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.
Hi Kamala – I’ve had my SE400 since Christmas ’14 but haven’t done an awful lot with it. There are ‘sew’ many things I want to do but it means using a larger hoop. I don’t have any machine embroidery software yet but want to give it a go without spending a fortune. I know there are ways to enlarge designs using software and then break them down in segments (less re-hooping). Do you have any software suggestions that might help a newbie?? Many thanks for your tutorials and projects that encourage us to try new things! ~Edie :)
OOps! Please disregard my question – I’ve been doing more reading of your posts and see that many have made the same inquiries. I will read through your replies and try your recommendations. If there was a way to delete my post I would. Oh boy – duh!! At any rate, thank you for your blog and may you have time for many more ideas for all of us in the future! ;)
Just got a AE400 for Christmas and am so excited to see your blog/tutorials. Have three young grand daughters and one lung grandson and I can’t wait to learn how to work this thing!
Hi Annette, thanks for visiting. Many blessings on all the beautiful things for your grandchildren. And then when they’re older, you can teach them too. My Grandmother taught me to sew and embroider.
Hello! Just received the SE400 for Christmas and stumbled upon your blog while researching this machine. I am finding your blog very helpful, have not had a chance to actually use the machine yet, as we left town the day after Christmas and just returned this evening. It is now out of the box and I am trying to learn how to operate it. Thank you for this site.
You’re welcome, Bonnie. You made my day. :-)
I just bought the brother Se400 and I wound the Bobin using the machine I then threaded the machine following the 9 steps. However after I hoop my fabric (plush stocking) it will start to embroider then stop and say check upper thread and re thread. This past time it got so wound up and stuck. I took the fabric out and the embroidery thread on top was all tangled up in the Bobin. I have no idea how it happened. And do I have to use stabilizer could that be the problem?! I normally ask my mom all my questions but the machine is really for her and I wanted to learn it and make her something to surprise her with the machine. Please help I’m so confused and have no one to ask!!!
Thank you!!!
Hi Cassie, Yes, you definitely have to use stabilizer and that may have caused the problems in the first place. Plush isn’t the easiest fabric to start with and learn, but of course, it’s wonderful for Christmas. Try cut-away stabilizer under the fabric and water-soluble on top. Don’t hoop the water-soluble stabilizer, just float it on top. It’s job is to keep the embroidery stitching from getting mushed down in the pile. How did hooping it go? Did it mar the plush? Was it thick in the hoop? Did the fabric move around? If the fabric moves, that can cause all sorts of tangled thread and bobbin. If it doesn’t hoop well, you can use adhesive stabilizer. Hoop the adhesive stabilizer only, the adhere the fabric to the stabilizer. It probably won’t stick well, so fasten it securely with pins or basting. (Still put the water-soluble on top.)
But now you have to clean it thoroughly. Follow the instructions on page 152 in the operations manual on cleaning the race. You have to take it apart and make sure you get all the little bits out. Rethread the top too just to make sure.
Hope this helps. I’m sure your Mom will love the new machine and whatever you make for her.
My machine keeps stopping in the middle of projects and I have to raise the needle and pressed foot. It then move the carriage back to start. Is there a way to go back to where it left off? Also any idea why it is doing this?
i have the Brother SE400 and I’m just learning how to sew and embroider. I was embroidering a message came up that my bobbin was running out of thread and to replace the bobbin. How can I replace the bobbin in the middle of embroidering without messing it up?
Hi Patricia, Make a note of the stitch count just in case. See the instructions on page 148 in the Operation Manual. (Read both columns.)
I have a Singer embroidery machine but I am trying to help a friend learn to embroider on her new Brother. Can you tell me how to get a space in text? Thank you
Hi Janenne, Use the underscore character ( _ ) to get a space.
I am having a problem with my SE400 when I am trying to embroider letters. The problem is the bobbin thread is showing at the top. How do I fix that? I am using the right bobbin thread (fine embroidery 60weight).
Hi Kamala, I’m Cristina from Italy. I’m about to buy the SE400 from the USA for 2 reasons: 1) It will be cheaper, despite the $200 for shipping and importing! 2) I’m not completely confident the Innovis 950, which should be the European equivalent, gives the same satisfaction at least according to the reviews on the net.
I don’t know if you can help me, but I’m trying to understand which transformer I should use (for European woltage) and if there is any risk at all for the machine.
Thank you in advance
Cristina
Hi Cristina, the SE400 uses 120 volts, 0.67 amps. You would need a transformer to convert to European 220v. However, the transformer doesn’t convert the frequency (60 Hz for US; 50 Hz for Europe.) I lived in Europe for 13 years and used a transformer with no problem. But that was for an ancient Elna sewing machine–electronic, but not computerized like the SE400. This was before I bought my SE400. I really don’t know if there is any risk to the machine, but both Amazon.com and Brother recommend against it.
Good morning,
did anybody figure out if the Brother PE770 or any computer controlled sewing machine would work in Europe. I am about to move there and I have PE770. Of course I have high quality transformer that we are taking with us, but I am wondering about the Hz if they will affect the performance or even work. Thanks a lot of any experiences. :)
hello kamala. I wonder if the se 400 accept cutwork software from other brands or is there one for this machine???
gracias
Hello Gloria, The SE400 doesn’t accept any kind of software. All software runs on your computer and has to create a .pes embroidery file that is imported into the SE400.