Thinking about getting the Brother 1034D? First make sure you read this in depth review from someone who ACTUALLY owns and uses this machine!
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Quick Review Summary
Pros
Multiple Stitch Capabilities: Several different stitch variations are possible with this machine including 3 or 4 thread stitches, narrow rolled hems, gathers, and more.
Ease Of Threading: The thread paths are clearly marked and easy to follow. Threading instructions are illustrated inside the machine for quick reference. The color coded markings make it easy to differentiate which thread goes where.
Affordability: The Brother 1034D is available for a very reasonable cost for beginners and even advanced seamstresses. The versatility and lasting-quality of this machine can’t be beat for the price!
Cons
Light Bulb, not LED light: The light bulb (though long lasting) is a bit annoying to change. An LED would be more convenient.
No Carrying Case Included: If you want to be able to carry and store the serger, you will have to purchase a separate carrying case. (Although is does come with a soft plastic dust cover.)
Final Verdict
The Brother 1034D Overlock is a winner of a machine, and one that I have personally enjoyed using for many years. It is hardy enough to withstand daily use (and even light professional use) but also is friendly to newer users. I highly recommend it!
Why Am I Qualified To Give This Review?
With all the fake reviews out there, how can you know who actually has first hand experience with the product?
I have been sewing for over 20 years, and have personally used and owned the Brother 1034D for over 5 years. I sew for clients, as well as for fun, and use this machine almost daily. It is an essential part of my sewing tool collection, a machine I can truly recommend!
What Can The Brother 1034D Serger Do?
The Brother 1034D can trim and overlock fabric edges, finish seams, gather fabric, make blind hems, and also has the option to serge with 1 or 2 needles.
This serger is designed to make the process of finishing seams and edges quick (it can sew at a rate of 1300 stitches per minute!) My experience is that this machine is precise and efficient, so much faster than overcasting with a regular sewing machine. It produces professional results.
The Brother 1034D serger is a reliable little machine that is a great option for both new and experienced sewers.
Stitch Options
The machine has adjustable stitch length and width, which allows you to customize the seams to work with the particular fabric you are sewing on.
You can sew with 3 or 4 threads on the machine, (either 1 or 2 needles) to achieve a rolled narrow hem, or a thicker hem for more heavy duty applications. (See my post about this experiment here.)
Using the different accessory pressor feet, you can do all sorts of different stitches, such as:
- Gathered Serged Seams
- Narrow Rolled Hems
- Serged Blind Hems
- Decorative Serges
Features
Variety of Materials
One stand out feature of the Brother 1034D is how well it handles a variety of materials. I have serged thin cottons, heavy denims, and even medium weight quilts with basically no problems. (In fact, I have never even broken a needle with it, something that happens regularly on my sewing machine!)
Easily Thread The Loopers
I also want to mention the F.A.S.T. lower looper threading system. When you open up the front lid of the machine, you will see that the instructions to thread the loopers are CLEARLY illustrated inside and color coded as well.
There are arrows that help you locate the correct paths to guide each thread, and threading the loopers (although more involved than threading a needle) is actually not that complicated. It does take a few tries to really get the hang of it, but once you do it will be a breeze.
I also LOVE that the instructions are printed inside, because I will never lose them!
My Personal Favorite Things About The Brother 1034D
I usually use this serger to alter clothing I find at the thrift store. It easily handles knits and allows me to sew new necklines and hems on T shirts and dresses without the wavy hemline you sometimes get when sewing nits on a regular sewing machine.
I love the SPEED of this serger. I am a fast sewer, and this thing can keep up!
I also love how long lasting the knife has been. I have cut through a great deal of fabrics over the last 5 years, and I have never replaced the knife even once. (Though I can see from opening the lid, that replacing the knife doesn’t look too hard).
I also like the volume level of the Brother 1034D. It is louder than a regular machine, but I can still wear my sleeping baby on my back and serge away.
Problems I’ve Had With This Machine
In full transparency, I also want to quickly go over a few things I DON’T like about this machine, since no machine is perfect!
The biggest issue I have had is the lightbulb. It lasted me 4 years before I had to change it, but when I finally had to change it I was really confused about which bulb to buy. (I even wrote about it.)
The wattage requirement is listed in two places on the serger, on the outside and on the light fixture itself, and they both give DIFFERENT numbers!
Because of this, I have burnt out two replacement bulbs. I also reached out directly to Brother but they didn’t answer my question.
I should have just gone straight to an authorized retailer of the machine and asked them which bulb to buy, then I could have skipped the drama!
All in all, not a lot of issues here besides that.
Machine Overview
Specs
Here are some of the very basic machine specs:
- Free arm for sewing cuffs and sleeves
- Differential feed for sewing different fabrics
- Single or Double needle option
- No bobbin
- Snap On Presser Foot
- Presser Foot Pressure Adjustable
- Machine only weighs about 15 lbs
- Retractable Blade
Warranty
The Brother 1034D comes with these warranties:
- 2 Years Electrical Warranty
- 1 Year parts, labor, and accessory items Warranty
- 25 Year Limited Warranty against defective materials
Common Questions
Is The Brother 1034D A Coverstitch Machine?
No, the Brother 1034D is a serger or Overlock machine, not a Coverstich machine. They are two different machine types with different stitching capabilities.
You can read my in depth comparison between the two here.
Does The Brother 1034D Have A Thread Cutter?
No, the Brother 1034D does not have a built in thread cutter on the side of the machine like some domestic sewing machines.
It does have a knife that raises and lowers to cut the fabric edge as it serges.
Is the Brother 1034D Discontinued?
No, the Brother 1034D is not Discontinued. As of the time of this writing, the machine is still available on the Brother website, and is also available to purchase at authorized retailers in stores and online.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Brother 1034D is an impressive and long lasting machine. As a personal owner of this product for over 5 years, I have first hand experience with this machine and can report that it has surpassed it’s initial purchase price in the value it has given me as a seamstress.
I use this machine regularly for personal sewing projects, charitable projects, and also semi-professional as a from-home seamstress and tailor. This machine has been able to handle everything I have thrown at it such as:
- Gowns
- Tulle
- Quilts
- Jeans
- Dresses
- Knits
- Cloth Diapers
- Dress Ups
- Formal Pants
- And more…
I have no problem recommending this machine, and hope this review was useful for you!
If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to me and I will do by best to assist.
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You can look at a sewing machine parts store online depending on which part is broken. The manual has a list of all the parts numbers as well.