Brother PQ1500SL Sewing Machine Review

How are you? Safe and sane, hopefully. Things are crazy around here, but we're getting used to our new "normal". Will life ever go back to the way it was? Who knows.

Let's talk about mask making for a second. Whew! What a whirlwind that is, amiright? I've never made hundreds of one item before, until I decided to sew face masks. They were needed everywhere overnight. I've donated them, sold them, made them for friends and family, etc., just like most of us in the sewing community. 

Just like many of you, I got tired of sewing masks. Making the same thing over and over takes a toll on you. Mind, body, spirit, and soul.  

At some point in the midst of mask making, a new sewing machine was ordered, by magical fairies who love me, presumably. I had my eyes set on this particular one for a couple of years. It wasn't an essential item, but with all the necessary sewing going on, I allowed it.

They sent me the wrong machine at first, and then finally, 2 weeks later the correct machine arrived. Wheeee!! I was so excited.

Although, hesitation and fear kept me from opening it right away. What if I didn't love it? Maybe it was too advanced for me. It is a straight stitch only machine, after all. It sat outside for 24 hours to decontaminate before opening up the box and bringing it inside. Crazy, I know.

Let me start off by saying, WOW! She's a beast! She’s heavy and the box was huuuge!

My new Brother PQ1500SL sewing machine was here and itching to be used. And, holy cow, she exceeded all my expectations and some. 

The machine came with a plethora of accessories and I totally nerded out on all of these, of course! 

The machine has a large extension table that is dreamy. It came with multiple feet including a whopper of a walking foot. 

Threading is as easy as pie. Winding the bobbin is easy as well. 

It doesn't have a drop-in bobbin, which I thought would be annoying. However, it's easy to change because there are 3 doors that open up, making it convenient to change during a project. 

A fun surprise that was included was a loaded bobbin. I've bought a few new machines in my almost 20 years of sewing, and they've never come with a loaded bobbin! This was exciting for me. It really is the little things.

Or I lost my marbles after making hundreds of masks, and any small thing was pure joy at this point. Who knows!

Once I received my new Brother sewing machine, I got a second mask-making wind. I was so antsy to use it. Give a kid a new toy, of course they want to play with it right away!

Sewed the first mask beautifully.

Nevermind the stack of things that I started and couldn't finish before the pandemic. I couldn't sew something for myself during a crisis, that just felt wrong to me. So, I made more masks. So many more masks. But, they were made with a big smile because I had a shiny new toy. 

The machine came with a fully loaded bobbin! You wind the thread up and around to the cutter. So easy and convenient. No pulling the thread up with upper thread.

I'm a sucker for accessories! Do you love gadgets and get excited to use them? Here's everything it came with. 

Feet galore

1. Zipper foot

2. invisible zipper foot

3. Walking foot

4. Rolled hem foot

5. 1/4" foot

6. Pin feed foot

7. Free motion quilting foot

8. Seam guide

9. Feed pin and lining plate screws

10. Fabric Separator

Walking foot to help with quilting and sewing many layers. A YKK invisible zipper foot.

That particular invisible zipper foot in the photo above is the greatest thing I've ever used! I sew a lot of invisible zippers into my clothes, I'm familiar with invisible zipper feet. But, my metal go-to foot has nothing on that plastic YKK beauty! It even looks different, see the pointy middle part? It's a game-changer. I didn't have to pull and yank and coax the zipper while I sewed it in. It just did its own thing and we sewed in harmonial bliss. It's a high-shank foot, so check what type of sewing machine you have before you order this puppy. But, if you use invisible zips often, get yourself one. You won't regret it. ;) I saw them on Amazon and online shops, look for a Juki invisible zipper foot.

More Accessories

• 5 bobbins

• 6 extra needles

• Lint cleaning brush

• Small screwdriver and medium screwdriver

• Spool cap and net

• Feed pin changer

• Extension table with measuring strip on it

• Knee lift

• Spool Cushion

• Soft machine cover

• Knee lift and fabric extension table

Sewing Machine cover. It only fits if you remove the table and knee lift.

The machine came with a cover made of vinyl and has a thin layer of foam inside the front and back. It's nice and roomy. It says "For Professional Use" on the front and that makes me feel all professional-like. No big deal. ;)

You have to remove the table for the cover to fit properly. But, I plop the cover over the machine and call it a day.

The machine without the table. I have come to absolutely love the knee lift. I don’t know how I ever sewed without it.

Onto the fun part, the actual sewing. Squeee!!

I had a minor hiccup in the beginning because the bobbin wasn't "clicked" in all the way. Once that was figured out, we were good to go. Just make sure it makes a loud click.  If you get a new sewing machine or serger, it's good practice to load the bobbin and thread the machine a few times. It helps you get familiar with the motions. I loaded 2 bobbins and those went smoothly, a little louder than a plastic bobbin, but they wound quickly and evenly. 

Threading the upper thread was easy. It's a tad different than my other home sewing machines because the tension discs are on the outside. The manual walks you through the process and even shows an alternative way to thread if you have tension issues.  Thank you, Mister Manual Writer, or Miss. ;) 

The Brother PQ1500SL does not alert you when the bobbin is running out. My other Brother machines make a warning beep when the bobbin is low. I thought this would be frustrating because let's be honest, it's nice to know when the bobbin is empty before you've sewn a whole pant leg. But... I prefer not to know! My other machine starts beeping at you and stops you from sewing, a good 2 feet of length before the bobbin is empty. I get frustrated and it's more hassle than it's worth. 

Not knowing when I'll run out is much less stressful. I sew until I notice my seam is wonky. I take the bobbin out, load it, and pop it back in. Quick and painless. No annoying beep. Woohoo!!

This machine only sews straight stitches, nothing else. I will have to use another machine when I sew my bras and other things that need a zigzag. No biggy.

I cannot wait to sew a pair of pants on this machine, it's so fast and will sew a long inseam in a jiffy. 1500 stitches per minute (SPM) is life-altering! I used to count the seconds of my life go by while sewing with my much slower 400 SPM machine. LOL

The Brother PQ1500SL has a pin feed system and I honestly have not played with that part, yet. I'll update the post when I figure that all out. UPDATE: I’ve used it a few times. It’s made for sewing with velvet. I made two Gardner tops while using it. They turned out beautifully. Grab that post here.

But, it has a pin that feeds from below the feed dogs, upwards. It pokes the fabric layers and helps move them along. I assume it's similar to a walking foot, in theory. The manual says to use it with difficult fabric like velvet, leather, and suede.

I've sewn close to 100 masks and a Rita Blouse with the machine since it arrived. 

I've test-sewn through a small variety of fabrics- super thin cotton, stretchy poplin, elastic, stretch knit, denim, and sheer fabrics. It didn't eat the thin cotton or sheer fabrics. It went over the mask pleats easily too, with no crunching sound like on my other machines. 

Overall, I'm completely head over heels with this machine. I could kick myself for not buying it sooner. But, I had mom guilt. That guilt where you can't buy something nice for yourself because... kids.

If you're looking to elevate your sewing game, this is the machine for you! It's fast and powerful. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as a beginner sewing machine. However, if you've been sewing for a while and need more power and more speed, this is for you! I sound like a car salesman, but I’m being serious. Give me all the sewing power and speed!

It doesn't have 400 decorative stitches like many other machines. It's a utility machine for sewing clothing and quilting. I don't quilt, so I can't recommend it for that. But reviews online say it's wonderful for quilting. UPDATE: I have made a few quilts with it and it sews through all the layers easily. It also does free-hand motion like a dream.

Disclaimer: I was not paid by Brother and I'm not sponsored - although I wish I was. Ha! ;) I bought this machine with my own money. And, oh my gosh, every penny was well spent!

Let me know in the comments if you have had your eye on this machine or already have it. Do you love it too? 

Stay safe and healthy, 

Annette

Clean your Sewing Machine in 5 minutes

Has your sewing machine been acting rude? Is she causing your thread to break, bunch, or nest? Is she being loud and unruly?

Well... It might be time for a quick cleaning.

I had a few minutes this morning, so I decided to give my machine a little cleaning session. When my machine starts to run a little wonky, I clean her innards and she's good to go! 

What you need:

• 2-4 Cotton swabs

• Table light (if your machine isn't in a well-lit area)

• Sewing machine  

I keep a few swabs stashed with my sewing notions so they're always handy when I need them.

Start by turning off your machine. Sounds silly, but you don't want to lose a finger or ruin your nails. ;)

Remove the needle.

Take your needle out. It gives you more room so you can get into the area without worrying about a poke. Turn the tiny black knob a couple of times and the needle drops down easily. Set it aside, don't lose it!

Remove the foot.

Remove the foot and set it aside. This machine has an easy button in the back that drops the foot. You may have to unscrew the foot to remove yours. Check your manual if you are not sure.

Remove the bobbin and everything around it.

Remove the bobbin cover and pull out your bobbin. This machine has a drop-in bobbin, you might have a different setup. Check your manual if needed.

Set the cover aside as well. If you have a small dish, it's nice to stick all the parts inside so they are kept together, and out of the way.

Now we're going to slide off the flat bed attachment if you have one. Easy peasy so far, right? 

I made a pair of tweed pants and they left tiny fibers everywhere. I can't wait to see what's hiding inside of the machine. 

Remove the needle plate cover. This slides out towards you easily, be gentle though. Set aside or in the dish with everything else.

Are you still with me? Hope so!

Here's where it gets fun.

Remove the bobbin case by pulling it out.

Note the tiny white triangle on yours. Keep that in mind when we are putting everything back together. Set inside the dish. 

Swirl your cotton swab around everything.

Now it's time to go to town! Grab a cotton swab and look inside. Do you see little dust bunnies? You may or may not. Start by swirling the swab in the race (area where the bobbin case lives) first.

There's no wrong or right way, but try to be gentle. Don't jab it around in a stabbing motion, just slide and twirl it, gathering fibers and rogue strings. It's almost therapeutic.

Take your time, hand crank the hand wheel a little bit. It turns the race so you can get more hidden debris.

I do not use canned air. I only use cotton swabs.

However, if you're lucky enough to have those tiny attachments that came with your vacuum cleaner, by all means... get that sucker out and use it! Literally.

When you're all done, your swabs might look like mine below, give yourself a pat on the back. You've just done a nice thing for your machine. She will thank you and run a lot smoother. 

This may not look like a lot of lint. But, I assure you, it is.

The machine I cleaned today is a newer machine and the manual says they are oiled for life. So, I do not add oil.

My vintage machines would get a drop of oil at this point. My Brother PQ1500SL would also get oil.

Okay, let's get your machine put back together so you can use her again. Do everything you did to take it apart but in reverse.

Find your tiny white triangle on the bobbin case. Match it up with the tiny white dot next to your screw. Pop the case back inside matching these 2 together. You may have to finagle it to get them matched up. 

Match the triangle and dot. Your machine may not have markings, check your manual.

Slide the needle plate cover back into place.

Stay with me. We're almost done. I'm hopeful at this point, you're saying to yourself… "This was so easy!”

Slide the flat bed attachment back into place.

Slide the bobbin cover back on. 

Add your presser foot and insert your needle. 

You're back in sewing business!! 

Add your pressure foot and needle.

If you have any parts left over, that is not good. Take a deep breath, sip of coffee, and retrace your steps. 

I clean my machines whenever I notice them having little issues. This simple task will make your machine perk up and run more smoothly. I think it helps to make it last longer too.

You should also take the machine to a reputable sewing shop for a good cleaning once a year. They take the whole thing apart and fix any issues. I do my part by keeping the dust bunnies out.

Look at all that fuzz!

Let's take another look at the dusty, yucky cotton swabs. Yikes!! Don't forget to toss those dusty swabs in the trash. 

Thanks for hanging out and cleaning with me. Did you time yourself? How long did it take you to clean your machine? Tell me in the comments, below. 

Happy cleaning,

Annette