Brother LS14S Metal Chassis Sewing Machine

Product Information

Yes, I think the Brother Ls14s is good enough for basic quilting. Its throat space is big enough for large quilts and quilting feet are available to buy separately. It can quilt straight lines OK, but the machine does wander slightly to the left/right, so it’s hard to sew perfectly straight. You can’t drop the feed dogs for free-motion quilting, and it doesn’t come with a “darning plate” to cover the feed dogs either. You’ll need to buy that separately.

The path for threading the machine to the thread take-up lever is the same as for normally threading the machine (for a single needle). Refer to How do I thread my machine? There’s a simple drop in bobbin, so there’s no fiddly bobbin case to load up and insert. There’s a handy thread cutter on the side of the machine, saves you constantly reaching for your snips too! In the box The included screwdriver is a flat metal piece, so is more slippery than a standard mini screwdriver. It kept slipping out of my (completely dry) hands. This would be even harder for anyone with arthritis or other hand mobility issues.Having problems with your sewing machine? Try our troubleshooting guides and machine manuals below, which offer solutions to the most common issues. The path for threading the machine to the needle bar thread guide is the same as for normally threading the machine (for a single needle). Refer to How do I thread my machine? I measured how loud the Ls14s was at slow, medium, and high speeds. I used the Sound Level Meter (Android) app. For comparison, I also measured how noisy my personal machine was, the computerized Brother a150. Speed The flat bed attachment is described as a storage compartment in the instructions, but as there is no ‘compartment’ so to speak you will need to put the accessories in another bag inside the compartment to avoid them spilling out when you open it.

The manual is quite brief, however there are good basic instructions for the features of the machine as well as an instructional DVD. I think its slowest speed is manageable, but it’s still faster than computerized machines. If you want something that can go really slowly, here’s what I recommend instead. Slow speeds are useful for careful tasks like topstitching.

Use only twin needles that have been made for this machine (part code: X57521-021:2.0/75 with a 2 mm width). Other needles could break and damage the machine. Normally a tension of 4 is the standard, but on this machine, I preferred tension 5 for cotton. It makes the straight stitches look straighter on both sides. On tension 4, the stitching on one side was a bit loose, creating a slight zig-zag look. Large zig zag stitch = tunnelling The Brother LS14s comes with with a clear zip foot (makes it nice and easy to see what’s going on under the foot as you insert a zip) and a buttonhole foot. Also, three spare needles (all size 90/14), three bobbins and a mini screwdriver.

Overall, this is my favorite machine if you’re on a tight budget, but it’s not my favorite one for beginners who love sewing (go here to see my best sewing machine for beginners review). The Ls14s is good enough for occasional use and everyday projects. I think you’ll love how simple it is to use.I would buy this as a first sewing machine for kids too, but again it wouldn’t be my first choice, it’s my budget choice. It doesn’t have speed control, or the ability to sew without the foot pedal (using the start/stop button). It has the most important stitches: straight, zig zag, blind hem, rectangle buttonhole, and a few extras. You can sew most things with these. Its throat space is big enough to make large quilts. I could easily fit my 100″ king-size quilt inside, which was a happy surprise! In a matching thread you wouldn’t notice this, but if you use a contrasting thread it would look messy. For comparison, all of the budget machines I tested had this issue. Use a good quality thread – it's common for inexpensive low-quality threads or threads designed for hand sewing to be the cause of what appears to be tension problems when there is nothing wrong with the machine. Using thread that does not pull through smoothly can cause thread breakages, poor stitching or damage to your machine. For best results, you should use a good quality, branded thread.

I think it’s best for beginners who need a cheap sewing machine for occasional use. It suits everyday projects and light/medium weight fabrics. It’s one of the simplest sewing machines on the market. There are only a few important stitches to choose from, and the stitch length and width settings are pre-set. So there’s less for you to learn. However, this also means you have very little control over the stitches, so a hobby sewist would find it limiting. I like that it has a top-loading bobbin. It’s more reliable than front-loading bobbins which jam a lot. I think it sews jersey OK, it’s presser foot doesn’t stretch out the fabric thankfully. I don’t love the buttonholes it makes, but they’re acceptable. The bottom 3 buttonholes have uneven left and right bars. The top buttonhole is even because I adjusted the ‘buttonhole screw’. Not really. It’s one of the cheapest sewing machines on the market, so build quality isn’t great. I think it’s best suited for light use.Overall it’s quite easy to thread. There’s no needle threader, but I like the threading instructions printed on the machine. The Ls14s did not stretch out the fabric, which I was happy about. Many of the other budget machines I tested did. There’s a good distinction between the instructions for winding the bobbin and threading the top half, so you don’t get them confused.