Brother XL5500 42-Stitch Function Free Arm Sewing Machine

by Brother

Product Features

• Free-arm sewing machine for garments, decorations, and quilting
• Includes 42 built-in stitch functions ranging from everyday to heirloom
• Built-in automatic 4-step buttonholer and automatic needle threader
• Adjustable stitch width, stitch length, and thread tension
• Includes quilting, zipper insertion, darning, and button accessories

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 17.7 x 14.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 18.8 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0001XP24K
• Item model number: XL5500
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #130,806 in Arts, Crafts & Sewing (See Top 100 in Arts, Crafts & Sewing)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Suitable for beginning as well as experienced sewers, this affordably priced Brother sewing machine also has numerous handy features and a wide menu of built-in stitches. Features include a four-step automatic buttonholer, a fast needle threader, and an automatic bobbin winder. Upper tension, stitch length, stitch width, and pattern selection are all managed with clearly marked dials, and a push-lever reverses sewing direction. Speed is directed with a foot pedal for easy and steady control. The best feature of this machine is its full selection of stitches, including categories for garments, decorative pieces, and quilting. These range from the familiar straight and zigzag results to the elaborate feather, scallop, and overedges stitches. The selection also includes free motion stitching and twin needle stitching for two-color sewing. A removable extension table allows for free arm sewing and includes a storage compartment for accessories, including tools for buttonholes, zippers, darning, and buttons, as well as needles, bobbins, and an extra spool pin. Durably built and very stable, the machine includes a built-in light and a handle for carrying. --Emily Bedard

Product Description

The Brother XL-5500 is a 42 Stitch Function Free Arm Sewing Machine.This machine features a variety of built-in stitches including garment construction stitches such as straight, zig-zag, blind hem and elastic stitches for a profesional finish on a variety of fabrics.There is also a variety of built-in decorative stitches, heirloom and quilting stitches.There are additional accessories included with this machine for quilting, zipper insertion, darning, button holes and button sewing.The XL-5500 has an automatic 4-step buttonholer with a stitch balance control which ensures equal stitch density on both sides of the buttonhole.This machine also features an automatic needle threader and with the touch of a button the needle is threaded for you.The stitch width and length are adjustable on this model as well as the thread tension control.There is a variable needle position as well as the capability of using a twin needle for two color sewing.The XL-5500 is a heavy-duty machine but still lightweight and portable.The instructions are bilingual in English and Spanish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brother XL5500 easy to use, August 7, 2005

By 

T. Barrow "fatcat56" (Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brother XL5500 42-Stitch Function Free Arm Sewing Machine (Kitchen)

I had this machine up and running in about 10 minutes. If you've sewed before its super simple. Runs fast and makes nice stitching. This machine is good for anyone, especially a beginner.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this machine, October 20, 2010

By 

Ladybug Blessings (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brother XL5500 42-Stitch Function Free Arm Sewing Machine (Kitchen)

I have owned this machine for 5 years and have never had ANY problems with it. I am a pretty experienced sewer and have never had any issues with this. I read some of the other reviews about the thread breaking and I have never had any problems with that. I have sewn everything from easy pillows to clothes on this machine and it works great.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed and want replacement., August 17, 2010

By 

howgirl - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brother XL5500 42-Stitch Function Free Arm Sewing Machine (Kitchen)

I've owned this machine for about 5 1/2 years and honestly, I haven't sewed a whole lot on it. I used it to recover the cushions on a rocking chair and a few minor repair jobs on clothing. It worked okay, but I had the thread break a lot and figuring out how to change the stitches was frustrating since I have only sewed on a couple types of machines before and would by no means consider myself an expert. A couple of months ago I got it out to sew a little dress for my baby girl and kept having problems. It wouldn't sew through more that two layers of thin fabric and ended up finishing the project on my sisters Limited edition Project Runway machine which is also a brother. I was happy to discover that the problem wasn't my lack of expertise when the project came together with much greater ease. Of all the machines I've read reviews on looking for a possible replacement I think the least expensive were brother, so I looked up my own machine just to make sure that I could trust reviews enough to give brother another chance with a different machine. To my relief, the reviews seem to agree with me that this machine is not great. But I am surprised to see that some think it is a good one. This makes me nervous, and I am reluctant to spend the cash for a new machine.