Pooh, I don't know anything about the Singer machine, I have the SE 270D and I love it, so far have not had any problems with it (knock on wood). The only design I have used on it was the Donald Duck and it stitched out very nice, have used the lettering alot too, also very good. Maybe you just got a lemon the first time. Hope you enjoy your Singer, $200.00 cheaper gives you more $$ for your threads and stabilizers. Enjoy!!

Read your manual and install the software so you can use the embroidery unit which is computer dependant. Also read your manual...it explains everything.

I have a CE200 and can tell you it's a real pain to do any kind of maintenance on this machine including changing a needle because of the limited amount of space to do things. I use a pair of needlenose pliers to do that. It's my only complaint about the machine.

Are you fairly new to sewing or Brother brands of machines. It always seems learning the bobbin is the leading hassle with any machine...

Now that I have had my machine for going on a week tomorrow. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!! I have figured out alot in a week. I found a yahoo group that is just for this machine and the 200. They have been alot of help. I guess I really saved about $400 b/c I don't have to buy that box thing. I do want to get a software program call "SewWhat" to go with it but it is only $45. I am pretty happy with my decistion. I have a regular sewing machine and a serger. Now I just need a bigger desk to put them all on. I have an office chair I use to roll from one to the other. I probly look silly but it sure is fun! Thanks for the help.

Pooh, please read your manuals and view the cd...they both have information you will use later including installing the software and downloading the updates for the software depending upon which version of windows you have.

I belonged to that CE100-200 group and they literally drove me crazy with their antics which none would have happened if they had bothered to read their manuals. Examples: one gal stripped the screw on her embroidery hoop because she thought you had to tighten the screw all the way and another source for 150 e-mails on where to find new screws that you strip out...hoops work just like the manual hoops, you tighten to secure, not crank it all the way to the end that causes the screw to strip out. The bobbin cases were good for 1000 e-mails because they couldn't figure out that you test the bobbin tension first before embroidering and not let the machine run until the needle rams and sticks in the bobbin and ruining the bobbin assembly...they didn't have lemons or bad bobbin cases, they didn't bother to pay attention and do tests sews beforehand. Best way to do a test sew is to go to the sewing side and get a perfect zigzag stitch with the thread, fabric and stabilizer you are using, get that and you won't have a problem.

Since you are an experienced sewer, you will have to concentrate on the embroidery end. The CE100 embroidery program that comes with the machine will read any format and sew the design out. There is the help section there in the program, so I would thoroughly read that as it covers things not in your owners manual. The manual has a chart of the stitches for regular sewing and a chart of stabilizers to use with which fabric.

The best thing about the CE is that you can multi-task on the computer while sewing out a design. It does slow the machine down, and I found slowing the machine down a bit gives you a better sewout and control if things start to go haywire.