Brother SE425, SE-400, SE-350, SE1800, SB8000 Manual

Bobbin work kit

Operation Manual

BEFORE YOU START

Thank you for choosing our product. This manual describes the procedures for sewing bobbin work. For specific details on operating the machine, refer to the Operation Manual provided with your machine. The images and patterns used in this manual are for illustration purposes and may differ from the actual items.

This is a kit used for sewing (utility stitches, decorative stitches or free-motion sewing). This kit cannot be used for machine embroidering.

CONTENTS
ABOUT BOBBIN WORK ...........................................................................................................	2
INCLUDED ACCESSORIES ........................................................................................................	2
PREPARING FOR BOBBIN WORK ............................................................................................	3
Required Materials ................................................................................................................	3
Upper Threading ...................................................................................................................	4
Preparing the Bobbin Thread.................................................................................................	4
CREATING BOBBIN WORK ......................................................................................................	8
Positioning the Fabric and Sewing.........................................................................................	8
Finishing the thread ends.....................................................................................................	10
Bobbin Work Free-Motion Sewing ......................................................................................	11
Templates for Free-Motion Sewing ......................................................................................	12
ADJUSTING THE THREAD TENSION......................................................................................	13
Adjusting the Upper Thread Tension ...................................................................................	13
Adjusting the Tension of the Bobbin Thread ........................................................................	13
TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................................................................................	14

1

ABOUT BOBBIN WORK

You can create designs, which gives a three-dimensional appearance to the surface of the fabric, by winding the bobbin with heavy weight thread or ribbon too thick to be fed through the sewing machine needle and sewing on the wrong side of the fabric.

Bobbin work is sewn using the special bobbin case (gray) and bobbin cover with tabs included with this kit.

	Decorative stitches
Utility stitches	(For models with built-in	Free-motion sewing
	decorative stitches)

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES

1.

2.

3.

4.

Bobbin case (gray)	Bobbin cover with tabs	Screwdriver (small)	CD-ROM (Contains the Operation
(XE8298-001)	(*See Note.)	(X55468-051)	Manual and the Templates for free-
			motion sewing.)
			(USA/CANADA: XE9382-001,
			Other areas: XE9501-001)

Note

• Two bobbin covers may be included, depending on the country or region
where this kit was purchased. Use the bobbin cover with the same shape as
the bobbin cover included with your machine. The bobbin cover with a shape
different than that included with your machine cannot be installed on the	(XE8992-001)	(XE8878-001)
machine.

2

PREPARING FOR BOBBIN WORK

Required Materials

■ Bobbin case and bobbin cover

aBobbin case (gray)

This bobbin case is only for bobbin work. The bobbin case will allow you to sew with thick thread or narrow ribbon that cannot be inserted through the eye of the needle. There is a notch at the location indicated by the letter “A”.

bBobbin cover with tabs (for bobbin work)*

There are ribs “B” on the back of the bobbin cover. The ribs press down on the bobbin so it is not lifted out

when thick thread is being fed from it.

This bobbin cover can also be used with normal sewing.

*Two bobbin covers may be included, depending on the country or region where this kit was purchased. Use the bobbin cover with the same shape as the bobbin cover included with your machine. The bobbin cover with a shape different than that included with your machine cannot be installed on the machine.

■Lower thread

We recommend the following types of threads for bobbin work.

No.5 or finer hand embroidery thread or decorative thread

Flexible woven ribbon

(approx. 2mm (approx. 5/64 inch) recommended)

Fine embroidery ribbon (silk or silk-like material) (3.5 mm (approx. 1/8 inch) or less, recommended)

*If ribbon is to be used, we recommend that tension not be applied. Refer to page 6 for more detailed instructions.

Note

•Do not use thread heavier than No.5 hand embroidery thread.

•Some threads may not be appropriate for bobbin work. Be sure to sew trial stitches before sewing on your project.

■Upper thread

Sewing machine embroidery thread (polyester thread) or monofilament (transparent nylon) thread.

If you do not wish for the upper thread to be visible, we recommend using transparent nylon monofilament thread or polyester light weight thread (50wt. or above) that is the same color as the lower thread.

■ Needle

Use a needle appropriate for the upper thread and fabric being used. For details, refer to your machine’s Operation Manual.

■ Presser foot

Utility stitches or decorative stitches: Monogramming foot “N”

Note

•If monogramming foot “N” was not provided with your machine, use zigzag foot “J”.

•When sewing a pattern described in the machine’s Operation Manual and the monogramming foot “N” is recommended, be sure to use this foot, otherwise the desired results may not be achieved.

Free-motion sewing: Use the free-motion quilting foot provided with your machine. If you do not have a freemotion quilting foot, contact your nearest authorized dealer to purchase one.

Free-motion quilting foot	Free-motion open toe
	quilting foot “O”

3

■ Fabric

Be sure to sew trial stitches on a piece of scrap fabric, which includes the same threads and fabric as what is being used in your project.

Note

•The sewing results may be affected by the type of fabric used. Before sewing your project, be sure to sew trial stitches on a piece of scrap fabric that is the same as the fabric used in the project.

Upper Threading

aInstall a needle appropriate for the upper thread and fabric to be used.

For details on installing the needle, refer to the machine’s Operation Manual.

bAttach the presser foot.

For the presser foot to be used, refer to “Required Materials” on page 3.

For details on attaching the presser foot, refer to the machine’s Operation Manual.

cThread the machine with the upper thread.

For details on threading the machine, refer to the machine’s Operation Manual.

Preparing the Bobbin Thread

In order to create bobbin work, the bobbin case must be replaced with the one for bobbin work.

Before creating bobbin work, clean the bobbin case and the race.

aRaise the needle and presser foot, and then turn off the machine.

bRemove the flat bed attachment.

cRemove the needle plate cover.

For details on removing the needle plate cover, refer to the machine’s Operation Manual.

a Needle plate cover

d Remove the bobbin case.

a Bobbin case

eUse the cleaning brush included with the machine or a vacuum cleaner to remove any lint and dust from the race and its surrounding area.

aCleaning brush

bRace

fWipe the bobbin case (gray) with a soft lint free cloth to clean it.

gInsert the bobbin case so that the projection on the bobbin case aligns with the spring. For details on inserting the bobbin case, refer to the machine’s Operation Manual.

aProjection

bSpring

Note

•The bobbin case (gray) cannot be used for sewing in any way other than bobbin work. After sewing bobbin work, refer back to the steps in “Preparing the Bobbin Thread” for removing and cleaning the bobbin case (gray), and then reinstall the standard bobbin case (black).

4