The Brother LS14S Manual Stitch Sewing Machine is a traditional metal chassis sewing machine with 14 stitches and includes a 4 step buttonhole. It is a budget machine, compared to others on the market (e.g., Singer, one of the most popular in the world, with a long history in the UK), and is positioned as great 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.
All of which are music to my ears as I am a total beginner who is looking for a lightweight, easy to store machine for everyday use. Having unboxed the machine, my initial thoughts are that it is reasonably compact and easy to manoeuvre yet sturdy with great instructions.
Pros
- Not very powerful, so it doesn’t suit thick fabrics
- Can sound loud when sowing with thicker fabrics (denim) and the stitches can be uneven
- There’s no needle threader, which if your eyesight is not great can be frustrating!
- It doesn’t have speed control, or the ability to sew without the foot pedal
Cons
- Great budget machine for everyday use
- Easy to store
- Easy to set up and use
- Fun design
- Clear instructions
| Dimensions: | W 44.5cm x L 19cm x H 35.5cm (18” x 8” x 14“inches) |
| Weight: | 6.4kg (approx.) |
| Button hole: | 4 step |
| Differential speed: | No |
| Built in stitches: | 14 |
| Number of thread: | 1 |
- LED light
- Drop-in bobbin
- 4 step buttonhole
- Standard foot pedal
- Reverse function
Testing the Brother LS14S Metal Chassis Sewing Machine
I am a mum of two young children, who works two part time jobs and as with most families today, day to day life is busy, so I need a machine that is easy to set up and use for repairs to my children's (and husbands!) clothes. As mentioned, I have never used a sewing machine before but I found it easy to set up and use (following the instructions carefully, along with a few YouTube videos!). There was no assembly required, I just needed to take it out of the box, plug in the foot pedal and the mains plug. The threading of the machine did take a bit of time my first time, using the instructions and a YouTube video, I mastered it and I was away! I tested it over a period of a month, building my confidence with simple repairs to start with. For example, my daughter's school tights, the knees on my son’s trousers, a couple of rips in a dress and even a hole in my jeans. All of which were achieved quicker and neater than sewing by hand. Now that I have built up my confidence I intend to start my quilting project over the next couple of months.
How well does the LS14S sew?
It does well with light to medium weight fabrics. However, it does struggle a bit with thick fabrics as the motor and feed dogs aren’t powerful enough. And the machine becomes louder but you can create smooth and flat seams with lighter fabrics.
Is it noisy?
It is a bit noisy. And as mentioned, it does seem to get noisier when you sow with a thicker fabric.
Is it easy to thread?
It’s quite easy to thread. It took some practice the first few times I used the machine but the instructions and a few YouTube videos really helped.
Is it easy to use?
Choosing stitches is easy, and the bobbin system is great. You just turn the dial to the stitch you want and sew to select a stitch selection. Stitch length and width settings are all pre-set. The clear top-loading bobbin lets you see when you’re almost out of thread, which is very useful. However, the lighting is positioned at the back and left, so the seam allowance guides on the right are not so easy to see. The thread jumped out of the needle once or twice, so I would recommend a long thread tail but this can waste thread.
What type of sewing is it good for?
As I am not an experienced sewer, I researched online to see what other more seasoned sowers recommend. Overall, the opinion was that this machine is OK, not amazing for making clothes but has the most important stitches you need. What was music to my ears was that the LS14S is good enough for basic quilting. I have wanted to make a quilt out of my children’s baby clothes for some time now, so that will be my next project on this machine! In summary, use this machine for basic dress making and everyday household sewing.
Is the storage good?
It’s small and lightweight with a handle. Keep your accessories in the plastic bag provided, inside the accessory compartment, or they’ll fall out every time you open the cover. The storage space is in the free arm cover, so you need to slide the cover off to access it.
Final verdict
It’s a great machine if you’re on a tight budget. It’s one of the cheapest machines on the market so you can’t expect the build quality to be fantastic. But the LS14S is great for occasional/light use and everyday projects and is so simple to use. It is also a good choice for kids. The instructions are clear, and the machine's straightforward design helped me quickly pick up basic sewing techniques.
