanks for any input!
Excellent little machine – go for it, you’ll love it. I bought mine almost a year ago and made hundreds of things and just love the performance.
Nancy
I agree with Nancy. Excellent machine. I’ve had mine a couple months now and it has performed flawlessly. I like the ease of switching between embroidery and sewing modes. The drop in bobbin is great! (Not like the fiddly Singer this machine replaced) The transparent bobbin cover makes it easy to see how much bobbin thread is remaining and the machine will stop and alert you when it runs out.
I’ve done a several custom embroidery designs from scratch on my desktop computer using CorelDraw for the artwork and Embird to digitize and convert to the Brother PES file. Works a charm!!!
If you can work with the 4×4 inch embroidery area limit you’re good to go.
Rick
I was just wondering I can add a logo to the se400 that my husband has designed for his business so we can add it to t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, etc. This would be my first embroidery machine. I have a basic Kenmore sewing machine that here recently has been having a bit of problems so I was wanting to find something that I could do basic sewing projects bu also help my husbands business and add his logo to clothing. If the se400 can’t do this what would be a good machine that would be able to meet all my needs?
Thanks
Sara
The second tier of embroidery packages, the one mentioned above PE Design Lite will let you digitize your own artwork, including his logo. 😀
Hope this helps.
Melle
Hello! I’m not sure if you’ll still responding about this machine, but I see you show that cap/hat hoop works on the se-400. Well I can’t find anymore info that it is compatable with this machine. I would very much like to be able to do baseball caps! If you answered this already I apologize I went through many comments and didn’t find anything.
i have almost decided to purchase a se400 but need to verify two things. can you help? 1) what is the height of the “large” font letters. i’ve read online everything from 1″ to 3″. what is correct? 2) i will need to embroider numbers as well as letters but can’t seem to tell if numbers are built in on the machine. if not, do you know where i can locate a download for them? 3) and last: while looking online for alphabet and number options, i noticed there are cd’s and some type of reader box options. Is there a way the se-400 uses the designs on these medias? Thanks for your help.
Leeann,
1. I just checked the “M” in the decorative monogramming font at LARGE size and it is 31 x 46 mm or about 1 1/4″ high by 1.8″ wide. If you use the sizing controls it can be enlarged further to 38mm x 55mm or about 1 1/2″ high by 2 1/8″ wide. You could only do one letter at a time at this size. The minimum size for the M at the SMALLL setting is 28mm high by 42mm wide.
2. There are no numbers in the large decorative monogramming font, but there are numbers, punctuation and foreign characters in the 6 other built in fonts. I just checked and the M in the built in script font can be sized from 12mm by 17mm to 53mm by 76mm. That’s over a 4 to 1 ratio.
3. You can upload Brother .PES and Tajima .DST files to the SE400. I have purchased font characters for monogramming from cutealphabets dot com in the PES format and they work fine with the SE400. As long as your CD’s have PES or DST formats and the design fits in the 3.94 x 3.94 inch working area you’ll be fine.
Leeann,
See pages 13,14 & 19 of this manual for information on SE-400 built in fonts…
Rick — thanks so much for your reply. I apprecite it!
Leeann,
I cobbled up a quick sampler showing the smallest and largest lettering with the built in fonts. Just did it straight onto
some stabilizer so it’s not the neatest, but you can get an idea of the size range.
http://www.rickster.org/sample.jpg
Hey Rick…I just got the SE400 for Christmas, and have only played around for a few days. Can’t seem to get the font to be very big. Can you give me an idea on how you got the M in the above mentioned picture, so large?? Thanks for any help!! 🙂
…make that three things … 🙂
Hello everyone! This is the second time I have posted this, I dont know why it was removed?? I am a newbie and am making baby wrap carriers out of stretchy cotton/spandex fabric that is 60 inches wide by so long. I will be using my dad’s calk line (long string with colored powder on it) to “snap” two straight dividing lines down the length of fabric to make three wraps. I will need to cut down the lines and hemm all the way around each piece of fabric. Will this machine be able to cut and hem at the same time down the dividing lines and then stop cutting yet still hem around the other three sides of each wrap? I will also need to embroider the name of my future website and a picture of a self-drawn monkey at the center of each wrap. I plan on buying the SE400, the LITE software, and some good thread. Will I need a special foot, needles, or any other accessories to be able to do this? Thank you soo much for your feedback, insight, and help!
Sunny – It wasn’t removed. 😉 I’ve just been so wrapped up in another project that I’ve barely made it into the site to moderate the comments. I do see them come through my email and try to pop in to get them approved but hadn’t made it over after you posted. Didn’t want you to think it was personal! Your first comment was still sitting behind the scenes waiting for me. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Erin
I apologise Erin, I recently had a bad experience elsewhere of trying to get some answers to something totally unrelated to sewing (e-cigarettes)and was completely given the brush-off because I had mentioned a brand that they were not affiliated with. When I checked back later and didn’t see my post, I panic-ed! Again, I apologise for my double post. I do understand where you are coming from and I look forward to your feedback on what I will need to buy to make my sewing project easier! Happy sewing!
You will need to purchase the optional Side Cutter presser foot ‘S’ Brother part number SA177 to cut and overcast the fabric’s edge.
Thank you, Rick! I checked it out and now have it in my Amazon wish list. Any ideas on what embroidery thread weight and brands work best(low problems)?
I’ve been using 40 wt 100% polyester with no issues – no broken threads at all. I bought a bunch of mini spools from a commercial embroidery house in Texas … metroemb dot com … They’ve got 116 colors available. Will be ordering some 5500 yd big spools from them next week.
Hi,
I just got my new HE 240 last week… when switching on the machine, it makes a loud sound as soon as the lcd display loads. Is this normal?
I also find that there is a loud sound when using the scissor button.
Thanks,
Fatim
It’s normal. 😉
HOLA ME GUSTARIA CONTACTARME CON ALGUIEN, ME REGALARON LA BROTHER SE 400 Y ME RESULTA DIFICIL , LA NECESITO PARA TRABAJAR, HAY ALGUIEN QUE DE UN CURSO O ALGO PARECIDO ‘??? GRACIAS
¿Tiene tanto de los manuales de usuario? Hay un sitio web en español aquí …
http://www.brother-usa.com/homesewing/Spanish/
buena suerte,
Rick
Los manuales de español están aquí …
Spanish manual
y
Quick Set Up
y
User Manual
I have had my Brother se 400 for a little while now and i use the digitizing program. I have been having difficulties today with my machine. It has a-lot of thread on the back of the fabric when I embroider and it says check and rethread upper thread. I makes a horrible clicking noise as if the bobbin is going to jump out of the machine! What do I need to do????
Things I would do are … check the bobbin area for lint and clean if necessary, check bobbin tension, check upper thread path, check upper thread tension, replace needle with new one. Be careful that you do not have too many layers of embroidery and the stitch density is not too high.
good luck,
Rick
Due to the advice here I have just ordered this machine for my daughter for Christmas! Look for many, many questions to follow.
Your daughter will be thrilled! I assure you there are a number of wonderful people here who can help with those questions. Looking forward to them!
Happy (early) holidays!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi! I found this site googling for more information about the SE-400 after selling myself on it earlier. I’m really interested in knowing how folks who have had the machine for a year or so are still feeling about it? This will be my first sewing maching ever and I’m managed to get *sew* excited I could almost cry! (I was the kid who got kicked out of home ec and moved into yearbook staff after what I did to the sewing machines in class…) I’ll be starting with lessons at a local shop, but this is a pretty big investment for me and I don’t want to spend nearly $400 on a machine I won’t be happy with or will give me common errors right away. (if that makes sense…)
Thanks for the input!
Melle
Melle,
I’ve only had my SE400 for a few months now but I couldn’t be happier. Brother did an excellent job in designing it. (I’m speaking as a retired engineer) I think you will find it very easy to use with the very well written user manual at your side. I’m a computer geek so I found the task of creating new embroidery designs and loading them into the SE400 a breeze. If you go to the Amazon dot com web site and search for SE400 you will find it garnered a 4.5 out of 5 star rating with 101 reviewers.
By the way, failing to fully seat the needle WILL cause broken needles on this and any other machine. A user induced problem that a couple of the reviewers probably had. 😉
I bought this machine last month I use it almost 24 hours a day for the price you cannot find like this machine that does everything at this price range the only thing I don’t like that it has limited hoop 4by4 inches so I bought a kit from amazon that contains 6/4 inches so for bigger designs just move the hoop so you don’t have to unhoop your fabric it is an awesome machine you can start embroidery once you open the box good luck.
I have had my brother se400 for almost a year now…it is still under warranty. I love it & use it ALOT. I haven’t made time to try out the embroidery part yet…I am a bit intimidated. I just got my machine back from the shop…it froze up & the screen displayed “Safety Device Activated”. The repair guy said that it was out of timing & that it was probably user error…? I have been sewing for over 30 years & I didn’t do anything that I wouldn’t have done to my old machine. I still have about a month to decide if I want to trade it in for an upgrade. Has anyone else had this problem?
Thank you,
Heather
I just had it happen to me for the first time and it was entirely my fault. I forgot to change the foot from the overcast to the zig-zag and the needle came down on the little metal widget in the foot that controls the overcast stitch. The machine immediately stopped (thank god) and gave me the Safety Device Activated message. I removed the offending foot and pressed the LCD screen prompt to clear the error. Then promptly replaced the needle. 😉 Thank goodness for sewing machines with smarts in them that can help us recover from doing silly things. 😉
I’ve been sewing now for several hours and everything is just fine.
Heather – **edited to remove question to others as I just realized Rick responded**
Nice to know that you love it, though – it’s such a great bargain and very hard to get the same performance for anything less than twice the price of this model. Let us know what you decide and what you get if you choose a new machine. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Here’s a tip. I find the single LED light on the SE400 to be just ‘adequate’. I would prefer to have a little better lighting of the work area and to have lighting when the machine is turned off while changing feet, changing the needle, etc. This morning I remembered I had this nifty battery operated LED book light that was stored away unused, so I got it out and found it clips on to the SE400 handle just fine. It has a 10-12″ goose-neck with TWO! LED’s on the end that can be turned on with either 1 or 2 LEDs lit. With both LEDs on my work area is awash with bright light. The manufacturer of my light is “Mighty Bright”. I just checked on AMAZON and found they sell a dual goose-neck light with 4 LEDs from the same manufacturer for about $20. I’m ordering one!
Do a search on AMAZON for “Mighty Bright Duet2 L.E.D.” Another cool feature of this brand is that you can attach an optional AC power supply to save on batteries.
cheers,
Rick
Forgot to mention my single goose-neck is the “Mighty Bright Blue Xtraflex 2 LED Book Light” and is AMAZON for about $12.
cheers,
Rick
Rick – Great tip! That dual neck clamp light looks like it would serve many purposes. Adding my list of things needed for my sewing space. 😉
Thanks!
Erin
Hi Erin..I have a question. I am looking into the software pe design lite and I can’t find it on the brother website…is it the equivalant of pe design plus or pe design next? I am wanting to be able to convert an image off the internet and make it into an embroidery design..what do I need for that? Thanks.
From what I’ve read I would say PE Design LITE would be positioned between PE Design Basic and PE Design Plus.
Thanks Rick…so why isn’t this program on the brother website? I’m trying to figure out what the difference is..so would the pe lite be able to take an image off the computer and digitize it for me? I am doing a mario themed room for my son and embroidering curtains for him and he is wanting a picture of rex…see link
www(dot)mario(dot)wikia(dot)com/wiki/Rex
I need something that will take that picture and turn it into an embroidery pattern. Thanks again!
also, Erin..from the info I can see online it is saying photo stitch is NOT available with pe design lite but in your review you say you can convert photos. Help please 🙂 I need the right info..thanks!
Krisi,
I did find the info on the Brother web site, but I had to do a Google search to find the link. Do a Google search for ‘brother pe design lite’ and the Brother web site link will be on the first page of search results.
I’m not sure what formats are required by the Brother software for conversion, but I can tell you the process using Embird. I first use Corel Draw to convert the jpg image into a vector format, then I can import the vector into Imbird and clean up the design before creating a PES file for My Brother SE400.
Krisi,
Looks like PE Design Lite will digitize a jpg image file. I found the user manual and have put it on my personal server for download if you would like to have it. You can find it here rickster(dot)org/pedl(dot)pdf
Rick, thanks again. I tried downloading it and it only lets me do the first few pages then it says there is an error. Do you know if this will digitize photos as well? In Erins description it says it will but on the product info I can find it either doesn’t mention the photo stitch (like pe design plus has) or it even specifically says (in the user who’s selling it description..not brothers) that it excludes photo scanning..
Krisi,
In reading the manual it appears the program can digitize clip-art style imagery i.e. images with solid colors, no gradations, so I would say it does not to “photo-stitch”. here is what the user manual says …
“Different types of clip art can be imported into PEDESIGN Lite to create embroidery patterns. There are many different types of files that can be imported:
Windows bitmap (.bmp)
Exif (.tif, .jpg)
ZSoftPCX (.pcx)
Windows Meta File (.wmf)
Portable Network Graphics (.png)
Encapsulated PostScript (.eps)
Kodak PhotoCD (.pcd)
FlashPix (.fpx)
JPEG2000 (.j2k)
To get the best results, use clip art that are clear and have a distinguishable outline or color borderline for importing.”
You might wish to look at the Embird embroidery program with the Sfumato Stitch module. I have been using Embird and have been quite impressed with its capabilities.
I tested the user manual pdf file and it downloads fine. It is 4.5 MB … you might wish to try again.
Erin:
Question – I have Brother software for my se400 and if I want to embroider a name and underline it, how do I put the line under the name?
Thanks. Nancy
I’ve read a lot of this thread, but still have a question. I am looking to upgrade from my 1950s Singer 221K (it was my grandmother’s). I love the sound of the LB-6800PRW/SE-400. But, with the LB-6800 my local dealer wants almost twice the price I can find it on Amazon.com and Walmart.com. What are the pros/cons of buying it from the dealer versus one of the internet retailers? Are Amazon and Walmart authorized Brother dealers? I had trouble finding the information on Brother’s website. How is Brother’s customer support if you have to contact them rather than a local dealer? I’d love to pay $250 less than what my local dealer is asking, but also want to make sure I’m not entirely stuck if something goes wrong with the machine right away!
Thanks,
Virginia
Virginia,
I would just make sure that you are buying it direct from Amazon and not some third party who sells on Amazon. If it says ‘Sold by Amazon’ then you are quite safe. I bought my Brother SE-400 direct from Amazon with no qualms. I see Amazon is selling the LB-6800PRW for $389 with a $30 MIR for a net cost of $359. Sounds like a great deal.
cheers,
Rick
Thanks, Rick and Nancy. I plan to order it tonight. Hard to argue with that price!
Virginia – I bought mine direct from Amazon.com about a year ago and love it – have had no problems except for one little glitch and my local dealer helped me out with that. Go for it, it’s a great little machine. I use mine nearly every day and it’s done alot of embroidery projects!
Nancy
Someone out there help me out with my prior question. How can I underline a name when embroidering?
thanks.
Nancy
Re: digitizing images. I am researching for my new machine, and have found this website which is pretty comprehensive in regards digitizing for machine embroidery. No, I’m not affiliated, just want to share
Computerized Embroidery
Read through it. Good info and plenty of links for software for conversions, both freeware and retail
good luck with it,
tami
Tami,
What a great resource!!! Thank you so much for posting this link!
Rick
I have a brother se400 and love it. I am monograming the months of the year and due to the number of letters, most of them will have to be rehooped. I’ve not had much luck in rehooping where the words look nice smooth — as if they had not been rehooped. Anyone have ideas as to the best way to rehoop so that the letters lineup at the bottom and the spaces inbetween the letters are equal?
Also, any suggestions on the best stablizer to use with felt?
Thanks so much.
leeann,
I would mark the center-line for the lettering on the fabric then hoop some sticky stabilizer but do not hoop the fabric, just center it with the centering guide and press it on the sticky stabilizer in the hoop. Be sure your sticky stabilizer is left wide enough to rehoop it for the balance of the lettering. Just tear away the completed letters from the stabilizer before shifting in in the hoop. I’m pretty sure I saw this technique in a video on YouTube. You might want to do a search there.
good luck!
Rick
Confirmarme el precio y el transporte a España, gracias.
Mercedes – Sorry, I don’t know what the price for shipping to Spain would be but you can get that information through Amazon if they’ll ship internationally.
Thanks!
Erin
I am a real beginner. I just got the SE-400. I think that I am going to love it when I get it all figured out. I downloaded some free designs but the color is reversed. Is this normal????
Sheila,
You might want to try using SophieSew (free program) to load your PES file and change the colors. Go to sophiesew dot com – The program has some quirks but you should be able to manage the thread colors.
Rick
Thank u very much. I will try that.
I got my LB-6800. I’ve been playing with it whenever I get a free moment and I absolutely love it.
I did get the Thread Art thread set from Amazon and it’s been working fine. I don’t know if brand name thread would work even better, but the machine has had no issues so far with the Thread Art. I’ve embroidered 5-6 designs on polar fleece, flannel, and a towel. The fleece and towel don’t look perfect, but that’s because their fuzziness sticks up between some of the stitches. The flannel turned out beautifully.
Virginia,
Try using some water soluble stabilizer on top of your fleeces and terrys to keep the embroidery from burying into the fabric. After you finish embroidering you can wash that top stabilizer out.
Rick
Can you download patterns on a cd and then use them on the brother se400 from my laptop?
Yes, If they are in the Brother PES file format and will fit in the SE400’s embroidery memory ( approximately less than 512K bytes ).
thank you
Hi Erin, thank you so much for the help and the great advices you provide!
A while ago I bought the SE400 for embroidering small designs and logos on t-shirts. I am an absolute novice and have not started that yet, but I want to start using the machine for sewing and eventually some around the house embroidery, and I hope you can help me with my few questions:
1. After reading about the machine and the recommended threads, I see that many people say that Sulky and Gutenberg are the best, and the SE400 is very picky about threads, but can I cheap out with the sets from Amazon?
I mean I can buy all 3 which is 120 spools for $120.
2. What kind of thread would you recommend for sewing? I get that embroidery and sewing threads are different, but what would be a good choice?
3. I had an idea to embroider numbers and letters along the bottom hem of a t-shirt, is that possible? You know where on t-shirts usually the material is folded and hemmed? If the embroidery is at the very bottom hem which is usually a 1/2 inch wide, how would I position the fabric in the hoop?
4. Is is possible to embroider a small logo on a hat with this machine and the stock or any other hoop? I am talking about soft hats – the now popular military cap style ones, not baseball hats.
Thank you so so much in advance!
Vladimir
I am trying to load a design to the machine. When I go to send to – removable drive, it shows up in a folder for the “E drive” I then press the USB button on the machine screen, and 364/476KB shows up, but no image. How do I get my image to show up so I can select it and use it?
Just a ‘heads up’ … amazon dot com is selling the SE400 for $350 with free shipping today. (Dec 1, 2011) They show the ‘LIST PRICE’ as $899 😉
cheers,
Rick
Hi Erin,
I am thinking about purchasing this ELS Lettering software because it is on sale.
It is still a big purchase though and wanted to know if you had any opinions on it! Any information is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Jade
Jade,
You’re right it’s a bunch of money for just fonts. Would be OK if all you’re going to embroider are monograms. Personally I would look for some software that could do digitizing as well as lettering like Embird. Then there is Stitch Era’s Universal Stitch which you can get for free. 😉
cheers,
Rick
Hello, I purchased this machine recently, but I have been too intimidated to start using it. I am slowly getting myself prepared by watching videos online and reading websites. I was wondering what you recommend I buy to start embroidering? 8X8 tear away stabilizers? Embroidery thread-what kind, best place to buy? Anything else to get me started? Thanks!!
I just order the Brother SE 400 and would like to know which brand thread works the best, a good site to purchase a large collection of colors for one price and also which stabilizers should I have to get started?
I have the same questions. I ordered 40 large spools off of ebay to get me started. It was $40 shipped. Now I am searching for stabilizer. I am thinking about going with 8X8 tearaway sheets (2oz). It looks like I will be paying about 10 cents per sheet. Does anyone know if that’s a good price?
The 8×8″ precut tearaway stabilizer sheets are as low as 4 1/2 cents each in packages of 250 from metroemb dot com. I’ve ordered their thread and it has worked great in my SE400.
This has nothing to do with sewing or machines, but about the box along the left side of website about “like, tweet, etc……” The darn thing blocks the messages!! Can it be removed??? and HOW???
Not sure how wide your screen is, but you can try setting your browser window to FULL SCREEN by clicking on the square icon in the upper right hand corner of your browser. It appears this website sets the active page area to be 1020 pixels wide. If your monitor is only 1024 pixels wide then the iframe object you are concerned with is going to cover up text. If the web site designer would subtract the width of the iframe from the 1020 pixel page width then the iframe would not cover text on a 1024 pixel wide screen. Would be even nicer if there was a CLOSE action on that iframe so the user could stop it being displayed. 😉
I see the Brother SE400 is now (12/15/2011) $339 with free shipping at Amazon dot com. Wow!
Which stabilizer should I get to get started from metroemb.com? My husband won’t let me open my new machine to look at the instructions until Xmas, so I can’t even tell which weight I should have to practice on. I want to have some on hand to practice with.
I would start out with the lighter weight unless you have some heavier fabric you will be working with.
Hi Rick!
I purchased it at that price 3 months ago! I have been intimidated and haven’t touched it yet, but now I am ready to get going. I have ordered 40 spools of embroidery thread and 8X8 sheets of tearaway and cut away stabilizer. Is there anything else I need to get started? Also, do you know of any good sites for tutorials. I don’t know the first thing….Thanks!
YouTube is your friend! I have found dozens of video ‘how to’s on that site that have been very helpful. The tip I have found most useful to date is how to use sticky stabilizer to embroider small or ‘difficult’ fabrics without having to hoop them. I bought several sheets of craft felt to use just for experimentation with the embroidery functions on this machine. It helped me a lot to get comfortable with the myriad features on the SE400. I learned by experimenting that the SE400 allows you to step forward or back through your embroidery design by thread color and/or stitch. Very helpful if you want to skip a color or need to back up several stitches after running out of bobbin thread or getting a top thread break. Above all else, have fun!
YouTube is your friend! I have found dozens of video ‘how to’s on that site that have been very helpful. The tip I have found most useful to date is how to use sticky stabilizer to embroider small or ‘difficult’ fabrics without having to hoop them. I bought several sheets of craft felt to use just for experimentation with the embroidery functions on this machine. It helped me a lot to get comfortable with the myriad features on the SE400. I learned by experimenting that the SE400 allows you to step forward or back through your embroidery design by thread color and/or stitch. Very helpful if you want to skip a color or need to back up several stitches after running out of bobbin thread or getting a top thread break. Above all else, have fun!
p.s. Erin, please delete the other duplicate post. Thanks!
Hi, I am new to sewing and LOVE it. I am looking to buy a machine and have no clue. Everyone has an opinion, but this forum seems like one of the best next to the one I found on Etsy (now closed). I don’t want to spend $1,000 but am willing to spend $300-400. My focus will be clothing and crafts (like jewelry rolls, book covers, cloth handbags/clutches). It seems as if the Brother SE-400 and some beginner Janomes. I hear a lot of comments about brother plastic parts as compared to janomes or phaff’s? what are your thoughts. I want to be able to grow into my machine and it last.
thanks!
I also like the fact that it is compatible to a computer, to download fonts and stitches etc.
I just got the se400 and am pretty frustrated. Read the instructions, have all the proper thread, bobbin etc but when I try and use a color thread (any color) to embroider a name, the entire name comes out in white from the bobbin thread. What am I missing? I looking in troubleshooting in the manual and there’s nothing, I adjusted my thread tension, the bobbin is in correctly. Thanks for any help.
Cindy,
You need to loosen the tension on the top thread. Try setting the tension dial 1 number lower at a time until you no longer see the bobbin thread coming through. I find I need to adjust this setting depending on what thread I use and to a lesser extent how much and what type of fabric I am embroidering.
cheers,
Rick
I just ordered the se400 and the embroidery starter kit from Amazon. I feel like a little kid before Christmas! (In fact it is my “Christmaversary” gift – a combo Christmas/5th Anniversary gift).
From all the reviews that I’ve read, Brother seems to only like “good” thread. I currently have about a half dozen spools of Coats & Clark cotton/poly thread – will this be good enough for my new machine? If not what kind should I get, and will JoAnn Fabric have it? Also, what kind/size needle would you recommend for sewing multiple layers of jersey cotton? What kind/size of needle for layers of terry and fleece? My first two projects are fitted diapers and un-paper towels. I’m so excited!
Thanks!
This is an awesome site. Thank you! I’ve been sewing for 40 years. My Elna recently died and I’m looking for a new machine. I’ve not done embroidery and am excited about learning something new. However, I have a question about how the SE400 does on heavy-duty materials as I do a lot of mending! I want to be sure it works on jeans (multiple layers at the seams) and replacing zippers on heavy jackets. But I also have a project involving fixing the edge trim on canvas for a boat cover. Will this be too much for this machine?
I think you’ll be OK if you use the right needle for the heavier fabric and use a slower speed. These DENIM/JEANS needles have an extra sharp point and stiff shank, making it a strong needle for sewing tough fabrics and many layers of fabric. Use a 90/14 or 100/16 for heavier canvas and denim
cheers,
Rick
Thanks! Appreciate your help. Expect to be getting this machine soon 🙂
I’ve read so many of your reviews & helpful comments to people with questions about machine purchases. Thought I’d ask for myself too.
I have been using my mom’s 1964 Singer Featherweight with straight stitch only. I’m looking to upgrade, but since just about any machine with a 2nd stitch is an upgrade…I’m overwhelmed! Currently, my sewing projects include clothes for my children only, but I’m hoping to learn how to do some embroidery (mostly monograms), sewing with knits, and other household item projects. Would the Brother SE400 be the best option for me or is there another one? Like I said, I’m used to one stitch only, so any machine is looking a little intimidating right now!
Thanks for any advice!
Erin,
I purchased the SE400 and have just started embroidering (and having fun too). My question is the cap hoop you mention doesn’t list the SE400 as being compatible. Have you had success with this cap hoop with the SE400?
Thanks for your help!
Lynn
This info was WONDEFUL and really helpful, but I do have a question. If you remove the embroidery hoop and the attachment to hold it in place, isn’t the work area small for regular sewing??? Is there a table attachment to replace around the free arm for regular sewing? Otherwise it’s an awfully small area to work on… Please advise at your earliest convenience. Maybe I missed it in the hsn video, but it seemed like they only concentrated on sewing with the embroidery option. I will watch again too. Thanks, Diane
Just saw on the brother site that a small cover fills the void of the embroidery arm on the front of the machine. Is there a table extension attachment for a bigger work area?
Diane: I bought myself an extension table for my machine made by Dream Works and I think I got it through Ken’s sewing machine center – Think I paid about $80 for it and I love it for regular sewing. Although I also have other machines that I use more often for my regular sewing and use this one mostly for embroidery.
Nancy
I’m trying to find information on Brother machines, and any other machine, for that matter, regarding which have plastic and which have metal gears.
Is there a spreadsheet somewhere online that would have this information for recent models? It is never included in the standard product information and I’m finding it very time consuming to try to get the necessary information in order to make an informed decision.
Thanks.
I recently bought the brother sewing/embroidery machine and I’m having trouble with it. It jams and rips the shirts a lot. I’ve adjusted the tension and tried different yars. Any recommendations as to what it could be?
Check to make sure your needle is fully seated all the way up in its mount. Make sure your your bobbin is inserted properly with the thread coming off the left side of the bobbin spool. (When you pull the bobbin thread the bobbin should turn counter-clockwise) You didn’t mention what type of fabric you are having trouble with. Very sheer fabrics can require special techniques.
Hi, I am new to sewing/embroidery and I am looking into purchasing this machine, so far I LOVE the review && it seems to be great, but I am kind of worried about the hoop size. The image cannot be larger than 4×4, but Brother has a new hoop that is 6 ¾ x 4 inches and is compatible with the se400. Will the machines allow you to make designs larger than a 4×4 if you have the larger hoop? :/
does anyone out there have the Brother SE400 and use Buzz Tools for software? I need to know if that software can convert files from JPEG or any other format to the PES which needs to be for my machine?
Thanks. Nancy
I just checked out BUZZ Tools V3 and it allows you to load a graphic image in the background that you would then use the editing tools to trace out the design. There is no conversion capability.
I’m using the free ERA Universal embroidery program and I can convert image files to embroidery designs. You can get it free here …
coldesi (dot) com/stitch-era-universal-embroidery-digitizing-software (dot) html
It is an impressive program. 😉
Here are some details …
Benefits
● The use of the software is free
● The software updates are free
● It can be installed on several computers
● It is modern, reliable and easy to learn.
● Excellent performance, quality and productivity.
● Covers the most common embroidery design needs.
Take in consideration that…
● It can only be provided by an Authorized Distributor; then private duplication or internet distribution is forbidden.
● The installation, activation and use require permanent Internet connection. Software contains advertising.
● There are no additional modules or components for the software. Stitch count per design is limited to 40,000 stitches.
● Being free, technical support is limited to answers on message board (Forum). Premium technical support plans are available at extra cost.
cheers,
Rick
Can anyone tell me how compatible the SE400 is with a Mac? Brother says it’s not, but I have found a “work around” for importing designs through the USB cable. My concern is with future system upgrades offered by Brother. I’m also wondering if anybody is aware of embroidery design programs available for Mac. I recently began sewing and really enjoy it (and have been told I’m not bad(: ), now I want to try my hand at embroidery. This seems like the perfect fit. But if I can’t use it with my Mac, that’s a deal-breaker. Thanks!
I don’t have this Machine exactaly but here is some info from s reviewer on Amazon
most software for embroidery sewing/embroidery machines is not Mac compatible so i assumed the usb port would be useless for a while.. Wrong!
connect the se 400 via included usb cable to your Mac, it’ll show up as an external hard drive, mine was named ‘unknown’, I do not advise changing this. then add PES files from your computer by dropping them on the sewing machine/external drive. do not add folders of designs on machine, they must be added one at a time to be recognized. (mac will display pes designs in finder as an image…but I’ve yet to find any software to edit them…)
i just bought the Brothers embroidery SE400 mechine i cant get it emborider more then 2 to 4 letters on large i need help please !!!!
Sarah – The SE400 will only embroider up to the 4×4 field size. To embroider more than that requires that you manually reposition your material for the next set of letters. Or, are you saying that the letters are not taking up the full space and yet the machine is stopping before it completes the amount of letters that will fit inside the field?
Sincerely,
Erin
I have a Brother SE400 sewing and embroidery machine. I was wondering if it is possible to stitch more than one word at a time? Is there a button to add a space then start another word?
Julie – I believe there’s a space key symbol in the letter font. If you don’t see that, I know someone else mentioned using the period symbol in place of the space and then they just ripped out that one stitch (which isn’t fun). I don’t have the machine in front of me nor the font card I used to have around here somewhere but I think it is on there.
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin,
If you happen to find the font card and see where to locate the space key, please let me know. I can’t seem to find it. Thank you!
~Julie
Julie – I think it’s the underscore symbol. Do you see it on your machine? I know it had come up before and I just found the info here.
Let me know if that works for you. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks Erin! I will try that tomorrow! You’re a life saver!
~Julie
It worked! Woo hoo! Thanks Erin! Now do you know if there is a key to enter/return down to the next line? ~Julie
Can anyone suggest a free download converter for MACs? I’m trying to convert jpeg to pes. Also, any good sights for free fonts or images in pes form?
~Julie
I’d like to be able to convert like that too. Let us know if anyone has any ideas…
I also have a question for Erin as to whether or not anyone has ever embroidered on terry wristbands and if so how? Our local soccer team is will be wearing them this season in memory and several locals gals who lost their lives in a tragic accident and wanted me to embroider on them.?????
thanks. Nancy
Nancy,
I found that StichBuddy has a free dwnload for a program to open PES images. So you can download images to your MAC and open it through StichBuddy. Only problem is, you cant convert other file types to PES.
~Julie
I am a beginner in machine embroidery so I purchased the Brother SE400 as an affordable entry level machine and for regular sewing. I have had it 2 months and am pleased so far. I am beginning to get to the point where I want to do a project that exceeds the 4×4 hoop. I purchased the slightly larger 4×6(app)hoop from Brother but when I try a design that exceeds the 4″ hoop it seems the machine does not recognize the size of hoop and says the design is too large. I am very uncertain of the procedures to move the hoop to the next position because I dont know where to start the design…..
If I cant use the design in its formatted size- what is the best software to use to resize ? Is there such a thing? The design I am trying to use is 2×7″. I wanted to stitch 3 of them onto a 9″ square of fabric
I have Automatic Icon Creator software program from Generations which has been a tremendous help in finding and previewing my designs.
Anyone out there ever try to stitch on terry cloth wrist bands? Wondering if you did, how you did it.
Thanks. Nancy
Nancy – I don’t know anyone personally who has used the Brother SE400 to embroider on terry cloth but I’m sure it’s possible. You have to use the right stabilizer on the back to support the thread and some places recommend you put something on top of the material, too, so you don’t lose track of your pattern in the thick pile of terry cloth. This depends on just how thick your material is but read this article for some insight and tips: Emblibrary. I’d get some cutaway stabilizer, some water soluble stabilizer and some scrap fabric to practice on so you get the right combination of materials.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks Erin – I have used the water Soluble stabilizer and that works wonderful on terry towels and on fleece. In fact it does a wonderful job but my question is how do I get that tiny little wrist band on my hoop to embroider on it?
Nancy
Oh, sorry! 😉 Good question. There is a smaller sized hoop for the SE400 that might work. It’s the Brother SA431 2-Inch-by-1-1/2-Inch Small Hoop. Is that an option, you think?
Thanks!
Erin
I posted an earlier ? about a design that is apparently too large for my Brother 400.
I tried to download it to my machine so i could attempt sewing out and moving the larger hoop to the second position BUT I cant see the design after I load to machine- I know it was transferred because the screen shows the size of the file that was loaded on the machine screen?????? Any ideas about how to locate the design on the machine???
I just purchased the SE400 and love it. I have a question though about the embroidery. I put the white bobbin thread in the machine, threaded red embroidery thread in the top. I selected the butterfly. It came out very nice, but was mostly white. I’m not sure if I was supposed to put red in the bobbin or if I did something wrong. Any advice would be great. Thanks
I usually do the same color bobbin as thread. I think it just comes out looking more crisp. Good luck!
Erin,
I just bought a SE400 and love, love, love it!! I want to thank you for all of the great information that you have been so gracious to give out. I have read through the thread and found that you recommend Hoop Works software for making larger embroidered pictures on the 4 x 4 format. I have read, else where, that you need to also have Design Gallery’s Studio Plus first. Is there a stand alone product that will do what Hoop Works does?
I have never used a sewing machine in my life, and I know nothing about sewing by hand…however I love the look of embroidery and would love to learn how to do this. I have a friend that has Carhartt coats that he has embroider with his company name and was wondering if this machine would be able to do this? It is a heavy thick material. I don’t want to spend several hundred dollars and then be frustrated because I am not able to do what I thought I could with this machine. I would greatly appreciate any advice. My goal would be to mainly embroider coats, purses, bibs, bags with names.
Hi, please,
Someone who owns the SB400 or LB6800, could take a look at the power supply requeriments of your machine to say if works with 120/220 o 240 Volts?…
Is cause I want to buy one in USA and it will be used on Spain…where the power is 220/240 volts.
Thank for your help!
Best regards,
Harold.
I teach sewing and several of my students have this machine. They all want to machine quilt their quilts on this Brother machine. Can anyone tell me how large of a quilt made with warm and natural batting this machine will accommodate?
I tried to look though all the comments to see if anyone had asked this already but there are so many. I recently got my SE-400 and started using it. I finished my first rag quilt on it fine with only 1 broken needle. I was trying out the embroidery function and the first time I used it it did fine. It was a little uneven but it worked. They I tried to do it again, and this time I was trying to adjust the tension like the manual says to, and the needle has broken twice and the thread keeps bunching and tangling on the underside of the fabric?? It still does it even after I turned the tension back to its original setting?? HELP?????
Jennifer – You may have already done some of the following, but it’s a place to start:
If this doesn’t work, do the same thing but with a different kind of thread. Let us know how it goes and I’ll research some other suggestions. Hang in there! 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Jennifer – Forgot to ask this above but are you using a bobbin that came with the machine?
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin – I just recevied my SE400. For me it’s worth its price in gold for the drop in bobin, needle threader and cutter… but of course I want more! I’m messing around with the embroidery and I’m finding that only my bobin thread is coming through not the top color. What am I doing wrong. I can’t seem to find what I need to do to fix it. I’m thinking the tension maybe, but how do I know what to set the tension at? I’ve always had that problem. I’m a completely self taught (with the small exception of Home Ec in 7th grade when my teacher cried because I couldn’t sew a seam straight… yea I dropped it and took manufacturing!) Anyway any helpful hints you could throw my way would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks! Deanna
Deanna – You made your teacher cry?! That’s hysterical! A memory I’m sure that has become more funny the older you get but was certainly mortifying at the time. I can very much relate although the tears during home ec were all MINE. 🙂
The first thing you should check is the threading for both the upper and bottom threads. Someone else who ran into this problem found it was the result of not having the bobbin thread latched correctly into the bobbin case. Go through the threading instructions in the manual step by painful step making sure everything is perfect.
If the top thread is still not showing, try replacing the needle.
The problem could also have to do with the combination of thread that you’re using.
Let me know if those help or if you need more troubleshooting options.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi,
Just purchased Brother SE400. So far, it has been pretty fun to see what it can do. I have always wanted to embroider designs on store bought jeans for the granddaughters, but not sure how to do this with the 4X4 hoop. The legs were too small to put in the hoop and laying it only sews both sides of the legs together. Help! There must be a way that I’m missing.
Does it have a built in button hole maker? I am really starting to like this machine, but this is a real selling point for me on my next purchase. I have not found anywhere where it states this. If a built in button hole is not programmed on this machine, how hard is to to make one?
Thank you so much for your review of this machine, it was very informative.
Jennifer – You bet it does! 😉 There are TEN different styles of one-step buttonholes on the SE400. Just attach and size the buttonhole presser foot and it does all the work. It’s very slick.
Glad you liked the review. I’d say it’s the masterpiece of this site. Certainly long enough…and taken me the course of a couple of years to build it up so it has everything I could find on this machine.
Thanks for visiting!
Sincerely,
Erin
Hey Erin! I am beyond excited to have found your page! Im looking at buying this machine (asap!). Im looking at either getting it from AllBrands or Amazon. AllBrands mentions that they give free tech support (Im new to sewing AND embroidery) but Amazon will get it to me in 2 days (and is $10 cheaper). What Im wondering is if its worth the free tech support to spend a little more and have to wait a week – a week and a half or can I get free tech support from Brother? Thanks for the wealth of information!
Abby – There is a manufacturer’s warranty on this machine no matter where you buy it so you’d get some free support regardless of buying location. The difference might be in where you have to go for that support. If you have a local AllBrands store, they may provide support on-site (but I’m not sure that’s the case) or you may have to send it in. If you buy from Amazon, you’ll likely have to send it in.
And I probably didn’t get to your answer in time and hopefully you have the machine by now. 😉 Sorry about that!
Sincerely,
Erin
I see alot of this listed on the online embroidery cards posted –
Fromat: ART, CND, CSD, DST, EMB, EXP, HUS, JEF, PCS, PEC, PES, SEW, XXX
We these work with this machine??
Thanks!
Lidna
Linda – Yes – .pes and .dst files are compatible with the SE400. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Thanks so much for the FAST reply!
Linda
I was debating on buying this machine and found your sight and was so excited to see all you support for this machine and the current post! I am ordering it now that I have found a place for help!
Thank you so much!!!
Paula
Paula – You’re going to love it! Have fun and let us know how it goes. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
I bought a SE-400 after reading all ur replys on this website. I have enjoyed learning something everythime i use it and have even started sewing. I have a problem and was wantin to see what ur rely would be. When i attach my embriodery foot and needle and get set up to embriodery, it keeps breaking needles. I can see that my needle is hitting the foot, but figure out how to stop it? Any suggestions??? Winona
Winona – This could be the result of the screw that attaches the embroidery foot being too loose or too tight. Try this – completely re-thread the machine making sure to follow every step in the manual.
Then, remove the embroidery foot. Follow the instructions in the manual for attaching the embroidery foot and make sure you’re following each step. When the screw is tightened, use the hand wheel to move the needle up and down slowly. If it still hits the presser foot, tighten the screw again just a little and turn the hand wheel again. If that doesn’t work, loosen the screw just a little – you still need it to be tight but see if loosening it just a touch gets the embroidery foot to move out of the way of the needle.
Let me know how it goes!
Sincerely,
Erin
I have the Brother’s SE 400 .. does anyone know whether the Madeira embroidery thread will work with this machine… if so what would be better Rayon or Polyester? Thank you for your help..
Sandy I have seen others that use the Madeira threads.
I use the Coats Trilobal Polyester embroidery thread, My machine likes this thread, and I like it when I can get it on sale (Usually at JoAnns they have good coupons and app.often).
I have the SE-400 and use it for the simple Grandma stuff several times a week.
Erin: Several years ago I purchased the SE400 Brother machine and I have loved it from day one but now suddenly in recent weeks it has been making some gosh awful noises, I have taken it to a sewing machine dealer/repair shop and he keeps telling me it has to do with the bobbin case being loose and jumping out of place. I love this machine and would really miss it but am looking at the PE500 or PE770. Would they be an upward move from the SE400. I would really like a bigger hoop size because the SE400 only does 4×4. Anyone else out there that has either of these other machines that can share info would be appreciated. Thanks, Nancy
Nancy – Nice to see you here again! Sorry it’s because of a problem with the SE400 but it sounds like you got some good years out of it.
Yes, moving to the PE500 or PE770 would give you a few extras. In fact, I did a comparison of the PE770 to a few of its competitors and you can read that here. It might help you with your decision making process. If you have other questions after going through that material, let me know. I don’t have the same information on the PE500 but could gather it in relatively short order. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
thanks for the info Erin – I will read it and see if I need further help.
Nancy
thanks for the info Erin – I will read it and see if I need further help. I have actually looked at the Janome MC350E – nice machine but lots of dollars. I have several other Janome machines and love them but I do like my little brother machine so much. If I switch to Janome, then I have to buy the software also to convert all my designs over to JEF 🙁 that’s another chunk of change. And thinking if I stay with the Brother, then I can continue on with the Brother software and all the designs I currently have don’t need to be converted. Correct me if I’m wrong. Thanks
Nancy
Nancy – Don’t worry. 😉 My comparison shows the PE770 is the better value and a great choice. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin – thanks for all your help. My biggest concern with the PE770 is that there is not sensor for the bobbin thread running low??? Anyone out there dealing with this and seeing it as a big problem. Nancy
Nancy – Yes, that might take some getting used to. Hopefully someone will come along and let you know how they’ve handled that and whether or not it has posed a problem.
Sincerely,
Erin
Erin – one more quick question… will the PE Design Lite Software that I presently have for SE-400 also work in the PE-770
Thanks, Nancy
Nancy – Yes, the PE Design Lite software id compatible with the PE-770. Good thinking!
Sincerely,
Erin
thanks, Erin – have a great evening.
Erin – got my new Brother PE-770 today – so excited… seems to be working great so we’ll see how the next week or so goes.
Nancy
Anyone else out here with the Brother PE-770? I have an issue with attaching the hoop and wondering if anyone else is experiencing this same problem?
Thanks, Nancy
Hi,
I am so glad I found your site before ordering any new machine! I have been looking at the Brother PRW420 for myself and wonder how it compares to the SE400. I am a seasoned seamstress planning to start a small business working with high-end Scottish tartans. I recently made a full kilt on my 20-year old Bernina 330 and realized it’s time to upgrade! Can you give me any feedback on these two machines, or perhaps ideas about others that might be suitable in the under $500 range. Am also looking to order a Brother for my 12-year-old daughter to begin sewing on and thought the ES2000 looked good. Thanks for any thoughts here!
Hi, thank you and everyone else for all of the outstanding information posted here. I have a question of my own. It’s about side cutting stitches 63 through 67. They look a lot like stitches 2, 24, 11, 12, and 13. Does the machine do something different with the side cutting foot for stitches 63 through 67 that the others don’t?
I recently purchased an SE400 and love it. I’m 51 and haven’t sewed since I was a kid and worked on my mother’s Singer machine. I’m now to the point where I’m considering the purchase of some software to take this “hobby” to the next level. I’m interested i any comments anyone has on the software that’s available. I’m looking at Embrilliance Essentials, Embird and PE Design Lite. I’d like to be able to combine designs, add lettering to designs, have a decent selection of fonts and font sizes, and knowing me eventually I’d like to get into digitizing my own images. This is a considered purchase for me and I want to make the very best decision I can so that this is a one-time purchase. Thanks for any infomation y’all can provide.
go to Buzz tools.com and you can try a version free for so many days! I have the PE Design lite and worked fine but now have a different machine with a bigger software so I too can add letters to designs, etc. Can even do digitizing.
Nancy
I am looking for a machine that will embroider and sew and possibly small amount of quilting. What can you tell me about Brother SE 400 verses Brother HE 1?
I beleive the HE1 is an Embroidery only machine where as the SE 400 is both.
I am looking for a machine to do more than just a straight stitch. I would like to get into embroidery and small amount of quilting. I am looking at two Brother’s machines HE 1 and SE400. What advise can you give me?
Thanks, Jo
Jo – I believe the HE 1 and the SE400 are identical. The HE 1 is just badged for different retail sellers. All of the specifications, features, controls, and stitches are exactly the same between the two. As a result, I’d look for the lowest priced option for either one and you might save a few bucks that way.
Sincerely,
Erin
Hi Erin, I currently have a Bernina 930 machine and know they have high resale value but they are so heavy to cart around. Since Bernina is known for it’s durability, do you think it would be a wise choice to sell it and purchase the SE400? I am interested in trying some of the embroidery stitches and would love the automatic threader as my eyesight is not so good anymore. Also, I will be moving to a 55+ community in AZ and they have all kinds of sewing classes and will need to bring my own machine so that is another reason for considering the SE400. Right now, Amazon has a terrific deal on one.
I am interested in purchasing an SE400 and wanted to know if it would sew well on thick seams such as jeans and cording? Thanks
Yes, the SE400 can handle denim but only a doubled layer and seams – not too much more than that. So, for sewing jeans, yes, but if you’re doing heavy jean bags with multiple overlapping seams then it might get a little slow. Cording would be no problem.
Sincerely,
Erin
I am new to sewing and will be purchasing my first machine. My first projects will be to sew patches on my kids’ boy/girl Scout uniforms, which is a thicker material and can be difficult to sew. I would eventually like to do some quilts, Halloween costumes, and maybe embroidery. I found the Brother LB 6800 THRD and Brother XR 1300 at Costco for $390 & $170.
I want to find a machine that I won’t “outgrow”, but I also don’t want something with so many bells and whistles I will never use it.
Can you help?
Karen, the machine design is very similar for both of those options so most of the features are the same. The big difference is, of course, that the 6800 has embroidery capability while the 1300 does not. Having a combined machine is really like having two machines and you have to account for the additional supplies needed to use the embroidery function – extra fonts, different kinds of threads, the material to go between the sewing machine and the fabric if you’re working with thin fabrics, etc. This means you want to take the extra expense over the long term into account – how much do you think you’d really use the embroidery features? If you’ll use them, then the 6800 is an excellent value. If not, though, save the money for any extras you’d want to use with the 1300.
Another difference is that the 1300 is slightly faster running at 850 stitches per minute instead of 710. That’s not a huge difference but something to keep in mind. Also, you have more built in stitches overall with the 1300 if you exclude the embroidery stitches. Many of these are decorative so you can still do some pretty fancy work without the embroidery function by using just lines of pretty stitches combined in an intriguing pattern to trim your work rather than embroidering designs on them.
In my mind, both are good deals and the choice should be made based on the likelihood that you’ll use the embroidery features of the 6800 or not.
Hope that helps a bit!
Thanks!
Erin
I have the Brother SE400 and I have been using it for Embroidering, mainly Monogramming. I have purchased many different fonts but I’m having trouble figuring out hot to increase the Thickness or width of the lettering. How do I do this??
Jilian – You can adjust the overall size to make the letters bigger or smaller by selecting the embroidery image in the screen, selecting Adjust and then selecting Size. I’m not sure that’s what’ you’re after, though. If you’re trying to make a letter look “bold” like you could do with a keyboard, that won’t work. Think of each letter as literally an image you can increase or decrease but you can’t modify individual parts like making it wider than it is tall or vice versa, if that makes sense?
Sincerely,
Erin
There has been a lot of discussion over the past 3 years about the 4 x 4 embroidery area and it’s limitation for some full names. There is a repositionable hoop for the SE400 that allows the user to move the hoop and continue with more letters than what the standard 4 x 4 area will accept. Look for Brother Repositionable Hoop SA 434. The lettering will have to be rotated to take advantage of the length of the hoop. It may take a little practice to get the letters aligned. Letters with necks and tails (h,l,k,g and j are some examples) have different center positions. Draw a line for the letters, then note (use the trace key)the perimeter of each to allow for spacing when joining the additional letters to the first stitch-out. Best wishes for many sucessful projects.
Hi Erin,
I just tried to use my new SA188 walking foot on my SE400 sew/embroidery machine, but the up and down motion keeps loosing my needle til it actually falls out. I keep re-inserting and screwing the needle screw back in place, but after about 15 stitches the needle falls out again. What am I doing wrong? I sure could use some help.
P.S. – yes, I do have the foot attached properly.
Hi Erin, I am yet another newbie was wondering if you could tell me if I need different thread for sewing or can I use the embroidery thread, I am getting the SE 400, very excited about it. Hope this post is still running, I have read just about the entire thing. Thank you
Erin,
I have an SE400 Embroidery machine and would like to know the easiest and most reasonable software program for this machine. I have the PED for transferring designs but I want something I can see my designs on, besides the machine itself. There are so many and since I am a beginner I don’t want to invest in something I may not know how to work. I want to do monograms on burp cloths and pocket t-shirts and my grandchildren’s clothes. What would you suggest?
Thank you for your help,
Debbie – It’s been a bit since I’ve looked into the different software options but I think I’d start with Wilcom’s option because it’s free and has a good reputation: Wilcom TrueSizer. As you use it, make a list of the things you wish it had. That will give you something to use when comparing other options but you might find that it does all you need and the price can’t be beat. 😉
Sincerely,
Erin
Thank you so much for your help! This is great. Will try for sure.
Debbie
thank you for your review!….I had purchased this machine almost a year ago and was so overwhelmed I never used the embroidery option…well, im pleased to say that i broke the seal last night!…..Im still a little confused as to what software i need….really, all i want to do is monogram….i dont mind buying fonts or designs on etsy but i think i need the program to combine my initials….any insight, suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated 🙂
thanks again!
Nicole – I can’t believe you held off that long getting your hands on the embroidery features! LOL! Monogramming doesn’t require any additional software unless you want to monogram with purchased fonts. You can monogram with the provided fonts without software. If you have the manual handy, I believe it’s page 136 that shows you how to select the different letters to create your monogram. To monogram with purchased fonts you can test out using the demo version of the Embird software here: Embird. I believe that will let you combine patterns so you can combine the letters inside the purchased fonts.
HI I was wondering Can I Embroider Towels? I tried to put it Together but it wouldn’t work and go back together I was wondering is there a cloths Size?
Which is better on a embroidery machine- USB cable-OR-USB stick?? for patterns.
Have this machine for a couple of months and so far so good. Just discovered your review today and it is very helpful, tks for sharing.
I’m not very computer savvy so I hope you don’t mind my question which is do you know where I’d find larger fonts I’m happy with the style the machine has just would like something closer to 2″ or 3″ for doing buntings etc. Another thought would be a wide or decorative stitch that would allow one to fill in letters. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I checked the Brother ibroider link but that had very decorative fonts. Thanks a mill.
I just bought my Brothers se400 and I was wondering the best way to embroider 2 x 4 patches? Is there a smaller hoop I can get for this?
Keli – Yes, there is a smaller hoop you can get. It’s the Brother SA431 and is 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Those dimensions might not work very well with 2×4 patches but one option is to baste your patch onto a larger piece of material or backing so you can get it in either the included hoop or the smaller one.
Hi!
I am fairly new to the world of sewing, but I have been teaching myself the basics. The only machine i have really ever worked with is a Bernina 930 (which is a lovely machine, but alas, it belongs to my school’s costume shop). I am torn between this machine’s awesome embroidery capabilities and my need for something that will be able to handle a good bit of heavy duty sewing. I am hoping to go into theatrical costume design and construction, so i need a machine that is really going to be able to work with thick layers of fabric and do a lot of rigorous work. In your opinion is this machine going to be able to 7do this for me or should I invest in a used Bernina 930 or 910 or some other newer model. I’ve also looked at the Janome Magnolia 7318 and a couple other models, but I am having an awful time trying to narrow down my search.
Thanks for your help!
Hi Erin,
You have a fantastic review of the SE400 here. More comprehensive than the manufacturers! Loved the feedback and comments given there too. Got my SE400 recently and loving it!
I have the problem of ugly underside, the threads looked super mangled up. Is there anyway to make the underside look neat and pretty? I have this problem with straight & pattern stitches. I’ve been using the bobbins that came with the machine. Also tried adjusting the tension and did not help. Even tried cutting the top thread midway during the first few stitches to avoid it getting caught but the underside is still pretty messy looking.
Any other suggestions for me would be deeply appreciated. Rushing my Christmas gifts now. Very sad to have to stop at this point.
Thank you for your comprehensive and detailed review! We just bout the Se 400 and I am researching everything I can and getting questions answered by previous discussions online. Delivery is set for tomorrow and I am so excited I can barely stand it. I haven’t sewn in years, and never tackled machine embroidery.
Thanks again!
Sandy
Erin,
I recently purchased my first sewing machine the Brother SE400. I am now looking for embroidery software so that I can create designs and characters myself. However, I am not looking forward to spending $800 on the Brother PE next software. I also would like my files to be universal so that if in the future I decide to buy a bigger machine then I am not tied to Brother. Do you have any recommendations for universal embroidery software?
Thanks!
Emily
If I purchase a font online, in DST format, will I be able to create my monogram on my computer, with the software that is included with the purchase of the machine? Or will I need to purchase another program? All I want to do (right now) is make 3 letter monogram in a “vine” font, larger letter in the middle.