Anyone have a Singer Futura?

[grniys]

Hi everyone. I'm getting a new machine in the next few weeks and my hubby is ok with me getting a sewing/embroidery machine. Yay me! : I'm currently looking at the Singer Futura's. I'm particularly interested in the ce-250.

Does anyone have this machine (or one of the Futura's)? What are your opinions on it?

[sabrinat]

Check patternreview.com, but I seem to recall it gets very mixed reviews. Are you interested in because of the embroidery?

[grniys]

Thanks, I'll check that site out. I'm interested in the embroidery aspect of it, yes, but I also want to make sure it's a good, solid sewing machine. My old one is done for and I figure if I'm going to invest in a new machine I may as well make sure it has all the features I want.

[amydidit]

I have (had) a Futura. I don't know what model it was. It worked great when just sewing, I loved it. Then I tried using the embroidery. I don't know if I just did something wrong, or if it was the machine itself. The embroidery it did was extremely sloppy and uneven, and then after about 15 minutes the whole thing locked up, got a HUGE knot under the fabric. When I tried to work it all out the entire thing the bobbin sat in came out. Even the parts that aren't supposed to. I never could get it back in. I could never afford to go somewhere to have it fixed either though, so maybe it was an easy fix. I don't know.

[grniys]

Thanks for the info. It's stories like that that make me nervous, but this machine is an awesome deal... and it would be under warranty...

It's something I'll be thinking about a lot over the next 2 weeks. I appreciate you telling me your experience with it though.

[amydidit]

Well, as I said too... I don't know if I did something wrong. I'm not very good at sewing, and to be fair, I probably had NO business trying something more advanced. LOL

[grniys]

Amy, I pm'd you.

[Erinok]

I've had the ce200 for a few years now. overall, I'm very pleased with it. for the money you can't go wrong. there is (for me anyway) a real learning curve when it came to the embroidery though. It would be going fine, then a design would get messed up through seemingly no fault of my own, when the last 5 designs sewed out great. I thought maybe the machine was glitchy, so I can see why the reviews may be mixed. but as I got used to embroidering with it, i realized what I was doing wrong (alas, it wasn't the machine). the greatest feature is that it hooks up to your computer, making downloading designs really easy and cheap, also it takes designs in any format. if you plan on doing alot of embroidery you'll save a fortune with this machine.

[grniys]

Thank you.

Did you buy yours online or from a local dealer? I'm really, really wanting to buy it online because it will be a lot cheaper than someone in this area, but I'm also worried about not being able to do anything on it without the class.

[Erinok]

I bought mine from a local dealer. it was priced $100 more, but I hapened to go in when the singer rep was there, so they worked out a deal and sold it to me for the online price. also, my local store had a 5 year warranty (which covered tune ups etc.) and they would give you free lessons, to show you how to use he machine. which would have made it worth the extra $. if it breaks or anything you have to mail it back to singer unless you happen to live near a singer service area.

[grniys]

Hmm... I'll have to look into dealer's in the area and find out exactly how much more they'd want. I have heard there is a singer service center somewhere in San Diego, so that wouldn't really be a problem.

Thanks for the info.

[Erinok]

Originally Posted by amydidit

I have (had) a Futura. I don't know what model it was. It worked great when just sewing, I loved it. Then I tried using the embroidery. I don't know if I just did something wrong, or if it was the machine itself. The embroidery it did was extremely sloppy and uneven, and then after about 15 minutes the whole thing locked up, got a HUGE knot under the fabric. When I tried to work it all out the entire thing the bobbin sat in came out. Even the parts that aren't supposed to. I never could get it back in. I could never afford to go somewhere to have it fixed either though, so maybe it was an easy fix. I don't know.

FYI

all of those bottom pieces by the bobbin do come out, I take them out regularly to clean out lint, etc.

It sounds like you either had the top part threaded incorrectly, or maybe your needle was in backwards (I only know from experience).

if you call the singer helpline, they are usually pretty good at diagnosing the problem via phone, and talking you through fixing it.

[amydidit]

Hmm... so even the pieces that are under the screwed down spot are supposed to come out? Because they sure don't seem like they go back in.

I never thought of calling them. I have lots of problems with phones, so I never even think of using them. Hmm... maybe I will, thanks!

[Jazzmin]

Originally Posted by amydidit

I have (had) a Futura. I don't know what model it was. It worked great when just sewing, I loved it. Then I tried using the embroidery. I don't know if I just did something wrong, or if it was the machine itself. The embroidery it did was extremely sloppy and uneven, and then after about 15 minutes the whole thing locked up, got a HUGE knot under the fabric. When I tried to work it all out the entire thing the bobbin sat in came out. Even the parts that aren't supposed to. I never could get it back in. I could never afford to go somewhere to have it fixed either though, so maybe it was an easy fix. I don't know.

Me too! My mom finally fixed the problem for me, I don't recall what the issue was. I haven't touched the machine since, I was really discouraged.

[Erinok]

yeah, it all unscrews and comes out, they give you a special little tool, like a screwdriver, but flat and kind of round, for unscrewing the bottom piece with the bobbin. and they realy are pretty good at the help site, although you usually have to be on hold for a while before getting help. I called numerous times, esp. when I was a new sewer.