Brother SE400

With 67 built-in sewing stitches, there's no end to the types of sewing you can do with the Brother SE 400. These stitches cover utility stitches for making and mending clothes in all kinds of fabrics, home decor sewing project for curtains, drapes and tablecloths, and craft sewing like purses, scrapbooks, and quilting.

Ten 1-step buttonhole styles are included.

Straight Stitch (needle left) with reverse locking

Straight Stitch (needle left) with reinforcement

Straight Stitch (needle center)

Triple Stretch

Stretch Stitch

Basting Stitch

Zigzag (center)

Zigzag (right)

2 Point Zigzag

3 Point Zigzag

Overcasting (thin fabrics)

Overcasting (thick fabrics)

Decorative Overcasting (thick fabrics)

Overcasting (stretch fabrics)

Overcasting (thick fabrics)

Decorative Overcasting (stretch fabrics)

BlindHem

Stretch BlindHem

Applique

Shell Tuck

Piecing Straight Stitch (from left)

Piecing Straight Stitch (from right)

Hand-look Quilt Stitch

Zigzag (for quilting)

Applique (for quilting)

Quilting Stitch (for stippling)

Satin Scallop

Patchwork

Double Overcasting

Faggoting

Smocking

Feather

Decorative Faggoting Stitch

Elastic Attaching Stitch

Ladder

RicRac

Looped

Serpentine

Pin Stitch

Asterisk

Kite

Double Overedge

Argyle

Decorative Hemming Stitch

Ribbon Threading Stitch

Decorative Heirloom

Decorative Heirloom

Horizontal Buttonhole (thin fabrics)

Horizontal Buttonhole (subject to strain)

Horizontal Buttonhole (thick fabrics)

Secured Buttonhole

Stretch Buttonhole

Stretch Buttonhole

Bound Buttonhole

Keyhole Buttonhole (thick fabrics)

Keyhole Buttonhole (medium fabrics)

Horizontal Buttonhole (thick fabrics)

Darning Stitch (medium fabrics)

Darning Stitch (thick fabrics)

BarTack Stitch

Button-sewing Stitch

Eyelet Stitch

Straight Side Cutter

Zigzag Side Cutter

Overcasting Side Cutter (thin fabrics)

Overcasting Side Cutter (thick fabrics)

Overcasting Side Cutter (medium fabrics)

Read more about the available stitches and stitch functions here:

Brother SE 400

There are 70 built in embroidery patterns in the Brother SE 400 and the included accessories provide everything you need to get started except for fabric and thread. This embroidery machine is capable of doing 4 x 4 size embroidery designs.

To embroider, simply attach the embroidery unit to the flatbed, put your fabric and stabilizer material in the provided hoop, and choose your pattern. The machine allows for the pattern to be modified by color, size or stitch, will guide you through threading different colored threads as needed, and reports pattern completion.

You are not limited to just those 70 patterns, however. The Brother SE400 comes with a USB port so you can connect your sewing machine to your computer and access additional embroidery designs in the .pes file format. You can find additional designs on a number of websites and although you can find some for free (like on the Brother website) some websites charge for downloading new designs.

You can store as many designs on your computer as you want. The Brother SE400 has memory inside to store 12 additional designs at any one time. You can manage which designs stay stored on the sewing machine by connecting your machine to your computer and moving the designs around in the files for your machine vs. your computer memory. The ones stored in your sewing machine's memory are then available to use without being connected to your computer.

You can also use software to load designs onto reader cards that fit into the sewing machine's reader card slot. This software does NOT come with this machine but may be purchased separately here: PED Basic Software for Brother SE400.

Another neat project you can tackle with the Brother SE400 is to convert your own designs or images to embroidery patterns using special software called PE Design Lite Embroidery Software. For adding personal touches like pictures of your children or grandchildren to your embroidery projects, this capability is priceless.

The Brother SE400 uses a special hoop designed to fit the machine that holds your fabric taut as you embroider. While the machine comes with a 4x4 hoop and has a maximum embroidery size of 4x4 there are additional hoop sizes that fit the SE400.

A selection of five different fonts lets you also do monogramming or add messages to clothing, sewing projects or to your embroidery work. This is done by using the embroidery attachment and embroidery foot.

The fonts include upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, special symbols and European characters. You select the patterns needed for your message and the machine will do all the work.

You can also purchase additional fonts. There are a number of embroidery cards with new fonts that work with the SE400 or you can download new fonts as embroidery designs.

There are a total of 8 presser feet included with your purchase:

* Zigzag (General Purpose)
* Buttonhole Foot
* Overcasting Foot
* Monogramming Foot
* Zipper Foot
* Blind Stitch
* Button Fitting Foot
* Embroidery Foot

All presser feet are snap-on which are the easiest to change out except for the embroidery foot which is a simple screw-in attachment. Additional presser feet can be purchased either through Brother, online or at your local Brother sewing machine retailer.

The Brother SE400 comes with all of the best automation and sewing features to make things easy on you. The computerized control panel is easy to read and easy to learn. It's bright LCD screen uses pictures for navigation and assists you in your stitch options.

Besides being easy to use, it's solidly built for performance with one of the strongest, best-performing feed dog systems available in home sewing machines.

• Automatic Needle Threader


• Horizontal top thread delivery


• Quick-Set drop-in bobbin


• 7-point feed-dog system


• Drop feed-dog lever


• Automatic bobbin winding system


• Upper thread and bobbin sensors


• Push button thread cutter


• Needle Up/Down button


• Start/Stop sewing button


• Speed control slider


• Reverse/Reinforcement stitch button


• Adjustable top thread tension


• 15 needle positions


• Twin needle sewing


• Free motion sewing


• USB port


• Embroidery reader card slot

Loads of accessories come with the Brother SE400 embroidery machine. Bobbins, extra needles, scissors, the embroidery tools and maintenance tools are all included.

The smaller accessories store easily inside the flatbed arm and the soft cover keeps dust from getting to your machine when not in use.

Consumers who have the Brother SE400 love the functionality and reliability this combination sewing and embroidery machine provide. You can read several detailed reviews here:

Brother SE400

Considering the number of stitches, patterns, the ability to both sew and embroider and the computer USB port, this computerized sewing machine is a bargain for anyone looking for their first sewing machine or for anyone who is looking for a replacement sewing machine. This machine is available online for less than $400.

Both Amazon and Walmart sell this machine online and you can never be sure who has the lower price. You can check both here:

Amazon's current price: Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine

Walmart's current price: Brother Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine, SE-400