The Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine isn't the best looking option out there, but it is a capable choice for those who want a quilting and sewing machine in one. Many of the best sewing machines aren't designed for quilting, but with eight feet options and a drop-in top bobbin, the Brother HC1850 is more than capable of decorative stitching and more basic stitches used for constructing garments.
Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine: Main features
The Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine is certainly versatile. It has a computerized display and the stitch key sits on the front of the machine for easy access. The backlit LCD screen is dim, and a little on the small side. The buttons used to adjust stitch, tension and width are even smaller. In terms of design, this somewhat basic machine isn't our favorite. However, while it lacks style, it doesn't lack substance.
Weighing slightly over 10lbs, the Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine is surprisingly lightweight. It has an additional extension table that will certainly come in useful for sewists and quilting enthusiasts working on large projects. You can also remove this table for free arm sewing, which can save a lot of time and stress when working on collars, sleeves, and cuffs.
The Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine has 185 stitches on offer. That's less than the Singer Quantum Stylist 9960, which offers 600 stitches in total, but you should reasonably ask yourself if you need that many stitches when shopping. Our guess is that 185 will be more than sufficient for your every sewing need, and given that most machines offer 100 stitches as standard, it's a generous amount.
Included in those 185 stitches is a full range of alphanumeric sewing stitches, which will come in useful if you want to monogram clothes or quilts. This machine can even write complete sentences, and comes with apostrophe and exclamation mark stitches, among many others.
As with more sewing machines these days, the Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine offers automatic needle threading. We're skeptical about this feature across the board because realistically it makes the threading process no less fiddly. One feature that certainly will make life easier is the drop-in top bobbin, which is easy to remove and re-thread. The feed dogs will also pull your work through the machine with consistency and ease, which saves you the trouble of pushing through large amounts of fabric when quilting.
Should you buy the Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine?
The Brother HC1850 lacks style, but while its basic computerized design looks outdated, there's no denying that it makes up for this with modern features such as a huge range of stitch settings. You can use this machine for quilting, heirloom sewing, and making clothes. The range of stitches and fiddly design may be overwhelming for beginners, but experienced sewists are sure to get on well with the Brother HC1850 Sewing and Quilting Machine.
