I have a confession to make, my friends. A sewing machine confession, actually. 

I love my Pfaff Creative 4.5 more than my Brother DreamCreator VM5100. A LOT more. 

The Shame

It isn’t that I planned things this way; they just sort of happened. The Brother DreamCreator (or George) precedes the Pfaff by a couple of years. And I do like this sewing machine. But there have been a problems with it that I think have somewhat colored my view of it. Before we talk about that, though, let me explain why this revelation is so shameful for me. 

If you’ve been following along with my blogs over the last few years, you may remember the Janome fiasco. Now, years after, I can honestly say that the problem wasn’t the machine, and sometimes I wish I had it back. No, these days I can be honest with myself and say that it was the one feature the Janome lacked that I missed the most – the embroidery capability. Looking back, I sort of regret getting rid of that machine. And while it seems ridiculous to have regrets so late in the game, I sometimes wish I still had that machine. 

At the time, however, all I could think about was getting rid of it and getting something else. Specifically, I wanted a Brother sewing/embroidery combination machine. 

George

When I worked in the oil industry, I got an annual bonus each March. One year, I used part of my bonus to buy George, the Brother DreamCreator of my dreams. I like George a lot, but … 

Maybe I’d feel differently if my particular sewing machine didn’t seem to have a problem with free motion quilting (FMQ). George has a large work surface, about 11″ from the needle to the right of the machine. This is a perfect workspace for FMQ. The problem is, my sewing machine doesn’t seem to do well with FMQ. It isn’t picking up the bobbin thread, which means it’s not forming a stitch. If not for this, I would probably have warmer feelings for George than I currently do. 

I will say, though, that George’s straight stitch is second to none. He does a FABULOUS straight stitch, and even his decorative stitches look great. So does his embroidery. But that FMQ … It’s enough to make me trade him in on a new sewing machine!

The Pfaff Confession

I bought the Pfaff solely on a whim. I’d coveted that purple beauty for a while, but the day I bought him, I wasn’t planning to make a purchase. I just wanted to see what was out there. The deal was so good, though, I just couldn’t pass it up, and I didn’t. 

It took me a while to really warm up to the Pfaff, but when I did … well … it’s my favorite machine now. The really strange thing is, I was on the verge of putting it up for sale a couple of weeks ago because I felt like I didn’t need three embroidery machines. I still feel like I don’t need three embroidery machines, but … there would be immediate seller’s remorse if I sold the Pfaff. 

I just love it so much; it’s my favorite machine. Maybe it’s my favorite sewing machine EVER. 

There. I said it. It’s my favorite machine ever. Well, except for maybe my very first Brother. Man, that was a great machine. But I digress. 

I love the Pfaff so much, I think about buying another one all the time. 

Should he Stay or Should he Go?

Not the Pfaff; we’ve just established it’s my favorite machine. George, however … I’ve thought about letting him go. I don’t think I can do that, but I am so darn frustrated with him. You have to understand, I took him in last March to be serviced, and it cost a small fortune. The dealer said the problem with the FMQ was fixed then – the timing needed to be adjusted – but now here we are, just a few months later and we’re back in the same place. 

I haven’t even used him that much. It’s the biggest reason why I’m so frustrated.  That’s my other confession. I want to love George, but he’s making it really difficult to do right now. If I sell him, though, I will have serious regrets. 

Last Confession

My last confession is this: I’m glad I haven’t sold the Pfaff. I do think I need to make a change in my machine line up. I’ve been thinking the Persona should go and a long arm set up should come in. I believe I’d get a lot more use out of the long arm than I have the Persona. It’s a great machine, but I’m never going to be in business for embroidery. And I don’t use the machine frequently enough for me to keep it. 

But the Pfaff will stay. I love him too much to put it out on the streets looking for a new home that will love him as much as I do.