Sewing Machine Review – Brother NS 80

Today we have our second review with Daryl of Patchouli Moon Studio! Daryl’s reviews are really comprehensive and fun to read, so sit back with a cuppa and enjoy finding out about this machine! Over to you Daryl:

Please share the brand name and model number:

Brother NS80

Is your machine classed as Domestic or Industrial?

It’s a domestic computerized sewing machine.

How long have you had this machine, did you buy it new and what was the purchase price or approximate price range?

I purchased this machine in May 2009. It was a Mother’s Day gift to myself, lol. I paid $600.

What made you decide to buy this particular machine?

I was so happy with the PQ1500s machine that I purchased 6 months earlier, that I decided I would buy another Brother machine that would sew other stitches and make buttonholes too.

Approximately how often do you sew with it and what types of projects do you sew?

I sew on this machine whenever I need to use a zigzag or blanket stitch or other stitch. Not as often as my other machine, but at least a couple of days a month on average. If I am stitching down a fusible appliqué using a zigzag or other stitch I may use it more often. This past week I sewed 4 days with it because I was doing appliqué.

Does your machine have any special features which you enjoy or any special features you do NOT like and drives you bonkers? LOL

I love, love, love the needle threader on this machine! I wish all my machines threaded as easily as this one does. I like the variety of stitches this machine has. There are still plenty of stitches I haven’t used, but there aren’t so many that it’s overkill either. I mainly use the zigzag, blanket stitch and a few other stitches when I want something fun. When I sew clothes I use the buttonhole maker.

Are there any features you really wish your machine has BUT is lacking?

I would like a knee lift because I find myself trying to lift the presser foot with my knee only to find there is no knee lift there, lol!!! I am so used to my PQ 1500s having the knee lift and my older Bernina 830 that has a knee lift that I sometimes forget and stick my knee out there into thin air, LOL. This machine also did not come with a quarter-inch foot or a walking foot. For me it wasn’t a problem because I piece and quilt with my PQ1500s machine, but if I had to purchase those items in addition to this machine, I might have considered going up to the next more expensive machine if it came with more presser feet. That’s something to consider because you need to weigh the cost with the features and other accessories that come with the machine, especially if you will purchase more accessories. Sometimes by choosing a more expensive machine, it comes with more accessories and that is the reason for the extra cost of that machine.

How about features it does have BUT you find you never use?

Of course there are decorative stitches that I haven’t used before and probably never will use. That’s one reason I chose this model because while it had several stitches, it didn’t have a ton of stuff that I knew I wouldn’t use. Also, the fancier stitches that your machine has, the more complicated it tends to be to use and remember how to use. There was a more expensive Brother machine I had looked at that had so many features/functions, it even sewed sideways, but in the end I wanted a machine that had more power and was easy to use and that’s why I chose the PQ 1500s semi-industrial machine first. Then I purchased this NS 80 to compliment the machine that I already had because it does things the other machine doesn’t do. Even purchasing both of my Brother machines, I saved money over buying the one fancier machine; in fact my 2 machines were $700 less than that fancy machine with all the features. So that’s something to think about when shopping for a sewing machine because you can never find one single machine that does it all or does it all well. Hence, that’s why I own 4 machines (2 are older machines)

Would you recommend this machine to others and if not, why?

If you want a machine that will stitch more than just a straight stitch machine, this is a great machine to sew with. However if you sew through thick layers like we bag makers do, this machine will struggle with thick layers. I personally love this machine as a second machine for using fancy stitches and clothing making, but it’s not the main machine that I sew with every day.

If your machine suddenly vanished, would you replace it with the exact same machine or a different one? Why?

I would shop around and test out other machines first before replacing this machine. There are always new machines and models coming out nearly every year and there could be a better machine than this one and I wouldn’t know about it unless I tested some of them. Of course I would only look at those in my price range because I wouldn’t want to be tempted to spend more or go into debt, lol!

Do you have any special projects you made with this machine you would like to share with us here?

I mainly sew with my PQ 1500s, but wherever you see appliqué that I have made, I either stitched the appliqué by hand or this machine using a blanket or zigzag stitch, such as on my appliqué women quilts.

 

Any Sewing Machine hints or tips you would like to share?

Like I mentioned in the interview of my PQ 1500s machine, shop at dealers and test drive the machines in your price range to get a feel for how they sew and how much power they have for your type of sewing.

If you won the lottery and could add ANY new machine to your collection, which one would it be?

With money being no concern, I would test drive a lot of machines that I might not be able to afford right now. That would be fun to do, but I do not know what machine I would purchase for sure. There is no one dream machine that I know of right now without having sewn on it first.

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Thanks for another very interesting review Daryl! Be sure to pop over and see Daryl’s awesome creations on her blog! 🙂 You can also find Daryl’s patterns on Craftsy!

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Would you like to share your thoughts on YOUR machine in your own review? We’d love to hear them! Please email me and we’ll chat! 🙂

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