Floating, Ribbon and Stacking Stitches on the PFAFF creative elevate 680

Yesterday, I introduced some surprising features of the PFAFF creative elevate 680. I shared some stitch-outs of decorative stitches included in the 400 preloaded stitches, including Decorative Stitches and the Taper Decorative Stitches. In this case, stitching one stitch (yarn couching with the PFAFF Couching/Braiding Foot for IDT), then going back and doing something else (the New Fringe Stitch) on top of it. I also introduced you to one of the first Specialty Stitch Techniques: Radiant Stitches. I talked about the new PFAFF Decorative Fringe Foot, the New Decorative Fringe Stitch, and how to make it successful!

The first Specialty Stitch Technique for today is Stacking Stitches. These stitches come in pairs and are designed to complement each other. You’ll sew the first one and then sew the second on top of the first in a contrasting thread. These stitches have been on PFAFF machines for over about 20 years.

If you’re wondering about the gap between the tray and the machine, stay tuned, I’ll talk about it later.

Traditionally, these Specialty Stitch Techniques (Stacking Stitches) were only on Top-of-the-Line machines that could do Side Motion. However, the designers got smart and found certain ones that work forward and backward within the 9mm stitch width! The PFAFF creative elevate 680 can stitch these with ease.

I used two shades of green embroidery thread on the blue fabric. These stitches come in pairs, and you stitch one down, then the other in a different thread color. If you go into the learning center, you can see how to stitch them out, and YES, needle down, pivot and use the start/stop button, controlling the speed, and of course, stabilizer underneath. And when you forget, LOOK at the top of the screen: it shows you the recommended Foot, whether to engage IDT, and whether you need a stabilizer. And use “Quick Help”: touch the question mark in the top bar, then touch the second stitch of the pair. In the stitch menu, a pop-up will tell you where to start the second stitch, usually in the first stitch hole of the first stitch. These stitches are found in “Menu 8 Techniques”. Use the Help provided it makes us look smart! I always say, “The machine is smarter than me, and I’m Ok with that!” or at least it remembers more.

Note: Between Quick Help and the Learning Center, and the Machine Information Bar at the top of the sewing screen. The Machine Information Bar tells you what foot to use, what stitch you’re using, and whether you need stabilizer and more! This will expand from icons to words by touching the downward arrow on the right-hand side.

This is how I keep it straight as to how each decorative stitch technique stitches out and what I should be doing. I use them all the time!

The next Specialty Stitch Technique is a quilter’s favorite. They are a group of stitches that can be used two ways, so we often think of them as two Different Specialty Stitch Techniques. I’m of course talking about Floating Stitches, both Joined and Folded. The difference being how you stitch them out and what foot you use.

Let’s talk about Floating – Joined first. Joined refers to two pieces of fabric sewn together. But instead of a straight stitch, a floating stitch is used. The result is a decorative finished seam. We use the 1 A foot and run the right edge of the foot along the fabric edge to create a seam. When finished, pull the seam open with a good tug. This reveals the decorative portion of the seam, but the connecting stitches are hidden, hence the name, floating.

These stitches are very appealing to quilters, especially because they can quilt-as-you-go (or stitch, flip, and turn), stitch a seam and then decorate it in one step!
I have also done a reverse stitch, flip, and turn, sewing both sides of the batting with one stitch, then flipping open the finished decorative seam on both sides. This creates a reversible piece that works well as a runner or center block in a Log Cabin design. You can even be creative with different colorations. I did blues, purples on one side and orange, reds on the other.

A Floating-Folded stitch means you fold your piece of fabric along where you want the stitch to be. Do not iron the crease; the line will not come out!
Using the Optional Foot Bi-Level Guide Foot. Run the center metal guide along the edge of the fabric. The straight connecting stitch goes into the stabilizer, and the decorative stitch goes into the fabric fold and the stabilizer. When finished, pull the fold open with a good tug. This reveals the decorative portion of the stitch, but the connecting stitches are hidden, hence the name, floating.

TIP I use a decorative embroidery thread top and bottom, and sometimes lower the top thread tension a wee bit. I just tried this with this project, and it helps when you ‘do your magic of opening the seam’, or especially fold to reveal your finished stitch. And of course, use a stabilizer underneath!!

Note: The PFAFF Bi-Level Guide Foot is an optional foot. You’ll need to talk with your dealer, they have the Part Number.

Another Specialty Stitch Technique available on the PFAFF creative elevate 680 is Ribbon Stitches. There are Single Ribbon, Double Ribbon, and even Triple Ribbon. The PFAFF creative elevate 680 has a couple of single ribbons and triple ribbons.

These stitches can be done within the 9mm zigzag stitch width and do not require side-motion feeding.

TIP Use Quick Help to determine the best ribbon size for the chosen stitch. Touch Quick Help, then touch your chosen stitch; a pop-up will tell you. Do not mix metric and standard sizes in a Triple Ribbon Stitch; they are not the same size.

I always refresh my memory on how to stitch a Triple Ribbon Stitch by watching the tutorial in the Learning Center, which also tells me which foot to use and, of course, the stabilizer. Are you sensing a theme? Yes, all decorative stitches stitch out better with stabilizer, using the Start/Stop button. Which also usually means slowing down, you speed demons (me included), and often engaging the needle down/pivot.

Keeping it simple, I used a white ¼” satin ribbon and two different stitches. I marked a chalk line down the center of the light green fabric, installed the recommended 2A Foot. And engaged the needle down. When you start sewing, the machine stitches a bit, then stops (with needle down), allowing you to do something. To start, place the ribbon under the foot, up against the needle, at an angle (as seen in the tutorials), then touch Start again; it sews a bit more and stops. This allows you to fold the ribbon to go under the foot at an angle, in the opposite direction. And this continues folding the ribbon to the left and right, with a bit of stitching, some decorative stitches, and anchoring the ribbon’s position so it folds.

TIP To give you more room, you can touch-press the foot lift once to raise the foot a bit. If you accidentally touch it twice, it also pulls the needle up, which Does Not Help!

Yesterday, I played on the PFAFF creative elevate 680 Tapering Decorative Stitches, using the PFAFF Couching /Braiding Foot for IDT, to couch yarn, then the new PFAFF Decorative Fringe Foot to stitch the preloaded New Decorative Fringe Stitch. Then I stitched Specialty Technique Radiant Stitches.

Today, I stitched Specialty Technique Floating Stitches, both Floating-Joined (…my favorites) and Floating- Folded, and lastly the Specialty Technique Single Ribbon Stitches.

Note: The PFAFF Creative Elevate 680 also has 3 Specialty Technique Lace Stitches, which are not used in this project, but should be mentioned.

Join me tomorrow, I’ll play with the Circular Attachment on the PFAFF Creative Elevate 680.

This is part 2 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 1: What Surprised Me Most About the PFAFF creative elevate 680