Brother Skitch PP1
Brother Skitch PP1
Convert Images to Embroidery
Stitch out straight from your phone. Transfer your own SVG or JPG* files into Artspira, convert and transfer wirelessly to your Skitch PP1.
20 save slots available free with Artspira, 100 save slots available with an Artspira+ subscription.
*JPG conversion only available with Artspira+ subscription account.
Create & Customise
With portrait conversion*, embroidery line draw and fill, cross stitch ability*, pattern editing and a huge library of designs there’s no limit to what you can create.
Add logos and stitched out signatures to sign your style onto everything you make.
*only available with Artspira + subscription account.
Personalise
Add the personal touch to clothes, accessories, quilt squares, homewares and much more!
Refresh, Renew, Revive!
Give tired wardrobe staples, upcycled pieces and thrifted clothes a new lease of life.
| Weight: | 8.3 Kilograms |
| Model: | PP1ZU1 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
This machine is absolutely fantastic. It’s made by Brother who are experts in these kind of machines so I knew it was going to be good but didn’t realise just how great it would be. This thing is amazing.
First up I am a total novice when it comes to any kind of knitting, sewing, embroidery. I’ve never had an interest in it and have never done it before so here I am coming to this totally innocent and not knowing a thing about it
I got the embroidery machine as I can’t find clothes that are my size with the right designs on that I want so why not do it yourself and make your own right!
So I got the machine, opened up the box and took a good hour to get it really set up properly. A rarity for me as I usually dont’ read the instructions and just plug new stuff in and get cracking but I want to learn this one inside out properly so I do a good job first time.
Since then there’s been no looking back as I’ve embroidered t-shirt after t-shirt, to the point that I’ve been regularly bulk ordering them from a supplier now and have started embroidering all kinds of great colourful designs onto them with a view to maybe even doing it for companies and bands for them to wear or sell.
This could end up being a little cottage industry for me as the machine is so easy to use (so long as you learn it – can’t stress that enough!) and it works away creating amazing designs on the items you put onto the machine
The only downside I can pick at is the app and subscription but isn’t everything heading that way these days?
I’ve had hours of fun with this (as it’s genuinely fun creating arty designs and then crafting them onto the garment with this machine)
I would say the machine itself is a bit bigger than a typical sewing machine might be but you’d expect that given what it is and what it can do.
If you want coloured designs just order some coloured thread or go buy some from the shop and you can instantly have designs with all kinds of creative colours to really liven up t-shirts or other items (I say t-shirts because that’s what I’m using it for but really you can embroider anything!)
This is the start of a new love affair with embroidery machines, and potentially the start of a new little business for me too
Great machine this. Top fun. Highly recommend i
The Skitch PP1 is a sleek machine in a steel grey colour. It is not too heavy and can be moved around easily. It requires the Artspira app which is easy to set up, and connecting the machine via Bluetooth was also straightforward. The app is easy to navigate, it has a wide range of paid and free designs, and through it you can select the functions to operate the machine. You can select an image from your files to embroider, draw a design within the app, or choose a design from the app catalogue. Setting up the machine with the threads was a little trickier. The manual, whilst descriptive, was hard to follow. There are some unofficial online videos that described the steps a lot easier and were very easy to follow. The machine comes with black thread, so coloured thread would need to be purchased should you wish to use them.
The machine and the app is great for encouraging creativity, however a lot of the functions are limited for the non-subscription holding user. For example, the draw in app feature only allows you to use black thread, and you cannot use the upload file to embroidery design. This, and certain other features are restricted due to the subscription paywall. If you already have PES files, these upload onto the app fine.
Overall this is a fun machine, it’s great for personalisation and adding unique touches. The experience is much more enhanced if you pay for the subscription, however for a piece of equipment that is not cheap, this does hamper its utility.
The machine itself is well packaged and protected. The machine feels very solid and appears to be well engineered. The plastics feel good quality as do all the buttons and surfaces. The standout features here are the free arm and the magnetic hoop frame. This makes things s easier and opens up options for all sorts of clothing types. After reading the manual it isn’t too hard to setup. I have no real experience with machines like these but I was able to follow it and get it running.
The biggest issue is the APP and it’s subscription service. The Skitch will only work with the APP. There is no way to connect it to a PC or utilise your own embroidery software. Even importing designs into the APP isn’t straightforward and requires a work around. What nearly ruins the entire machine is the subscription model. Many designs, fonts etc are behind a 9.99 per month subscription. This almost unforgivable until you learn that until recently even your ability to create your own designs was also locked behind the same pay wall. Fortunately Brother listened to the criticism and have moved this to the free tier. I do question though why does a 449 need one?
A well throughout and engineered machine that is almost rendered unusable by an APP with a subscription model. Fortunately it doesn’t render the machine useless. I would urge Brother to add additional support for Windows and allow people the opportunity to get the most out of their machines.
One of the top perks is how compact it is. Fits perfectly on my cluttered desk without taking up too much space. The built-in designs and patterns are a proper lifesaver, letting me get creative without faffing about with complicated software.
Now, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The hoop size is a bit on the small side, which means you’re having to reposition your fabric more often than you’d like. And the initial cost might make you wince a bit. But honestly, given how well it performs, it’s worth every penny.
All in all, the Brother Skitch PP1 is a top-notch addition to any home crafter’s arsenal. A few minor niggles, but nothing that puts a damper on how cracking this embroidery machine really is. Highly recommend!
It’s compatible with the Brothread thread packs and doublin size A 60S/2 (60S2) bobbins, both available on amazon UK. I used the brothread tear away stabilizer, had it dead centre on tension and it was perfection.
The single thing which needs highlighting is that the hoop size is 100mm x 100mm. This means that only a fraction of the designs on the app are available to you, both free and paid. This hoop though, just amazing! You take a picture of it before transferring the design to the machine and you can not only see your design but also reposition it within the hoop. There is also a feature within the app where if the thread breaks, and mine did once because I missed the 5 slot when threading, you can take it back to the very stitch where it broke, and it’s actually super easy to match them up and completely avoid disaster – I could never have done that on any of my earlier machines
Such a good machine, although no, it’s not the one you want for adult hoodies or shirt slogans. What you can do is add details to pockets, baby clothes, pet stuff, hankies, napkins, tea cosy and so on, using the latest technology but without having to pay thousands. Ok without the app it’s a brick, but I doubt the app is going anywhere within the next 10 years and at that point my skitch will absolutely be worn out with use.
I’m a pfaff user and tbh, I think I’m going to stop saving for the fancy creative now, if I do upgrade in the future it would have to be a brother as I’d miss the app features too much and this, my dear sewing friends, I suspect is the whole point of brother making this adorable fantastic machine.
So far, so good!
This Skitch embroidery machine is well built, and surprisingly compact with a neat footprint on my desk.
The machine ONLY works with Brother’s Artspira app. I downloaded the app on my Android phone. It was easy to set up an account and then pair my phone with the Skitch.
You get a starter kit in the box so you can get going straight away with a test of how it works. I just used a scrap of material and chose a design in the app. I found it easy to personalise the design with some lettering.
The magnetic frame to hold the fabric in place on the Skitch is excellent. Once in position, you transfer your design wirelessly from the phone to the Skitch and the machine does the magic.
It’s all very impressive.
As I’ve said, the Skitch ONLY works with the app, you can’t manually embroider with it.
And while the Artspira app worked well for me, the range of preset designs is limited unless you pay for a monthly subscription which costs 9.99/month or 89.99/year. With the subscription you get access to more fonts, templates, drawing tools and lots more features including the ability to upload and save a lot more of your own designs.
To get the most out of the Skitch you’ll want the subscription, so I’ve rated the machine 4 stars because without the subscription it’s a very competent machine but limited.