Brother Celeste CX1 Sewing Machine (Arriving any day)

The Brother Celeste CX1 is a significant and modern model in Brother's lineup. It's specifically designed as a computerized sewing and quilting machine, positioned towards high-end professional users, who demand the best when it comes to their hobby. It's celebrated for its sleek design, user-friendly interface, and powerful features tailored for designer sewing, with a strong emphasis on quilting.

Key Specifications:

• Sleek, Modern Design: It features a unique, low-profile "flatbed" design that looks more like a modern appliance than a traditional sewing machine. This is not just for looks; it reduces the machine's weight and brings the work surface closer to you.
• Computerized Functionality: Easy-to-navigate LCD screen with push-button stitch selection, automatic needle threading, and automatic thread cutter. Main function keys are at hand on the front panel, for cutting the threads, lifting the presser foot, or needle, adjusting the speed, and threading the needle.
• Press Button Needle Threading: Yes it is as simple as that, a press of the button threads the needle eye.
• Laser Guide Lines: The Celeste CX1 uses the latest to help the sewer sew straight or parallel lines. The red laser line is projected onto the sewing bed or fabric and can be adjusted lef or right from needle center position to 19 mm to the left or right of the foot.
• Wide Table: It comes with a wide extension table that attaches magnetically, providing a large, flat work surface crucial for maneuvering quilts.
• Large Throat Space (11.2 inches): This is one of its most praised features for quilters. The "throat space" is the distance from the needle to the machine's body. A larger space means more room to fold and manoeuvre a bulky quilt when free-motion quilting or stitching in the ditch.
• Superior Feed System (Digital Dual Feed): Brother's proprietary even-feed system (similar to a walking foot, but it uses electronics and a rubber track to gently help move the top layer of fabric under the foot. Together with the wide, 7-point feed dog, grip the fabric from the top and bottom, preventing layers from shifting, and critical for piecing and quilting.
• Lighting: Excellent LED lighting illuminating the needle area brightly and evenly.
• Stitch Options: Includes a wide variety of utility, decorative, and heirloom stitches, plus several automatic one-step buttonholes.
• Speed Control: Allows you to set a maximum sewing speed, which is fantastic for precision piecing and controlled free-motion quilting.
• Drop Feed Dogs: A simple lever allows you to drop the feed dogs for free-motion quilting.
• Colour Touch Screen: At 10.1" the high-resolution LCD screen is large enough to give plenty space for using the My Custom Stitch creator, or watching the many help videos built in. The icons are clear, and the Brother CX1 interface is quick to understand and is user-friendly.
• Wi-Fi: The Brother Celeste CX1 has wireless connectivity, and it can be used with the Artspira, smartphone programs.

How Best to Use the Celeste CX1 for Quilting & Patchwork

The CX1 is packed with features that make it a powerhouse for quilters. Here’s how to leverage them at each stage of the process.

1. Patchwork & Piecing

• Piecing is all about accuracy and preventing distortion.
• Best Foot: Use the ¼” Piecing Foot. The CX1 likely comes with one. This foot has a guide on the right side to help you maintain a perfect ¼” seam allowance, the standard in quilt piecing.
• Leverage the Dual Feed System: This is your secret weapon. When sewing long strips together or working with bias edges, engage the Digital Dual Feed foot attachment. It will feed the top and bottom layers evenly through the machine, eliminating puckering and shifting that can happen with a standard foot. This ensures your blocks come out the exact same size and lie perfectly flat.
• Stitch Settings: Use a straight stitch with a medium length (2.0mm - 2.5mm). The automatic thread cutter is a huge time-saver here after each seam.
• Technique: The large flatbed surface (especially with the extension table attached) provides excellent support for your fabric, preventing it from dragging and pulling, which leads to inaccurate seams.

2. Appliqué

• Best Foot: Use the Open-Toe or Satin Stitch Foot. The open toe gives you a clear view of the edge you're stitching.
• Stitch Settings: Utilize the variety of stitches:
• Blanket Stitch: For a classic, hand-stitched look on raw-edge or turned-edge appliqué.
• Satin Stitch: For a tight, dense edge around your appliqué shapes.
• Decorative Stitches: Get creative! Use fun decorative stitches to attach your appliqué for a unique effect.

3. Free-Motion Quilting (ISR)

This setup is where the CX1 truly shines compared to others. ISR stands for Intelligent Stitch Regulator.

• Attach the Wide Table: It provides essential support for the weight of the quilt.
• Drop the Feed Dogs: This happens automatically as you select your desired free-motion stitch mode, so the machine isn't trying to move the fabric for you.
• Attach the Intelligent Stitch Regulator: This is an electronic foot with laser feature which follows the movement of the fabric as it moved by hand, and gives the CX1 information to calculate what stitch speed should be used.
• Leverage the Throat Space: The 11.2 inches of space is a game-changer. It allows you to roll or bunch a large section of your quilt into the throat, giving you much more room to move the quilt around and create your designs without an immense struggle.
• Use the Speed Control Slider: Set the maximum speed to a slow or medium setting when you're starting. This gives you much more control over your stitching and prevents the machine from running away from you as you learn the rhythm of moving the quilt.
• Let's Get Started: The bright LED light perfectly illuminates your practice sandwich. Start with simple meanders and stippling to get a feel for the machine's response.

4. Stitch-in-the-Ditch & Straight-Line Quilting

• Best Foot: Use the Digital Dual Feed Foot to get the very best control of the fabric movment as you sew.
• Why it's perfect: The Digital Feed Foot ensures all three layers of your quilt sandwich (top, batting, backing) feed through the machine at exactly the same rate. This prevents tucks and puckers from forming on the back of your quilt, which is a common headache when quilting larger projects.
• Technique: The large work surface helps support the weight of the quilt, reducing drag and making it easier to sew long, straight lines.

Base Features:

Accessory Storage: Yes
Additional Specialty Feet Available: Yes
Adjustable Presser Foot Pressure: Yes
Adjustable Screen Brightness: Yes
Automatic Thread Cutter: Yes
Automatic Thread Control Tensions: Yes
Built-in Languages: Yes
Built-In Memory: Yes
Display Type: LCD
Feed Dog Points: 7
Lighting Type: LED
Memory Card Reader: No
Mouse Capability by USB: Yes
Needle Position Key (Up/Down): Yes
Needle Threading System: Automatic
Number of Presser Feet: 23
Presser Foot Leveling: Yes
Realistic Preview: Yes
Screensaver: Yes
Specialty Feet Included: Yes
Start/Stop Button: Yes
Stitch Selector Type: Touch Screen
Thread Sensor: Bobbin Sensor, Upper Thread Sensor
Thread Sensor On/Off: Yes
Thread Tension: Automatic
USB: Yes
Wide Table Included: Yes
Wireless Enabled: Yes
Workspace Area: 11.25″ x 5.0″

Quilting Features:

Built-in Quilting Stitches: Yes
Built-in Sewing Lettering Fonts: 4
Quilting Stitches: Running Stitch, Joining, Echo, Stippling, Feather, Spiral, Hand-sewn Stitch, Blanket, Fagoting, Shell Tuck
Drop-Feed: Automatic with stitch selection
Free Motion Quilting Foot: Yes
Included Quilting Feet: Yes

Sewing Features:

Automatic Foot Height Adjustment (AHA): Yes
Available Stitch Types: Chain Stitch, Lock Stitch, Straight Stitch, Zigzag Stitch, Stretch Stitch, Overlock Stitch, Running Stitch, Back Stitch, Satin Stitch, Overedge, Outline Stitch, Tacking Stitch, Buttonholes, Keyholes
Back to Beginning Key: Yes
Built-In Lettering Fonts: 4
Built-In Stitch Selections (Stitches): 760
Button Hole Styles: 16
Colour-coded Thread System: Yes
Independent Bobbin Winding Motor: Yes
Knee Lifter: Yes
Maximum Sewing Speed (Stitches Per Minute): 1050
Media Type USB: Yes
Multi-Directional Sewing: Yes
My Custom Stitch Feature: Yes
Pivot Function: Yes
Quick Reference Stitch Guides: Yes
Reinforcement/reverse Stitches: Yes
Sideways Sewing: Yes, up to 40mm 
Speed Control: Yes
Stitch Length (mm): 5
Stitch Width (mm): 7

Included Accessory Feet: Button Fitting Foot, Buttonhole Foot, Blind hem stitch/Multi-purpose guide Foot, MuVit Digital Dual Feed Foot, Dual Feed (Digital Dual Feed) Foot, Straight Stitch Foot, Free-Motion Echo Quilting Foot, Free-Motion Open Toe Quilting Foot, Stitch in the Ditch Dual Feed Foot, 1/4″ Quilting Foot with Guide, Open Toe Foot for MuVit, Couching Dual Feed Foot, Zipper Foot, Overcasting Foot, Blindstich Foot, Zigzag Foot, Embroidery Foot, Quilting Foot, Quilt Guide, Open Toe Foot, Free-Motion Quilting Foot, Embroidery Couching Foot “Y”

In short, the Brother Celeste CX1 is a purpose-built tool that empowers quilters to be more precise in their piecing and more confident in their quilting.