Brother JX2517 Sewing Machine Review

The Brother JX2517 is an affordable and lightweight sewing machine that is great for beginners and intermediate sewers looking for a portable, easy-to-use machine with basic stitches and features. In this comprehensive review, we’ll take a close look at the key specs, performance, ease of use, stitches, accessories, pros and cons of the JX2517 to help you determine if it’s the right fit for your needs.

Overview of the Brother Brand

Brother is a well-known brand in the sewing and crafting industry, with a wide range of sewing machines catering to users of all skill levels. They offer computerized, mechanical, quilting and embroidery machines. The Brother JX2517 is one of their mechanical, lightweight machines targeted at the beginner market.

Brother machines are generally reasonably priced compared to other brands, making them ideal for sewists on a budget or looking for an introductory model. They have a reputation for being easy to use while still offering good reliability and decent functionality.

The JX2517 fits right in with the Brother line by being an affordable, user-friendly machine focused on providing the basic stitches and features a beginner needs to get started sewing. Let’s look at the key specs and info on this model:

Machine Specifications

Specification	Value
Machine Type	Mechanical, portable
Number of Stitches	17 built-in
Buttonhole Type	4-step auto
Weight	12 pounds
Dimensions	15.3 x 12 x 5.8 inches
Max Sewing Speed	900 spm
Drop-in Bobbin	Yes
Warranty	25 years limited

With 17 stitches, automatic 4-step buttonhole, lightweight design and beginner-friendly features, the JX2517 delivers on being a basic mechanical machine well-suited for learning. The easy to operate design makes it a great first machine to learn on.

Ease of Use for Beginners

One of the biggest selling points of the JX2517 is the overall ease of use. This lightweight machine is designed to be very user-friendly for the beginner sewist. Here are some of the helpful features that make it so straightforward to use:

• Jam-resistant drop-in bobbin – No need to manually pull up the bobbin thread, just drop in the pre-wound bobbin and you’re ready to sew. Very convenient!
• Instructional DVD – The JX2517 comes with a helpful instructional DVD that provides a great overview of how to set up and use the machine. Useful for visual learners.
• Free arm – The ability to remove the extension table makes sewing sleeves, cuffs, pant hems and other cylindrical items much easier.
• Onboard storage – The included storage drawer provides a handy place to keep accessories and prevents losing small parts.
• LED light – Sewing novices will appreciate the LED light that illuminates the needle area for improved visibility.
• Portability – At just 12 pounds, this is an extremely lightweight machine that can be easily moved around and taken to classes. The built-in handle adds to the convenience.
• Manual threading – While not automated, the process of manually threading the needle is straightforward with the guidance of the manual.
• Tension adjustment – A simple turn of the dial makes tuning the thread tension quite simple.

The JX2517 proves you don’t need a computerized machine with 100 stitches to get started sewing. The pared down selection of basic stitches, bobbin system, threading, controls and accessories gives beginners precisely what they need without confusing extras. Between the instructional DVD, manual, and hands-on practice, first-time users can get up and running with this machine quickly.

Sewing Performance and Capabilities

While primarily aimed at light work, the JX2517 is capable of sewing a range of medium weight fabrics without issue. Many users report success with materials like:

• Quilting cottons
• Broadcloth
• Denim
• Canvas
• Flannel

Here are some examples of projects this machine can handle:

• Simple clothing constructions (not too heavy)
• Placemats and table runners
• Tote bags
• Aprons
• Pillows
• Curtains
• Blankets

Multiple layers of a medium weight woven fabric like denim or canvas can be managed thanks to the top drop-in bobbin system. The feed dogs provide even movement as well for smooth sewing.

However, very thick or heavy materials like upholstery vinyl and leather would be too much for the JX2517’s capabilities. The lack of presser foot pressure adjustment does limit working with numerous dense layers. But for day to day mending, alterations, crafts and apparel sewing with woven fabrics, the performance is quite good for the price.

Video example of sewing a medium weight fabric on the JX2517 would be useful! 

Let’s take a look at the variety of stitches available on this machine:

Stitches and Functions

With 17 built-in stitches covering the basics, the Brother JX2517 provides enough utility and decorative options for learning and everyday projects.

Straight Stitches

There are 6 straight stitches of varying length perfect for seaming, hemming and construction on all types of wovens. Having multiple options allows selecting the right length for specific fabric weights.

Zigzag Stitches

The 3 zigzag stitches can be used on knits and stretch wovens to provide some give and prevent seams from popping. Great for finishing raw edges as well. Widening the zigzag makes a nice decorative effect too.

Buttonhole Stitch

Sewing on buttons is a breeze with the 4-step automatic buttonhole function. Perfectly sized buttonholes help give your garments a professional finish.

Blind Hem Stitch

This clever stitch helps hide hems on the inside of projects. Takes some practice to perfect blind hems, but an important technique the JX2517 helps you learn.

Other Stitches

An overedge stitch, elastic and bridging stitch expand your options for garment sewing and decorative work. Plus, the double action stitch is perfect for reinforcing areas that need extra strength.

Having these basic stitches provides flexibility for clothing, crafts, home decor items and more as a beginner. While computerized machines offer far more stitch options, these cover a good variety of sewing needs. And choosing the right stitch for your fabric and project will be a valuable learning experience.

Included Accessories

The JX2517 comes with several handy accessories right in the box that new sewers will make good use of:

• 4 presser feet – Buttonhole, zipper, zigzag and button sewing feet provide options for garments, zippers, buttons and decorative stitching
• Needle set – Multiple sizes are handy for working with different fabric weights
• Bobbins – Alternative bobbins allow for quick thread color changes
• Screwdriver – Makes changing needles and presser feet easy
• Foot controller – Gives control over sewing speed
• Instruction manual – A must-read to fully understand the machine’s capabilities and operation
• Built-in storage – Keeps all your accessories together and prevents losing small items

Having these beginner-friendly accessories right away makes it simple to start on projects and learn new techniques like installing zippers, buttons and working with different fabrics.

The JX2517 is designed to provide everything a new sewist needs in the box. But if you’d like to expand the machine’s functionality down the road, there are additional presser feet available such as walking, quilting and embroidery feet.

Pros and Cons of the Brother JX2517

Pros

• Extremely affordable price point
• Lightweight and portable
• Specifically designed for beginners
• Very easy to set up and learn
• Good selection of basic stitches
• Reliable performance for everyday sewing
• Quality construction and components
• Useful included accessories
• Excellent manual and DVD

Cons

• Lack of automatic needle threader
• No adjustment of stitch length/width
• Selecting stitches takes some practice
• Not suitable for heavy duty projects
• Smaller throat space than larger machines
• LED light could be brighter
• No quilting stitches or pressure adjustment

For the low price, the JX2517 delivers great value for a starter machine. The absence of certain convenience features found on more expensive computerized machines is understandable. Overall, the strengths and simplicity of this model outweigh any limitations for a beginner.

Alternatives to Consider

The JX2517 is a great choice as a first sewing machine for novices given the balance of price, portability and ease of use. However, here are a couple alternatives to look at as well in this beginner mechanical category:

• Brother CS6000i – Offers 60 stitches, an automatic needle threader and easy bobbin loading. A slightly more advanced computerized model but still beginner-friendly.
• Singer Simple 3232 – With 32 stitches, automatic needle threader and 1-step buttonhole, another great entry-level computerized pick.
• Janome 2212 – Basic mechanical model like the JX2517 but with a few more stitches and auto needle threader/bobbin winding.

For those willing to spend a little more, these alternatives add convenience features while still being easy to learn on. But the Brother JX2517 holds its own as a simplified mechanical machine perfect for complete sewing novices.

Final Thoughts

The Brother JX517 earns its reputation as a great “first” sewing machine. It skips the high-tech computerization in favor of a simple, affordable mechanical design with everything a beginner needs.

The lightweight, approachable size and portability combined with user-friendly operation and basic features makes sewing accessible for true novices. Novices can realistically master this machine on their own with the help of the instructional materials.

While more advanced sewists will want greater capabilities, the JX2517 removes any intimidation factor and helps beginners dip their toes into sewing without breaking the bank. For crafters and sewists seeking a secondary portable machine as well, it makes a budget-friendly choice for sewing on the go.

In summary, if you’re after a basic, easy to use introductory machine and don’t need hundreds of stitches or high-end features, the Brother JX2517 is a reliable mechanical model that delivers excellent value. The quality and functionality belie the low price point, making this a recommended choice as a starter machine.