IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Please read these safety instructions before attempting to use the machine. DANGER - To reduce the risk of electric shock: Always unplug the machine from the electrical outlet immediately after using, when cleaning, when making any user servicing adjustments mentioned in this manual, or if you are leaving the machine unattended.
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Always keep your work area clear: • Never operate the machine with any air openings blocked. Keep ventilation openings of the sewing machine and foot control free from the build up of lint, dust, and loose cloth. • Do not store objects on the foot controller. •...
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Use accessories recommended by the manufacturer as contained in this manual. The contents of this manual and specifications of this product are subject to change without notice. For additional product information, visit our web site at www.brother.com SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
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FOR USERS IN THE UK, EIRE, MALTA AND CYPRUS ONLY IMPORTANT • In the event of replacing the plug fuse, use a fuse approved by ASTA to BS 1362, i.e. carrying the mark, rating as marked on plug. • Always replace the fuse cover. Never use plugs with the fuse cover omitted. •...
Introduction Thank you for choosing this product. Before using this sewing machine, carefully read “Important Safety Instructions”, and then study this manual for the correct operation of the various functions. In addition, after you have finished reading this manual, store it where it can quickly be accessed for future reference.
Needle and presser foot section c Presser foot holder The presser foot is attached to the presser foot holder. d Presser foot holder screw Use the presser foot holder screw to hold the presser foot holder in place. e Presser foot The presser foot applies pressure to the fabric during sewing.
Operation panel Flat bed attachment The operation panel, located on the front of the The accessories are stored in the storage space in the sewing machine, allows you to select a stitch and flat bed attachment. specify how the stitch will be sewn. Swing the lid of the flat bed attachment toward you to open the storage space.
(For U.S.A. only) ● Foot controller: Model T This foot controller can be used on the machine with product code 888-V12. The product code is mentioned on the machine rating plate. ● The screw for the presser foot holder is available through your authorized dealer.
● To obtain optional accessories or parts, contact the nearest authorized dealership. ● All specifications are correct at the time of printing. The part codes are subject to change without notice. ● Visit your Brother dealer for a complete listing of optional accessories available for your machine.
GETTING READY Turning the Machine On/Off This section explains how to turn the sewing machine on and off. Power supply precautions Be sure to observe the following precautions concerning the power supply. WARNING ● Use only regular household electricity for the power source. Using other power sources may result in fire, electric shock, or damage to the machine.
Preparing for Upper and Lower Threading Winding the bobbin Wind the thread onto the bobbin. a Hook of the bobbin-winding thread guide b Pretention disk c Bobbin winder shaft d Bobbin CAUTION ● Only use the bobbin (part code: SA156, SFB(XA5539-151)) designed specifically for this sewing machine.
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While using your left hand to hold the thread Press (start/stop button) once. that was passed through the bobbin-winding The bobbin starts spinning and the thread guide, use your right hand to wind the end of the thread clockwise around the thread is wound around the bobbin.
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Lightly hold down the bobbin with your right Reattach the bobbin cover. hand, and guide the thread through the slot, Insert the tab in the lower-left corner of the and then pull it toward you to cut it with the bobbin cover (A), and then press down on the cutter.
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Press (needle position button) once or Fully insert the spool for the upper thread twice to raise the needle. onto the spool pin Slide the spool onto the pin so that the spool is horizontal and the thread unwinds to the front at the bottom.
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Slide the thread into the thread take-up lever While lowering the needle threader lever, from the right to the left. hook the thread onto the guide. a Thread take-up lever Memo ● If the needle is not raised, the thread take- up lever cannot be threaded.
Insert the extra spool pin onto the end of the Using the twin needle bobbin winder shaft. a Bobbin winder shaft With the twin needle, you can sew two parallel lines b Extra spool pin of the same stitch with two different threads. Both c Thread spool upper threads should have the same thickness and quality.
Replacing the Needle This section provides information on sewing machine needles. Needle precautions Be sure to observe the following precautions concerning the handling of the needle. Failure to observe these precautions is extremely dangerous, for example, if the needle breaks and fragments are dispersed. Be sure to read and carefully follow the instructions below.
Checking the needle Replacing the needle Sewing with a bent needle is extremely dangerous Replace the needle as described below. Use the since the needle may break while the machine is screwdriver and a correct needle, as described in being operated. “Checking the needle”.
Replacing the Presser Foot Presser foot precautions Be sure to observe the following precautions concerning the presser feet. CAUTION ● Use the presser foot appropriate for the type of stitch that you wish to sew, otherwise the needle may hit the presser foot, causing the needle to bend or break.
■ Attaching the presser foot holder Using the optional walking Align the presser foot holder with the presser foot bar. With the optional walking foot, both pieces of fabric are fed evenly by the feed dogs and the teeth on the presser foot.
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For details on the stitches, refer to “Stitch settings” (page 87). ● The optional walking foot is available through your Brother dealer. a Needle position button The needle is raised. Turn off the sewing machine.
Useful Functions ■ When the needle stops in the raised position Functions useful in improving sewing efficiency are described below. The needle stops in the raised position when sewing ends. Changing the needle stop position Normally, the sewing machine is set to leave the needle in the fabric when sewing is stopped.
Sewing Cylindrical or Large Pieces When sewing cylindrical or large pieces of fabric, remove the flat bed attachment. Stitching cylindrical pieces Sewing large pieces of fabric Removing the flat bed attachment makes it easier to The optional wide table makes sewing large pieces sew cylindrical pieces such as cuffs and pant legs.
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Sewing machine bed Note ● The optional wide table is available through your Brother dealer. Turn the screw at the bottom of each leg to adjust their height so the wide table will be level with the sewing machine bed.
SEWING BASICS Starting to Sew 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. In addition, keep your hands away from all moving parts such as the needle, handwheel, and thread take-up lever, otherwise injuries may occur.
Press “+” or “–” side of (stitch width Positioning the fabric key) to adjust the stitch width. – Be sure that the fabric pieces are sewn in the correct order and that the right and wrong sides of the fabric are aligned correctly.
SEWING BASICS — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — While holding the end of the thread and the Starting to sew fabric with your left hand, turn the handwheel...
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Press (start/stop button) once. Insert the foot controller plug into its jack on the side of the sewing machine. a Start/stop button The machine starts sewing. a Foot controller jack Turn on the sewing machine. • If you continue pressing the (start/stop button) immediately after the sewing starts, the machine will sew at a slow speed.
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After sewing 3 to 5 stitches, press After 3 to 5 reverse stitches have been sewn, (reverse/reinforcement stitch button). release (reverse/reinforcement stitch button). Keep (reverse/reinforcement stitch button) The machine stops sewing. held down until you reach the beginning of the stitching.
■ Correct thread tension After reaching the end of the stitching, press the reverse/reinforcement stitch button once. The upper thread and the bobbin thread should cross near the center of the fabric. Only the upper thread should be visible from the right side of the fabric, and only the bobbin thread should be visible from the wrong side of the fabric.
■ If thick seams are being sewn and the fabric Sewing thin fabrics does not feed at the beginning of stitching Zigzag foot “J” is equipped with a feature that When sewing thin fabrics, the stitching may become keeps the presser foot level. misaligned or the fabric may not feed correctly.
UTILITY STITCHES Overcasting Sew overcasting along the edges of cut fabric to prevent them from fraying. Six stitches are available for overcasting. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Walk- Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Foot Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual Overcasting and...
Basic Stitching Straight stitches are used for sewing plain seams. Three stitches are available for basic stitching. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Walk- Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Foot Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual Basic stitching, 0.0–7.0 0.2–5.0 sewing gathers or Reverse...
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Position the fabric with the edge of the folded Memo hem against the guide of the presser foot, and then lower the presser foot lever. If the needle is incorrectly positioned, the stitching results will be as shown below. Correct each result as described below. ●...
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Buttonholes with a maximum length of 30 mm (1-3/16 inches) (diameter + thickness of the button) can be sewn. Buttonholes are sewn as shown below. a Reinforcement stitching CAUTION ● Before replacing the presser foot, be sure to turn off the sewing machine, otherwise injuries may occur if a button is accidentally pressed and the machine starts sewing.
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UTILITY STITCHES — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Use chalk to mark on the fabric the position Turn on the machine.
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Pull down the buttonhole lever as far as Use the enclosed seam ripper to cut towards possible. the pin and open the buttonhole. a Buttonhole lever The buttonhole lever should be positioned a Seam ripper behind the bracket on the buttonhole foot. For keyhole buttonholes ( ), use the enclosed eyelet punch to make a hole in the rounded...
Place the button into button fitting foot “M”. 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. a Button The button is held in place.
Zipper Insertion A zipper can be sewn in place. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Walk- Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Foot Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual Attaching zippers, basic stitching, and 0.0–7.0 0.2–5.0 Straight Reverse Center stitch sewing gathers or (1/8) (0–1/4)
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Turn on the machine. Align the zipper teeth with the pressed edge of the fabric having the extra 3 mm (1/8 inch), Attach zigzag foot “J” and sew straight and then baste or pin the zipper in place. stitches up to the zipper opening. •...
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UTILITY STITCHES — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Sew the zipper to the piece of fabric with the Attach the presser foot holder to the other side extra 3 mm (1/8 inch), starting from the base...
Sewing Stretch Fabrics and Elastic Tape Stretch fabrics can be sewn and elastic tape can be attached. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Walk- Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Foot Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual Sewing stretch fab- 1.0–3.0 1.0–4.0 rics and decorative...
Appliqué, Patchwork and Quilt Stitching Eight stitches are available for sewing appliqués and patchwork quilts. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Walk- Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Foot Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual Overcasting and 0.0–7.0 0.0–4.0 Reverse Zigzag stitch attaching appliqués (1/8)
Piecing Quilting Sewing together two pieces of fabric is called Sandwiching batting between the top and bottom “piecing”. The fabric pieces should be cut with a 6.5 layers of fabric is called “quilting”. Quilts can easily mm (1/4 inch) seam allowance. be sewn using the optional walking foot and the Sew a piecing straight stitch 6.5 mm (1/4 inch) from optional quilting guide.
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Hold the quilting foot in place with your right Use both hands to stretch the fabric taut, and hand, and then tighten the presser foot holder then move the fabric to follow the pattern. screw using the enclosed screwdriver in your Reinforcement stitches are sewn at the left hand.
With the pattern selection dial, Bar tack stitching select stitch Bar tacks are one type of reinforcement stitching used to strengthen points subject to strain, such as Attach buttonhole foot “A”. pocket corners and openings. • For details, refer to “Replacing the presser As an example, the procedure for sewing bar tacks at foot”...
Decorative stitching Various decorative stitches can be sewn with this sewing machine. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Walk- Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Foot Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual Fagoting, smock- 0.0-7.0 1.0-4.0 ing and decorative No Reinforcement (3/16) (0-1/4) (3/32)
Stitch between the straight 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. Turn on the machine. Select the straight stitch, and then adjust the Pull out the threads for the straight stitches.
UTILITY STITCHES — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Sew while making sure that the needle drops Select stitch slightly off the edge of the fabric.
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Attach monogramming foot “N”. Select stitch CAUTION • For details, refer to “Selecting a stitch” (page 40). ● Select a stitch width of 6.0 mm (15/64 inch) or less, otherwise the needle may bend or With the right side of the fabric facing up, sew break.
Using the side cutter (optional) By using the optional side cutter, overcasting stitching can be sewn while the edge of the fabric is cut off. Stitch Width Stitch Length [mm (inch)] [mm (inch)] Reverse/ Stitch Name Application Reinforcement Stitching Auto Manual Auto Manual...
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UTILITY STITCHES — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Position the side cutter so that the side cutter Position the fabric.
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Lower the presser foot lever, and then start sewing. A seam allowance is cut while the stitching is sewn. If stitch is sewn, the seam allowance will be about 5 mm (3/16 inch). a 5 mm (3/16 inch) Note ● The side cutter can cut as much as one layer of 13-oz.
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 ● When using the twin needle, be sure to attach zigzag foot “J”, otherwise the needle may break or the machine may be damaged.
Maintenance Simple sewing machine maintenance operations are described below. Loosen the presser foot holder screw and Cleaning the machine remove the presser foot holder, and then loosen the needle clamp screw and remove surface the needle. 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.
Troubleshooting If the machine stops operating correctly, check for the following possible causes before requesting service. If the problem persists, contact your dealer or the nearest authorized service center. Symptom Probable Cause Remedy Reference The plug of the power cord is not Insert the plug of the power cord into page 14 inserted into an electrical outlet.
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Symptom Probable Cause Remedy Reference The upper thread is incorrectly Correct the upper threading. page 20 installed. The bobbin thread is incorrectly Correct the bobbin threading. page 18 installed. The bobbin thread is incorrectly Correctly wind the bobbin. page 15 wound.
Error messages If the sewing machine is incorrectly operated or if the sewing machine malfunctions, an error message appears in the LCD. The message can be cleared by pressing any key in the operation panel, turning any dial, or performing the operation correctly.
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Please visit us at http://solutions.brother.com where you can get product support and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). English 888-V12 Printed in Vietnam XE2426-2013...