Brother XL2600I 25-Stitch Free-Arm Sewing Machine with Multiple Stitch Functions

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Product Description
Brother's new XL2600i is a 25 stitch free arm sewing machine with multiple stitch functions. Easy to use, the XL2600i features an automatic needle threader, built in thread cutter and drop-in bobbin system. This sewing machine also has a built in one-step automatic buttonholer with a stitch balance control for perfect buttonholes every time. The stitches include built-in stretch, blind hem and decorative stitches as well as basic stitches for garment construction, quilting and embellishment. The XL2600i also has adjustable width and length as well as a dial thread tension control to give you more sewing flexibility. Brother's XL2600i has a convertible sewing surface from flatbed to freearm so that you can easily sew on hems or cuffs as well as larger items. Accessories are included for quilting, zipper insertion, darning, buttonholes and button sewing and this machine features quick change presser feet so you can easily change the feet to meet your sewing needs. The XL2600i is lightweight with a built-in handle for portability. Instructions are bilingual in English and Spanish.

Customer Reviews:   Read 20 more reviews...

Amazing machine for the money.   August 22, 2008
Dan_Portland (Portland OR USA)
This is my first sewing machine, and having managed to survive 60 years without one, I had more than a little concern that I would be able to figure out how to use it. Not to worry -- this thing is simple to use, amazingly easy to thread and wind bobbins. and it's very powerful. I sewed together thick sheets of plastic film, and it had no problem punching through it. Provides very precise control over stitch length. Since this is the only sewing machine I have used, I can't compare it to others, but it may be the only one I will ever need.


Only 1 speed - 60 mph   August 21, 2008
ThunderHammer (Boise, ID USA)
This machine is probably great for simple purposes. I bought it to make a kite, which I thought was pretty simple. But it has two major flaws that make it totally worthless to me:

1) No way to sew slowly. It has a gas pedal of sorts. If you push it down 1/4th of the way, the machine makes a loud humming noise, but does not engage. Push it down half way and it hums angrily, but still doesn't engage. Push it down a fraction of a millimeter lower and WHAM it engages and yanks the fabric out of your hands faster than you can feed it, scrunching fabric up, and sewing all over the place. I had to do most of my sewing by cranking the manual wheel on the side so that it would go slowly enough to be useful.

2) no way to adjust lower thread tension. I had no idea I even cared about something as obscure as this, the lower tension is set at a value that should pretty much take care of things and you adjust the upper tension. But as the project wore on the lower tension got loser and loser until the sewing machine became useless. Lower tension that is too lose means lots of thread hanging loosely on the under side when you finish stitches - no matter how I set the upper tension.

So I don't recommend this sewing machine if you plan to sew anything with it. I'm sure it's great for general utility uses like fixing loose buttons and sewing extra pockets into your favorite pants or whatever.


Brother sewing machine   August 18, 2008
Susan Graham
As written by other buyers, my daughter-in-law had never touched a sewing machine before, and was able to begin sewing simple things right away. Yet she can go as far as she wants with it. My old machine must weigh 50 lbs and does nothing automatically! I recommend this item.


Jury's still out, but not everything I'd hoped for.   August 11, 2008
NYer (New York City)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I'm an intermediate beginner. I have some experience with industrial machines from a sewing class but haven't made any completely successful garments yet. A more experienced sewer suggested I buy a cheap Brother machine. I bought this machine in June largely because of the positive reviews it received on Amazon. Here are the pros and cons I've encountered to date:

PROS

--Price

--Bobbin winding and threading are straightforward (especially the threading function)

--Makes a nice stitch so far


CONS

--The manual is difficult to understand in parts and the layout and index are poor. It also confusingly includes a Spanish-language version immediately after the English text instead of following the English version at the end, as is usually the case with dual- or multi-language manuals. (Some users over at the Wal-mart site had the same problem.)

--The markings on the soleplate don't run the entire length because the feed dogs and bobbin case (on top of the machine) get in the way. The start of the gauge is fairly far behind the presser foot.

--There is no 1/2" marking on the soleplate. This is a fairly common seam allowance. I'm going to try to tape it, but I can't simply run a piece of tape across the plate, because, as discussed above, it would cross the feed dog well and the top of the bobbin case. I also don't know which needle position I'm supposed to mark it from.

--The thread spindle can only handle small spools. To accommodate larger spools I've had to tape chopsticks to the spindle. I also bought a standalone thread hook to create height and tension, but haven't used it yet.

--The needle threader gets in the way. It's not that hard to thread a needle, and this is unnecessary.

--Has a somewhat toy-like feel. But for $114, that's not surprising.

--Some of the optional feet are not snap on.

--It has a lot of stitches that I don't really have much use for. All I really want are a reliable and well-formed straight and zigzag stitch.

--The numerous dials are confusing and I can't but wonder if so many functions won't make the machine more likely to break down.

--An invisible zipper foot is not included. That would have been much more useful than the accessory feet provided, which I believe are (they aren't labeled, which they should be), a 1/4 quilting foot, a narrow hemmer foot, a quilting foot and a blind stitch foot.

--It doesn't come with a carrying case.


Frankly, I'm beginning to wonder if I wouldn't have been better off applying the $100 I spent on this machine towards an entry-level Bernina. More often than not you get what you pay for and sometimes cheap tools are more costly in the end.


Perhaps I will edit this review after a few more months of experience with this machine.





Excellent product from brother   August 9, 2008
Murugappan Srinivasan (NJ USA)
Excellent product and its multiple stich functions are really awesome. The price is decent compared to the same features offerred by others.