Singer Futura CE-250 Sewing and Embroidery Machine

• Electronic sewing and computer-linked embroidery machine with LCD display
• 100 stitch options; 6 styles of 1-step buttonholes; 1-touch stitch selector
• Electronic stitch control for precise results; auto needle threader; top drop-in bobbin
• Software, 120 embroidery designs, 5 fonts, 2 embroidery hoops, and more included
• Measures approximately 17 by 11 by 12 inches; 25-year limited warranty

New to Machine Embroidery:
I purchased this machine because I wanted to learn to do machine embroidery and didn't want to spend a fortune. I think it is an excellent value. It seems very solid and sewed beautifully with no adjustments straight out of the box. There are sensors in the thread path that are very sensitive and incorrectly report broken thread quite often. As soon as I got the hang of flossing the thread into the sensors this became less of a problem. There are several yahoo groups dedicated to machine embroidery and the nice people there were of great assistance to me as I got started. Folks like me who are new to machine embroidery should understand that the sewing machine must be physically attached to a computer while you are embroidering. The soft ware running the computer sends the information to the sewing machine one color at a time so don't think that you can download the design and then sew it out later. You are going to need a computer to run the embroidery feature of this machine. I'm using an old computer that was discarded at my office because it was too slow to run large office programs over a network. I took all the other software off and it runs the Future software just fine. If you are going to need to acquire a computer to run your embroidery machine you should consider that cost along with the price of the Futura. Thread is the paint of embroidery and since it is different than regular thread you are also going to have to make an investment in thread to get started. The price of a spool can vary greatly but if you buy a bunch at one time it can be pricy so think about this to when deciding to make the plunge into machine embroidery. The difference between the Futura 250 and the Futura 350 is the software. If you plan to create your own embroidery designs you should know that only the basic software comes with the 250 but you can purchase the full software separately. Making clip art into machine embroidery is much more difficult than I first thought and to run the Futura software the sewing machine must be connected to the computer even if you are just working on the design and not doing the actual sewing. There are other software packages that do not have this requirement. You could use them to make the art into embroidery files but you will still need to be connected to your Futura to stitch them out. I am extremely happy with this product and would recommend it to other people like me who just want to have some fun and spice up their craft and sewing projects. If you are looking to do embroidery professionally then purchase a higher priced and faster machine.

Furniss - must buy!:
My husband bought the Singer CE250 for me. He bought it through Furniss Sewing on line. The machine is awesome, and I am a newcomer to the craft! The instructions are clear and the CD that comes with the machine gives visual/oral instructions that are awesome. Furniss helped me find the perfect cabinet and some extra products. That is a GREAT company, and I am a fussy old lady retired school teacher! My husband is a fussy, careful buyer!

Best Embroidery Machine:
I purchased my Singer CE-250 two months ago, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I also purchased the hyperfont and photo-stitch software to enhance my embroidery experience. I am thrilled with the performance of my new machine. The workbook dvd and the machine manual are not as detailed as I would have liked for it to be, but the combination of both provide me with everything I need to perform all of the capabilities the Futura CE-250 has to offer.

NOT WORTH THE $$$$- CONSTANTLY BREAKING!:
i got this machine thinking it would be fun for home projects. it took 4 tries to get one that actually worked right, and the one i have is constantly not working well. I follow all details to a T and am pretty technically savvy, but it doesn't matter. i have had it about 6 months, and have had it not worked right approximately 75% of the time. for every project you need to do at LEAST one practice try to make sure it is working. i have ruined more fabrics than i choose to think about due to this. also: the autopunch is nice, but it is NOT easy to use. it takes a very high quality image to translate well - need my own software for that, and does NOT do letters without a lot of help. this machines sews fine. if you want to spend a lot of time on hold waiting for trouble shooting help, or $$$ shipping it to get repaired- get this machine. otherwise- save your money and simply go get a professional to embroider for you- it is NOT worth the hassle this machine has given me.