Brother MS-4 Operation Manual
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Brother MS-4 Operation Manual

Brother MS-4 Operation Manual

Brother computerized sewing machine operation manual
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Computerized Sewing Machine
Operation Manual
Please visit us at http://solutions.brother.com where you can get product support
and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).
KNOWING YOUR
SEWING MACHINE
SEWING BASICS
UTILITY STITCHES
APPENDIX

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  • Page 1 Computerized Sewing Machine Operation Manual Please visit us at http://solutions.brother.com where you can get product support and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE SEWING BASICS UTILITY STITCHES APPENDIX...

  • Page 2: Important Safety Instructions

    When transporting the sewing machine, be sure to carry it by its handle. Lifting the sewing machine by any other part may damage the machine or result in the machine falling, which could cause injuries.
  • Page 3 • Your close attention is necessary when the machine is used by or near children. • The plastic bag that this sewing machine was supplied in should be kept out of the reach of children or disposed of. Never allow children to play with the bag due to the danger of suffocation.
  • Page 4 FOR USERS IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND This sewing machine is not intended to be used by young children, and assistance may be required if used by a person with a disability.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    CONTENTS 1. KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE ...5 NAMES OF MACHINE PARTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS ... 5 The main parts ... 5 Needle and presser foot section ... 6 Operation buttons ... 6 Operation panel ... 7 Flat bed attachment ... 7 ACCESSORIES ...
  • Page 6 —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 3. UTILITY STITCHES ...34 OVERCASTING STITCHES ...34 BASIC STITCHING ...35 Basic stitching ... 35 BLIND HEM STITCHING ... 36 BUTTONHOLE SEWING ...39 Button sewing ... 42 ZIPPER INSERTION ...44 SEWING STRETCH FABRICS AND ELASTIC TAPE ...45 Stretch stitching ... 45 Elastic attaching ...

  • Page 7: Knowing Your Sewing Machine

    Used to raise and lower the presser foot. q Foot controller (page 10) You can use this to control the sewing speed, and to start and stop sewing. r Handle Carry the sewing machine by its handle when transporting the machine.

  • Page 8: Needle And Presser Foot Section

    Presser foot holder The presser foot is installed onto the presser foot holder. Operation buttons The operation buttons help you to easily perform various basic sewing machine operations. The operation buttons differ depending on the sewing machine model. a Presser foot lever Raise and lower the presser foot lever to raise and lower the presser foot.

  • Page 9: Operation Panel

    Operation panel The operation panel, located on the front of the sewing machine, allows you to select a stitch and specify how the stitch will be sewn. a LCD (liquid crystal display) The number of the selected stitch ( to be used (...

  • Page 10: Accessories

    KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE ————————————————————————————————————————— ACCESSORIES The following accessories are stored in the flat bed attachment. We have designed these accessories to help you be able to carry out most sewing tasks. Note (For U.S.A. only) ● Foot controller: Model T This foot controller can be used on this machine model HS-2000.

  • Page 11: Using Your Sewing Machine

    Note ● If a power outage occurs while the sewing machine is being operated, turn off the sewing machine and unplug the power supply cord. When restarting the sewing machine, follow the necessary procedure to correctly operate the machine.

  • Page 12: Foot Controller

    Changing the needle stop position Normally, the sewing machine is set to leave the needle in the fabric when sewing is stopped. Instead, the machine can be set to leave the needle raised when sewing is stopped.

  • Page 13: Threading The Machine

    Turn the bobbin clockwise, by hand, until the spring on the shaft slides into the groove of the bobbin. a Spring on the shaft b Groove of the bobbin Turn on the sewing machine.
  • Page 14 Then stop the machine. Note ● If the sewing machine is to be operated using the foot controller, connect the foot controller before turning on the machine. ● When the foot controller is plugged in, the...
  • Page 15 (for models equipped with the start/stop button) to start. Note ● If the sewing machine is to be operated using the foot controller, connect the foot controller before turning on the machine. ● When the foot controller is plugged in, the...

  • Page 16: Lower Threading

    KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE ————————————————————————————————————————— Memo ● When the sewing machine is started or the handwheel is turned after winding the thread around the bobbin, the machine will make a clicking sound; this is not a malfunction. ● The needle bar does not move when you slide the bobbin winding shaft to the right.
  • Page 17 Replace the bobbin cover. Put the left tab in place (see arrow a), and then press lightly on the right side (see arrow b) until the cover clicks into place. • Replace the cover so that the end of the thread comes out from the left side of the cover (as shown by the line in the diagram).

  • Page 18: Upper Threading

    Mark • If the needle is not correctly raised, the sewing machine can not be threaded. Be sure to turn the handwheel so that the mark on the wheel points up before threading the sewing machine.
  • Page 19 CAUTION ● The needle threader can only be used with home sewing machine needles size 75/11- 100/16. Check the table on page 20 for the appropriate needle and thread combinations. If you are using transparent nylon mono- filament thread, you can only use needles in the range of 90/14-100/16.
  • Page 20 KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE ————————————————————————————————————————— Fully lower the needle threader lever. The end of the needle threader rotates toward you and the hook passes through the eye of the needle. Catch the thread on the hook as shown below. a Hook...

  • Page 21: Drawing Up The Lower Thread

    Drawing up the lower thread Lightly hold the end of the upper thread. a Upper thread While holding the end of the upper thread, raise the needle either by turning the handwheel toward you (counterclockwise) so that the mark on the wheel points up or by pressing (needle position button) (for models equipped with the needle position...

  • Page 22: Replacing The Needle

    Be sure to read and carefully follow the instructions below. CAUTION ● Only use home sewing machine needles. Use of any other needle may bend the needle or damage the machine. ● Never use bent needles. Bent needles can easily break, possibly resulting in injury.

  • Page 23: Checking The Needle

    Turn off the sewing machine. CAUTION ● Before replacing the needle, be sure to turn off the sewing machine, otherwise injuries may occur if the foot controller or the start/ stop button is accidentally pressed and the machine starts sewing.
  • Page 24 KNOWING YOUR SEWING MACHINE ————————————————————————————————————————— Hold the needle with your left hand, and then use a screwdriver to turn the needle clamp screw counterclockwise to remove the needle. Note ● The needle can be removed by simply loosening the needle clamp screw about one turn.

  • Page 25: Sewing With A Twin Needle

    Sewing with a twin needle We have designed your machine so you can sew with this needle and two top threads. You can use the same color or two different colors of thread for making decorative stitches. For details on the stitches that can be sewn with the twin needle, refer to “Stitch settings” (page 56). CAUTION ●...

  • Page 26: Replacing The Presser Foot

    (needle position button), raise the needle by pressing a Mark b Needle position button If the sewing machine has been turned on, turn it off. CAUTION ● Before replacing the presser foot, be sure to turn off the sewing machine, otherwise...

  • Page 27: Removing The Presser Foot Holder

    Removing the presser foot holder Remove the presser foot holder when cleaning the sewing machine or when installing a presser foot that does not use the presser foot holder, such as the quilting foot. Use the screwdriver to remove the presser foot holder.

  • Page 28: Sewing Basics

    SEWING BASICS SEWING Basic sewing operations are described below. Before operating the sewing machine, read the following precautions. CAUTION ● While the machine is in operation, pay special attention to the needle location. In addition, keep your hands away from all moving parts such as the needle and handwheel, otherwise injuries may occur.

  • Page 29: Selecting Stitching

    Selecting stitching Using the stitch selection keys, select the desired stitch. When the sewing machine is turned on, the straight stitch ( left needle position) is selected. Turn on the sewing machine. Press (stitch selection keys). The number of the selected stitch is displayed.

  • Page 30: Starting To Sew

    SEWING BASICS ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— Starting to sew Raise the needle by turning the handwheel toward you (counterclockwise) so that the mark on the wheel points up. (With models equipped with (needle position button), raise the needle by pressing once or twice.) a Mark b Needle position button Raise the presser foot lever.

  • Page 31: Thread Tension

    Raise the presser foot lever. Pull the fabric to the left side of the machine, and then pass the threads through the thread cutter to cut them. a Thread cutter Memo ● When the foot controller is plugged in, (start/stop button) cannot be used to start sewing.
  • Page 32 SEWING BASICS ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— Memo ● When you finish sewing, remove the bobbin cover and then make sure that the thread is shown as below. If the thread is not shown as below, the thread is not inserted through the tension-adjusting spring of the bobbin case correctly.

  • Page 33: Useful Sewing Tips

    Changing the sewing direction When the stitching reaches a corner, stop the sewing machine. Leave the needle lowered (in the fabric). If the needle was raised, lower the needle either by turning the handwheel toward you...

  • Page 34: Sewing Hook-And-Loop Fastener

    SEWING BASICS ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— ■ If thick seams are being sewn and the fabric does not feed at the beginning of stitching Zigzag foot “J” is equipped with a feature that keeps the presser foot level. a Sewing direction When you encounter a seam that is too thick to feed under the foot, raise the presser foot lever.

  • Page 35: Sewing Thin Fabrics

    Sewing thin fabrics When sewing thin fabrics, the stitching may become misaligned or the fabric may not feed correctly. If this occurs, place thin paper or stabilizer material under the fabric and sew it together with the fabric. When you have finished sewing, tear off any excess paper.

  • Page 36: Utility Stitches

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— UTILITY STITCHES OVERCASTING STITCHES You can use the overcasting stitches to join together seams and finish them in one operation. They are also useful for sewing stretch materials. Pattern No. Stitch Name Zigzag stitch 3-point zig- zag stitch Overcasting stitch *Rev.: Reverse...

  • Page 37: Basic Stitching

    BASIC STITCHING Straight stitches are used for sewing plain seams. Three stitches are available for basic stitching. Pattern No. Stitch Name Left Center Triple stretch stitch *Rev.: Reverse **Rfc.: Reinforcement Basic stitching Baste or pin together the fabric pieces. Attach zigzag foot “J”. Select a stitch.

  • Page 38: Blind Hem Stitching

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— BLIND HEM STITCHING You can use the Blind Hem Stitch to finish the edge of a project, like the hem of a pair of trousers, without the stitch showing. Pattern No. Stitch Name Blind hem stitch *Rfc.: Reinforcement Reverse the skirt or pants.
  • Page 39 Unfold the edge of fabric, and position the fabric with the wrong side facing up. < Seen from the side> a Wrong side of fabric b Basting c Edge of fabric Attach blind hem foot “R”. Select a stitch. Remove the flat bed attachment and make free-arm sewing possible.
  • Page 40 UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— ■ If the needle catches too much of the hem fold If the needle catches too much of the hem fold, adjust the stitch width so that the needle slightly catches the fold by pressing the “+” side of the stitch width adjustment key.

  • Page 41: Buttonhole Sewing

    BUTTONHOLE SEWING Buttonholes can be sewn and buttons can be sewn on. Pattern No. Stitch Name Buttonhole stitch – – Zigzag stitch – (for quilting) *Auto Rfc.: Automatic Reinforcement The maximum buttonhole length is about 28 mm (1-1/8 inch) (diameter + thickness of the button). Buttonholes are sewn from the front of the presser foot to the back, as shown below.
  • Page 42 UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— The names of parts of buttonhole foot “A”, which is used for sewing buttonholes, are indicated below. a Button guide plate b Presser foot scale c Pin d Marks on buttonhole foot e 5 mm (3/16 inch) Use chalk to mark the position and length of the buttonhole on the fabric.
  • Page 43 • When lowering the presser foot, do not push in the front of the presser foot, otherwise the buttonhole will not be sewn with the correct size. a Do not reduce the gap. Pull down the buttonhole lever as far as possible.

  • Page 44: Button Sewing

    Trim off any excess of the gimp thread. Button sewing Buttons can be sewn on with the sewing machine. Buttons with 2 or with 4 holes can be attached. Measure the distance between the holes in the button to be attached.
  • Page 45 • When attaching four-hole buttons, first sew the two holes closest to you. Then, slide the button so that the needle goes into the two holes toward the rear of the sewing machine, and then sew them in the same way. Select a stitch .

  • Page 46: Zipper Insertion

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— ZIPPER INSERTION You can use the zipper foot to sew different types of zippers, and can easily position it to the right or left side of the needle. When sewing the right side of the zipper, attach the shank to the left pin of the zipper foot. When sewing the left side of the zipper, attach the shank to the right pin of the zipper foot.

  • Page 47: Sewing Stretch Fabrics And Elastic Tape

    SEWING STRETCH FABRICS AND ELASTIC TAPE Stretch fabrics can be sewn and elastic tape can be attached. Pattern No. Stitch Name Stretch stitch 3-point zigzag stitch *Rfc.: Reinforcement Observe the corresponding precautions when performing each of the following stitching operations. Stretch stitching Attach zigzag foot “J”.

  • Page 48: Appliqué, Patchwork And Quilt Stitching

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— APPLIQUÉ, PATCHWORK AND QUILT STITCHING The stitches that can be used for sewing appliqués, patchwork and quilts are described below. Pattern No. Stitch Name Zigzag stitch Zigzag stitch (for quilting) Appliqué 11 Appliqué stitching stitch Appliqué stitch (for quilting) Piecing straight...

  • Page 49: Patchwork (Crazy Quilt) Stitching

    Carefully sew around the edge of the design. Cut away any fabric that is left outside the stitching. Remove the basting, if necessary. Memo ● Make reinforcing straight stitches at the beginning and the end of stitching. CAUTION ● Be careful that the needle does not hit a pin during sewing, as the needle can break.

  • Page 50: Quilting

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— Quilting Sandwiching batting between the top and bottom layers of fabric is called “quilting”. Quilts can easily be sewn using the optional walking foot and the optional quilting guide. Note ● Only use the walking foot with straight or zigzag stitches.

  • Page 51: Free-Motion Quilting

    Feed dog position lever (as seen from the rear of the machine) The feed dogs are lowered. Turn on the sewing machine, and then select a stitch. Use both hands to hold the fabric taut, then move the fabric to follow the pattern.

  • Page 52: Reinforcement Stitching

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— REINFORCEMENT STITCHING Reinforce points that will be subject to strain, such as sleeve holes, inseams and pocket corners. Pattern No. Stitch Name Triple stretch stitch Bar tack stitch *Rfc.: Reinforcement **Auto Rfc.: Automatic Reinforcement Triple stretch stitching Use triple stretch stitching to reinforce sleeve holes and inseams.
  • Page 53 Select stitch Position the fabric so that the opening of the pocket faces toward you, and then lower the presser foot lever so that the needle drops 2 mm (1/16 inch) in front of the pocket opening. a 2 mm (1/16 inch) Pass the upper thread down through the hole in the presser foot.

  • Page 54: Decorative Stitching

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— DECORATIVE STITCHING Various decorative stitches can be sewn with this sewing machine. Pattern No. Stitch Name Fagoting stitch Joining stitch Shell tuck 12 Sell tuck stitching stitch Satin scallop 13 Scallop stitching stitch 19 Decorative stitching 20 Decorative stitching...

  • Page 55: Fagoting

    Fagoting Stitching across an open seam is called “fagoting”. It is used on blouses and children's clothing. This stitch is more decorative when thicker thread is used. Use an iron to fold the two pieces of fabric along their seams. Baste the two pieces of fabric, separated by about 4.0 mm (3/16 inch), onto thin paper or a sheet of water-soluble stabilizer.

  • Page 56: Smocking

    UTILITY STITCHES —————————————————————————————————————————————————— Smocking The decorative stitch created by stitching or embroidering over gathers is called “smocking”. It is used to decorate the front of blouses or cuffs. The smocking stitch adds texture and elasticity to fabric. Attach zigzag foot “J”. Select the straight stitch, and then adjust the stitch length to 4.0 mm (3/16 inch) and loosen the thread tension.

  • Page 57: Joining

    CAUTION ● The needle threader cannot be used with the wing needle, otherwise the sewing machine may be damaged. Manually pass the thread through the eye of the needle from the front to the back. For details, refer to “Upper threading”...

  • Page 58: Appendix

    APPENDIX ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— APPENDIX STITCH SETTINGS Applications, stitch lengths and widths and whether the twin needle can be used are listed for utility stitches in the following table. CAUTION ● Select a stitch width of 5.0 mm (3/16 inch) or less, otherwise the needle may break or the machine may be damaged.
  • Page 59 Pattern No. Stitch Name Blind hem stitch Appliqué 11 Appliqué stitching stitch Shell tuck 12 Shell tuck stitching stitch Satin scallop 13 Scallop stitching stitch Joining stitch 17 Fagoting, smocking and Fagoting stitch 19 Decorative stitching 20 Decorative stitching Decorative stitch *Rfc.: Reinforcement **Select a stitch width of 5.0 mm (3/16 inch) or less.
  • Page 60 APPENDIX ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Pattern No. Stitch Name Decorative stitch Buttonhole stitch – – Bar tack stitch Piecing straight stitch Hand-look 31 Straight stitch quilting quilting Zigzag stitch (for quilting) *Rfc.: Reinforcement **Auto Rfc.: AutomaticReinforcement ***Select a stitch width of 5.0 mm (3/16 inch) or less. Stitch Width [mm (inch.)] Application...
  • Page 61 Pattern No. Stitch Name Appliqué stitch (for quilting) Quilting stippling 32 For decoration, etc. 33 For decoration, etc. Decorative stitch 34 For decoration, etc. *Rfc.: Reinforcement Stitch Width [mm (inch.)] Application Auto Manual Attaching appliqués and 0.5–5.0 binding (1/16) (1/32–3/16) Attaching appliqués and 0.5–5.0 binding...
  • Page 62 APPENDIX ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Pattern No. Stitch Name 35 For decoration, etc. 36 For decoration, etc. Satin stitches 37 For decoration, etc. Cross- 38 For decoration, etc. stitches 39 For decoration, etc. *Rfc.: Reinforcement **Select a stitch width of 5.0 mm (3/16 inch) or less. Stitch Width [mm (inch.)] Application...

  • Page 63: Maintenance

    MAINTENANCE Simple sewing machine maintenance operations are described below. Cleaning the machine surface If the surface of the machine is dirty, lightly soak a cloth in neutral detergent, squeeze it out firmly, and then wipe the surface of the machine. After cleaning it once with a wet cloth, wipe it again with a dry cloth.
  • Page 64 APPENDIX ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Remove the bobbin case. Grasp the bobbin case, and then pull it out. a Bobbin case Use the cleaning brush or a vacuum cleaner to remove any dust from the race and its surrounding area. a Cleaning brush b Race •...

  • Page 65: Troubleshooting

    If the machine stops operating correctly, check the following possible problems before requesting service. You can solve most problems by yourself. If you need additional help, the Brother Solutions Center offers the latest FAQs and troubleshooting tips. Visit us at [http://solutions.brother.com].
  • Page 66 APPENDIX ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Symptom Possible cause You have not inserted the needle properly. The area around the hole in the nee- dle plate is scratched. The area around the hole in the The upper presser foot is scratched. thread breaks. The bobbin case is scratched, or has a burr on it.
  • Page 67 Symptom Possible cause You have not threaded the upper thread properly or fitted the bobbin properly. You have not fitted the spool properly. Fit the spool properly. You have not used the right combina- The fabric is tion of fabric, thread and needle. wrinkled.

  • Page 68: Error Messages

    ————————————————————————————————————————————————————— ERROR MESSAGES If an operation is performed incorrectly before the sewing machine is set up, an error message appears on the operation panel. Follow the instructions indicated in the table. If you press the stitch selection key or do the operation correctly while the error message is displayed, the message disappears.

  • Page 69: Index

    ...6 quilting...48 quilting foot...49 quilting guide ...48 reinforcement stitching...50 reverse/reinforcement stitch button...6 scallop stitching ...53 seam ripper ...41 sewing machine needles ...20 sewing speed controller...6 sleeve holes...50 smocking...54 spool pin ...11 start/stop button...6 stitch length...27 stitch selection key ...7 stitch settings...56...
  • Page 70 —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— thick fabrics...31 thin fabrics ...33 thread cutter...29 thread guide ...16 thread tension ...29 trial sewing...31 triple stretch stitch ...35 troubleshooting ...63 twin needle ...22 upper tension-control dial ...29 upper threading...16 walking foot ...48 wing needle ...55 zigzag stitch ...31 zipper foot...44 zipper Insertion ...44...
  • Page 72 English 885-S35/S38 XE3669-101 a Printed in China...

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