What should I do??
 

I have 4 sewing machines...a 201 Singer, a 730 Record Bernina, a Janome Classmate, and a Pfaff Ambition Essential. I am relly thinking about selling the Pfaff. I just got it 2 months ago, but I just haven't bonded with it like I hoped. I would end up taking about a $200 loss on it but at least I could recoup some of the money I spent. Any suggestions???

Well, if you return it, you can look at it like you just rented it for 2 months...
Why did you buy it in the first place: What specific functions did it have that your other machines didn't?

Well, I got it because of all the decorative and quilting stitches. It has 126 stitches and alphabet letters. I can do a 1/4" seam a lot easier, but the stitches aren't any better than the other machines. My hubby thinks I should keep it, I just don't know what I'm going to do with 4 machines. He wasn't too thrilled when the 4th one came in and keeps giving me grief for it. :/

Never get rid of a sewing machine unless it is shaking you out of bed in the middle of the night.

Somewhere along the line, you'll wish you had it handy.

If you don't use it.. sell it and move on!

I would sell it only if it was your decision and not your hubby's, is him not liking it part of the reason I wonder. Foolish men don't they know that a happy wife= happy husband. Are you maybe intimidated by the machines and just need classes to familiarize yourself with it. Pfaffs are great machines but I have heard that they aren't the most user friendly

Love my Pfaff 2056. The IDT walking foot is so nice. I don't think 4 is too many :)

Can the other 3 do what the Pfaff does? There must be a special reason you bought it or was it an impulse buy? Did you really have the money to buy it or did it hurt your budget?
I have nine machines, one of which is a Husqvarna Viking Designer 1. The D1 can do so much more that the other machines and so much easier to use but it is computerize and is smarter than me. I have taken a few classes to learn to use it and not be intimidated by it. I was so afraid I would break it, that I only used it about 10 hours the first year I had it! But now I am using it all the time and had to use the older machines when the D1 needed servicing. They just do not hold a candle to the D1. Please rethink why you wanted the new Pfaff. Write down it's pros and cons from the other machines and see if the difficulty in using it is holding you back. My husband makes me feel guilty when buying something. He always asks me why did you buy that? What are you going to use that for? Why do you want/need another machine? But he buys new clothes, shoes, belts, etc. whenever he wants and doesn't give me reasons for doing so. But even using my own money, he always wants to know why and it's nots costing him anything. Now, I just tell him, "Just because I wanted it". Guilt can weigh heavy on us. Try to weigh why you got it, do you really like it, do you not like it, etc. Can you not afford it, etc?
Giving it up just because he wants you to may bother you in the long run... I'm sure you will make the right decision.

I had 4 machines...all great except for the Brother. I sold them all and got a new Bernina. 3 of the machines I sold were Berninas. Have not been sorry...One machine that does everything..so much less 'stuff'!

I have 4 machines also. Like quiltoey I have a Viking D1 that does lots of things like I believe your Pfaff does and once you take the time to "bond" you will love it. I use the other Vikings and my beloved Featherweight for classes and piecing but when it comes for those great "other stitches and free motion quilting and bindings that need a walking foot" the fancy machine is perfect. If you husband doesn't want to sell it, find the time to experiment and bond and I'm sure you will end up loving it.

I think I would keep it and give it a little more time. I have the Horizon, the 3160 QDC (travel machine), and the Brother PQ-1500s. Love them all for different reasons. If it's in good working order, I'd want to learn to bond with it. I miss my built in walking foot that the Pfaff has. Mine fell off a UPS truck and I still miss that thing. I went Janome when I compared the two side by side, but still miss that built in walking foot.

I agree. You could use the money you get for it for other things you really want and use.

I think my biggest issue is I'm scared to use it for fear of breaking it. I need to find a class or something to be more familiar with it. Hubby said he was just kidding and wants me to be happy. It does so much the other stitches machines can't, so I think I'm going to keep it. As soon as I got rid of it I'm sure I'd regret it. Money isn't really an issue, I just don't want to accidently break something so expensive!

My Pfaff came with classes. Maybe yours did too and you just don't know it? Or, if you didn't buy it locally, you can call and ask about classes. I know my local dealer will accept "outsiders" in her classes, for a price, of course.

I also was afraid of hurting my machine, but so far we have been okay. I have had it three years, though mine is a different model.

Dina

Is the problem with the Pfaff tension? Sometimes it just takes a little tweeking. You can never have to many sewing machines.

I have 4 machines that I use on a regular basis. I would never get rid of one. The Diamond is set for embroidery only. The SE has a walking foot on it, so I use that for binding etc. The Topaz is my go to machine for general quilting projects because it has a flatbed table. Then the old Designer I is in the bedroom so I can sew while watching TV. Would you get rid of one of your children because you weren't happy with him/her???? I don't think so.

I have 4 machines and am looking forward to #5 coming home with me when I visit my mother next spring. With all those machines, I expect my Pfaff will stay my favorite. I found it extremely user friendly, I love the IDT (much better than any walking foot), and it is a real work horse.

Don't be guilted into getting rid of a machine that you may learn to love soon. Quilting is probably your own vice, unlike hubby's? Men tend to be too practical in some ways because they can't see more than one way to do something. Hang in there!

My husband gives me grief whenever I buy another vintage machine...but has it stopped me? NO!!! Keep the machine. I'm sure somewhere down the road you'll wish you would have...especially since it's more involved than your other machines. I think I'm up to about 12 machines? wish I could afford one of the new Berninas. not the 830. I'm sure I'd never learn all there is to on it. My choice was the 440QE but it's not made any longer. I should have bit the bullet and bought one when I could!!

hugs
joycet

I sure understand the intimidation factor. I only had two machines for years (Pfaff 7570 and Janome for classes). Then on a whim I added a Janome Horizon. My dealer is 50 miles away so I didn't take the classes, so now I am not able to just easily use any of them for general sewing. I want to do some garment making as well as piecing.

It never fails to amaze me how some men think we are frivolous when we buy a new machine but if they have a work shop and there is a tool that will make it easier for them, it becames a necessity. Go figure. My mother-in-law once told my husband that he was so lucky to have a wife that sewed clothes for the kids, that I saved him thousands of dollars. Bless her heart, he never forgot that. Hugs

If you like the machine, keep it. If not, try to return it, or sell it and move on. I have a wonderful husband. We usually consult each other before we make more expensive purchases. I told him I was going to buy a KitchenAid mixer. His reply, "Why? You don't cook that much!". You can imagine my reply. I try not to swear, but the air turned a little blue, when I said, "Because I want the !!! !!!! !!!!ing mixer that's why!" What a surprise at Christmas when I got the !!! !!!! !!!!ing mixer! We laugh about it now, and the mixer has a name, but I still don't fuss about the hunting equipment, the computer stuff, or camera stuff.
PS He has learned that I use the mixer a lot!

"I think my biggest issue is I'm scared to use it for fear of breaking it."

You won't break it. I have 2 Pfaff machines and love them both. One is almost 20 yrs old (Creative 1475CD)and it does almost everything but wash the dishes. The other (Tiptronic 2040) is almost great and I like the sloped front of the machine bed which makes it very comfortable for your hands. Once you go through the basic instructions of all its features you will love them. Love the built-in "walking" foot feature.

Both of these were made in Germany. Excellent workmanship.

I would just store it tell you need one . When that day come you may not have the money to get it. I just got one took me a long time to get it so hold on to what you got

I so agree with this. I gave a wonderful straight-sew machine away, and also sold a Viking, and I have so many times wished I had kept those machines! I had just purchased my first combo embroidery machine, a Babylock Esante, some 10 years ago, and while I love Babylock machines and have upgraded from the Esante since then, , my thought was "Who needs more than one machine?" Silly me!

Didn't it come with a nice instruction manual.......take it page by page and go for it. If a machine is going to be that easy to break I wouldn't want it either......btw I have 6 vintage machines and just bought a brand new Janome. Love it and it has 3 modes of stitches including monogram and it will sew anything! So that makes seven and I intend to build a shelf for the others......lol!

You might want to keep at it. I have a friend who has had a variety of machines, pfaff, brother , Viking. She got a pfaff ambition and loved it so much she actually got a SECOND one, so if they ever stopped making it, and she wore out the one she has, she would have another one. Now, I'm sure everyone has their favorite machine, but if someone could love a machine this much, you might want to give it just a bit more time!

Why not keep one of the older ones and the new one and sell the others. Start using your new one and keep the older one as back up and to take to classes etc..

I hear the older 730 Bernina is a real workhorse. I know people who would almost rather give up a child than their old 730.

In mho, if it is so decision and you are not happy with the machine and you don't want to take the time to learn and get use to it, sell it and recoup some of your money. You might find another machine later on that you will be happier with.

A good local Pfaff dealer should be able to help you learn to use the machine. Take it one stitch at a time and you will learn to love your new machine. Every time I get a new machine I am a little intimidated, but you just have to use the machine and it will be easier every time you use it. Enjoy your new machine.

I bought a Pfaff Select 3 and thought it would be the last one, then I fell for the Ambition 1.0 and after long hard thought bought it. Both are very similar, the Ambition has more stitches and is computirized (thought I would never do that), it also has needle down setting and have the ability set speed and sew without using the presser foot. Really helps with free motion quilting as I can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I now have 4 machines- a 1949 Singer I started sewing on in 4-H at age 9, a Kenmore that I bought when I started making Teddy Bears and the 2 Pfaffs. I did go to the dealer where I bought machine and took a one on one on how to use the Ambition but I still get manual out sometimes to review settings.

I have 2 Pfaff machines and I won't give up either one. You won't go wrong with a Pfaff. Give it a try for a while. The duel feed is wonderful.

LOL so true!!!!

Amen----------------if I tallied the stuff in hubby's barn to my stuff in the house---------------his total would be 10 times mine, if not more. He designs trailers (flat beds for behind trucks) and repairs stuff. I design and make quilts, clothing, household stuff, and a lot of it is from fabrics I've inherited or bought for next to nothing.
(6 more tea towels for casserole carriers for $7 last night!)

I have 19 machines, and would get another in a heartbeat, if I found one that appeals to me. I know I can only sew on one at a time, but I like them for different reasons. You must have liked it when you bought it. Getting used to a different machine takes time. Don't listen to anyone who berates you for doing what you like to do. If you really don't like it and want to sell it, do so. If you want to sell it because hubby complains, keep it. Make yourself happy!