Brother Quattro 3 User Manual
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CHANGING THE NEEDLE Getting Ready 69 1 About the Needle The sewing machine needle is probably the most important part of the sewing machine. Choosing the proper needle for your sewing project will result in a beautiful finish and fewer problems. Below are some things to keep in mind about needles. The smaller the needle number, the finer the needle. As the numbers increase, the needles get thicker. Use fine needles with lightweight fabrics, and thicker needles with heavyweight fabrics. To avoid skipped stitches, use ball point needle (golden colored) 90/14 with stretch fabrics. To avoid skipped stitches, use ball point needle (golden colored) 90/14 when sewing character or decorative stitches. Use needle 75/11 for embroidery. Use ball point needle 75/11 for embroidering patterns with short jump stitches such as alphabet characters when the thread trimming function is turned on. Ball point needles (golden colored) 90/14 are not recommended for embroidery, as they may bend or break, causing injury. It is recommended that a 90/14 needle should be used when embroidering on heavyweight fabrics or stabilizing products (for example, denim, puffy foam, etc.). A 75/11 needle may bend or break, which could result in injury. A home sewing machine needle 75/11 is inserted in the sewing machine. Fabric/Thread/Needle Combinations The following table provides information concerning the appropriate thread and needle for various fabrics. Please refer to this table when selecting a thread and needle for the fabric you wish to use. Fabric type/ApplicationThreadSize of needleTy p eSize Medium weight fabrics Broadcloth Cotton thread 60 - 9075/11 - 90/14 Taffeta Synthetic thread Flannel, Gabardine Silk thread 50 Thin fabrics LawnCotton thread 60 - 9065/9 - 75/11 Georgette Synthetic thread Challis, Satin Silk thread 50 Thick fabrics DenimCotton thread 30 90/14 - 100/16 50 Corduroy Synthetic thread 50 - 60 Tweed Silk thread Stretch fabrics JerseyThread for knits 50 - 60Ball point needle (gold colored)75/11 - 90/14 Tr i c o t Easily frayed fabrics Cotton thread 50 - 90 65/9 - 90/14 Synthetic thread Silk thread 50 For top-stitching Synthetic thread 50 90/14 - 100/16 Silk thread Memo For transparent monofilament nylon thread, always use needle sizes 90/14 or 100/16. The same thread is usually used for the bobbin thread and upper thread. CAUTION Be sure to follow the needle, thread, and fabric combinations listed in the table. Using an improper combination, especially a heavyweight fabric (i.e., denim) with a small needle (i.e., 65/9 - 75/11), may cause the needle to bend or break, and lead to injury. Also, the seam may be uneven, the fabric may pucker, or the machine may skip stitches.
Chapter 2 Sewing Basics SEWING .............................................................................................. 72 Sewing a Stitch ........................................................................................................ 72 ■Using the Multi-Function Foot Controller ....................................................................... 73 Sewing Reinforcement Stitches ............................................................................... 74 Sewing Curves ......................................................................................................... 74 Changing Sewing Direction ..................................................................................... 75 ■Sewing a Seam Allowance of 0.5 cm or Less ................................................................... 75 Sewing Heavyweight Fabrics ................................................................................... 75 ■If the Fabric does not Fit under the Presser Foot ............................................................. 75 ■ If the Fabric does not Feed .............................................................................................. 76 Sewing Hook-and-Loop Fastener ............................................................................. 76 Sewing Lightweight Fabrics ..................................................................................... 76 Sewing Stretch Fabrics ............................................................................................ 77 STITCH SETTINGS ............................................................................... 78 Setting the Stitch Width .......................................................................................... 78 Setting the Stitch Length ......................................................................................... 79 Setting the Thread Tension ...................................................................................... 79 ■Proper Thread Tension .................................................................................................... 79 ■ Upper Thread is Too Tight............................................................................................... 80 ■ Upper Thread is Too Loose.............................................................................................. 80 USEFUL FUNCTIONS .......................................................................... 81 Automatic Reinforcement Stitching ........................................................................ 81 Automatic Thread Cutting ....................................................................................... 82 Using the Knee Lifter ............................................................................................... 83 Pivoting ................................................................................................................... 84 Automatic Fabric Sensor System (Automatic Presser Foot Pressure) ....................... 85 Needle Position – Stitch Placement ......................................................................... 86 Locking the Screen .................................................................................................. 86 Checking the Needle Location in the Screen ........................................................... 87
SEWING 72 SEWING Sewing a Stitch aTurn the main power to ON and press to display the utility stitches, and push the “Needle Position” button to raise the needle. bPress the key of the stitch you want to sew. → The symbol of the correct presser foot will be displayed in the upper left corner of the LCD screen. cInstall the presser foot (“CHANGING THE PRESSER FOOT” on page 65). dSet the fabric under the presser foot. Hold the fabric and thread in your left hand, and rotate the handwheel to set the needle in the sewing start position. eLower the presser foot. * You do not have to pull up the bobbin thread. CAUTION To avoid injury, pay special attention to the needle while the machine is in operation. Keep your hands away from moving parts while the machine is in operation. Do not stretch or pull the fabric during sewing. Doing so may lead to injury. Do not use bent or broken needles. Doing so may lead to injury. Do not attempt to sew over basting pins or other objects during sewing. Otherwise, the needle may break and cause injury. If stitches become bunched, lengthen the stitch length setting before continuing sewing. Otherwise, the needle may break and cause injury. CAUTION Always use the correct presser foot. If the wrong presser foot is used, the needle may strike the presser foot and bend or break, possibly resulting in injury. Refer to page 365 for presser foot recommendations. Memo The black button on the left side of presser foot “J” should be pressed only if the fabric does not feed or when sewing thick seams (see page 76). Normally, you can sew with- out pressing the black button.
SEWING Sewing Basics 73 2 fAdjust the sewing speed with the speed control slide. * You can use this slide to adjust sewing speed during sewing. a Slow b Fast gPress the “Start/Stop” button to start sewing. * Guide the fabric lightly by hand. hPress the “Start/Stop” button again to stop sewing. iPress the “Thread Cutter” button to trim the upper and lower threads. →The needle will return to the up position automatically. jWhen the needle has stopped moving, raise the presser foot and remove the fabric. ■Using the Multi-Function Foot Controller You can also use the included multi-function foot controller to start and stop sewing. Memo When the foot controller is being used, you cannot start sewing by pressing the “Start/ Stop” button. CAUTION Do not press the “Thread Cutter” button after the threads have been cut. Doing so could tangle the thread or break the needle and damage the machine. Do not press the “Thread Cutter” button when there is no fabric set in the machine or during machine operation. The thread may tangle, possibly resulting in damage. Note When cutting thread thicker than #30, nylon monofilament thread, or other decorative threads, use the thread cutter on the side of the machine. Memo This machine is equipped with a bobbin thread sensor that warns you when the bob- bin thread is almost empty. When the bobbin thread is nearly empty, the machine auto- matically stops. However, if the “Start/Stop” button is pressed, a few stitches can be sewn. When the warning displays, re-thread the machine immediately. CAUTION Do not allow fabric pieces and dust to collect in the foot controller. Doing so could cause a fire or an electric shock.
SEWING 74 aInsert the plugs for the main foot controller into the foot controller jack and the external port on the right side of the machine. * Refer to Operation Manual Addendum for detailed instructions of connecting the multi-function foot controller. * Before connecting the multi-function foot controller, be sure to assemble the controller according to Operation Manual Addendum. a Foot controller jack b External port bSlowly depress the foot controller to start sewing. Pressing down on the foot controller increases the sewing speed; releasing the pressure on the foot controller decreases the sewing speed. cRelease the foot controller to stop the machine. Sewing Reinforcement Stitches Reverse/reinforcement stitches are generally necessary at the beginning and end of sewing. You can use the “Reverse/Reinforcement Stitch” button to sew reverse/reinforcement stitches manually (see page 15). If the automatic reinforcement stitch is selected on the screen, reverse stitches (or reinforcement stitches) will be sewn automatically at the beginning of sewing when the “Start/Stop” button is pressed. Press the “Reverse/Reinforcement Stitch” button to sew reverse stitches (or reinforcement stitches) automatically at the end of sewing (see page 81). aReverse stitch b Reinforcement stitch If the stitch which you select has a double mark “ ” at the top of the key display, you can sew reverse stitches by holding the “Reverse/ Reinforcement Stitch” button. If the stitch which you select has a dot mark “ ” at the top of the key display, you can sew reinforcement stitches by holding the “Reverse/ Reinforcement Stitch” button. Sewing Curves Sew slowly while keeping the seam parallel with the fabric edge as you guide the fabric around the curve. Memo Refer to Operation Manual Addendum for the detailed instructions of the multi-function foot controller. When the foot controller is being used, you cannot start sewing by pressing the “Start/ Stop” button. The foot controller cannot be used when embroidering. The foot controller can be used for sewing utility and decorative stitches when the embroidery unit is attached. Memo The speed that is set using the sewing speed controller is the foot controller’s maxi- mum sewing speed.
SEWING Sewing Basics 75 2 Changing Sewing Direction Stop the machine. Leave the needle in the fabric, and press the “Presser Foot Lifter” button to raise the presser foot. Using the needle as a pivot, turn the fabric so that you can sew in the new direction. Press the “Presser Foot Lifter” button to lower the presser foot and start sewing. The pivot setting is useful when changing the sewing direction. When the machine is stopped at the corner of the fabric, the machine stops with the needle in the fabric and the presser foot is automatically raised so the fabric can easily be rotated (“Pivoting” on page 84). ■Sewing a Seam Allowance of 0.5 cm or Less Baste the corner before sewing, and then, after changing the sewing direction at the corner, pull the basting thread toward the back while sewing. a 5 mm (approx. 3/16 inch) Sewing Heavyweight Fabrics The sewing machine can sew fabrics up to 6 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) thick. If the thickness of a seam causes sewing to occur at an angle, help guide the fabric by hand and sew on the downward slope. ■If the Fabric does not Fit under the Presser Foot If the presser foot is in the up position, and you are sewing heavyweight or multiple layers of fabric which do not fit easily under the presser foot, use the presser foot lever to raise the presser foot to its highest position. The fabric will now fit under the presser foot. CAUTION Do not forcefully push fabrics more than 6 mm (approx. 1/4 inch) thick through the sewing machine. This may cause the needle to break and cause injury. Thicker fabrics require a larger needle (“CHANGING THE NEEDLE” on page 67). Memo You cannot use the presser foot lever after the presser foot has been raised using the “Presser Foot Lifter” button.
SEWING 76 ■If the Fabric does not Feed If the fabric does not feed when starting to sew or when sewing thick seams, press the black button on the left side of presser foot “J”. aRaise the presser foot. bWhile keeping the black button on the left side of presser foot “J” pressed in, press the “Presser Foot Lifter” button to lower the presser foot. cRelease the black button. → The presser foot remains level, enabling the fabric to be fed. Sewing Hook-and-Loop Fastener Make sure that the needle passes through the hook-and-loop fastener by rotating the handwheel and lower the needle into the hook-and-loop fastener before sewing. Sew the edge of the hook- and-loop fastener at a slow speed. If the needle does not pass through the hook-and- loop fastener, replace the needle with the needle for thick fabrics (page 69). aEdge of the hook-and-loop fastener Sewing Lightweight Fabrics Place thin paper or tear away embroidery stabilizer under thin fabrics to make sewing easier. Gently tear off the paper or the stabilizer after sewing. aThin paper Memo Once the trouble spot has been passed, the foot will return to its normal position. When “Automatic Fabric Sensor System” (Automatic Presser Foot Pressure) in the machine settings screen is set to “ON”, the thickness of the fabric is automatically detected by the internal sensor so the fabric can be fed smoothly for best sewing results. (see page 85 for details.) CAUTION Do not use adhesive backed hook-and-loop fastener designed for sewing. If the adhesive sticks to the needle or the bobbin hook race, it may cause malfunction. If the hook-and-loop fastener is sewn with a fine needle (65/9-75/11), the needle may bend or break. Note Before starting to sew, baste the fabric and hook-and-loop fastener together.
SEWING Sewing Basics 77 2 Sewing Stretch Fabrics First, baste together the pieces of fabric, and then sew without stretching the fabric. In addition, a better result can be achieved by using thread for knits or a stretch stitch. aBasting stitching Memo For best results when sewing stretch fabrics, decrease the pressure of the presser foot (“Using the Machine Setting Mode Key” on page 35).
STITCH SETTINGS 78 STITCH SETTINGS When you select a stitch, your machine automatically selects the appropriate stitch width, stitch length, and upper thread tension. However, if needed, you can change any of the individual settings. Setting the Stitch Width Follow the steps below when you want to change the zigzag stitch pattern width. Example: Press to narrow the zigzag stitch pattern width. →The value in the display gets smaller. Press to widen the zigzag stitch pattern width. →The value in the display gets bigger. Note Settings for some stitches cannot be changed (refer to the “STITCH SETTING CHART” at the end of this manual). If you turn off the machine or select another stitch without saving stitch setting changes (“Saving Your Stitch Settings” on page 92), the stitch settings will return to their default settings. Memo For an alternate method of changing the stitch width using the speed controller, see page 115. Memo Press to return the stitch width to the original setting. Note After adjusting the stitch width, slowly rotate the handwheel toward you (counterclock- wise) and check that the needle does not touch the presser foot. If the needle hits the presser foot, the needle may bend or break.