When I got my Brother SE400, it had so many functions and features that I was a little bit overwhelmed. So I wanted to start with the easiest, simplest possible thing just to try out the embroidery.
I decided to start with one of the built-in designs – the large, fancy initial “A”. A for Audrey, the name of my baby grandniece. I choose the easiest fabric I could think of – a medium weight, cotton twill – that would be easy to hoop, not too heavy and not stretchy. I used Sulky Soft ‘n Sheer, cut-away lightweight stabilizer behind the fabric and hooped both of them.
This video of that first embroidery shows how to select the pattern and stitch it out. The embroidery came out very well. But there’s a lot more to learn.
This is also my first video about my new Brother SE400 Sewing and Embroidery machine. I shot it with my iPhone 4s and edited it with iMovie on the iMac. Amazing how good the iPhone camera is now.
I hope you enjoy it.
Hello, I am new to the se400 and every time I try to monogram something my needle breaks. I use the needles that came with the machine which is 75/11. Can you please tell me what I’m doing wrong.
Hi Kamala:
I’m having issues dowloading files from my computer, PC to my machine. My PC has Windows 8, the files that I’m downloading was zip but I unzipped and then downloaded to my machine. When I downloading its shows on the machine screens transmitting from USB, but after it’s “finished” its doens’t show the design. What I’m doing wrong? I’m following all the instructions. It’s shows that some space was taken from the maachine, because it shows a different number. but I can’t see the design.
thanks,
Enery
Hi Emery,
It’s usually because the file is larger than 3.9″x3.9″. But see my downloading tutorial for other reasons and especially the comments.
Hi Kamala:
I’m newie with my SE 400, however I have done many things. I have learned by myself, reading the books and watching some videos. However I have a couple of quesitons:
1. Do I have to use the same color in the bobin than the upper thread? When I’m doing embroidery with many colors it’s hard to change the bobin to match the upper thread.
2. Why the center of the grid that comes with the hoopp doesn’t match the center marked in the hoop? Is this center the same at the embroidery machine?
3. The hoop has two parts, the bottom ant the top, both of them has arrows on the border. Do we have to match the arrows in order to put the hoops together?
thanks,
Enery
Hi Enery, First congratulations on learning so many things.
1. No, the bobbin thread is usually white or you could use black on dark fabrics. It’s a different weight than the upper thread (60 wt for the SE400), so be sure to get the correct bobbin thread. A spool of white bobbin thread came with the machine. You can also buy pre-wound bobbins which saves a lot of time.
2. The center of the grid should be the center of the machine. But you should test this because I’ve heard of some machines being slightly off.
3. Yes, line up the arrows when you put the inner hoop in the outer hoop.
I am trying to do embroidery and it is skipping the stitches, i fixed the problem, but i do not know how to go back to re stitich it or if you can, could you help me out,
Hi Michele, Congratulations on fixing the stitch skipping problem. You can back up stitch-by-stitch or by color. Look in the manual on page 148-149 for pictures and instructions.
Oh my thank you this would have been so helpful tonight lol
You’re welcome, Brittney. Thanks for watching.
Thanks, Kamala! I was having a similar problem – skipped stitches when the thread broke – and didn’t know how to pick up the lost stitches. I’m LOVING my Brother SE400! I learn more every time I use it.
Hi Marty, I’m so glad — that’s the way — try things and learn a little bit more every time, step-by-step.
Does anyone know if there a way you can back stitch while embroidering Like if your thread breaks ?
Hi Alex, you can back the machine up a stitch at a time or by thread color. See page 148 in the manual.
Could you please tell me what you have your tension set at. Also does the speed selector com into use when embroidering or does the machine embroider at a set speed?
Hello Ms. Kamala!
I am sooooo happy to have found your website. I’ve had my SE 400 since January. This is my first new machine in about 10 years. So many new parts and features. I’ve taken it out of the box and threaded a bobbin. That’s as far as I got. I think I read to many horror stories about needles breaking and thread unraveling. I’m not sure if I have the right threads or the the right stabilizer either. Certainly overwhelmed. I hope you can answer a few questions.
1. Should I use embroidery bobbin threads or the same color embroidery thread as on top?
2. Is Embroidex a good brand of embroidery threads?
3. Should I try to sew before embroidery?
4. What thread do you recommend for regular sewing?
Thank you in advance for any information you can share. In the meantime, I’m going to attempt something. Even if it’s just testing the different stitches.
Will your information work for the 770 also? I just treated my self to this machine. So far it has been fun, but, I have bought all these fonts, and I want to do WORDS! I have the PED Basics that I bought last year to use with a Disney PE 180d. It worked fine with that machine. I guess that I am just stuck treading water, not knowing which way to go or what to do. In the meantime, I have done some awesome huggers and have baby bibs to do. Old dog, new tricks. Dinosaur to digital…that’s me. :)
Iam after buying one of these but does the voltage work in the uk many thanks
Hi Sharon, No, the SE400 uses US voltage: 110v. The UK provides 220v. Both Amazon.com and Brother recommend against using a step-down transformer with the SE400. Be very careful; if you just use a plug adaptor and put 220v into it, you’ll burn out the machine and could cause a fire. There might be an equivalent machine that runs on 220v, but I don’t know.
Hi,
I’m trying to figure out how I can add a name. I downloaded the disney fonts and I want the whole name “Presley” it’s only given me one letter at a time. Which is making it inpossible to have a straight name. I know this sounds confusing. When using the fonts that Brother SE400 came with, it’s easy to have the whole name.
Thanks,
Becci
Hi Becci, Everyone has this question in the beginning. You need embroidery software to put the letters together into one design. I use Embrilliance. Many people like Embird or SewWhat Pro. They all have free trials, so you can see if you like them before buying. Then you transfer the design to the SE400 for stitching. See my post for transfer instructions.