Another Review of my Pfaff 2046

My review of my Pfaff 2046 was published on Sewing Machine Reviewer. Check out this site, too, if you are considering buying a new sewing machine.

Review of Pfaff 2046

Presser Feet: Introduction and Narrow Edge Foot

There are many many presser feet for a machine. In my experience, I find I use a small number of feet 90% of the time, and every so often, when I have a specific task, I pull out the other feet. Most people don't know what these feet are for and don't realize how much easier they can make things, if they knew how to use them.

So, here is my tutorial series on presser feet. 

Of course, I will show presser feet for my Pfaff 2046, but most machines have something similar to these feet. Either they came with the machine or you can buy them separately.

The Narrow Edge Foot

I am starting with this foot because it's my favorite.  I don't use it all the time, but when I need it, it is invaluable.

The narrow edge foot is a basic foot with a non-sharp blade positioned in the middle. The blade guides your stitching and helps you keep it straight. See the picture on the left.

Originally, this foot was designed to join two fabrics edge-to edge, not overlapping, like attaching lace to a finished hem. I've never used it for this purpose; I just don't do many clothing projects that need this technique. The foot has a slot for the needle opening, and you can use zig-zag stitch, a decorative stitch, or even offset the needle position because of the slot.

(Make sure you have on a zig zag needle plate before you do the decorative stitches or zig zag stitch! See my post on needle plates for details.)

The Pfaff has the integrated dual feed (IDT) feature and the slot in the back of the foot (see the photo on the right) allows for the dual feed mechanism to be engaged. You can disengage the IDT and use the foot without it, too.

Precision is the reason I like this foot so much. You wouldn't think that a simple blade would make that much of a difference in the ability to sew a straight line. It really does. 

Straight Line quilting, including Stitch-in-the-Ditch

Because of the dual feed feature of my Pfaff, I don't need to use a walking foot to do quilting. If I want to quilt in stitch-in-the-ditch style, I simply engage the IDT, follow the seam lines with the blade on this foot, and my stitches are positioned perfectly in the ditch.

If I want to quilt an all over straight line design (like a grid or parallel lines), I mark the quilt top with a ruler and non-permanent fabric marking pen or pencil, and then follow the lines with the blade. Straight quilting lines!

Topstitching

In many projects, you need to sew a line of stitches right along a seam or folded fabric edge, offset by a few millimeters.  For example, you might need to attach a patch pocket to a shirt. Here's where this foot earns its keep. You line up the blade with the seam or fabric edge, then offset the needle position to the right or left (as needed). As you sew, run the blade along the seam, and voila! Perfectly spaced straight stitches running parallel to the seam/fabric edge!

I have also used this foot to make narrow hems by rolling the fabric and gluing it in place (with wash-away fabric glue).

I purchased this presser foot separately; it was not part of the default set of presser feet included with my machine. It was well worth it. I use it all the time. 

Published Review

I recently had a review of my Pfaff Quilt Expression 2046 posted on Best Sewing Machines Reviewed site. It has a slightly different focus than my articles here. Take a look!

Pfaff Quilt Expression 2046 Review

Winding a Bobbin: Basic Tutorial

Winding a bobbin is a basic task you must master if you plan to do any serious sewing. Every machine has a bobbin winding feature and you should read your manual to find out how yours works.

Nevertheless, in my experience, the basic steps are the same.

Basic Steps

Step 1: Thread the machine for bobbin winding. Usually you start threading the machine in the normal fashion, then the thread takes a detour; redirecting it to the bobbin area.

Step 2: Thread the bobbin. This involves sticking the end of the thread through a hole near the middle spindle of the bobbin. Leave a long tail you can grab onto.

Step 3: Stick the bobbin on the spindle. On my Pfaff, you can put it on with either side up. I always put the side of the bobbin with "PFAFF" imprinted on it facing up.

Bobbin ready for winding

Step 4: Engage the bobbin spindle. On my Pfaff, I push the spindle to the right slightly and it clicks in place. This step is necessary because it engages the bobbin winder (that is, it makes it spin), and disables the needle so it doesn't go up and down while winding.  On my machine, you can't get the bobbin on the spindle when it's engaged, so you have to do this before engaging.

Step 5: Get it started - hold on to the end of the thread and depress the foot pedal gently. The bobbin spins a few times, catching the thread on itself.

Holding the thread end, ready to start

Step 6: Snip off the loose end of the thread from the top of the bobbin (so it doesn't get tangled up).

Snip off the loose end after several 

rotations, and the thread is locked on bobbin

Step 7: Wind the bobbin with abandon - as fast as you like. The machine should have a sensor that stops the winding when the bobbin is full.

Step 8: Snip the end of the thread (that connect to the spool), disengage the bobbin winder, and remove bobbin.  On my machine, I disengage the bobbin winder by pushing the bobbin and spindle gently to the left. It clicks in place. Then I can easily remove the bobbin.


Proper Bobbin Tension
As I mentioned in a previous post, my machine doesn't provide enough tension on the thread when winding a bobbin to get a nice tight bobbin. If the thread isn't tight enough, it won't feed through the machine properly. It makes uneven stitches and jams. No fun.

To work around this, I've developed a simple manual technique. I pinch the thread as it's winding.  This provides enough even, consistent tension to get a good bobbin. See the photos below.

You may think it would hurt to hold onto the fast moving thread, like "rope burn." It doesn't.

The only thing you have to watch out for with this technique is that you don't hold the thread out of it's proper alignment too much. Otherwise, the thread won't wind evenly up and down the bobbin. I just keep an eye on the guide as the bobbin is winding and make sure the thread alternates all the way to the top and to the bottom as it's winding.

Guide for Even Winding

I wish I didn't have to do this! It should just work!! But, in my experience, all machines have their little quirks and either we live with them or we get a new machine.

A Few Other Tips
Your machine will wind the bobbin in a consistent direction. Direction of the thread is important when loading the bobbin into the bobbin case. Think of it like the roll of toilet paper - do you like the paper coming over the top or from under the bottom? The concept is the same, and in my experience some machines are extremely sensitive to how the thread comes off the bobbin. Unfortunately, different machines are designed for different directions. I can't tell you the "right" way.

This is why I always wind my bobbins with the PFAFF imprint on the top. Then, I always load my bobbins with the PFAFF imprint on the bottom. The direction of the thread coming off the bobbin is always correct for my machine, and I don't have to think about how I'm loading the bobbin.

It is important to use the proper bobbin for your machine. I always buy Pfaff bobbins for my Pfaff. I don't mess around with the cheaper, generic bobbins that say they fit the Pfaff. It doesn't save that much money in the long run because bobbins are reusable. And, it might save lots of frustration, if they don't work quite right.

Happy sewing! More tutorials to come!

Pfaff Quilt Expression 2046

I sew on a Pfaff Quilt Expression 2046.

Prior to that I had a "New Home" model that I got from a garage sale. (New Home is now Janome) It was a pretty good machine and it was an excellent transition as I learned whether I wanted to sew a lot, or just a little.  I recycled that machine by giving it to my niece for Christmas one year.

Back to the Pfaff.

I did a fair amount of research prior to buying this sewing machine, but the decision came down to how I thought I'd use the machine.  You can spend anything you like on a sewing machine - $50 to $50000. What matters is that you get joy out of your work on the machine. It should enable you to get your work done without getting in the way.

My primary reasons were:

• Integrated Dual Feed (IDF) - On Pfaff machines, there is a "feed dog" above where the fabric goes. It's like having a permanent walking foot every time you sew. If needed, you can disable it.

Integrated Dual Feed

• Features - A good number of features without jumping to the next level: an embroidery machine.
• Price - I think I paid around $1700 for the machine.
• Quilting support, including a quilting add-on package with extension table, quarter inch foot, free motion foot.
• Support - there was a Pfaff store/sewing center within walking distance of my house.

Now that I've used the machine for 3 years, here are some reasons I've come to love this machine:

• I adore the IDF. The best thing about the integrated dual feed is that you can use any presser foot with it (if it's designed to do so - which most Pfaff feet are). It's like using a walking foot and a zipper foot all at once, for example. 
• Low-bobbin detector - there's a little laser "eye" in the bobbin area that scans how much thread is left. The computerized screen displays an icon when the bobbin is low.
• Built-in needle threader: It's a tiny hook that fits through the eye of the needle and pulls your thread through. Handy.
• Two thread spindles. Nice.
• It packs up neatly when I need to take it to guild or class. It's not too heavy.
• When I forget to change the face plate and the needle crashes into it, the machine detects the pressure and stops before it breaks the needle.  Yeah, I forget every once in a while.

No machine is perfect, and you don't know what you want or don't want until you use a machine for a while and try to do various tasks. Here are some observations from the 3 years I've been in relationship with this machine:

• It is not that good at winding bobbins. It doesn't provide enough tension, and you end up with a bobbin threaded loosely. I have figured out a work around, but it's annoying.  
• I wish there was an easy way to put the needle down when you stop sewing. On Berninas I think you just tap the foot pedal. On my machine, you can do it manually with the wheel, or push a button on the front panel near the computer screen. 
• Pfaffs have a needle down button that toggles the machine into needle-down mode. In this mode, the needle always stops in down position. This is good. But, sometimes I forget to push the button ahead of time, or I didn't realize I would need the needle down at a particular moment.
• Often, my hands are all tied up in my project and I don't want to have to let go, break concentration and refocus my eyes to push a button on the screen or twist the wheel.  Can't I just tap something with my toe or knee or finger, right there by my work? Ideally, this tap would be a one-time-only action; that is, it wouldn't toggle the machine into needle-down-all-the-time mode.

I realize I have written about many machine topics and terms that may be unfamiliar. I will do a series of posts on these individual topics and I'll include pictures to illustrate the concepts. 

Lots of people have a sewing machine but don't know how to use its features or what they are for. These posts should help you progress in your sewing to the next level.