I got my first Pfaff in 2011, my Grampa gave me some money and one of the conditions was that I don't just be sensible with it but treat myself to a new sewing machine that would help to fuel my then mild passion for quilting and further my journey. So I bought a Pfaff Creative 2.0 and it was a game changer!
It served me well but as my passion has become my job and I was using it more and more for longer periods, I decided to upgrade in September 2020 and bought a Quilt Expression 710, they are readily available but I bought mine from David Drummond and I can't express enough how fantastic the service and aftercare is.
I needed a work horse because I use my machine around 40 hours a week give or take depending on what I'm working on, great lighting (because lets be honest most of the time it's dark in the UK) and a large throat space were also high on my list of must haves and this machine ticked all my boxes. There are still so many functions and accessories I've not used yet or explored fully, I'm getting there, but there are already things I can't live without!
IDT
An original feature since 1968, the Integrated Dual Feed precisely feeds all types of fabric from top and bottom for perfect stitching every time, it's an absolute game changer in how easy it becomes to stitch through multiple layers which of course is excellent for quilting.
2. Auto Thread Cutter
This seriously speeds up sewing, with literally the touch of a button your threads are cut and pulled through to the back of your work so you're ready to move on to the next step of your project. It's also a great accessibility feature (in my opinion) because if you struggle to grip or hold scissors, this eliminates that struggle for you, you simply press the thread cutter button - easily identifiable because it's a pair of scissors.
3. Colour Touch Screen
All the information you need at any stage of your project can be seen directly on the high-resolution touch screen, measuring 70mm x 53mm (roughly 2.5" x 2") and with a resolution of 320 x 240 it is clear and easy to read. It also comes with a handy stylus so you aren't continuously wiping off finger print smudges. You can easily see stitch previews or programme any of the three sewing alphabets to add personal touches.
4. LED Lighting
I can't actually express how great the lighting is on this machine! I can sew all through the winter months, sometimes quite a way past 5pm and still see exactly what I am doing. This is because the QE710 is designed to give even light across the entire work area, you can see both your fabric and stitches in their true colours with fewer shadows cast, especially if you're using a neutral thread ( which I often am) or doing FPP where you need to clearly see the line you're stitching on.
5. Extra Large Sewing Space
This machine has almost a full 10 inches of space to the right of the needle, absolutely perfect for rolling up layers of fabric and wadding if you want to finish off your quilts or manoeuvring more bulky projects such as large bags/totes.
6. Automatic Presser Foot Lift
With the touch of a button you can raise or put down the presser foot instantly, when your needle is set to stop down and/or at the end of a seam, this makes pivoting and lining up your next line of stitching a breeze. You can even press the button once while the foot is up for an extra lift, which is great when you're sewing bags that have soft and stable in them and you're trying to attached a zipper, trust me!
If you need your hands free to arrange/rearrange fabric or to take out pins, you can achieve the same level of accuracy by lightly pressing down on the foot pedal to adjust the height of presser foot which is a real time saver.
7. Machine Feet
There are so many different feet that are compatible with this machine, I think I'll need to do various posts on them all, it really makes a huge difference to the quality and precision of my sewing being able to use specific feet for specific projects or sections of projects.
My 1/4 inch foot is permanently on my machine, I literally can't live without it, it makes piecing quilt blocks, rows and tops a joy because you know all your seams are accurate and going to match up as well as giving you a perfectly straight edge - which is really great for longarm quilting!
The other foot I use quite a lot is the Open Toe Foot, designed for use when stitching decorative stitches or doing applique but also really good when doing free motion quilting (FMQ) because you can clearly see where you're going and where you want to get to next. If you're quite new to foundation paper piecing (FPP) this foot is also really good to use as it allows you complete visibility of the printed lines you need to stitch on.
I bought and paid for this machine myself, several months before I became a Pfaff Brand Ambassador, so I've not been paid or made to write this review, I just genuinely love my machine and the possibilities I have because of it so I thought I'd share the love with you and give you an honest opinion on it's features.
If you have any questions or something specific you'd like to know pop it in the comments or get in contact via any of my social media platforms and I'll do my best to help.
Happy Quilting