Note from the Editor: This Brother Dream Machine Review was originally written in 2012, and has been revised and updated in 2023. Since the Brother Dream Machine has been discontinued, we have added similar alternatives such as Brother Inno-vis NQ1700E, Janome Horizon Memory Craft 9850, Janome Skyline S9.
On a visit to Ace Sewing and Vacuum in Pompano Beach, Florida, I had an opportunity to review the much anticipated Brother Dream Machine. This machine has so many brand new features and options that I honestly don’t know where to start.
One thing that everyone needs to know right off the bat is the Brother Dream Machine has earned the Best Buy Award from Consumer’s Digest, something I learned while doing this review.
When compared to other machines in its class … and there is only one, the Baby Lock Destiny … the Brother Dream Machine has comparable features and options, but cost slightly less.
Brother Dream is a commercial grade embroidery machine that flaunts 773 onboard embroidery designs, 166 of which are Disney/Pixar themed among many other popular and handy themes. It even has 22 different fonts including an inbuilt greek alphabet function. The embroidery area is 9.5x14 inches large. It packs a plethora of impressive digital features which you can read about in the detailed review below. ON the hardware front, the LED lighting on this machine has various settings to make it feel like day itself if you choose to. It even has an onboard camera which is a rare feature even in very high end machines.
Brother Dream is no longer in production. We recommend trying out other alternatives that we have listed.
The first thing you will notice about the Brother Dream Machine is its sheer size! When the embroidery unit is attached, this combination sewing and embroidery machine appears to take up almost as much space as a full size table mounted industrial sewing machine.
If you have a standard size sewing table, the Dream Machine will take up the entire work surface. That and the large full color LCD touch screenare only the beginning.
On the right side of the machine are three USB ports, ports for connecting the standard laser pen and the foot pedal as well as something else that I have never before seen on any sewing machine… a headphone jack.
After doing a bit of research, I learned that this machine actually has on board tutorial videos complete with audio. Believe it or not, you can even plug in a DVD and watch a movie on the large screen.
The Brother Dream Machine also has all of the on board features any home sewer would love to have… start/stop, reverse stitch, stitch reinforcement, needle up/down, thread cutter, presser foot up/down, variable speed control slider and a fully automatic needle threader along with an easy to follow threading and bobbin winding guides.
We have already mentioned in this review that the Brother Dream Machine has been discontinued. Here are some alternatives that we recommend.
This model by brother is a feature packed commercial device that gives you access to over 5000 optional design options from iBroidery.con besides the ones available onboard. It also has inbuilt memory to store your patterns and designs. 2 LED lights have been built-in for visual convenience alongside advanced needle threading mechanism and automatic thread tension to ensure adequate precision. The majority of features on thai model si automatic and set up to the user’s convenience. The quality of delivery is excellent and snooth and the device works incredibly fast saving you a considerable amount of time. A large work area is provided to accommodate larger sewing and embroidery projects. The working area is also well illuminated with LED lights.
08/29/2024 08:15 am GMT
The Janome 9850 is an ideal embroidery and sewing machine. It lets you take your creative expression in any direction you can imagine, with the best features for embroidery, garment sewing, home decor, fabric crafting, and more. It is also a machine that’s just the right size for any sewing space. The LCD touch screen, top loading full rotary hook bobbin, bobbin winder, and automatic thread tension are features that will make your sewing seamless. With an embroidery speed of 60-800 stitches per minute, 175 built-in embroidery designs, and a large embroidery hoop, this machine will make your embroidery fun and easy.
08/27/2024 03:06 pm GMT
The Skyline S9 is the first machine in its line that can both sew and embroider. This great machine has Wi-Fi, which makes it easy to send embroidery patterns from an iPad or PC straight to the machine. With a maximum embroidery size of 6.7" x 7.9" and stitching rates of 1000 SPM, the Skyline S9 has a wide range of powerful features that make sure all projects look good and are easy to finish. The Skyline S9's LCD color touch screen makes it simple to navigate through these fantastic features.
My Design Center :
LCD Display Features :
When I first turned on the Dream Machine, the LCD touch screen displayed a pretty opening picture and played a delightful tune. When the song restarted, I touched the screen with my fingertip, and the machine went into action.
The first thing it did was to switch to the main ‘home’ screen, giving me three options… sewing, embroidery, Disney or My Design Center. The option at the lowest position on the touch screen, My Design Center, is where the user’s personal favorite designs are saved.
I sat for a few minutes just scrolling through each of the design options. It was absolutely fascinating. There is no on board stitch selection guide, and for good reason. There is absolutely no way a display of all these stitches would be able to fit onto such a small space.
After several minutes of scrolling through each of the different sewing, embroidery and Disney stitch options, getting back to the main menu was as easy as touching the ‘home’ icon on the upper right hand corner of the screen.
The other icons at the top of the screen from left to right are the camera, stitch menu, help, presser foot/needle exchange and machine lock.
Although the Brother Dream Machine is larger than every other sewing and embroidery machine I have ever worked on, the bobbin winding and threading processes are as easy as possible with the on board guides that are clearly identified inside the lid and on front of the machine.
The see through bobbin cover and thread sensors make it virtually impossible to run out of thread in the middle of a seam, while sewing a sequence of decorative stitches or half way through an embroidery project.
Just to keep the sewing field even, and in the interest of time, I sampled several of the sewing stitch options for this review. Each one, I must admit, came out with excellent results.
Selecting the stitches was as simple as selecting the sewing option which opens menus for sewing utility stitches, quilting stitches, and the alphanumeric fonts.
To select a particular stitch, it is necessary to first select a stitch category and then scroll through to find the desired stitch. Without having a chart to refer to, it may take time to find the perfect stitch option, but once you become familiar with the choices, identifying the right stitch will surely become easier with time.
When the thread cutter is used after sewing a seam or a row of decorative stitches, the presser foot remains in the down position.
| Fabrics that work | Fabrics that don’t work |
|---|---|
| Natural fibers/cotton-linen-wool Fine fabrics/silk-satin-taffeta/velvet Synthetic fabrics/blends-rayon-polyester Knits(Medium to heavyweight only) Leather/suede Upholstery Denim Extra thick fabrics or multiple layers | Fur Reptile skin Canvas/Twill Plastic/Rubber |
| Maintenance activities | After each use | Monthly | Once each year | As needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean race hook and feed dogs | Yes | No | No | No |
| Wipe head with soft dry cloth | No | No | No | Yes |
| Wipe head with soft damp cloth | No | No | No | Yes |
| Lubricate | No | No | No | No |
| Service by sewing machine repair professional | No | No | Yes | No |
To conclude this review, I think the Brother Dream Machine is aptly named. This machine is truly a dream. For some, it is no doubt, a dream come true. When I got my first sewing machine at the age of eight, I never imagined a sewing machine that had pictures and sound.
This machine has so much more to offer than that little hand cranked sewing machine, I must admit that I was almost mesmerized while putting this machine through its paces and witnessing all that it is capable of doing.
I must also admit, however, that I cannot help but wonder how reliable the Brother Dream Machine will be after several months or years of service in a real home sewing room, rather than under the perfect conditions of a store showroom, since I am not reviewing a device that has seen those conditions.
This machine has a total of 23 innovative features that have never before been seen on a sewing machine, it is sometimes difficult to comprehend all of them working perfectly without at least a little bit of tweaking and adjusting to get the ‘bugs’ out.
The stitch quality is perfect. Working on the Dream Machine is really a dream. It is quiet, sturdy and ergonomically sound. Working on this machine actually feels good. There is simply no other way to put it. I like the way the Brother Dream Machine handles and thoroughly enjoyed everything about it while conducting this review.
Just because of the many internal computerized components, I hesitate to recommend sewing a lot of heavy, thick fabrics or extra thick layers, but have no reservations whatsoever for its use in making quilts or coats and jackets every once in a while. It’s not a bad deal if you think about what you get for your investment… a top of the line, state of the art sewing, embroidery and quilting machine that can even talk you through tutorials.
You can even plug your computer or DVD player in and watch your favorite movie or television show on the large full color LCD touch screen. As a safety feature, however, you cannot sew while a video is running. When you consider the fact that the folks at Consumers’ Digest gave it the Best Buy Award, that it is a good comfortable machine to work on and that it has so much to offer, I cannot come to any other conclusion but to say that it is a good buy… that is if you are willing to part with an amount of money comparable to the cost of a car… not a luxury car, but a car nonetheless.
Brother Dream Machine Review
Vernelle from SewingInsight.com
Availability Stitch QualityThe Brother Dream Machine is a high-end sewing and embroidery machine that offers a wide range of features. It has a large color LCD screen with touch panel, a built-in camera for scanning and digitizing designs, and a variety of embroidery designs. The machine is also very easy to use, thanks to its intuitive controls.
Overall, the Brother Dream Machine is a high-end sewing and embroidery machine with a wide range of features. It is easy to use and has a sturdy construction, making it a great option for experienced sewers and embroiderers. However, it is also expensive and large, so it may not be the best choice for everyone.
If you are an advanced sewist, have a look at our best sewing machines, best sewing books and best sewing magazines posts and if you are looking to get a mechanical, heavy duty, quilting or industrial sewing machine, have a look at some of our great articles. If you are a beginner sewist, review our best sewing books for beginners, best sewing machines for beginners and best sewing machines under $200 to get started.
Founder of SewingInsight, Vernelle discovered the love of sewing at a very early age and owned her first machine at eight.
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We bought the Dream Machine 11/14 and used it to make 70 personalized projects for relatives’ Christmas gifts. So the learning curve is pretty good. we purchased several logos and a few patterns from google.com to match peoples’ hobbies, etc. At this time (5/8/15) I am using the included PE Design software to create patterns for logos, jeeps, and a horse/grand daughter photo. All are superb and cherished. We LOVE the machine and use it whenever possible. We have over 3 million stitches on it at this time!
Problem: It has been in the shop 2 times. The first, it became out of time and refused to sew, making bird nests and not picking up the bottom thread. This was repaired under warranty. We are unable to repair it and opening the case voids the wty… This put a fear in us and we now are more careful to not let threads pile up or use heavier fabrics…
Failure #2: Just happened yesterday 5/7/15, and it is in the shop again. We used metalic thread as prescribed by the selling dealership and I believe some of the metal came off in the upper thread area and fouled a bearing. The machine began to knock with increasing loudness, then locked up. We freed it by rotating the drive wheel, but it didn’t work the same thereafter. The problem here is again the closed case. It would be simple to clear thread out if I could get to it, but no, it has to go to the shop for that. Our Mothers’ Day gifts lie uncompleted. I highly recommend making the internals accessible for such minor maintenance. It is not fun to stop because thread is fouled a bearing somewhere made inaccessible by a plastic case.
Your recent experience with the thread jamming in the bobbin area was very helpful. I’m in the process of deciding if I want to spend that much money on a machine that has minor maintenance problems that result in a trip to the shop. Thank you for your comments.
Verner says:A machine at this price point should not have any problems. The fact that a minor maintenance problems warrant a trip to the shop is very frustrating.
Bob says:I must repost this: We LOVE our Dream Machine and it is now working like new. We have added about 1 million more stitches without event (now at 3.3 million stitches). We had our machine in the shop 4 times before about 2 feet of thread was found and removed from a bearing. I think the Brother machines are built like a tank and should run for a lifetime. We have 2 other Brothers and their mechanisms are all very much alike. Both have never been in the shop. My earlier conclusion stands: access should be provided to the user to clear this trapped thread. We are finding sewing hobbyists to not be dummies and such a closed box is highly aggravating.
From what we have learned, we never pull a broken thread out now. Often a broken thread will have a birds nest on the end and it will be pulled up inside the head when it happens. Get a tweezers and pull the thread out. Cut off the birds nest. Then pull the thread out at the spool and rethread. I really don’t know how the thread got into the bearing, but this has been a successful solution for us.
Again, we LOVE the Dream Machine and now glad that we bought it. My wife has not been so happy since our wedding day as the time we brought this machine home. She LOVES to make gifts and theme related patterns of shirts, jackets, and now her dresses. They are gorgeous and stunning.
I bought the Dream Machine in August. I love it. I have had no thread issues with the machine. It sews like a dream, I do use decent thread, but I have never had good luck with one particular thread beginning with an S. So I never purchase this brand. I use my machine just about every day, I also own a Brother QuattroII and a DreamWeaver 6200. We have a wonderful dealer and loads of support. The machine support and classes are most important when picking a machine
Dr Carla says:Thank you for sharing your experiences. What machine would you recommend instead? It sounds anniying and I feel I would be wauting for it to gum up with every stitch. A machine like this sounds as as if it should be able to handle metallic or other thread and a variety of thick fabrics without concern. I was strongly considering this machine until I read you review. Hope after you get it bac it will work well for you guys. Sincerely, Dr Carla
Bob says:Dr Carla
If you are referring to my post of May 9, 2015, we are totally happy with our Dream Machine now. It has over 5 Million stitches. We made about 110 Christmas gifts in December with it, some taking 6 hours, others shorter times. The problem we had was our local repair shop said we could not open the machine or void the warranty. So we took it in for repair. Four times altogether. A big headache… We finally found a sales associate in a local store who was VERY helpful and she said they take the end cover off the head to clear thread if needed. So we did. The repair shop had failed to find a bearing with about 2 feet of thread wrapped around the crank shaft in inside the bearing. Getting that out was pretty simple with the cover off — impossible with the cover on. After tweezing out all I could get, I ran some dental floss into the shaft near the bearing and it was able to chase out the last bit of thread. I am certain the machine was in the shop 4 times and the thread jam not found. I think the way the thread gets caught is when the bobbin fails to catch the needle thread, the needle continues to go up and down, wearing the thread into a frazzle and it breaks. Sometimes the frazzeled end pops up into the sewing machine and sometimes it gets caught in the crank-shaft bearing that is nearby. This is quite rare and knowing it happens, we have been able to turn the machine backwards by hand and gently pull the thread back out. Again, this is rare and again, it is easy to remedy. I would be very surprised if this isn’t common with any and all sewing machines and would not downgrade the Dream Machine for that reason. It is a great machine and still puts the nicest smile on my wife’s face when she finishes a project.
Re metallic thread:
We use metallic threads regularly. There are special needles with bigger hole for metallics and they work better than the standard needle for that. By the way, we use titanium needles for everything and run them until they break or don’t sew well.
We also use polyester neon colors and they are real attention-getters.
Go for it. Your imagination is the only limit.
My personal favorite is a flowered humming bird pattern (included on Anita Goodesign USB chip) using neon threads on the back of a Levi type sleeveless jacket. Stunning!
I have had the Dream Machine since it first came out. I have never had any issue I could not solve. Never been back to the dealer.
Bob says:Since finding how to clean the thread out, we have really enjoyed the Dream Machine. I doubt you will find any machine that doesn’t ever need thread pulled out at some time and it should be considered a “right of ownership”. It takes maybe 15 or 30 minutes total. Much less than a dealer repair. The end cap comes off with a couple of screws exposing the crank shaft that gets the thread in it. I would estimate it needs cleaned about every million stitches. Usually, you will find the thread caught when thread breaks. Just pull gently on the thread while turning the machine backwards. The thread will usually unwind off the shaft.
The Dream Machine is a great machine and we love it.
All metallic threads should be used in the bobbin and use the specific bobbin. DO NOT run metallic threads through the machine. You get the same design just by turning your garment upside down. So in the future. regular thread through the machine and metallic thread in the bobbin. Read the section in your large manual on “bobbin work”. Never use metallic thread in any machine because it will wear out your machines moving parts.
Donna says:I have a question that I cannot find the answer to in my Brother materials, but I do believe, the Brother rep shared with me on the day of purchase. Can I sew garments with the embroidery unit still attached? I realize the needle and embroidery head would have to be changed out, but am almost positive she told me the embroidery unit itself could be left on for sewing. Thank you for any help you can give me!
Beatriz Flatt says: I do that all the time and never have a problem Bob says:Answer to Donna,
Embroidery uses a special foot and a bobbin carrier with tension adjusted for the size of embroidery bobbin thread (One is “80” and the other “40” for embroidery if memory serves me correctly). All embroidery is done with the same size bobbin thread and the same size top side thread (the two are not the same as each other). When you sew, you should change the foot to whatever type sewing you will be doing and install the sewing bobbin carrier. This is a very quick operation.
The embroidery arm can be left on, but you don’t want to be banging into the carriage as the drive mechanism could possibly be damaged. The arm comes off with a simple squeeze of a release and a tug to the left.
Bob
Well I have had my DM2 nine months. It has been in for repair 3 times and has just been serviced. My new problem is the machine keeps coming unthreaded after doing an AGD Prayer Garden design. I have made this quilt before with no problems. It did stitch out a Disney design with no problem so it is not a thread, needle, etc. problem. My dealer thought it was the stabilizer which I new was not the problem. I am completely frustrated after spending the big $$$ for this machine.
Anne says:I learned a couple of years ago never to pull a thread at the top of the machine always cut at the spool and pull the wasted thread down at the needle. I hope this will avoid any thread issues, such as those described above.
Dr Carla says: I will remember! Thank you. Jan says: Tension problemI need more info to help you. Describe “not perfect”. Is this the Brother Dream Machine? Is this a new problem, or was it displayed when the machine was new? Slow in appearing or abruptly? Is this an embroidery issue or sewing or quilting?
* You can adjust upper thread tension on a page of the setup menu.
* Make sure the bobbin area is very clean and dust free. A can of air does a great job.
* Make sure you have the correct bobbin carrier. There are 3 with the Dream machine. For Embroidery, the one with the purple dot is correct. Each has a different tension adjustment is the difference and the purple is for the standard embroidery thread diameter.
* Swap in a new needle… always a good thing to try.
* Are you sure you have the correct foot in place? There is one for embroidery work.
* Are you using embroidery thread? Is more than one spool doing this?
* Does the drive know turn freely? You will feel kind of a “Buzz” when you turn it and that is normal. But if it is stiff or doesn’t turn smoothly all the way around, there could be thread in the crank-shaft bearing or possibly somewhere else. A flashlight thru the threading slots gives a peek at this part and you should see shredded thread around the bearing if that is the problem.
Ummmmm. Can’t think of anything more off hand. Hope this helps. Let us know.
Best wishes.
Hi Bob,
I agree, and have had trouble with the same thing. I was told off sternly and at length by the shop owner who is married to the service man. She went on and on. You’d have thought I had never sewn before.
I have had embroidery machines since the first Husqvarna Designer 1, and I got the lemon. As with car dealers, the buck is put back on the owner. Not good.
I, too, love the dream machine, but am having other trouble now, the thread cuts too short (I adjusted to no avail) it shreds the thread, and the timing seems just out. All since the telling off. She must have been listening. Am going to take it to another dealer to service, and this is 150 kms away. Still!!
I also have the brother 10 needle. What amazing machines these Brothers are. I hope they are better at the response to such as you, who is trying to work it out and knows what they are doing in the first place.
I do not like it when others say “I’ve never had a problem, or that you should use this thread or that. We already do those things and the issue is how do we fix what is obviously a problem others are experiencing.
Thank you for posting your issue, it has helped me.
Regards, Elaine
I believe that a mayor thing is to have a very good technician at the store where you get the machine because if he is very good, like the one I have, he even teach you what to do in some cases if you can not go to the shop, and resolve the problem over the phone as I live quite far away, I have the Quattro 2 but will love to get the Dream one, still mine work very well but as I say the technician is my wright hand for any problem on the machine, if he is not that good, then you have to deal with the problems by yourself.
Heather Riggs says:All in all which is the better deal and the most versatile machine with the least issues and maintenance problems? The dream machine or the destiny?
Bob says:Heather,
Baby Lock has a machine (Destiny?) that is identically equal to the Dream Machine except for the color of the housing.
Bob
Another difference in the Dream vs Destiny is the Destiny does not contain nor can it contain disney software
Ann says:We r looking at the Dream Machine 2….. What is the difference from Dream Machine 1…. Seems to be a lot of difference in money….what I need is a machine that will also quilt..
Grace Rike says:Hi Ann, I have Dream Machine 2 with shortE handed down to me. My best friend passed unexpectedly and her brother gave the machine with to me. I’m not into embroidery and I’m looking for a buyer for this machine. I want to use the money for our church mission trip to the Philippines.
Christine Wilde says:I would be interested in any comments on the pros and cons of programing your own designs into the machine via scans etc. versus the wifi of other machines.
Lela Salter says:What is the cost of this machine or what will it be? How can you get to try it before it comes to market?
Tami says:I went into a store that sells brother they have some used and new dream maker 2 because people have traded in for the newer model. Would you buy used or new? With the new they were throwing in a box of thread, some dvds, a bigger base seemed like the longer I stayed the more they threw in oh plus 1000. Off the new one without a trade in machine… the price was almost 11,000. What are some other accessory I may need
Sylvia Chew says:I have nothing but trouble with the dream machine.when I try to embroidery on it it snaps the thread. It has spent more time in the repair Shop than at my home. I live about 150 miles from the repair shop. I have spent plenty of money trying to get it fixed. I just brought it home and now it won’t embroidery. I like it when,it does work. Which has not been much. I want to embroidery on it but. I feel I got a lemon.
Lynette sandlin says:I have had my machine for 6 months and it’s back in shop now. I have had to take it for the 6th time. I am not pleased right now.
It has broken thread, thread guard wont always open to change thread, locks up and won’t embroider.
I was told never use canned air. Use a vacuum with computer vacuum tools to clean bobbin area. Never had a problem at all. Bought it in 2014. I vacuum after every project and some times during the project. I quilt and use the machine consistently.
Susan says:Will a surface laptop work with the dream machine? Someone said you should get a gaming laptop is that true?
Suzanne says:I realize this comment is years later than the original post, but in case anyone looks back at it, I’d like to offer what I believe are some helpful suggestions. Just bear in mind, if your machine is still under warranty, DON’T do any of this.
I own an Innovis Dream Weaver VQ3000 which is now roughly 7 years old. I bought it from a dealer at a very reduced price because it was a demo model. It is NOT an embroidery machine, although I have done some free-motion embroidery with it. Even so, I’m sure many or most of the basics on my machine are exactly the same as the embroidery model.
I’ve had this machine for almost 4 years and have never had any trouble with it. It’s been to a local dealer a couple times for a regular “tune up”.
So, my first piece of advice is READ your manual! Brother manuals are very well organized and easy to follow. Go back to it and read it carefully if you’re having a problem, your patience in doing so you may save you a trip to the repair shop and a bunch of money. I have some experience in refurbishing vintage machines, and since certain basic machine functions don’t change much, I decided to open mine up a bit for cleaning. It’s way out of warranty so I had no worry over that. But before you try this, set your tension as loose as it will go, turn off your machine AND unplug it.
All the cover parts are removable if you know how. Look for little plastic circles, each with a tiny hole in it. They’re easy to remove with a tiny awl or even a toothpick. Underneath each is a screw. Use a non-magnetic screwdriver to remove the screws and put them in a small glass or plastic container some place out of the way where you won’t knock it over (Don’t ask me why I suggest this!) Now your cover piece will come off easily. Avoid any exposed computer boards – never touch them – you can ruin the electronics with static electricity.
The light cover (some people call the “nose”), comes off easily enough, so does the smallish cover piece to the right of it on the top. These two cover bits expose places where you may have problems – upper thread jams, tension control jams, etc. The tension assembly looks like just about any other, with two disks facing one another, they just happen to be on the inside of your machine. If there are threads stuck in it, gently push something soft in between them, a little piece of cardboard or some folded cardboard will do it, use fine tip tweezers to remove them and be careful not to scratch the disks (this is why you loosened the tension before beginning). If you’ve opened the nose, you’ll easily see any boogered threads in there too. If you are careful, you can remove them rather easily. Then replace the two covers you’ve removed and don’t forget to reset your upper tension before starting to sew again.
It’s easy enough to clean the bobbin area and I’m sure most know how to do that thoroughly using tweezers, little brushes and/or a mini-vac. But never, Never, NEVER use compressed air to “blow away” dust and such!! This only pushes debris further into the mechanics and computer components inside – extremely bad for your machine. Trust me on this one; I spent 25 years in the computer industry.
The various cover parts over the rest of the machine are also removable – just look carefully for the little circles. I’ve not needed to remove much else when looking for threads and debris and my machine has worked flawlessly for all the time I’ve had it.
If you are uncomfortable trying any of this to maintain your machine – please don’t try it. Take it in for routine maintenance. My purpose here is simply to save you some money on easily fixable problems.
And as far as Brother machines are concerned, this one and my others are some of the easiest to understand and operate that I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been sewing for over 60 years. Brother, and Baby Lock too, make excellent machines. The two companies make machines in the same factories, producing very similar models. If you understand one of them – you’ll essentially understand them all.
Again, even though mine is not an embroidery machine, I’ve used it as such now and then and learned that some threads work better if you put the vertical spool holder on the bobbin winder and load your thread there. If the thread is metallic, I’ve found the mesh cover included with my machine greatly improves how the machine handles metallic thread. Lastly, use needles designed for metallic thread, they have a larger eye and are much less likely to break your thread. If your machine is designed as an embroidery unit, the above may not apply. And as I mentioned, I do only a little free-motion embroidery with mine, so just check your manual.
If you want an upscale Brother machine, try what I did. look for a used one or a demo model and negotiate the price. Trade-ins can be helpful too. I was given a discount as we’re seniors and my husband is ex-military. And if not way beyond your budget, ask the dealer if he/she gives discounts for cash – some will. You’ll never know if you don’t ask.
I’m exceedingly happy with my machine and have never looked back. It’s great for regular sewing projects and especially good for quilting. And by the way, I was recently surprised to learn that Brother is still selling the VQ3000. It must be a popular and well-liked machine.
Happy New Year to you.
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