Brother: 70 Built-in Stitches: Full Review

The Brother CS7000X is a computerized sewing and quilting machine that offers a wide range of features for hobbyists and experienced sewists. This lightweight model combines user-friendly operation with versatility to handle a variety of sewing, quilting, and embroidery projects.

With 70 built-in stitches, an LCD screen, and a 25-year limited warranty, the CS7000X aims to make sewing and quilting accessible and enjoyable. Its easy-to-follow LCD display and large workspace accommodate quilts up to king-size. While it may lack some of the advanced features of high-end machines, the CS7000X offers excellent value with its combination of useful functionality, ample accessories, and approachable learning curve.

This versatile machine can handle basic garment construction, home decor projects, quilting, and embroidery. Its automatic needle threader, top drop-in bobbin, and array of included presser feet enhance convenience. With adjustable speed control and an automatic thread cutter, the CS7000X allows sewists to work at their own pace. Its lightweight design also makes the machine portable to transport to classes or sew-ins.

Overall, the Brother CS7000X offers a full suite of user-friendly features to meet the needs of intermediate hobbyist sewists looking for an affordable computerized machine. From garment sewing to quilting and craft projects, this versatile model aims to make sewing an accessible and satisfying experience.

Design & Appearance

The Brother CS7000X is an attractive, modern-looking sewing machine with a sleek white finish. It has a streamlined design that takes up minimal space while providing a sturdy, stable sewing surface.

The machine body is made of durable plastic that feels solid and built to last. It measures approximately 17.5 x 8.7 x 12 inches, making it a good compact size for home sewing use. The white finish has a smooth, matte texture that resists fingerprints and smudges.

There is a wide, elongated arm to provide ample space for sewing larger projects or quilts. The flat bed surface offers a work area of about 7.5 inches to the right of the needle.

Overall, the physical design of the CS7000X is well-made and aesthetically pleasing for any home décor. It balances functionality with a clean, minimalist aesthetic.

One of the standout features of the Brother CS7000X is its extensive selection of 60 built-in stitches. This variety allows users to tackle a wide array of projects, ranging from simple repairs to complex decorative designs. These include utility stitches, decorative stitches, and heirloom stitches, providing plenty of creative options. For more information, please visit Brother: 60 Built-in Stitches.

LCD Display

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine features a backlit LCD display screen that is large, bright, and easy to read. The display shows the selected stitch, along with the stitch number, stitch width/length settings, and recommended presser foot. It has clear menu options for selecting stitches, adjusting settings, and more.

The LCD screen makes it simple to select from the 70 built-in stitches - you just use the navigation buttons to scroll through the stitch options. The display shows both text and graphic previews of each stitch. There are 7 styles of 1-step auto-size buttonholes available on the LCD menu. You can also select stitch editing functions like mirror imaging and elongating. Overall, the well-designed LCD display and menus allow you to easily view settings and select stitches.

If you need a sewing machine with more robust features, the Brother Strong & Tough: 50 Built-in Stitches is an excellent choice. This model offers enhanced durability and can handle heavier fabrics with ease. It includes 50 built-in stitches, allowing for a variety of decorative and utility sewing options. The machine's strong motor and metal needle plate provide superior sewing performance, making it perfect for demanding projects.

Built-in Stitches

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine comes with 70 built-in stitches and 7 auto-size buttonholes, providing a wide variety of stitch options for your sewing projects.

The 70 built-in stitches include utility stitches, heirloom stitches, quilting stitches, and decorative stitches. Utility stitches like straight stitch, zigzag, and blind hem are sewing basics useful for construction and mending. Heirloom stitches like shell tuck and blanket stitches are ideal for sewing heirloom and decorative projects. For quilters, the CS7000X includes 7 quilting stitches such as hand-look quilt stitch and stippling stitch. Decorative stitches add beautiful embellishment with options like scallop, smocking, and cross stitches.

In addition, the CS7000X has 7 one-step auto-size buttonholes. The buttonhole foot measures the button and automatically sews a buttonhole to match that size. This takes the guesswork out of buttonholes and helps ensure evenly sized and properly fitting buttonholes.

With its wide selection of built-in stitches, the Brother CS7000X is versatile for sewing, quilting, crafts, home decor projects, clothing construction, and more. The variety of stitch options allows sewers to get creative with their sewing.

Included Accessories

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine comes with an impressive array of accessories right out of the box. Here's an overview of what's included:

• 10 Sewing Feet - This includes a zipper foot, buttonhole foot, overcast foot, blind stitch foot, button fitting foot, walking foot, spring action quilting foot, 1/4 inch quilting foot, open toe foot, and zig zag foot. This versatile assortment allows you to tackle a wide variety of sewing projects.

• Instructional DVD - A handy DVD walks you through how to thread the machine, wind the bobbin, choose stitches, and more. Great for visual learners.

• Hard Case - Safely store and transport your CS7000X in the included hard case.

• Quilting Extension Table - Expands your work area for easier handling of larger projects. Measures 12.1 x 18.1 inches.

• Specialty Needles - The machine includes ballpoint needles for knits, universal needles, and twin needles.

• Spool Caps - The caps help hold threads in place on the spool pins.

• Seam Ripper - Easily rip out mistakes or unpick stitches with the included seam ripper.

• Screwdrivers - Use the screwdrivers for periodic adjustment of machine parts.

• Spool Pin Felt - The felt helps the thread spool unroll smoothly to prevent snags.

• Bobbins - A variety of bobbins are included for your thread.

• Dust Cover - Protect your machine from dust when not in use.

• Manual - A detailed user manual provides instructions for the machine's features.

The array of included accessories provides everything you need to start sewing and quilting projects of all types. You won't have to purchase additional feet or accessories just to get started.

Wide Table

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine comes with a wide table extension that provides a larger sewing surface area. When detached, the main sewing table measures 16 inches wide x 7.5 inches long. Attaching the extension expands the total surface area to 16 inches wide x 12 inches long.

Having a spacious work area makes it easier to handle large sewing projects like quilts or home decor items. The extended table gives you room to manage the bulk of the fabric as you feed it through the machine. You won't feel cramped when dealing with bigger sewing tasks.

The wide table securely snaps into place and feels stable during use. It doesn't shift around or wobble. The expanded work surface also provides extra space to the right of the needle, giving you room to guide thicker materials under the presser foot.

Overall, the table extension delivers a sizeable and sturdy work area that makes sewing large projects more convenient. The Brother CS7000X gives you flexibility to expand your workspace when needed.

Performance

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine delivers excellent performance for both beginners and experienced sewers. Its powerful motor can handle a wide range of fabrics from lightweight to heavy-duty with ease.

The machine has a maximum sewing speed of 850 stitches per minute, which is very good for a computerized sewing machine in this price range. While not the absolute fastest, the speed is more than adequate for most sewing projects. Even at higher speeds, the CS7000X maintains consistent stitch quality without skipping stitches.

This Brother sewing machine runs quietly, especially compared to older or more basic models. The noise level is low enough for you to have a conversation, listen to the TV, or talk on the phone while sewing. It won't disturb others in the same room.

Overall, the performance of this computerized sewing machine makes sewing projects easy and enjoyable. It has enough speed to work efficiently, without excessive noise. Both novice and advanced sewers will appreciate the CS7000X's excellent stitch quality and ability to handle a variety of fabric types smoothly.

Ease of Use

The Brother CS7000X is designed with the beginner sewer in mind but has features advanced sewers will appreciate. The LCD screen provides clear options and guides users through selecting stitches and settings. There are 70 built-in stitches to choose from, which is enough for most projects without having to manually set stitch length and width.

The included instruction manual provides detailed directions for getting started sewing as well as using the machine's features. It covers how to thread the machine, wind the bobbin, select stitches, adjust settings, and more. Even someone who has never sewn before can get sewing quickly by following the directions. The manual also has troubleshooting tips for common issues.

While the CS7000X has many features, the learning curve is not steep. The machine is intuitive to use. Within minutes of turning it on for the first time, you can select a stitch and start sewing. The LCD screen makes choosing stitches, adjusting width and length, and selecting other settings very straightforward. More advanced features like adjusting needle position and stitch memory take a bit more learning but are covered well in the manual.

The CS7000X has automatic functions that make sewing easier. Features like automatic threading and an automatic needle threader help get you sewing faster. The drop-in bobbin is easy to insert correctly. There is also an automatic bobbin winding system built into the machine so you can quickly wind a bobbin without needing anything additional.

With its user-friendly design and array of automatic features, the Brother CS7000X offers beginners an easy introduction to sewing while still providing versatility for more experienced sewers. The learning curve is gentle, allowing you to start sewing quickly.

Pros

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine offers several key benefits and advantages that make it a great choice for home sewists.

• User-friendly features - This computerized sewing machine has an easy-to-read LCD display that allows you to easily select stitches and settings. It also has automatic needle threading, making setup a breeze.

• Wide range of built-in stitches - With 70 built-in stitches, including utility, heirloom, quilting, and decorative stitches, this machine can handle a variety of sewing projects with ease. The stitches are high-quality and can be easily adjusted.

• Bonus accessories included - This machine comes with 10 sewing feet, providing options for sewing buttonholes, installing zippers, quilting, and more. It also includes a hard case, wide table, power cord, foot controller, needles, bobbins, screwdriver, spool pin, and more.

• Spacious work area - The wide table provides extra workspace for managing large sewing projects or quilts. There is plenty of room for your fabric to move around.

• Reliable performance - With an automatic needle threader, top loading bobbin system, and drop-in bobbin, this machine offers consistent, frustration-free sewing. The motor provides 850 stitches per minute for steady stitching speed.

• Good for beginners and advanced sewers - With its intuitive design and variety of stitches and feet, this computerized sewing machine can grow with you as you build your skills. Both novice and experienced sewers can appreciate its versatility.

Cons

The Brother CS7000X sewing machine does have a few potential drawbacks to consider:

• The machine is relatively heavy, weighing over 15 pounds. This makes it less portable and convenient to transport than some lighter weight models.

• There have been some reports of issues with threading and tension adjustment. Getting the threading and tension dialed in properly may require some trial and error.

• The bobbin winding system could be improved. Some users find it tricky to get the bobbin threaded and wound correctly.

• While generally user-friendly, the LCD screen interface has a bit of a learning curve. It may take some time to get comfortable navigating all the settings and options.

• The built-in stitches are good for basic sewing, but more advanced users may want a machine with more stitch options and programming capabilities.

• The automatic needle threader is convenient but can be finicky at times. It doesn't always work perfectly on the first try.

• There are mixed reviews on how quietly the machine runs. Some users find it makes more noise than expected during high speed operation.

• The included wide table attachment is useful but a bit flimsy and awkward to install and remove repeatedly.

Overall the drawbacks are relatively minor compared to the many benefits of this computerized sewing machine. With a little patience getting it set up properly, the Brother CS7000X is capable of handling most sewing tasks for the home sewist. Paying a bit more could get fewer cons but may also have diminishing returns.