Brother Sewing Machine: The 10 Stitch Machine with Automatic 4-Step Buttonholer

I first wanted a sewing machine because my oldest daughter has such a small waist and long legs that I needed to take in almost all of her pants at the waist. Otherwise, it was almost impossible to find well-fitting clothes for her. At the same time, I kind of harbored dreams of learning to sew, and getting to do some fun projects.

We ended up buying a Brother sewing machine. It is called the 10 stitch free arm sewing machine with automatic 4-step buttonholer. If you are looking for a first sewing machine; if you are a beginner and don't want an intimidating sewing machine; if you just like to do basic sewing, space is at a premium, and you don't want bells and whistles you won't use, this is the machine for you. If, however, you want to quilt or serge or do more complicated embroidered projects, Brother has other sewing machines that will fit your needs.

The 10 stitch Brother sewing machine (Model LS-2125i) that I have is perfect for my needs. I grew up with a mother who sewed, but the skills did not translate to me. So initially, all I was going to do was take up my daughter's waistbands, do some mending or hemming, and maybe learn how to do some simple sewing.

This Brother sewing machine has 10 built-in stitches on a dial: the automatic buttonhole stitch; 4 different sizes of zigzag stitches, including one that doubles as a satin stitch for decorative sewing; two straight stitch options; stretch blind stitch, good for hemming knits; shell tuck stitch for decorative edging; and elastic stitch for sewing on elastic waistbands for instance. This sewing machine has twin needle capability that allows you to do some embroidery with it.

It is lightweight, only weighing about 15 pounds. It is compact, about a little over a foot high and about a foot long. It does come with a plastic carrying case, that can also be used to house extra supplies as well as the sewing machine.

The bobbin always intimidated me when I tried to sew before. I was pleased to see that winding and installing the bobbin on this Brother Model LS-2125i machine was simple and easy to do. My packet of extras included four additional plastic bobbins and I find it useful to keep them full of different colored threads, like black or white, that will be used frequently.

Installing or changing a needle is very easy, too. The directions in the manual include detailed pictures and easy to follow instructions. The manual is printed in English, French, Spanish and Portugese but is still only a total of 58 pages, so it isn't complicated at all.

The 4-step buttonholer was amazing to me. By following their instructions, I was able to make a buttonhole. It was like magic, watching it form before my eyes. Because, yes, I graduated to trying to sew a few pieces of clothing. So far, I've made aprons for me and my oldest daughter; dresses for both of my girls; and skirts for me.

I would recommend this machine for anyone who wants to learn how to do basic sewing. I love it.