A Review...Brother Nouvelle 1500S

So I purchased another machine. 









My other machine is a Janome, QC.  I absolutely love my Janome!  But the throat is a little small.  So when I'm quilting anything larger than a lap quilt, it's really tight.  So I thought I would get a machine that has a larger throat, making maneuvering a larger quilt easier. And I'm all about making things easy!

The Brother is comparable to the Juki.  So comparable, in fact, that they even look alike!  The difference appears to be in the price but I'm guessing here because I haven't seen the Juki up close and personal...

This machine is relatively simple.  It has one stitch and one stitch only - the straight stitch.  (My Janome has a ton of stitches so straight stitch only is fine.) I've read reviews where people were disappointed with the location of the bobbin as well as tension issues, but I haven't any concerns.  The bobbin case is under the needle plate and it does feel awkward (after using a top-loading bobbin) when you first install the bobbin.  The very first machine I ever sewed on (when I was about 10 years old) had the bobbin in the same location so although it did feel awkward, it also felt familiar.  The location also doesn't allow you to see how much thread you have left on your bobbin and there isn't anything to let you know that you've run out of bobbin thread.  Although this can be frustrating, I am learning about how long I can sew before I need to check the bobbin thread. Definitely not a deal breaker.

When I first tried the machine I did have all kinds of tension issues and the top thread kept breaking.  Both the tension issues and the breaking thread were entirely my fault!  That first machine I ever sewed on?  It had a knee pedal (instead of a foot pedal) that you (literally) pushed with your knee to operate the machine.  Well, this machine comes with a knee lever that allows you to lift the presser foot without using your hands.  It turns out that not only was I pressing the foot pedal, but I was simultaneously pushing on the knee lever.  Of course I'm having tension and thread issues!  I'm lifting the presser foot while I'm trying to sew!  Duh!  So, I removed the knee lever and...Surprise!  Perfect tension and no breakage! I will try using the knee lever again but for right now, I'm good.

 The Brother came with a number of attachments, including a 1/4 inch foot, a free motion quilting foot, and a walking foot.  It also has a pin feed system (for thicker fabrics or in lieu of a walking foot).  You can adjust the pressure of both the feed dogs and the presser foot too! It has reverse and a button to stop sewing with the needle in the down position.  In addition to the thread cutter on the side, it has an automatic thread cutter that cuts both the top and bottom threads.  I think that's my favorite feature. You don't end up with long tails of thread at the beginning or end of sewing.  The larger table is removable and it comes with a vinyl dust cover.  It also holds either spool thread or cone thread.

And although it can manage up to 1500 stitches per minute and it has a built in stitch regulator, I can't manage that kind of speed (yet)!

And did I say that the machine is metal?  No plastic housing here!

This machine does require oil!  Simple.  Five holes and the bobbin hook when I change the bobbin.  See? Simple.

So far I've quilted two quilts - a baby quilt and a twin size quilt.  Both quilts took less than half the time to quilt and, for the larger quilt, no space issues.

I am very happy with this machine.  It met my expectations and it does exactly what I wanted it for.  Let's hope it does as well for the long haul.

Cheers!

With Fabric and Thread...

Another Finish from With Fabric and Thread using Vintage Modern, Ruby and Bliss from Bonnie and Camille for Moda

The backing fabric is flannel that I picked up from Joann's for $2.96 a yard!  What a bargain!

Cheers!

Finished!

I've finally completed the Bee in my Bonnet Quilt Along.  Yay!

I had a number of issues quilting this and was so disappointed with my machine which was totally uncooperative.  And of course, I didn't notice the huge hiccup on the bee block until it was quilted, bound, and washed.  Seriously, how could I have missed that?  So, I will rip it out and quilt that area again but I did want to post pictures.

Cheers!

Another Finish!

A made this baby quilt for my nephew and his wife.  They are expecting their second child in June and they know it's a girl!  My great-nephew is two already and he is just adorable so it will be fun to have another newborn around!  Although my nephew and his family live on a Marine base down south but he finishes his tour in October so hopefully we'll see more of them.

So I made this quilt using Birdie by Me and My Sister for Moda.  I followed the pattern from this book, Scrap Basket Sensations by Kim Brackett.  I used a layer cake and was able to use the leftover pieces for the binding.  For the backing, I used a flannel print that says, "I love Mommy and Daddy". 

  This was a pretty simple quilt and it went together very quickly.  Now I need to ship it off!

Cheers!

Squeeee!

I just won a fat quarter bundle (8) of  Art Gallery Fabrics from Rachel at ps i quilt! How exciting!  I saw my name and I thought, nope, must be another Julia, but it is me!  I'm so excited, I've got butterflies.  So Rachel, thank you - thank you - thank you!