Brother SE600 Combination Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine

I gave this machine to my mom for Christmas last year to replace her ancient Singer. We did a lot of shopping around and eventually landed on this SE600 because it was the best of both worlds - advanced sewing (100+ stitches) and intro embroidery (80 built-in designs). Mom is a totally competent sewer, but since this machine she's been able to try some trickier techniques and fabrics. Even if her old machine was able to do it, she seems to be more confident with this one. Also, the ease of use is pretty astonishing. Since it's largely digital, there's definitely a learning curve, but Mom has been able to follow along with the step-by-step manual and eventually know the core processes by heart. Embroidery is totally new to us, and of course our imaginations ran away with us we considered a Bernina for .05 seconds. The price point on this Brother is a ridiculous value for what you're able to create. I bought a cheap multi-pack of embroidery thread and have had so much fun. As a first try, I embroidered my dad's name on a couple cheap handkerchiefs and they came out so great that I gave them to him as a gift! And while the 80 included designs are kind of amazing, I was ecstatic to learn that I could load other designs into the machine. There are amazing libraries of designs online that have thousands of designs (loads are free but some are ~$2 which I think is no big deal since you own the design forever). The photos attached are from two designs I bought and embroidered on my nephew's t-shirts. So fun! I've done them in other colors for adult bandannas and they're always hits. We've used this machine for all sorts of things - teaching myself sewing basics, watching mom sew a tulle owl Halloween costume, embroidering napkins for the Christmas table, and simply replacing buttons on shirts, sweaters, and pants. Such a huge fan! When I was first shopping I almost talked myself into a more expensive machine, but I am so pleased with this and honestly I can't see us outgrowing it anytime soon. Highly recommend!!

Summary: This Brother SE600 Combination Computerized Sewing and 4x4 Embroidery Machine with Color LCD display, 80 Embroidery Designs has incredible embroidery and stitching features, is a great price point for all the features, and can be used by beginners and professionals. This Brother SE600 Computerized Sewing Machine is amazing! It is a 2 in 1 sewing and embroidery machine, so at this price point, I think it's a great value and very compact. I'm not crafty at all and I was able to make a bag using this machine, so you will definitely be able to use it! Features that I think are important to call out: 1. The LCD touch screen display - It lets you position the embroidery design with you finger, and you can also change the color, preview the design, edit the design, watch tutorials, and so much more! There are 80 built in designs, 6 fonts, and 1000s of designs on iBroidery.com that come in through a USB stick (not included). The title doesn't mention that it's a touch screen display, so that's just an added bonus. The touch screen is very intuitive and easy to use, though it comes with a manual. 2. Another amazing feature besides the fact that you can embroider almost anything is the self-threading needle. I have no idea how to thread a needle and always need someone else to do it, so the fact that the Brother SE600 Computerized Sewing Machine has this makes it so much easier for beginners (and anyone!). There's also a thread cutter. 3. Stitch selections – In the past, I've worked on a machine where I could only stitch in straight lines but this machine has dozens of pre-loaded stitches that are very fun and cover every occasion. Also tons of buttonhole stitches! 4. Attachments – There are attachments you can buy for this machine if you plan to use this for more advanced functions, like a larger embroidery hoop. 5. Well made – The Brother SE600 Computerized Sewing Machine is a well made machine that is durable and will be able to work for a variety of fabric and purposes. However, for a 2-in-1 sewing and embroidery machine, this is a great value. Of course, there are lower priced options available but for the added technology, I thought the investment was worth it. There are also machines that are $1,000+, so I think this is within a reasonable range. I saw online that a few Etsy shops are using this machine, so you can definitely use it for “professional” purposes as well! For those of you excited to try out this machine, don't forget to order everything else you need like backing, fabric, adhesive spray, etc! I personally would use this to personalize small things like towels, bags, etc. I think it may be too small to easily sew a quilt though I've seen people do it before. This product is amazing and a huge upgrade from the sewing machines that I've used in the past. I think the Brother SE600 Computerized Sewing Machine is a great machine for both beginners and advanced sewers, and is super easy to use. You switch between sewing and embroidering by changing out the foot and the base. A few things to note, though it didn't bother me was that the embroidery area is 4x4 and can't be made larger, so if you want to embroider something really large, this is not the machine. NOTE: I am writing this review as part of a contest.