Brother CS6000i Sew Advance Sew Affordable 60-Stitch Computerized Free-Arm Sewing Machine
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Brother CS6000i Sew Advance Sew Affordable 60-Stitch Computerized Free-Arm Sewing Machine
Customer Review: A complete sewing novice.......
Summary: 4 Stars
I once tried to use a sewing machine when I was around 14 and into altering my clothes. Honestly, I think I almost blew up the darn thing. I had borrowed it from my grandmother and I don't know if it ever worked again. At that time I vowed NEVER to touch a sewing machine again(I easily get frustrated when things don't work out the way I plan). Well, about 13 years later, I decided I wanted to make a quilt out of old band t-shirts. I had planned on sending them away to a professional company, but could not justify the $400-500 price, and someone said "why don't you do it yourself?". Never one to turn down a challenge, I decided to give it a go. If I "blew up" another machine I would know I'm never meant to use one.
I read a lot of reviews on amazon, because frankly, I didn't even know what I was looking for. I knew something that was 'user friendly' and good for a beginner. Beyond that, totally clueless. I remembered the Brother brand being good, and I liked the look of the machine. Not too many knobs and buttons and I can totally work with digital. The fewer things I can manually break the better. I also didn't want to go all out on price, but get something moderate so that if I did end up enjoying it, I wouldn't have to immediately get a better one. So, with these ideas, I finally decided on this machine.
And I'm EXTREMELY proud to say, I made a quilt/blanket my first day. No, it wasn't perfect, but I got the machine running and found it pretty easy to figure out. I started slow and really paid attention to the manual (which is rare in my case). Granted, some of the terminology is like reading japanese, but some staring at the diagrams in the manual helped me to figure it out as well as making a couple phone calls to see what threading the bottom and the top meant, did I need to do both? Apparently so. I even know what a bobbin is now. =)
I'm just finished my 2nd quilt, a T-shirt one as a first go before doing the important T-shirts. I also made a case for my nook e-reader! I've ordered some 'complete guides to quilting' to get a better idea of things, but I am confident this machine will work well for me. I think the light it has is fantastic, I could easily get busy in a darkened room and see what I was doing. Once you get the hand of threading it's easy to remember. The speed button works well, it can go very slow if you're unsure and speed up as you become more used to the machine.
The only thing I don't love is, and maybe there's a trick to this I haven't caught onto yet.....is that I end up JAMMING as much blanket as possible under the arm to try and finish things in the middle of the blankets. I wish there was more room between the body of the machine and where the stitching happens. I've fiddled a little with the different stitches, which is really fun. I still don't know what the tension is, but I guess I'll figure it out as I go along.
If you're a beginner like I am, I would definitely recommend this machine. It's a fun new hobby and not nearly as daunting as I had thought it would be. Happy quilting!
Customer Review: Sews like a dream, but there are lots of design problems: updated
Summary: 3 Stars
Every time I describe this machine to sewing friends, I start and end with "It sews like a dream." And it does, so far, if it's not stressed with too many layers (and I haven't even tried denim yet). But this machine is not, I suspect, a workhorse. It is audibly annoyed at thick layers, like French seams, although so far, it does, with encouragement, sew them together. I love the reverse-stitch button. I love changing stitch types and sizes with the touch of a button, and I really love that it even tells me what presser-foot I will need (although I am not looking forward to changing the feet). And it sews like a dream.
However, the light is ridiculous -- small, dim, badly placed -- and the first thing I did was clamp a gooseneck lamp to the table so that I could actually see to sew, thread the needle (there is some Rube Goldberg-type set up that is supposed to do that for you, but it is too small to see, requires an extra hand to operate, and works half the time), and see the screen whereon the cool stitch size/type info is displayed. Everything involving the bobbin is terrific, from winding it to dropping it in. Threading the top thread is a snap till the last two steps, which require tiny, nimble fingers and powerful laser-like vision. You will have to roll excess fabric tightly to fit it through the minimalist tunnel between the needle and the body of the machine, so don't plan on making a heavy wool, lined coat. The narrow, plastic foot pedal feels cheap and is poorly designed. If I merely inhale while sewing, it goes from slow to warp speed, and I spend too much time chasing and repositioning it. This is one of the problems when we don't have metal parts anymore -- you can lift this whole machine with one little finger (literally) -- don't count on it to stay where you've put it (and that includes the machine, which I once tipped when shifting fabric). I admit, though, that the thing really does sew like a dream.
This is my first new machine since the Nixon administration, and I still have my fabulous, heavy, mechanical Singer that will sew through layers of chain mail, but I was seduced by the free-arm and the buttonholer (which I'll eventually use, I suppose) and the alleged improvements and ease of use. I believe that, while it does sew like a dream, this machine was designed by someone who has never sat at a sewing machine to actually use it. You know -- to sew something.
PS -- I have now been using this machine daily for a couple of months, and I am delighted to say that it handles denim beautifully. In fact, I have fallen in love with this machine. The light still sucks, and the design flaws are still annoying, but I'm loving this sewing machine. The tension issue that I've read about happened, in my case, only once and when I understood why (it was my fault -- sloppy threading of the bobbin), it has not reappeared. I humbly admit that I was hasty in voicing my concerns. For the money, this machine, despite the light, is a terrific deal. If I could add a star or two, I would, but Amazon doesn't allow it.
Customer Review: Worth every penny!
Summary: 5 Stars
My 10 year old Singer 5040C had a timing problem (again) so after being ready to toss it out the window, I ordered the Brother 6000i. The reviews pulled me toward this one and using Amazon's SuperSaver free shipping, it arrived in two days vs. the 5-9 as advertised. For everyday mending, curtains, aprons, baby clothes and the kid's Halloween costumes, look no further. I don't quilt so I can't speak to that.
I use one of those plastic white folding tables to sew on but even without any thing to keep it in place, the machine stays put. You will need another light as the one on the machine isn't bright enough. Following the instructions I was able to thread both the upper and bobbin threads without trouble. I've never used an automatic threader before and wow! Ingenious!! It's a little flimsy but does the job even though I have to fiddle with it a bit to get the arm to wrap around the needle.
My first project was a new zipper for my husband's outdoor work coat. I was able to put in a 27" heavy-duty zipper, using the needle that came with the machine (too lazy to change it), and it performed flawlessly for both sewing the zipper between heavy layers of canvas and flannel and re-sewing the 5 large buttons. The feed dogs moved the layers of heavy coat fabric evenly and smoothly through the machine. Switching between the regular and button-hole snap-on feet was a breeze.
By default, the needle stops in the down position keeping the fabric from shifting while pulling pins or repositioning the remainder of the garment. This actually speeds the sewing process because you don't have to use the handwheel at all to reposition the needle after you come to a stopping point. And during the button installation, I got a double-beep telling me I'd forgotten to put the presser down before sewing. It won't sew if the presser foot arm is up even if the button foot is holding the button tightly in place. It was simple to switch stitch types to zigzag for the buttons. The big picture of stitch types on the front of the computerized machines has always seemed intimidating but once you read the book and get the idea of how to change the stitches, you feel empowered to use them with ease. After using the computerized features of this machine, going back to a non-computerized one will make you realize how clunky and work-intensive the old ones really are. The foot pedal is flimsy plastic but works just fine.
One recommendation - even if you are an experienced sewer like me, read the book before using any of the features the first time. It only takes a minute and will save you loads of time and grief. I've sewn countless buttons and had I not read the book on Button Installation, I'd of never found the switch to disable the feed dogs. Oh! And the thread cutter isn't on the shank like other machines, it's on the left side! I had to read the book to find it. In all, this is a great machine for the money.
Customer Review: Less than 24 hrs later
Summary: 4 Stars
Call me a Brother convert. My 35 yr old Singer died on me this week right in the midst of a project. I called 2 different repair shops and both gave me the same diagnosis and both were candid enough to tell me it was pricey to repair and unless my machine had sentimental value (not!), it would be probably be to my advantage to buy a new one. So the hunt began. I spent about 2 hrs on the internet searching for reviews. Coming from a home where my mother was a professional seamstress, I grew up around Singers, so naturally I was drawn to those reviews first. None really hit me. One website offered an alternative machine, this Brother CS6000i. The more I read, the more I knew this is THE machine for me. Supposedly, several stores in my town carried it. After driving to 6 different well-known stores, none of them had it in stock. Only 1 store had a Brother (a beginner machine) and I was impressed with its body construction compared to others, Singer to be exact. Came home, called 2 more local stores and finally ordered it via Amazon with 2 day shipping. It arrived well under the 48 hr limit. Thank you Amazon!!
OK, now to the nitty gritty. I immediately put it to use, so keep in mind this review is with less than 24 hrs of usage.
PRO: Lightweight though solid body. Manual user-friendly. Quiet stitching. 60 possible stitches available. BEAUTIFUL stitching (although I've only use straight stitching so far). Stitches through several layers with ease. Easy bobbin winding. Speed control lever a big plus. Adjusting the tension for lining fabric was a breeze (I grew up being told NEVER to touch the tension...only let a repairman do that. Never too old to learn new tricks!) Storage compartment is great!!! Lots of attachments & accessories including 7 feet. 4 empty bobbins included was a great surprise since I have to replace all my bobbins and time is running out...didn't have to stop and run to store to buy more. Cover included, but it's not a carrying case.
CON: I'm use to all metal construction, so I'm gun-shy of the plastic presser foot lever, the bobbin cover and foot controller. I have a fear they'll break soon. Also, the presser foot lever location is a little awkward for me as they've always been in the back. Can't get the auto-threader to work but that will come in time, I'm sure. When turning back on, I wish the LCD display would return to the stitch setting/length I was using when I turned the machine off. Must remember to adjust that each time its back on. Needle plate marking needs to be clearer and would be nice if marking on both the left AND right side of plate.
Again, the CONs are simply because I'm not familiar with the machine yet. Give me a couple more weeks and I'm sure I'll know this little gem like the back of my hand.
Overall, 4 stars. Great value for beginner and intermediate sewers.
Customer Review: love this!
Summary: 5 Stars
First of all, let me admit that I've never had a new sewing machine before and I've only been sewing a year and a half. Hence, I don't have a lot to compare it to.
That said, I am in love with this machine. I mostly do art sewing - I've had this machine about 2 months and have done two finished pieces and multiple practice pieces. How wonderful not to have to fight with my sewing machine to do the job! I just press a button and it sews!
My favorite parts so far: I love the push button sewing and especially the little slide thingy that allows me to adjust the speed. I do thread sketching and that slide thingy lets me go incredibly slow when I'm sketching a part that requires a lot of precision and speed up as fast as I want on the easier sections. Much more precision to it than a foot pedal.
I also love having such a variety of stitches at my fingers. I know that its not a lot compared to the expensive machines but compared to my $20 goodwill machines, it feels expansive.
It was incredibly easy to start sewing on this machine. I was sewing in about 10 minutes. The instructions are easy to follow and some are right on the machine. The drop in bobbin makes that part especially simple - I think it might be impossible to screw that up. The "needle threader" takes a few tries to get (the thread keeps slipping off the hook unless you are at just the right angle) but once you get used to it, its a nice feature.
I like how it tells you which foot to use with which stitch. I love the price. Mine came with a free quilting foot and walking foot which I've already used.
Cons: Its pretty lightweight. I've only had the heavy old ones and have read peoples opinions about light machines moving around on the table and didn't see what the big deal was. This one is light enough to lift very easily (a good thing) but when I was sewing a blanket, the weight of the blanket kept moving the machine. I think that might not be a problem with smaller, lighter pieces of fabric. It didn't do that with my smaller projects. Also, the attachable larger base thing (can you tell I haven't been sewing that long?) doesn't really fit closely. It works okay but is sort of warped or something so isn't totally smooth. Fortunately, that part is at the back right so it doesn't get too much in the way.
One really nice part. I bought this because I had a piece due for a show in less than a week and my old machine bit the dust. I was won over by the reviews on this and looked all over town for one to try. No luck. Only available online. I ordered it with two day shipping and got the machine at my doorstep in LESS than 24 hours. That was just great.