Brother CV3550 Double Cover Stitch Machine Review
OK – so the first questions you need to ask are “What is a Cover stitch machine?” and “why do I need one.
Well, these questions are simple ones to answer. A cover stitch machine allows you to finish your fabric and hem it at the same time. It works a dream with stretch fabrics, t-shirts, jersey etc and will be giving you professional finishes in no time.
It looks a bit like an overlocker, but it isn’t! an overlocker uses 2 needles and a cutter to tidy a raw edge, and using a hemming foot to create a tidy hem. A Coverstitch uses 1, 2 or 3 needles to create professional hems, chain stitches and decorative stitching with ease. For professionally made clothing – both machines are necessary., saving time, effort and making you look like a pro! So if you want to make clothes, then a Brother CV3550 Double Cover stitch Machine is an ideal addition to your sewing room.
Cover hem like a professional.
Just check out the t-shirt you wore last and take a look at the hem. An overlocked edge and a twin needle hem in one go. That’s how you get a quick, professional finish with even tricky stretch fabrics. I had a play with my new Brother CV3550 Double Cover stitch machine making my crepe kimono top (figure 2) with an overlocker for the inner seams, and this cover stitch machine for the hems. It stitched up so fast it would make your head spin.
From a standing start on this machine straight out of the box to a finished garment in less than an hour. It was even quicker the second time!
This machine uses 3 needles, which gives you so many more options than a 2 needle machine. I personally used the 2 needle Narrow Cover Stitch option for my kimono, using needle 2 and 3 and removing needle 1 so that it didn’t pierce my silk fabric (figure 3). It was super easy to remove the needle with the supplied needle screwdriver. I love that Brother Sewing UK think of everything I might need to get stitching and provide it for me out of the box.
So what can you do with this machine?
The types of cover stitch you can create with this machine:
1. Triple Cover Stitch – You can use a three-needle, or four-thread reinforced cover stitch. This is perfect for hemming, elastic and durable seams for sportswear. If it needs extra support, this is the stitch to use. It is also great for decorative effects expected to be visible on top of your garment and is great fun to play with!
2. Wide Cover Stitch – The two-needle, three-thread cover stitch is ideal for hemming, topstitching and decorative effects on T-shirts and knits. This uses needle 1 and 3 to achieve a wide twin needle stitch on the top of your fabric.
3. Narrow Cover Stitch – The two-needle, three-thread cover stitch is perfect for hemming on fine fabrics, tape binding and topstitching. This uses needle 2 and 3 (with the option to remove needle 1) to achieve a wide stitch on the top of your fabric.
4. Chain Stitch – this one-needle, two-thread double chain stitch is excellent for sewing rolled hems, tape binding, joining woven fabrics and decorative effects.
The addition of an extra top cover stitch to give you 3 additional stitches for an even more professional look. When the cover spreader is engaged, a cover stitch will appear on both top and bottom sides of the fabric.
5. Triple Top Cover Stitch – this three-needle, five-thread top cover stitch is perfect for hems, top stitching, flat joining seams and edging with elastic and bindings with a cover stitch on the top and the bottom of your fabrics.
6. Double Top Cover Stitch (Wide) – this two-needle, four-thread top cover stitch is perfect for hems, top stitching, flat joining seams and edging with elastic and bindings.
7. Double Top Cover Stitch (Narrow) - this two-needle, four-thread top cover stitch is perfect for hems, top stitching, flat joining seams and edging with elastic and bindings. It gives a finer stitch than the wide stitch.
These choices of 7 different stitch give you a wide variety of decorative options, as well as construction possibilities.
So what help do you get?
The manual is very well written, and this chart is a great help. I have photocopied it to put on the wall next to my machine for easy reference!
Figure 4 Easy reference sheet in the manual.
You also get a DVD full of help on threading, stitching etc which is well worth taking the time to watch before you start.
So what else do I love about my new machine?
There are lots of reasons why I love my machine and why I feel it perfectly sits in my sewing room alongside my sewing machine and my overlocker!
• I love the clear foot because it gives me maximum visibility for my stitching. I can see exactly where I need to start and end my sewing for that perfect finish. Many cover stitch machines come only with a solid metal foot, so I was delighted to see that this one had both options!
Figure 5 Clear foot for easy visibility
• Storage. The tools that you need to lay your hands on most often, namely the screwdriver, needles and the tweezers, have their own little storage clips inside the cover of the machine. This stops me scrabbling around my sewing table for the tools I need, when I need them!
• Simple threading, and this is a must for these machines! 4 of the threads (assuming that you want to use all 3 needles) thread from the front and the paths are colour coded and easy to follow (figure 7). When using the cover spreader (an extra to many models) you have even more stitch options because you can choose to have a cover stitch on the top and the bottom of your fabric at the same time! The looper is also colour coded and the path marked on the inside of the easy open cover (figure 8).
Figure 7 the 3 needles and the top cover thread all thread easily on the front of the machine.
Figure 8 Threading the looper
• It has a simple to use differential feed – easy to use feed allows me to work with both stretchy and none stretchy fabric, just with the turn of a knob!
• This is a super-fast machine, with a possible maximum of 1000 stitches per minute. This means I can whip around a seam quickly and accurately and have something ready to wear in no time.
• Large 6.1" x 3.9" workspace so I can get bigger projects through the machine with ease.
• Free arm for easy sewing of necklines and cuffs.
• With 3 needles, one lower looper, and one cover spreader, the CV3550 lets me stitch professional hems, and chain stitching, as well as to add double-sided cover stitching to my projects for a special one step finish!
The technical bit!
KEY FEATURES
• Double-sided Tri-cover (6mm), Double-sided Wide Cover(6mm), Double-sided Narrow cover (3mm) stitches, Tri-cover (6mm), Wide Cover(6mm), Narrow (3mm) and standard chain stitching capacity
• Large 6.1" x 3.9" workspace
• One-touch lever tension release
• Free Arm for easier sewing of necklines and cuffs
• Bright LED Lighting - cooler and energy saving
• Thread Cutter for convenience and added efficiency
• Fast and easy looper and cover spreader threading
• Color-coded threading guide & easy to follow lay-in threading
• Dial adjustments for stitch length conveniently found on right hand side
• Presser foot pressure adjustment dial
SEWING FEATURES
• LED Lighting
• Maximum Sewing Speed (Stitches Per Minute): 1,000 SPM
• Feed Dog
• Stitch Width (mm): 3.0 - 6.0mm
• Stitch Length (mm): 2.0 - 4.0mm
• Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment
SERGER FEATURES
• Cover Stitch
• Differential Feed: 0.7 - 2.0
• Underlooper Threader
BUILT IN STITCHES
• Double-sided Triple-cover (6mm)
• Double-sided Wide Cover(6mm)
• Double-sided Narrow cover (3mm) stitches
• Triple-cover (6mm),
• Wide Cover(6mm)
• Narrow (3mm)
• Standard chain stitching capacity
INCLUDED ACCESSORIES
• Soft Cover
• Thread Net (4)
• Thread Spool Cap (4)
• Cleaning Brush
• Hexagonal Driver
• Needle Set (130/705H) #90
• Attachment Screw
• Spool Mat (4)
• Foot Controller
• Instructional DVD
So in conclusion, I am at the beginning of my relationship with my new Brother CV3550 Cover Stitch machine, and we have many happy hours of stitching ahead of us, especially when the extra optional feet arrive. So far, we are fast becoming good friends and she is making my sewing projects easier, quicker and look more professional, and I cant wait to use her more!
Sarah Payne
Like many people, Sarah started crafting at her mother’s knee with knitting, crochet and cross stitch. But, like most children, she soon lost interest as she discovered Sindy dolls and later on; boys!
After studying the arts with a passion at school, Sarah succumbed to the pressures to pursue a ‘real’+ career, going to University to study Economics and following a career path in IT. However, the early love of arts and crafts never left her and was given outlet in small jewellery making and mixed media textile projects that would fit in a travel bag.
These projects got bigger and she discovered the pleasure of quilts and other sewing machine worked projects. After 15 years travelling and working, Sarah decided to take a break and pursue the creative side of her nature. Since taking the plunge, Sarah opened a fabric shop and has had quilting patterns published in British Patchwork & Quilting, and Popular Patchwork.
She is a regular contributor to Quilt Now with hints, tips and projects, has launched a successful range of quilting USBs packed full of instructional videos and designs her own fabric range for Craft Cotton Company. Sarah is also known for making many of her own clothes and is also a popular tv sewing demonstrator on Create and Craft, Britain’s largest craft-based shopping channel. She regularly presents 30 – 40 live hours of crafting TV a month, aimed at beginner and improver sewers.
Sarah Payne
Web - http://www.sarahpayne.co.uk/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SarahPayneQuilter
Twitter - https://twitter.com/sezpayne
Blog - www.sarahlpayne.blogspot.com
Well, these questions are simple ones to answer. A cover stitch machine allows you to finish your fabric and hem it at the same time. It works a dream with stretch fabrics, t-shirts, jersey etc and will be giving you professional finishes in no time.
Cover hem like a professional.
Just check out the t-shirt you wore last and take a look at the hem. An overlocked edge and a twin needle hem in one go. That’s how you get a quick, professional finish with even tricky stretch fabrics. I had a play with my new Brother CV3550 Double Cover stitch machine making my crepe kimono top (figure 2) with an overlocker for the inner seams, and this cover stitch machine for the hems. It stitched up so fast it would make your head spin.
From a standing start on this machine straight out of the box to a finished garment in less than an hour. It was even quicker the second time!
This machine uses 3 needles, which gives you so many more options than a 2 needle machine. I personally used the 2 needle Narrow Cover Stitch option for my kimono, using needle 2 and 3 and removing needle 1 so that it didn’t pierce my silk fabric (figure 3). It was super easy to remove the needle with the supplied needle screwdriver. I love that Brother Sewing UK think of everything I might need to get stitching and provide it for me out of the box.
So what can you do with this machine?
The types of cover stitch you can create with this machine:
1. Triple Cover Stitch – You can use a three-needle, or four-thread reinforced cover stitch. This is perfect for hemming, elastic and durable seams for sportswear. If it needs extra support, this is the stitch to use. It is also great for decorative effects expected to be visible on top of your garment and is great fun to play with!
2. Wide Cover Stitch – The two-needle, three-thread cover stitch is ideal for hemming, topstitching and decorative effects on T-shirts and knits. This uses needle 1 and 3 to achieve a wide twin needle stitch on the top of your fabric.
3. Narrow Cover Stitch – The two-needle, three-thread cover stitch is perfect for hemming on fine fabrics, tape binding and topstitching. This uses needle 2 and 3 (with the option to remove needle 1) to achieve a wide stitch on the top of your fabric.
4. Chain Stitch – this one-needle, two-thread double chain stitch is excellent for sewing rolled hems, tape binding, joining woven fabrics and decorative effects.
The addition of an extra top cover stitch to give you 3 additional stitches for an even more professional look. When the cover spreader is engaged, a cover stitch will appear on both top and bottom sides of the fabric.
5. Triple Top Cover Stitch – this three-needle, five-thread top cover stitch is perfect for hems, top stitching, flat joining seams and edging with elastic and bindings with a cover stitch on the top and the bottom of your fabrics.
6. Double Top Cover Stitch (Wide) – this two-needle, four-thread top cover stitch is perfect for hems, top stitching, flat joining seams and edging with elastic and bindings.
7. Double Top Cover Stitch (Narrow) - this two-needle, four-thread top cover stitch is perfect for hems, top stitching, flat joining seams and edging with elastic and bindings. It gives a finer stitch than the wide stitch.
These choices of 7 different stitch give you a wide variety of decorative options, as well as construction possibilities.
So what help do you get?
The manual is very well written, and this chart is a great help. I have photocopied it to put on the wall next to my machine for easy reference!
Figure 4 Easy reference sheet in the manual.
You also get a DVD full of help on threading, stitching etc which is well worth taking the time to watch before you start.
So what else do I love about my new machine?
There are lots of reasons why I love my machine and why I feel it perfectly sits in my sewing room alongside my sewing machine and my overlocker!
• I love the clear foot because it gives me maximum visibility for my stitching. I can see exactly where I need to start and end my sewing for that perfect finish. Many cover stitch machines come only with a solid metal foot, so I was delighted to see that this one had both options!
Figure 5 Clear foot for easy visibility
• Storage. The tools that you need to lay your hands on most often, namely the screwdriver, needles and the tweezers, have their own little storage clips inside the cover of the machine. This stops me scrabbling around my sewing table for the tools I need, when I need them!
• Simple threading, and this is a must for these machines! 4 of the threads (assuming that you want to use all 3 needles) thread from the front and the paths are colour coded and easy to follow (figure 7). When using the cover spreader (an extra to many models) you have even more stitch options because you can choose to have a cover stitch on the top and the bottom of your fabric at the same time! The looper is also colour coded and the path marked on the inside of the easy open cover (figure 8).
Figure 7 the 3 needles and the top cover thread all thread easily on the front of the machine.
Figure 8 Threading the looper
• It has a simple to use differential feed – easy to use feed allows me to work with both stretchy and none stretchy fabric, just with the turn of a knob!
• This is a super-fast machine, with a possible maximum of 1000 stitches per minute. This means I can whip around a seam quickly and accurately and have something ready to wear in no time.
• Large 6.1" x 3.9" workspace so I can get bigger projects through the machine with ease.
• Free arm for easy sewing of necklines and cuffs.
• With 3 needles, one lower looper, and one cover spreader, the CV3550 lets me stitch professional hems, and chain stitching, as well as to add double-sided cover stitching to my projects for a special one step finish!
The technical bit!
KEY FEATURES
• Double-sided Tri-cover (6mm), Double-sided Wide Cover(6mm), Double-sided Narrow cover (3mm) stitches, Tri-cover (6mm), Wide Cover(6mm), Narrow (3mm) and standard chain stitching capacity
• Large 6.1" x 3.9" workspace
• One-touch lever tension release
• Free Arm for easier sewing of necklines and cuffs
• Bright LED Lighting - cooler and energy saving
• Thread Cutter for convenience and added efficiency
• Fast and easy looper and cover spreader threading
• Color-coded threading guide & easy to follow lay-in threading
• Dial adjustments for stitch length conveniently found on right hand side
• Presser foot pressure adjustment dial
SEWING FEATURES
• LED Lighting
• Maximum Sewing Speed (Stitches Per Minute): 1,000 SPM
• Feed Dog
• Stitch Width (mm): 3.0 - 6.0mm
• Stitch Length (mm): 2.0 - 4.0mm
• Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment
SERGER FEATURES
• Cover Stitch
• Differential Feed: 0.7 - 2.0
• Underlooper Threader
BUILT IN STITCHES
• Double-sided Triple-cover (6mm)
• Double-sided Wide Cover(6mm)
• Double-sided Narrow cover (3mm) stitches
• Triple-cover (6mm),
• Wide Cover(6mm)
• Narrow (3mm)
• Standard chain stitching capacity
INCLUDED ACCESSORIES
• Soft Cover
• Thread Net (4)
• Thread Spool Cap (4)
• Cleaning Brush
• Hexagonal Driver
• Needle Set (130/705H) #90
• Attachment Screw
• Spool Mat (4)
• Foot Controller
• Instructional DVD
So in conclusion, I am at the beginning of my relationship with my new Brother CV3550 Cover Stitch machine, and we have many happy hours of stitching ahead of us, especially when the extra optional feet arrive. So far, we are fast becoming good friends and she is making my sewing projects easier, quicker and look more professional, and I cant wait to use her more!
Sarah Payne
Like many people, Sarah started crafting at her mother’s knee with knitting, crochet and cross stitch. But, like most children, she soon lost interest as she discovered Sindy dolls and later on; boys!
After studying the arts with a passion at school, Sarah succumbed to the pressures to pursue a ‘real’+ career, going to University to study Economics and following a career path in IT. However, the early love of arts and crafts never left her and was given outlet in small jewellery making and mixed media textile projects that would fit in a travel bag.
These projects got bigger and she discovered the pleasure of quilts and other sewing machine worked projects. After 15 years travelling and working, Sarah decided to take a break and pursue the creative side of her nature. Since taking the plunge, Sarah opened a fabric shop and has had quilting patterns published in British Patchwork & Quilting, and Popular Patchwork.
She is a regular contributor to Quilt Now with hints, tips and projects, has launched a successful range of quilting USBs packed full of instructional videos and designs her own fabric range for Craft Cotton Company. Sarah is also known for making many of her own clothes and is also a popular tv sewing demonstrator on Create and Craft, Britain’s largest craft-based shopping channel. She regularly presents 30 – 40 live hours of crafting TV a month, aimed at beginner and improver sewers.
Sarah Payne
Web - http://www.sarahpayne.co.uk/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SarahPayneQuilter
Twitter - https://twitter.com/sezpayne
Blog - www.sarahlpayne.blogspot.com
Hi ! I recently bought this machine too, and i've only used it on two projects so far and I am having a problem I can't seem to address. When you start a coverstitch if turn the wheel towards you, it's supposed to lock in the stitches but mine doesn't do that. I know that if you use a scrap fabric it works, but most times, I don't use it on flat projects. Did you have that problem too??
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ReplyDeleteGreat review on Brother CV3550 Double Cover Stitch machine. I am already a fan of this great embroidery digitizing machine so good to read your views on it. Thanks. Its great.
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