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      MY FAVORITE SEWING MACHINES:

      • PFAFF 7570
      • JANOME MEMORY CRAFT 10001
      • SERGER VIKING HUSKY LOCK 936
      • MACHINE EMBROIDERY SOFTWARE

      As many of you are aware, I am an avid quilter specializing in heavily embroidered Victorian design quilts and home decorating items. I am frequently asked about the sewing machines and serger that I use. I hope the following information is helpful to you.


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      I have two embroidery capable sewing machines, a Janome Memory Craft 10001 and a Pfaff 7570 plus a Viking five thread serger. The MC 10001 supports large format embroidery and connects to my Apple Macintosh computers via USB cable or a compact flash card. Janome design transfer software requires Windows OS, so I have installed emulation software and Windows Professional on my Macs. Newer Macintosh Intel computers can run Janome design and transfer software directly without the need for Virtual PC. I use my MC 10001 almost exclusively for embroidery since it supports stitching out large designs without the need to re-hoop.

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      My Pfaff 7570 (purchased in 1995) is the older of the two machines, but it is a workhorse. It also embroiders, but the maximum size it supports is 4 inch by 4 inch, so I use this machine primarily for regular sewing and quilting. Even though my Pfaff is more than 10 years old, it has an amazing assortment of built-in fancy stitches which I use extensively in my Victorian creations. I often work on both machines concurrently. I set the Janome up for embroidery and while a design is stitching out on it I will be merrily quilting away on the Pfaff.

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      I use my Viking serger for heirloom sewing (more on that later) and for piecing quilt tops from materials like flannel that tend to fray.

      Both the MC 10001 and the Pfaff 7570 were top of the line when I purchased them. I have never regretted what I spent on them. Both continue to serve me well and have been completely trouble free. If you are looking for a top of the line embroidery machine and don't want to spend $5000 or more for a new machine, consider purchasing a good used machine with a parts and labor guarantee from a reputable sewing center.

      Other equipment that I consider very useful is my Martha Pullen thread stand and a large plexiglass table that fits my Pfaff and makes quilting easier due to the support it provides. A thread holder (mine is attached to the wall of my sewing studio) makes for easy storage, and of course I have a variety of scissors. I prefer Ginghers which are easy to sharpen and hold a fine edge. I have 3-4 in different sizes. Be sure to get the sharpening stone as well. Finally, of course, for quilting there's rulers, rotary cutters and mats, and well... lots of 'other stuff' like stunning embroidery CDs from Australian designer Jenny Haskins, one of my favs along with Martha Pullen.


      By Florence Dove Google


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