Brother XL-3500 Sewing Machine

I bought this machine last year to learn on. I figured that it was so cheap that even if I only used it for a few months it would be worth it. I didn't expect it to last, as it is terribly lightweight and mostly plastic.

I flunked out of sewing in middle school thirty years ago and never went back to it. Even though I can rebuild a car motor, I was stymied by sewing machines, particularly thread tension. To my delight, this machine was so reliable and simple that I quickly mastered it.

I was hoping to make a few pairs of pajamas, but I have gone on to make a lot of clothing. To give some idea of the range of materials and difficulty of projects I've tackled with this machine: 9 pairs of kids pj's (in fleece and flame resistant jersey), 1 pair of adult pajamas (fleece), 16 pairs of kids pants (in fleece, denim, flannel and corduroy), 7 fleece vests, 3 jersey t-shirts, 5 toddler short and shirt sets (of calico cotton), 2 sets of shorts and shirts for me, one linen dress, a fleece snow suit and a heavy flannel lined wool melton duffel coat. I have also almost finished a queen-sized fleece crazy quilt. The machine has chugged through everything like a trooper. The only material it has had any difficulty with has been the lightweight jersey knit. Apparently the difficulty is with the straight stitch/zigzag foot that comes with it. It doesn't hold the fabric tight to the feed dogs and the material gets pushed down through the foot plate into the bobbin case. There is a strictly straight stitch foot available for this machine that is supposed to help this problem.

I have had some problems with it skipping stitches a few times, most turned out to be my fault. The few times it wasn't my fault (improperly threaded), a little oil got it back to running smoothly.

With all that sewing, I have paid to have it cleaned and oiled once. The one thing I don't like about this machine is that it doesn't have any place to oil it. The man at our local repair shop sold me a zoom spout (a bottle of oil with a pullout spout that can be threaded through small openings) and showed me how to oil it, so I have been able to avoid trips to the repair shop for lubrication.

My beloved 3500 xl is in the shop as of this writing 5/09 after 4 1/2 years of HEAVY service.  I've been making nearly all the family clothing, curtains and even blankets on it for 4 years.  I have run MILES of fabric under that presser foot, to the point that the presser foot is starting to look worn.  My cat knocked it off the table the other day and it is now too out of alignment to sew.  I'm waiting to hear if it has an adjustment or if it requires parts that would be more than its purchase price.  I am in mourning.  I am so used to this machine that I hate the thought of getting another.  It has paid its purchase price many times over, and it owes me nothing.  I will probably get another Brother, as I am so impressed with the machine for its cheap price.  I usually think that the best report on a machine or a company is how a machine performs at the end of its life than at the beginning.  This machine sewed perfectly right up until the day the cat smashed it.  I'm really hoping it can be fixed and have a few more years.

Well, its official.  My beloved XL 3500 is dead.  When the repairman couldn't find what was wrong, I took it apart myself and figured it out.  The needle bar took the impact and it is bent ever so slightly, just enough to make it sew off center.  As it is, the zig-zag and buttonhole functions are useless.  I can't find a needle bar anywhere.  I found one for a Brother, not even sure its the right one, and it was $56.  That with the new bobbin case that it REALLY needs would be more than the cost of the machine.  So Rest In Peace, old friend.  You helped my over my pathological fear of sewing and sewing machines.  You've taught me to sew and made almost all the family clothing, blankets and curtains for 4 1/2 years.  You paid for yourself in the first month.  You've been a faithful friend and you owe me not a thing.

One interesting note:  I was pleasantly surprised when I took this machine apart.  The outside of the machine is all plastic and it is very lightweight.  I expected everything inside to be plastic too, and it wasn't.  The gears that interacted with the belt were nylon, which actually might make the belt last longer.  But almost all the working parts were metal, except for the cogs that make it sew different patterns (like those on the old Singers except built-in) and one part each in the needle bar assembly and the bobbin assembly.  It wasn't the heaviest metal ever, not like a commercial machine, but it was pretty sturdy.  Nothing was showing serious wear, even after the years of VERY hard work.  There were some months that I used this machine all day, every day, all month.  This has happened at least twice a year for four and a half years.  I've sewn blue jeans and polar fleece and even sheer cottons.  The only things that ever proved to much for it were high twist twills and lightweight jersey knit.  
I picked up an older secondhand machine at the repair shop while I was there, for $50.  But I'm probably going to go ahead and get another Brother ASAP.  They don't make the XL 3500 anymore, but they have a 3750 that looks to be nearly the same machine.  I believe I'll probably get that, as soon as I have the $140 to spend.  This was one great machine.