Important Safety Instructions Please read these safety instructions before attempting to use the machine. This machine is intended for household use. DANGER - To reduce the risk of electric shock: Always unplug the machine from the electrical outlet immediately after using, when cleaning, when making any user servicing adjustments mentioned in this manual, or if you are leaving the machine unattended.
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Use accessories recommended by the manufacturer as contained in this manual. Save these instructions. The contents of this manual and specifications of this product are subject to change without notice. For additional product information, visit our web site at www.brother.com...
Note (For U.S.A. only) ● Foot controller: Model N5V This foot controller can be used on this machine model NX-250. ● The screw for the presser foot holder is available through your authorized dealer. (Part code: XA4813-051) ● The organized accessory tray is available through your authorized dealer.
Wide table SA551 Walking foot SA140 Quilting foot SA129 Adjustable zipper/piping foot SA161 Memo ● Visit your Brother dealer for a complete listing of optional accessories available for your machine. Part Code Part Name Others F054 Non stick foot (XC3879-002) F016N...
Names of Machine Parts and Their Functions The names of the various parts of the sewing machine and their functions are described below. Before using the sewing machine, carefully read these descriptions to learn the names of the machine parts. Front view 1 Thread guide plate Pass the thread under the thread guide plate.
Operation buttons The operation buttons help you to easily perform various basic sewing machine operations. 1 “Start/Stop” button Press the “Start/Stop” button to start or stop sewing. The machine sews at a slow speed at the beginning of sewing while the button is depressed. When sewing is stopped, the needle is lowered in the fabric.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Operation panel The operation panel, located on the front at the right of the sewing machine, consists of various buttons and sliders for specifying how the stitch will be sewn.
GETTING READY The various preparations required before starting to sew are described in this chapter. Turning the Machine On/Off ...14 Power supply precautions ...14 Turning on the machine ...15 Turning off the machine ...15 Winding/Installing the Bobbin ...16 Bobbin precautions ...16 Winding the bobbin ...16 Installing the bobbin ...20 Upper Threading ...22...
Turning on the machine Make sure that the sewing machine is turned off (the main power switch is set to “O”), and then plug the power cord into the power supply jack on the right side of the machine. Insert the plug of the power cord into a household electrical outlet.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — GETTING READY Winding/Installing the Bobbin This section describes how to wind the thread onto the bobbin, and then insert the bobbin thread.
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Turn on the sewing machine. Open the top cover. Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder shaft so that the spring on the shaft fits into the notch in the bobbin. Press down on the bobbin until it snaps into place.
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While holding the thread with your left hand, wind the thread that was pulled out clockwise around the bobbin five or six times with your right hand. Note ● Make sure that the thread between the spool and the bobbin is pulled tight. ●...
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Lightly hold down the bobbin with your right hand, and then guide the thread as shown with your left hand. CAUTION ● When installing the bobbin, be sure to hold it down with your finger. If the bobbin is not correctly installed, the thread tension will be incorrect.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — GETTING READY Upper Threading In this section, the procedures for positioning the spool for the upper thread and threading the needle are described.
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Press (“Needle Position” button) once or twice to raise the needle. 1 “Needle Position” button • The needle is correctly raised when the mark on the handwheel is at the top, as shown below. Check the handwheel and, if this mark is not at this position, press (“Needle Position”...
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— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — GETTING READY While holding the thread lightly with your right hand, pull the thread with your left...
Threading the needle This section describes how to thread the needle. Note ● The needle threader can be used with sewing machine needles 75/11 through 100/16. ● Thread with a thickness of 130/20 or thicker cannot be used with the needle threader. ●...
Using the twin needle With the twin needle, you can sew two parallel lines of the same stitch with two different threads. Both upper threads should have the same thickness and quality. Be sure to use the twin needle, the extra spool pin and the spool cap.
Pulling up the bobbin thread When making gathers or before free-motion quilting, first pull up the bobbin thread as described below. Insert the bobbin into the bobbin case. • Refer to steps through bobbin” (page 20). Pass the bobbin thread through the slot. Do not cut the thread with the cutter.
Memo ● The smaller the thread number, the thicker the thread, and the larger the needle number, the thicker the needle. ● Use the ball point needle when sewing on stretch fabrics or fabrics where skipped stitches easily occur. ● Use a 90/14 to 100/16 needle with transparent nylon threads, regardless of the fabric being sewn.
Replacing the Presser Foot The presser foot presses down on the fabric. Presser foot precautions Be sure to observe the following precautions concerning the presser feet. CAUTION ● Use the presser foot appropriate for the type of stitch that you wish to sew, otherwise the needle may hit the presser foot, causing the needle to bend or break.
Removing the presser foot holder Remove the presser foot holder when cleaning the sewing machine or when installing a presser foot that does not use the presser foot holder, such as the quilting foot. Use the screwdriver to remove the presser foot holder.
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● Only the straight stitch (with reinforcement stitching) and the zigzag stitch can be used with the walking foot. For details on the stitches, refer to “Stitch Settings” (page 94). Note ● The optional walking foot is available through your Brother dealer.
The lower right corner section of the wide table extends over the front section of the sewing machine bed. 1 Lower right corner 2 Sewing machine bed Note ● The optional wide table is available through your Brother dealer. Sewing Cylindrical or Large Pieces...
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— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — GETTING READY Turn the screw at the bottom of each leg to adjust their height so the wide table will be...
SEWING BASICS The necessary preparations for sewing are described in this chapter. Sewing...40 General sewing procedure ...40 Positioning the fabric ...41 Starting to sew ...42 Securing the stitching...44 Cutting the thread ...45 Adjusting the Thread Tension...46 Changing the tension of the upper thread ...46 Adjusting the Stitch Width and Length...47 Adjusting the stitch width ...47 Adjusting the stitch length...48...
Positioning the fabric Be sure that the fabric pieces are sewn in the correct order and that the right and wrong sides of the fabric are aligned correctly. Turn on the sewing machine. The straight stitch (left needle position) is automatically selected.
Insert the foot controller plug into its jack on the side of the sewing machine. 1 Foot controller jack Note (For U.S.A. only) ● Foot controller: Model N5V This foot controller can be used on this machine model NX-250. (“Start/Stop” (“Start/Stop” button) once.
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Turn on the sewing machine. Slide the sewing speed controller to the left or right to select the desired sewing speed. Slide the sewing speed controller to the left to sew at a slower speed, or slide the speed controller to the right to sew at a faster speed. 1 Sewing speed controller •...
After 3 to 5 reverse stitches have been sewn, release (“Reverse/Reinforcement Stitch” button). The machine stops sewing. Press (“Start/Stop” button), or press down on the foot controller. At this time, if (“Start/Stop” button) is held down, the machine sews at a slow speed. The machine starts sewing in the normal sewing direction.
Adjusting the Stitch Width and Length The zigzag width (pattern width) and stitch length of utility stitches can be adjusted. Normally, when a stitch is selected, the appropriate width and length are automatically selected. For details on the range of values within which the width and length can be set, refer to “Stitch Settings”...
Useful Functions Functions useful in improving sewing efficiency are described below. Changing the needle stop position The sewing machine can be set to leave the needle in the fabric (lowered needle stop position) or leave the needle raised (raised needle stop position) when sewing is stopped.
Useful Sewing Tips Various ways to achieve better results for your sewing projects are described below. Refer to these tips when sewing your project. Trial sewing After you have set up the machine with the thread and needle appropriate for the type of fabric being sewn, the machine automatically sets the thread tension and stitch length and width for the stitch that is selected.
Sewing thin fabrics When sewing thin fabrics, the stitching may become misaligned or the fabric may not feed correctly. If this occurs, place thin paper or stabilizer material under the fabric and sew it together with the fabric. When you have finished sewing, tear off any excess paper. 1 Stabilizer material or paper Sewing stretch fabrics First, baste the pieces of fabric together, and then...
UTILITY STITCHES The various stitches and their applications are described in this chapter. Selecting Stitching...56 Selecting stitching ...56 Overcasting Stitches...58 Sewing overcasting stitches using overcasting foot “G”...58 Sewing overcasting stitches using zigzag foot “J” ...59 Sewing overcasting stitches using the optional side cutter ...60 Basic Stitching...62 Basic stitching ...62 Blind Hem Stitching ...63...
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — UTILITY STITCHES Selecting Stitching You can select any of the various types of stitching available.
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■ [Example] Selecting stitch Press (Stitch selection key) to select stitch 04. Select “0” with on the left, and then select “4” with on the right. To adjust the stitch width, slide the stitch width adjustment slider up or down. Press the stitch width adjustment button, and then slide the stitch width adjustment slider to adjust the stitch width.
Sewing overcasting stitches using zigzag foot “J” Three stitches can be used to sew overcasting stitches with zigzag foot “J”. Stitch Name Pattern Application Preventing fraying (center Zigzag stitch baseline/reverse stitching) 3-point Preventing fraying in thick fabrics zigzag stitch and stretch fabrics Overcasting Preventing fraying in stretch stitch...
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — UTILITY STITCHES Sewing overcasting stitches using the optional side cutter Using the side cutter, seam allowances can be finished while the edge of the fabric is cut off.
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● If the side cutter can no longer cut fabric, use a rag to apply a small amount of oil to the cutting edge of the cutter. ● The optional side cutter is available through your Brother dealer. Overcasting Stitches...
Blind Hem Stitching Secure the bottoms of skirts and pants with a blind hem. Two stitches are available for blind hem stitching. Stitch Name Pattern Application Blind hem stitching on medium weight fabrics Blind hem stitch Blind hem stitching on stretch fabrics Sew a blind hem according to the following procedure.
Buttonhole Stitching/Button Sewing Buttonholes can be sewn and buttons can be sewn on. Seven stitches are available for sewing one-step buttonholes and one stitch for sewing on buttons. Stitch Name Pattern Horizontal buttonholes on thin and medium weight fabrics Buttonholes with bar tacks on both ends for stabilized fabrics Buttonholes for stretch or knit fabrics...
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — UTILITY STITCHES Buttonhole sewing The maximum buttonhole length is about 28 mm (1-1/8 inches) (diameter + thickness of the button).
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■ If the button does not fit in the button guide plate Add together the diameter and thickness of the button, and then set the button guide plate to the calculated length. (The distance between the markings on the presser foot scale is 5 mm (3/16 inch).) 1 Presser foot scale 2 Length of buttonhole...
■ Sewing buttonholes on stretch fabrics When sewing buttonholes on stretch fabrics, use a gimp thread. Hook the gimp thread onto the part of buttonhole foot “A” shown in the illustration so that it fits into the grooves, and then loosely tie it.
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■ Attaching a shank to a button To sew the button with a shank, attach the button with space between it and the fabric, and then wind the thread by hand. This attaches the button securely. Place the button into button-sewing foot “M”, and then pull the shank lever toward you.
Select stitch • For details, refer to “Selecting stitching” (page 56). CAUTION ● When using zipper foot “I”, be sure to select the straight stitch (center needle position), and slowly turn the handwheel toward you (counterclockwise) to check that the needle does not touch the presser foot.
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— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — UTILITY STITCHES Press the seam allowance so that the right side (the side that will not be stitched) has an extra...
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Close the zipper, turn over the fabric, and then baste the other side of the zipper to the fabric. 1 Basting stitching Attach the presser foot holder to the other pin of zipper foot “I”. If the presser foot holder was attached to the right pin in step , change it to the left pin.
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Select stitch • For details, refer to “Selecting stitching” (page 56). Sew the elastic tape to the fabric while stretching the tape so that it is the same length as the fabric. While pulling the fabric behind the presser foot with your left hand, pull the fabric at the pin nearest the front of the presser foot with your right hand.
Appliqué stitching Cut out the appliqué, leaving a seam allowance of between 3 and 5 mm (1/8 and 3/16 inch). 1 Seam allowance Place a pattern made of thick paper or stabilizer on the back of the appliqué, and then fold over the seam allowance using an iron.
● When sewing with the walking foot, sew at a speed between slow and medium. ● The optional walking foot is available through your Brother dealer. ■ Using the optional quilting guide Use the quilting guide to sew parallel stitches that are equally spaced.
• Normally, the drop feed lever is positioned at the right. 1 Drop feed lever (as seen from the rear of the machine) Note ● The optional quilting foot is available through your Brother dealer. (to the (to the right as seen from the...
Reinforcement Stitching Reinforce points that will be subject to strain, such as sleeve holes, inseams and pocket corners. Stitch Name Pattern Application Triple Reinforcing the seams of sleeves stretch and inseams stitch Bar tack Reinforcing the ends of openings, stitch such as the corners of pockets Triple stretch stitching Use triple stretch stitching to reinforce sleeve holes...
Eyelet Stitching Eyelets, such as those on belts, can be sewn. Three sizes of eyelets are possible: 7 mm, 6 mm and 5 mm (1/4, 15/64 and 3/16 inch). Stitch Name Pattern Application Sewing eyelets, for example, on Eyelet stitch belts Attach monogramming foot “N”.
Stitch Name Pattern Application Ladder stitch Rick-rack stitch Decorative stitching Decorative stitch Serpentine stitch Fagoting Stitching across an open seam is called “fagoting”. It is used on blouses and children's clothing. This stitch is more decorative when thicker thread is used. Use an iron to fold the two pieces of fabric along their seams.
Select stitch • For details, refer to “Selecting stitching” (page 56). Stitch between the straight stitches. Pull out the threads for the straight stitches. Joining Decorative bridging stitches can be sewn over the seam allowance of joined fabrics. This is used when making a crazy quilt.
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Select stitch • For details, refer to “Selecting stitching” (page 56). With the right side of the fabric facing up, sew along the right edge of the frayed section. Turn the fabric around to sew the opposite side. Sew along the other edge of the frayed section so that it looks like the previous stitching.
APPENDIX The various maintenance and troubleshooting procedures are described in this chapter. Stitch Settings...94 Utility stitches ...94 Care and Maintenance ...100 Cleaning the machine surface ...100 Cleaning the race ...100 Troubleshooting ...102 Error messages ...105 Operation beep ...106 Index ...107...
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — APPENDIX Stitch Settings Applications, stitch lengths and widths and whether the twin needle can be used are listed for utility stitches in...
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Stitch Name Pattern Application Piecing straight stitching (with a seam allowance of 6.5 mm (1/4 inch) from the right edge of the presser foot) Piecing straight stitch Piecing straight stitching (with a seam allowance of 6.5 mm (1/4 inch) from the left edge of the presser foot) Straight stitch Straight stitch quilting...
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Stitch Name Pattern Application Horizontal buttonholes on thin and medium weight fabrics Secured buttonholes for fabrics that have backings Buttonholes for stretch or knit fabrics Buttonhole Buttonholes for stretch stitch fabrics Keyhole buttonholes for thick or furry fabrics Keyhole buttonholes for medium weight and thick fabrics Horizontal buttonholes...
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Stitch Name Pattern Application For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. Satin stitches For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc. Cross stitch For decoration, etc. For decoration, etc.
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Remove the bobbin case. Grasp the bobbin case, and then pull it out. 1 Bobbin case Use the cleaning brush or a vacuum cleaner to remove any lint and dust from the race and its surrounding area. 1 Cleaning brush 2 Race •...
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Symptom Probable Cause The upper thread was not threaded correctly (for example, the spool is not installed correctly, the spool cap is too big for the spool being used, or the thread has come out of the needle bar thread guide). There are knots or tangles in the thread.
Symptom Probable Cause The feed dogs are lowered. The stitch is too short. The presser foot that is used is not appropriate for the type of stitch that you wish to sew. The fabric does not feed. The pressure of the presser foot is weak.