I was reading some discusions about sewing machines today.

That made me ponder about what features I actually USE when I'm sewing

Straight stitch - I hardly every back stitch, but it's nice to have

Walking foot (Pfaff) - but my old Bernina fed the fabric well, too

Self-adjust tension

Needle down

Reverse pattern (mirror image)

Regular presser foot, and the zipper foot. I finally learned how to use the marker/quide for grid quilting a couple of years ago.

The little marks on the throat plate for seam allowances.

Zig-zag, multiple step zig-zag, blind-hem stitch

Adjustable needle position

Needle threader (very nice to have)

There is a thread cutter on the Pfaff, but I usually use scissors to cut the threads

I have a Bernina and one of my favorite things about it is the knee lifter that lifts and lowers the presser foot. It frees both hands to hold fabric.

I am learning how to use the Free motion foot, so I found out how to lower the feed dogs!
I love the warning that my bobbin is nearing empty.
And all those you listed, especially my quarter inch foot!
So I like the quick change feature for different feet, click in or out!
I know there are more, but my brain hasn't kicked in yet today! :?

In addition to what's been mentioned, I use the 1/4" foot for quilting seams and the stitch-in-the-ditch foot for well, you know....

I like the stitch length adjustment feature on my Pfaff and the needle position adjustment feature.

There are also some nice decorative stitches.

I find it easier to say what I don't use - the buttonhole stuff. If I had a thousand decorative stitches, I'd find a way to use them all!

I have the knee lifter, but don't use it. I love the needle up/down, auto threader and auto cutter. I like the speed adjustment. I have the on/off button I can use in place of the foot pedal, but rarely use that too.

I had to use my button-hole thingee recently.... I had to darn some rips in DH's work clothes! LOL Works great for that!

OK, I have 2 Berninas. My 200 I mainly use for embroidery and my 440QE for everything else including quilting. The 200 has a really nice bobbin winder but the thing is so slow it drives me to distraction. So I use my 440 to wind bobbins for both machines... :oops: :oops:

I use my Featherweight for 99% of my piecing and there are no features at all on these machine. Straight stitch and reverse is all you get. I love it.

Oh, yeah, me too. I do use the zipper foot occasionally for getting in tight on a raggy purse or something but the buttonhole stuff only if I'm putting a closure on a bag. I did the girls dresses last month and put the zippers in but that's so easy I could almost do it in my sleep. lol

I love the decorative stitches on some of my kid quilts and all. Sure hope the man is able to fix my Singer with all those wonderful stitches.

I don't sure my buttonhole feature either. It I made clothing maybe I would.

i use everything. i garment sew, so i use the buttonhole programs, too.

i even use the little grommet hole thingy stitch. it looks like a hole with overcast stitches all around the inside edge. good for running ribbons through for baby gifts.

Gee, I don't have one of those on mine. Sounds cool! :D

i have a Bernina 180 Artista which i bought second hand and I am :oops: embarassed to say I have only used the basic things on it like walking foot, 1/4 inch foot, straight stitch, zig zag and have only practised very few decorative stitches...one day when i get big and brave i may try a few new things....like the embroidery stuff that came with it and the free hand system etc, etc..

My favorite 2 options are on my Janome 6600 are the knee lifter, (so I can sew using both hands espec on applique) and my automatic thread cutter....oh, and I like the drop in bobbin (way cool there!)oh, and my needle threader to get that thread in the needle....oh, the speed...oh, and the throat room....oh, I better quit now:)As you can see, I just love this machine...we get along so great!! Skeat

I have a 12 year old small singer that came from Wall Mart.
It has a few fancy stitches, which I have never used. :D
I use the foot that came on it
forward
backwards
bobbin filler
foot pedal
and when I can't find my scissors, the thread cutter!! :D


BUT, in my dreams, I have a embroidery machine and one of those fancy Berninas that do every thing and I have nothing else that I have to do but sew.sew, sew! :lol: :lol: :lol:


Mostly I just use a #12 quilting needle and a thimble!

So all of you that have the fancy things. remember me on my Birthday! :lol: :lol: ( I just remembered, I stopped having them 10 years ago.)

Ninnie

Nice question!

I have a Juki TL98QE and a Bernina Activa 210. I use the knee lifter on both daily, open toe free motion foot, and quarter inch foot.

I do occasionally need a walking foot for binding, but that's the only thing I need it for. I recently purchased a high powered LED light for both machines, but unfortunately it's almost too bright - blinding - so I rarely turn it on.

I've also owned an Activa 240 and never once used all the extra stitches. It's really unnecessary!

My new favorite features of my new sewing machine are the needle up/down and the threader. I doubt I'll really use the fancier stitches any time soon so they're not a high priority on my list, but they're still there!

(I have a janome dc3050)

Needle down and stay stitch are what I use most.
I love the 10inch throat, that is my favorite feature.
My machine does lots of stuff but have not used it. Even forgot how to use the fancy stitchs.
I would like an embroidery machine that has a large area so I could quilt blocks with fancy designs.

MadQuilter talked about her 1/4" foot. That has to be my favorite. My Pfaff has about a billion different stitches (well, maybe a few less...) that I want to play with.

Ninnie, no wonder your quilting is so fantastic! That's not a needle, it's a fairy's hair! :D

K x

I do tend to bend a lot of them! :lol: :lol:

threading them can drive you to a glass of wine!

Ninie

And after the wine you get more than one chance to thread it cos you see double! :lol:

K x

:lol: :lol: quilted a whole square once fore I realized ther wern't no thread in that there needle!

Ninnie

Ninnie - you're my kind of quilter!!!

K x

*I RARELY use the regular presser foot for piecing or quilting - much prefer the open-toe foot .
*I NEVER use 1/4" foot - prefer to move the needle and have open-toe foot really 'grab' the fabric.
*I LOVE Pfaff's IDS instead of having to attach an even-feed or walking foot - means I can use ANY fancy stitch I want to use - absolutely no limitations.
*I LOVE the needle threader. For those of you who don't have one, there's a separate needle threader for Pfaff sergers you can buy for about $3 that is a small miracle. Works on ANY needle. Better than floss needle threaders.
*Stitch-in-ditch foot has lots of uses beyond s-i-d: move the needle position to top-stitch, stitch 1/4" from seam; join 2 pieces of batting;more that I can't think of right now
*the warning light about bobbin about to be empty
*I wish I had a knee-lift like the Bernina!
*the thread cutter is handy when I remember to use it!

*I'm using my Pfaff 2170 for paper piecing for the FIRST time, and the automatic presser foot DOWN is driving me NUTS. How do I stop it from doing that so I can position the needle where I want it?

On my machines, I've used the following:

1. 1/4 seam stitch, with my edge foot. Makes piecing a breeze.
2. Alphabet stitches with the memory. I use it to label the backing of my quilts.
3. Needle up/down. Good for piecing multiple items sewn one after another.
4. Walking foot and guide. For SID quilting.
5. Bobbin winder.
6. Satin stitch. Great for fixing holes in sheets, etc. from the dog's nails.
7. Thread cutter.
8. Automatic button hole foot. Creates the perfect size button hole, based on the button.
9. If I ever do any fused applique or crazy quilting, I'll try out some of the decorative stitches. Still on my to do list.

I use all of the features on my machines, I guess I just like playing with my toys :lol: :lol: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol:

I just use straight stitch, though I have a singer touch and sew that I want to use the decorative stitches.

On my Bernina 153QE, I use some of the decorative stitches that are pre-loaded but have NEVER downloaded any of the other stitches available. Actually, I never even looked at them to see what is available :oops:

The knee lift thing didn't lift my skirt. Old dog, new trick, I guess. I keep thinking I should force myself to use it more so that it will be second nature, as I often hear how great it is, but haven't done that yet, either.

LOVE my 1/4" foot, that is almost always on my machine. Recently did a few bags and had to use the guides on the plate - wow, that took some thought. Although I started w/ garment sewing some 40 years ago (hey, I was a little girl!), I haven't done that in many years, and so haven't used the lines. I have the zipper foot, but put generally put zippers in bags using a regular foot.

Needle down is a must for me. Sometimes use the walking foot, as well as the grid guide. I have somehow gotten my needle threader out of alignment twice now, don't bother having it adjusted any more. So far, I can thread the needle w/out trouble but guess some day I won't be able to and will have to have it fixed.

Embroidery doesn't do a thing for me, so no desire for that. I think I'd like the BSR on the new Berninas, but have no burning desire and not enough $, lol. I've heard many times how much easier that makes FMQ. I can send several tops for quilting, though, for what a new machine would cost, and am not sure I'd like doing it enough anyhow. I don't want to buy a pricey machine to find that I don't like doing what I thought I had to have it for. How do you decide to spend that kind of money if you haven't done it? And if you buy it and don't like it, then what? :shock:

Machines make button holes?? REALLY????? lol :roll:

mine doesn't! :wink: :wink:


Ninnie

I really appreciate my auto threader. I will not buy another machine without it! I try to use as many new stitches as I can. I love all the specialties, including the low bobbin signal.

I love the knee lifter on my old Bernina 830, that machine has a million miles on it. The new Pfaff I use the stitches for quilting, making clothes, doing crafts, that's what it was purchased for. I love the way it does buttons holes, a no brainer there and I need all the help now days. I had to purchase the walking foot for the Bernina but the Pfaff came with it built in and it's great. I love the 1/4 inch foot and the stitch-in-the-ditch, I guess I use just about all the features on this machine at one time or another depending on projects.

Yes, the quarter-inch foot and the stitch-in-the-ditch foot (also this is the foot that I use for the blind hem). Love the needle-down on the Janome (my other machines don't have that feature). I love the feature that knots the thread for me. As far as the needle threader -- I have been very successful with it. I find if I do move my needle to the right, it is better. Oh yes, and the feature that moves the needle. Ido use a few of the decorative stitches.

I have a Viking Designer I. The pressure foot lifts with the needle down every time I stop sewing so don't need the knee lifter. I love this feature. Also love the needle threader, bobbin winding without rethreading (you can even do it through the needle), drop in bobbin, sewing adviser, thread cutter, embroidery feature, needle positiions, etc, etc, etc.

I finally figured out that I don't need a knee lift with my Pfaff 2170 - I just tap the foot and it goes up - another tap and it goes back down.

I also figured out how to put the needle down for paper piecing without the pressure foot going down, too. I 'fool' the pressure foot by starting to put the needle down; the foot goes down, but I haven't put the needly in the paper; then I raise the foot and REALLY put the needle down. If anyone knows a setting that eliminates the extra 2 steps, please clue me in!

I have the Viking Sapphire and it has the needle down with the foot lift.
I love that feature and thought it was on all the new machines so did not mention it before.