pfaff good machine for piecing?
 

Pfaff for piecing? I've got a bernina 830 (currently in the shop being fixed! :mad: )and I find the 9mm wide feed system is not good for 1/4 piecing I also have a janome txl 607 that I keep for regular classes and I like to keep it in the bag with all its bits ready to grab, that way I know I don't forget anything essential like the power lead lol ask me how I know! . So I was looking at the pfaff 3.2 select and like the look of the dual feed and wondered if it is good for piecing? ( I have heard is good for thick fabrics like jean hems .) If not can u suggest one that is .

I know quite a few ladies who have Pfaff machines and think they're the 'bees-knees' for all types of sewing, especially patchwork. We love the IDT foot ( dual feed), it's not a bulky attachment like some. Am not sure of the model, but a light-weight Pfaff 'Passport' was introduced for around $700 au, with many decorative stitches, good for taking to class or travelling. Hope this helps

Thank u I haven't managed to test drive the pfaff as I went the shop just as it was closing I'm hoping to try in the coming week. x

Definitely agree, they are the "bees knees" :-) . love mine for piecing, the idt works wonderfully at keeping the fabrics feeding evenly and is so easy to use.
I used mine to add belt loops to my motorcycle jeans. Waistband, Kevlar lining and denim belt loops. I really wasn't sure that it would work but i sewed slowly and the machine just stitched them on. I used my performance 5.0.

Does Bernina have a single stitch plate? If they do, and you piece a lot, it might be worth the money.

I have a 9mm Pfaff, but I use a 1/4 inch foot for piecing. It still has a bad habit of eating fabric on start unless you use enders. I bought the single stitch plate. Pfaff does have some 6mm machines. Single stitch plate still recommended.

An old trick from years ago was to take the foot off, put the needle down and put tape alongside the needle, making the zigzag opening more single stitch.

A single hole plate and the 97D foot is what I find works best with the 830. I have had good and bad luck with pfaff, but have not tried the one you are suggesting. A good dealer is VERY important to me and when you try out the machine check out the dealer, staff and technician availability. These are the people that will make you happy or not with your machine. IMHO

I've got a single stitch plate but the 97d foot has only just come on sale in the uk and is on my xmas list lol just hoping my 830 is ok ! The pfaff dealer I am not familiar with but he seems to know alot . But I've just read that pfaff was bought out a while ago and the quality is nowhere near as good as it used to be so I'm now having second thoughts.

I have an older used pfaff 2038. Love it.

Maybe I should look for an old used one that had been cared for. Oh I don't know, please keep your helpful replies coming x

I love my Pfaff!! The dual feed is fabulous. I bought a Janome 6600 thinking it would be as good or better than my old Pfaff but it wasn't and I ended up selling it. When I buy a new machine next time it's going to be a Pfaff!!

The select models are great if you're sure you won't miss needle up/down and variable needle positions. They are solid and easy to use/care for. Piecing is great with the narrow feed-dogs and IDT. They're around $500-$600 new.

It's the fuel feed that drew me too look at the pfaff as is the original designed duel feed and still the best so the man said. I am only looking at the select range as I've got 2 computerised machines that do all the fancy stuff. I just want a good basic piecing machine.

Oh I know I will miss the needle up and down and the ability to move the needle but I don't want to go over £400 . My long suffering husband had been so good, really can't justify another £ 100 or so just for those features.

I have the Pfaff 4.o quilt expression and I LOVE it was pricey but well worth the $$

I like my Pfaff. It's an older model, but has what I want except for the serpentine stitch. Lately there's been something wacky with the IDT and the feed dogs, so I need to go sit with the tech and explain. I've taken it in twice and explained, but each time it comes home, the problem still exists. So yes, check out the tech as well as the shop where you're buying. This was purchased in Seattle area and we now live in FL.

I'm still sewing every day on a Pfaff 1471 I bought in 1986 and it has the IDT, needle down and tons of features. It is the best machine in the world and will sew through very thick fabric. I have made totes out of denim and upholstery fabric and it never hesitated. I will use it until it quits.

I love my Pfaff! Yes the duel feed is perfect for any kind of sewing. You have lots of needle positions to get that perfect 1\4 inch seam too. I have had a Pfaff for 20 years now and I sew everything and anything with it.

I have the Pfaff 7570 and love, love, love it. I've had it for over 15 years and refuse to upgrade. In fact, I bought a second 7570 and a 7570...giving me three identical machines. (The 7570 has an embroidery unit, the 7550 does not. Otherwise the machines are identical).

I have referred many friends to Pfaff and they all agree that it is a great machine. They have different models, but all Pfaff. Some of my friends who bought another brand wish they had purchased the Pfaff. I'm not saying other machines aren't good, just that my friends and I love the Pfaff.

I love the IBT feature and am able to use different feet with the IBT engaged. They have a Stitch In The Ditch foot that really helps getting the stitch IN the ditch. Mine has the needle down position and the ability to move the needle left or right. And a lot of other stuff.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

I also have a Pfaff. Mine is the Expression 2.0 model. I bought it four years ago on the recommendation of my sister Audrey....(see AudreyB above).

I have had no regrets. I have only been quilting four years though I have been sewing all my life. Audrey has been quilting 20years or so, and I really valued her input (and still do). I also "drove" many different machines before I made up my mind. You want to do that if you can. I like the built-in walking foot and the ability to move the needle left and right the most. Oh, I also love my SID foot.

Good luck on your decision.

Dina

Thank u soooo much Dina and everyone else who was kind enough to share their knowledge. I have a sister that quilts too but she started off hand sewing . I haven't got the patience lol

I bought a used Pfaff Grand Quilter five years ago. The idea was for me to machine quilt the comfort quilts I make more often than anything. I dutifully learned out to machine quilt on it and found out I hate quilting in any form. So I use that baby for piecing and it's a workhorse. I sew some part of every day and I have had zero problems with it. I keep it oiled and cleaned but not have yet taken it for a check up. It's a mechanical, straight stitch machine and makes a beautiful stitch, and even though it does not have the dual feed, it feeds through the beginning of the fabric without bunching or me using leaders/enders. She does like higher quality thread though which suits me just fine as I am a thread snob. Five years later and I'm still excited about the machine.

I've had a Pfaff (older model) for about 12 years and I LOVE it. The IDT foot is awesome because it's always on the machine...don't have to "add" anything. I also purchased a quilting foot that takes the guess out of the quarter inch seam.

I've never had a problem with the machine and use it all the time. :-)

I have an old Pfaff and I bought it because of the dual feed. I love it, however, my Pfaff is the last model made in Germany before the company was sold.

I also have a 7570 and love everything about it, bought it over 20 years ago. No problems with mine in all this time.
Check into a used one that is all metal inside, it adds weight but mine sets in the desk all the time to use.

I have two older pfaff machines and love them both, i agree with the comment that pfaff was bought out, thats why i dont have a new one, heard they were not made the same.

I also have the Pfaff 1471. Actually I have 2, both purchased on Ebay because I liked the first one so well I wanted a backup machine. Also bought one for my daughter. They are a wonderful machine to sew with. I love the built-in IDT foot. It just pops up out of the way when you don't want to use it and snaps right back down when you want it again. My granddaughters also learned to sew on it

I have two Pfaff machines and would not trade them for the world.

I have a Pfaff and a Janome and I had a Viking 850Q which I recently sold. The pfaff is by far the best machine. I absolutely love it.

I love the Pfaff machines, as the even feed foot is wonderful for piecing, quilting and binding.

Why not look into a used machine. The older models were built better than the new plastic ones. For piecing you could find a lot of machines that will do just what you want. For FMQ most machine will work, it is really a matter of practice, practice, practice!! Good Luck

I like the Pfaff machines for anything, they are a quality machine.

I'm a big fan of Pfaff and have the 4.0 and Performance 5. I bought a Passport for class, but missed the auto-pivot so much (I do a lot of machine appliqué. Plus I'm thoroughly spoilt now, lol.) I sold it and bought the 5 and leave the 4 in class.

You should be able to get the Pfaff Passport for £399. It has the IDT and needle up/down but no auto thread cutter. You can buy an extension table which handily attaches to the hard cover for travelling.

For piecing, I nearly always use a straight-stitch plate. One of the downfalls of the new wider stitch machines is that they tend to 'eat' fabric. Happy quilting.

You lot are brilliant! Thank u x

I purchased this model about a year ago and use it nearly every day ... cost was way above my budget but it has been so worth it. The owner of the shop was so enthusiastic about this machine that I couldn't resist making the investment Thank you goes to Ian at Tanners in Westchester, CA :thumbup:

I started with a Brother and at my first quilting class quickly grew frustrated - the stitching was so uneven and would not go through thicker layers at all. Even with a walking foot. They brought out a Pfaff Ambition 1.0 for me to try and I traded in my Brother right then and there. What a difference! The Pfaff with its built in dual feed IDT system sewed through multi layers like butter - all the while keeping a beautiful, even, straight stitch. I sew with it almost every day - mostly piecing quilt tops and various projects like bags, etc. I recently upgraded to the new Pfaff Performance 5.0 but could not bear to part with my Ambition, so it's now the one I take to classes, traveling, rv'ing, etc.

Might be a good thing there is no auto thread cutter. Looks like it has a vertical bobbin just like my 2170 (2170 last of the TOL machines with vertical bobbin) The usual complaint is - thread gets cut too short to pick up for the next sequence of stitches, cutter doesn't cut, and I've even seen one interfere with embroidery. It messed with the circuitry. Turned the autocutter off, and machine was fine.

Lots of times, I don't use my auto cutter.

The machines with drop in bobbins have autocutters that work far better.

I'm on my second Pfaff. My first one got fried by a power surge. Lesson learned. I have all of my machines plugged into a voltage regulator (not a surge protector) now. Anyway. I love, love, love my Pfaff. I also have a Bernina, which is a great machine, but for piecing and other precision sewing, I love my Pfaff. It's a workhorse. Good luck.

My Pfaff is 15 years old. It made a tremendous difference in my piecing. I love my machine. My friend traded hers in when she bought her Bernina and has been sorry ever since for the Pfaff is excellent in piecing. They no longer make my model which I paid $2000 in 1999.

I would not worry about the manufacturing being moved. I also have a 30 year old Pfaff made in germany as well as my pfaff embroidery machine and performance 5 at their new manufacturing site. The new machines work as beautifully and precicely as the old one and have all kinds of modern additions. They seem to have adhered to the same standards of quality and I have no regrets on their purchase.

I have a Pfaff 7530, an older machine and I love it. The dual feed is wonderful and also it has a beautiful stitch. It has sewn many hours and I have never had any mechanical problems at all. I do routine maintenance myself. They are super machines and great 'workhorses'.