I must have been extra good this year, because I traded off Big Bertha my Pfaff QE 4 and brought this beauty home!
I could have swapped straight across for a Pfaff Smarter C1100, but what is the fun in that? Instead I traded up to the combo embroidery/sewing machine. Needless to say, the Christmas sewing is on the back burner while I play with the new toy.
She has the extra large harp area like the QE 4, the same toggle switch and buttons. She uses the same feet, the identical straight stitch plate and bobbins. Any suggestions on what I should name this beauty?
This is really fun. The software converts true type computer fonts to files that the sewing machine will embroider. I'm just learning so I made a few mistakes but this is only practice scrap.
Sew Fun! was made with a computer font I converted.
I ran into a little glitch with the Christmas tree. Operator error. I hit the wrong button and the machine centered itself in the middle of my hoop not at the bottom right hand side where the pot and bottom of the tree were. I eye balled it to get back to the same position. As you can see, it is a wee bit off. This machine will cut the jump stitches as it sews and baste around the design before it starts embroidering, so it is easy to see exactly where the design will be.
Tammy's Craft Emporium was the first thing I tried to embroider. The font was too small causing too much thread build up. I think this machine will be fun to use. I plan to decorate quilts, personalize gifts with names or initials and add borders to table cloths or napkins. Having never owned an embroidery machine before, I'm really excited about it.
I have lots to learn about backing, how to embroider on terry cloth, denim and quilts. Any comments, suggestions and advice are always welcome. Does anyone else buy themselves Christmas gifts?
Awwwwww.. my cup runneth over! Have a super duper day all! ~dancing around the room with glee!
Congratulations! I am SEW happy for you! Have fun playing!!!
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted an embroidery machine. That Monster Machine certainly does a nice job!
ReplyDeleteFoxye
yes it sure does a lovely job.
ReplyDeleteTammy to embroider on towels you can hoop up one or two layers of tear away stabiliser with the towel and then a layer of dissolable stabiliser like Dissolvex or Solvy on top, use the baste function if you have it on the machine (you should have, most embroidery machines offer that option)
ReplyDeletewhen you embroider the needle won't catch in the pile of the towel, you can tear away most of the plastic film and the rest will dissolve when it is first washed, and you will get beautiful, supported embroidery that doesn't distort and pull up.
If there are some good tips I have for machine embroidery the most important things I discovered were its really easy to not use enough stabiliser- sometimes two layers work better than one, and its worth running a test embroidery motif to adjust tension before working on the real project. Stabiliser thickness and quality can make or break a project.
And, use the smallest hoop you can get away with for each design, and be sure you don't pull and distort the warp and weft fibre when you hoop up! Machine embroidery is good fun.
Tammy have you ever had your machine stop recognizing hoops? My Creative 2.0 is in the Hospital getting it's sensors repaired!! Only had it since May and miss it alot!!
ReplyDeleteHi Darlene, No I never had my Pfaff Creative 2 stop recognizing hoops, in the two years I owned it. Last week I traded her in to upgrade to the Pfaff Creative Sensation... it is purple and has a colour touch screen. I love my new purple princess.
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ReplyDeleteLooks as if I have the same problem but mine has never been used until today. Installed embroidery unit. Slid on hoop. Pressed release catch and the dam thing flew off - well and truly broken - Undeterred I put the hoop on anyway. Locks into place OK. Set hoop size and it says wrong hoop. Will not accept any hoop I try. I am not an inexperienced user as I have had embroidery machines now for several years and never ever had problems. Wish I had never upgraded. Support from Pfaff zilch. Not a happy bunny by any means.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, If you purchased it new, it should still be on warranty. I bought mine from the Brandon Sewing Centre and service there is always excellent. Wayne (owner/operator) believes if he can't fix my problems he will make it right up to and including buying the sewing machine back. Sorry, I have not had any problems with my Pfaff Creative 2 or Pfaff Creative Sensation recognizing hoops. My best advice is to talk to the dealer who sold you the machine.
DeleteHi Tammy. I am in contact with the dealer but all they say is they will send it back to Pfaff for repair. Not happy with that as it has never been used & I think they should replace the embroidery arm. Added problem for me is dealer is in the UK and I live in Tenerife so I now have to get it back to the UK and then wait what could be several weeks before I get it back so that means another trip to the UK to collect or find some kind sole who is willing to transport it back here for me. The dealer says she has never heard of the problem before so I told her to google the issue and she will find quite a few reports of the same problem. Pfaff supposedly have an international warranty but that is proving impossible to action so it is back to UK unfortunately. So disappointed.
ReplyDeleteHi Tammy! Great Blog
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I might pick your brains!
I have just inherited a Pfaff 2.0, having had a Brother SE model previously. I'm really struggling with file formats. The machine has a 4D disk with it but not product code so I cant install it. I have lots of VP3 designs on the USB but no way to view them on my computer and all my PES designs are not recognised by my pfaff. Any ideas?
Good morning Clare, I purchased Sew What Pro software here: http://www.sandscomputing.com/id66.html. This software is very reasonably priced and reads all embroidery formats as well as converts them. If you have the manuals for your Pfaff Creative 2 the product code for the 4D disk is on the inside back cover of one the manuals where the dvd sleeve is. Hope this helps. Happy embroidering. :D
DeleteHi Tammy, I'm enjoying seeing all your ideas, great inspirations! I just received a Pfaff Creative 2.0 from my mother and am enjoying it so far. I made a baby quilt for my best friend's sister and was attempting to do the baby statistics square when I ran into issues. I was wondering if you recall how to move through stitches (the different colors) on the Pfaff. It went back to the beginning of the entire pattern and I need to skip two colors to get back to where I was and can't find anything to tell me how. Look forward to seeing new creations from you!
ReplyDeleteHello Michelle, Thank you for your compliments. I traded my Pfaff 2 for the Pfaff Creative Performance (my purple princess) in August 2013 I don't know if you can toggle down the sequence to skip colours (stitches) with your machine. I suggest you contact a Pfaff dealer to ask them how to do it or look for a utube video. I find the Pfaff manuals hard to follow. Happy stitching..the Pfaff 2 is a fantastic sewing machine.
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