PFAFF creative icon 2 | Presser Feet

After going through the essential setup steps of the PFAFF creative icon 2 Machine yesterday, I’m now exploring the accessories that come with The PFAFF creative icon 2 Sewing and Embroidery Machine. It’s all about the presser feet, the innovative IDT System, and the simplicity of changing the presser feet. Each presser foot plays a crucial role in enhancing the crafting experience with this exceptional machine.

As mentioned briefly in my initial post, the accessory kit accompanying the PFAFF creative icon 2 is noteworthy. This kit has exceeded expectations by including not only standard tools, but also 12 presser feet, 10 bobbins, a straight stitch plate, and a pack of machine needles. The comprehensive nature of this kit enhances each crafting session and provides you with a well-equipped experience.

Change the presser foot without a screw – it’s a pure joy! To detach the presser foot, gently pull from the back of the presser foot. When attaching the presser foot, align the pins on the foot with the gap below the presser foot holder. Press upwards firmly until the foot securely snaps into place.

Explore the functionality of the Presser Foot Recognition System! Upon switching to a different foot, the screen promptly displays its name and number, facilitating instant identification. Additionally, the machine intelligently alerts you if the chosen foot is compatible with your selected stitch.

Access the help center for comprehensive information. In the “Accessory” category, you will find a window with a QR code. Scanning this code will take you directly to the PFAFF website, providing insights and guidance on each presser foot’s functionality and usage. The PFAFF creative icon 2 Sewing and Embroidery Machine simplifies the creative process by making information readily available at your fingertips.

Let’s discuss the Integrated Dual Feed (IDT) system, an innovation developed by PFAFF over 45 years ago. This system involves a finger walking foot at the rear of the machine, allowing easy activation or disengagement without complete detachment. Unlike traditional machines, which use feed dogs to feed fabric from below, the IDT system includes an additional feeder, the finger feeder, operating from above. This ensures even feeding of both the top and bottom fabric layers during simultaneous stitching, resulting in consistently even stitches.

Note: When using the IDT system, use presser feet with a center back cut-out (A) for seamless operation. Activating the IDT system is straightforward. Raise the presser foot to the extra-high position and pull the IDT system down until it engages. The creative icon 2 features an IDT sensor that alerts you when it’s necessary to engage or disengage the IDT system, ensuring smooth and error-free sewing experiences.

Let’s explore the Sensormatic Buttonhole Foot 5M, a presser foot designed for crafting precise buttonholes. This foot ensures consistency by sewing both sides of the buttonhole in the same direction, resulting in a uniformly polished outcome. Once connected to the machine, the buttonhole is sewn to match the length entered into the machine’s settings.

When using the Sensormatic Buttonhole Foot, I typically adjust the slit length to be slightly larger than the actual button size. This adjustment ensures that the button fits comfortably within the completed buttonhole.

The 6A Embroidery/Sensormatic Free-Motion Foot has various uses, such as stippling, free-motion embroidery, and darning. This clear foot improves visibility during stippling and free-motion embroidery allowing the user to see the stitches beneath the foot.

Here’s how it works: During low-speed free-motion sewing, the presser foot elevates and lowers with each stitch to secure the fabric on the stitch plate while the stitch forms. At higher speeds, the presser foot glides over the fabric while sewing, enabling smoother movement and precision.

The Bi-Level Guide Foot for the IDT System is designed for executing exclusive stitch techniques like edge stitches and floating stitches. It has a unique design with an elevated underside on the right side and a centred guide. This configuration allows the presser foot to smoothly traverse along a folded edge, ensuring precise and flawless stitching for these specialized stitch techniques.

Bid farewell to hand-sewing with the 3 Blind Hem Foot for the IDT System, providing a seamless solution for crafting invisible hems. This tool is perfect for sewing concealed hems without the need for additional finishing touches. The foot has a guiding toe that effortlessly navigates the fabric, and the red guide on the foot is designed to glide along the fold of the hem edge, ensuring precise and immaculate results.

When dealing with very small fabric pieces or reinforced edges, the large 5A Sensormatic Buttonhole Foot may not provide optimal feeding. In such cases, choose the 5M Manual Buttonhole Foot. Use the foot’s markings to position the garment edge accurately, and the finger at the back secures cording for corded buttonholes.

On the other hand, the 5M Sensormatic Buttonhole Foot ensures flawless buttonholes by sewing both sides in the same direction for a uniformly balanced finish. The buttonhole process is conveniently automated for seamless completion.

A helpful tip: To stabilize fabrics prone to shifting or stretching, reinforce them with water-soluble or lightweight stabilizer. For increased stability and durability, insert a gimp thread while sewing. For particularly striking linen buttonholes, opt for a heavier-weight thread using a topstitch needle.

The 2A Fancy Stitch Foot is designed to easily accommodate decorative stitches during sewing sessions. Its guide marks provide precise positioning for these stitches, allowing you to embellish projects with ease. The foot has visible markings to assist in accurately positioning decorative stitches or borders on fabric. Additionally, its specialized groove on the underside ensures optimal feed, even for densely stitched patterns, making sewing dense stitches straightforward.

The ¼” Quilting Foot for the IDT System is an excellent choice for piecing and patchwork, particularly when paired with the straight stitch needle plate. It maintains a precise distance of 1/4 inch (6mm) from the needle to the outer edge of the foot and 1/8 inch (3mm) from the needle to the inner edge. This accurate spacing ensures consistent piecing in projects where that ¼” seam allowance is crucial.

The Maxi Stitch foot boasts a distinctive groove on its underside, enabling the machine to effortlessly create extravagant stitches with flawless precision. These stitches use side motion feeding to achieve even wider stitches, some of them upwards of 52mm.

When attaching a zipper, precision is key, especially when stitching close to the zipper teeth. The versatile 4 Zipper Foot for the IDT System is your ideal companion, offering the flexibility to snap onto the shank from either the left or right side. Adjust the needle position to the right or left to sew even closer to the zipper teeth, ensuring impeccable and accurate zipper installation.

A notable component in the creative icon 2 kit is the 6D Dynamic Spring Foot, which serves various purposes such as embroidery, free-motion sewing, and quilting. Its design provides an unobstructed view, ideal for stippling or following intricate fabric designs. The spring action of the foot prevents the fabric from lifting alongside the needle during stitching, offering enhanced control over sewing endeavors.

To attach the Dynamic Spring Foot, follow these simple steps:

1. Carefully loosen the small screw at the rear of the presser foot holder.
2. Squeeze the 6A Dynamic Spring Foot and guide its pin into the cross-hole of the presser foot holder, ensuring the foot’s arm is positioned behind the needle screw.
3. Tighten the screw securely.

When the Presser Foot Recognition system identifies the Dynamic Spring Foot, press the Free Motion icon at the bottom of the screen to begin quilting. Position your project under the presser foot. In Free Motion mode, manually guide your fabric, controlling the stitch length with your movement. Maintain a smooth and consistent motion to achieve evenly spaced stitches while quilting.

If you think we’ve covered all the features and feet of this versatile machine, there’s more to discover! Stay tuned for the next post tomorrow, where we explore the fascinating world of embroidery with The PFAFF creative icon 2 Sewing and Embroidery Machine.

This is part 3 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 2: Essential steps for getting started on the PFAFF creative icon 2

Go to part 4: PFAFF creative icon 2 | Embroidery Exploration