Brother PQ1500SL Review 2018 - Sewing Machine Life

Brother produces a number of quality sewing machines. One of the best-rated options is the Brother PQ1500SL. It’s an affordable machine that is perfect for beginners, or experienced experts. It’s a mid-priced model with features of far more pricey sewing machines.

The Brother PQ1500SL has all the necessities for basic sewing jobs, plus extras that make this a great machine for quilting. Below are the specifications, plus a list of accessories. You will also find a series of advantages and disadvantages listed as pros and cons. The review finishes with some opinions from other owners.

About the Brother PQ1500SL Sewing Machine

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Specifications and Description

Stitches: 100 built-in stitch patterns with over 100 different stitch functions.
Product size: 7.9 x 12.6 x 19.3 inches (20 x 32 x 49 centimeters)
Product weight: 29.8 pounds (13.5 kilograms)
Warranty: 25-year limited warranty on chassis, 2-year warranty on circuit board and electronics.

This is a great sewing machine, suitable for those who need various patterns and stitch functions. The speed is also important since you can get lots of projects done in a record time with this great product. That’s why many professionals find it suitable for their work.

Standard Accessories & Features

The Brother PQ1500SL has an outstanding 1500 per stitch maximum sewing speed.
There is an automatic thread trimmer standard.
Needle threading is a snap with a push-button automatic needle threader.
Shifting is comfortable and efficient with the knee lever.
The needle can be positioned automatically.
You can quickly change the stitch pattern using the large LCD display on the front of the machine. The computerized settings are also back-lit, so you can easily read the different choices.
The drop feed dog is retractable.
There 12-inch by 18-inch extension table to extend your work area for large projects.
The actual sewing space under the needle is 7-inches by 8½-inches, larger than many machines.
An easy to read thread tension dial helps you make quick adjustments.
Standard LED work light, brightly illuminates the work area.
There is an adjustable zipper foot.
The Brother PQ1500SL is UL and CSA certified on all electrical components.
Along with an easy-to-understand owner’s manual, this machine has an instructional DVD as part of the standard package.

Stitches

This is a straight stitch machine, with over 100 standard built-in stitch patterns. You can use the dozens of different stitch combinations to make any repair or create a unique stitch for a special project.

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Brother PQ1500SL Sewing and Quilting Machine, Up to 1,500 Stitches Per Minute, Wide Table, 7 Included Feet

1,500 Stitches per minute max sewing speed: Maximum stitching of up to 1,500 stitches per minute allows you to sew and quilt more in less time
Advanced needle threading system: This sewing and quilting machine includes an automatic needle threader that perfectly pushes the thread through the needle and a convenient, jam resistant drop-in top bobbin
Included accessories: The PQ1500SL longarm sewing and quilting machine comes with a wide table, 7 sewing feet, knee-lifter, instruction manual and more. The removable knee-lifter enables you to lift your presser foot with your knee, leaving both hands free for fabric handling
Precision pin feeding system: It's so easy to sew a wide variety of fabric thicknesses thanks to Brother's Pin Feed system for precision fabric feeding
At your side support: The PQ1500SL quilting and sewing machine comes with Brother at your side support offering free technical support via online, live chat or phone for the life of your machine

Pros and Cons of the PQ1500SL Sewing Machine by Brother

Pros

This is one of the fastest sewing machines in its price and class

Using the built-in knee level lets lift or lower the presser foot without using your hands. This is a tremendously valuable feature for quilting projects and sewing other large items

Underneath the machine, there is a pin feed. This allows you to swap out the feed dogs for a small pin. Since it is under the machine, it will not inhibit moving of quilts or large items

Adjusting the tension is done using a dial conveniently placed on the front of the machine. When the bobbin is in correctly, the tension dial adjusts easily

To make your preparations even easier, there is an automatic bobbin winding system

With eight different 1-step buttonhole options, you can quickly switch sizes and button shapes

To position the needle, all you need to do is set the automatic adjustment correctly, and the machine will do it for you

There is an automatic threader as well, which saves time by keeping you sewing, not rethreading your needles

The bobbin case is located on the side of the machine, not on the top. This is different from many models. It allows for changing the bobbin without moving a piece of fabric

This machine sews various thicknesses of fabric and certain types of heavy material very well

The PQ1500SL runs much quieter than comparably priced sewing machines. However, it doesn’t lack in stitch speed or thick fabric capability

Cons

There were some tension issues, but most of these were found to be attributed to improper threading, or bobbin placement

This sewing machine weighs close to 30 pounds, so it is not designed to be easily portable

The machine needs a 120V electric system. There is no warranty coverage for other electrical ratings

This sewing machine will not do monogramming

The automatic needle threader will not work with certain thread sizes or larger needles

Opinions About the Brother PQ1500SL Sewing Machine

Reviews from expert quilters feel this machine is as efficient as specialized quilting machines that cost nearly 10 times as much. The flexibility to do such large projects is one of the frequently mentioned strong points of this sewing machine.

Users also love the pin feed system. This machine is set up so you can easily exchange the feed dogs for a single pin below the machine. You are able to move large quilts or delicate velvet without leaving marks on the fabric.

The extension table was a full foot by a foot and a half. Users said it was easy to sew a full, queen size quilt. Some beginners found the vast number of features overwhelming at the start, but most found the owner’s manual helpful in learning about these.

One prevailing thing mentioned was the lightning speed at which this machine could sew. At a rate of 1,500 stitches per minute, the speed of the Brother PQ1500SL sewing machine impressed even the most experienced experts.

How to Thread the Brother PQ1500SL

The process of threading the Brother PQ1500SL model is not complicated. Here you have a short clip that shows you step by step what you need to do, as well as other useful information:

Conclusion

Brother produces a quality line of sewing machines. This is a sturdy model that will sew with lightning fast speed and handle a wide range of fabrics. It will sew the most delicate velvet and silk, or tackle a full-size quilt. It comes with a bunch of excellent features, all standard. If you own this model of Brother sewing machine, let us know how yours works. If you think there are any points missing in this review, let us hear about those as well.

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