Pfaff Variamatic 1117 Sewing machine help - I need a manual

do not see that model description. However, they have an e-mail link, you might ask them what model is similar enough to give you good information.

Beverly

Your Pfaff model was made when "Pfaff" was Pfaff. Sadly Pfaff was sold to the Elna company ages ago and back stock of the older models (parts, spares, manuals, etc) was simply trashed or destroyed. Only stock that remains is in the hands of dealers or collectors.

My favourite Pfaff resource (have a Pfaff 1209) is Brubaker's Sewing Center in Philadelphia. Do not have their website address handy, but you can telephone at: 717-354-8332.

Another resource may be the Yahoo group "Old Pfaff Phorum".

Best of luck,

Candide

Where did you get that rubbish?

It continues to amaze me the lies that are told about Pfaff. What DID they ever do to deserve this rubbish.

Yea, weird isn't it. Bet she also believes the one about pointing the machine North so it will sew properly.......Viking dealer told me that one in Victoria BC about 2 years ago. Could write a book on the garbage that has been said about Pfaff. The one that persists is that Singer OWNED Pfaff in the late 90's. Nothing could be farther from the truth. However, now they ARE managed by Singer guys. Good people too. Very helpful and willing to do some work to get us parts, at least here in Canada they are trying to help.

VSM (Viking Sewing Machines) did trash a bunch of parts, machines and things in Toronto and when they closed the plants in German in 2000. But ELNA???????? that's a new one. WE got lots of 'stuff' from dumpster's and nothing went to collectors or dealers. Dealers really suffered during this time. I see lots of the dumpster divers on eBay. Singer seems to be doing a good job now and we have had no interruption in service so far, but the old VSM is a really grumpy bunch now. Singer managers and tech's in a VSM office.....VSM guys don't like it much, but they are old friends of the one remaining Pfaff employee from the old days. .

Old Pfaff Pforum is a good place to ask for a manual.

First I am the one who eluded to it as "rubbish" and you in attempting to prove your point proved ours. I guess you did not read your first post stating that Elna had owned them at some point. Pure and utter rubbish.

No where in this old statement is there mention of Elna. Also it does state that Semi Tech was the purchaser of Pfaff, not Singer. AND you did not go quite far enough. Here is what occurred in 2005/2006 also from the web site:

AFFILIATES OF KOHLBERG & COMPANY, L.L.C. ACQUIRE VSM GROUP

TRANSACTION UNITES SEWING INDUSTRIES LEADING COMPANIES: SINGER WORLDWIDE AND VSM GROUP

Mt. Kisco, NY, February 13, 2006 ? Affiliates of Kohlberg & Company, LLC (?Kohlberg?), a leading U.S. private equity firm specializing in middle-market investing, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of VSM Group Holding AB (?VSM?) for an undisclosed figure. VSM is a leading supplier of high-end consumer sewing machines and accessories under the Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff brands. Affiliates of Kohlberg already control the well-known Singer brand of household sewing machines. The combined company has taken the name SVP Holdings reflecting its ownership of the Singer, Viking and Pfaff brands.

Don Fletcher, who joined Singer following Kohlberg?s investment in September 2004, will become CEO and President of SVP Holdings. The executive management team of SVP Holdings will include representatives from both VSM and Singer. Former CEO of VSM, Jorgen Johansson, is now a senior adviser and member of the Board of Directors of SVP Holdings.

Don Fletcher, commented: ?This transaction unites two of the sewing industry?s leading companies. We have established an outstanding, integrated management team that includes senior representatives from both VSM and Singer. Our goal, as a team, will be to provide our distributors, customers, and consumers with industry leading product, education, and standards of service. Together, our two businesses will be better positioned to respond to the needs of consumers worldwide.?

Again these are holdling companines. The new corporation is called SVP-----Singer Viking Pfaff and yes we do answer directly to Singer management. Jorgensen of VSM has little or nothing to really do in this new company. VSM was in terrible financial health prior to the selling of the entire operation to Singers holding company.

Since one does not work for Pfaff nor are privy to the details of the

Watch it or you will be threatened too. She did not get into the latest news either.

So far I am pleased with what Singer has done for us at Pfaff. They seem to be more approachable than VSM ever was. Not as stiff either. I don't get the automatic, it isn't made anymore, but do get "we'll see if we can find it. I wonder if Singer Canada did some dumpster diving in Toronto and salvaged the Pfaff stuff before the buckets were picked up. They were in the warehouse office in Toronto long after Pfaff was gone to VSM, so that is possible. Just received some feet that were not in those stupid plastic boxes that no one wants. That is an old Pfaff thing. I just hope that they keep us for a while. Having to get used to new owners every couple of years is a pain........

SO did we find a manual for this lady. The only ones I have are the French ones that always came with out machines......I have given several of those away though, and only have a few left now.

This has been an interesting thread to read, huffy posts notwithstanding. ;) I had no idea of how extensive this recent reorganization was, so this is good information.

I've always been a Singer fan--sometimes the only one in the room--and I'm so glad to know that they're coming right along. Having the three companies under one umbrella is probably not the ideal situation, but it if means they all still continue to exist, then I'm all for it.

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

Hannas Mum wrote:

Good for you. What no one seems to remember is that Pfaff went to another company, Viking Husqvarna and all of VSM did the same but Singer kept on trucking. Making deals with other manufacturers and countries, and finding a company to support and help them. Viking went bust a few years ago and were bought out by a Eletrolux first then a holding company. Singer just keeps going, no matter what the trash talk about them is. I still believe they have a good, sturdy decent line of machines and one of the best embroidery machines on the market---now if they could only convince the old time dealers that embroidery is here to stay and get them to learn these machines they would be better off. I DO NOT sell Singers... Just Pfaff but when I customer has a set of needs and a Pfaff does not meet them I refer that customer to a friend who owns a Singer shop. He does the same for me. . No matter what is thrown at Singer they seem to survive and still sell machines all without the snobbery and hype.

So Sorry if I sounded Huffy, it was not the intent

Did you know that according to a Bernina Dealer in Ohio, the walking foot was put on the upper lines of Pfaff machines, because it is incapable of doing a decent straight stitch.

I have a Pfaff 1471 made around 1985 and I love it. It makes a beautiful stitch. I just haven't had time lately to really use it to it's best capabilities. Hopefully in a couple of months I can get back to sewing and using the built in embroidery stitches . Barbara in SC "

Karen, I sometimes feel like I'm the last person alive who loves Singer. I admit, my original machine was bought new in 1960, but it still serves me very well, and is my primary SM. My mother sewed professionally on one of the mid-30s black Singers (I wish I knew what model, it did a back stitch which my Dad thought was completely unnecessary until she pointed out that his car had a reverse gear). Mom upgraded to one of the earliest Singer zig-zag machines in the late 50s. I gave it to my aunt after Mom died, and it still runs like a top.

I've added sergers, and a coverstitch machine, and a couple of years ago I bought a Singer XL5000, mostly on the comments in this group by (I think) Joanne in NV. I love that machine! I will probably never use it as a regular SM, although DGD likes playing with the stitches. I keep it set up for embroidery, and boy howdy, does it to a bang-up job with that! I'm very glad to start reading favorable reviews of Singer products.

I think everyone should keep in mind that every manufacturer makes several models, and the sales for "SEWS THROUGH LEATHER SCHOOL MACHINES" are the equivalent of Yugos... Bottom of the line, don't expect a Mercedes.

Beverly

And here I thought that their embroidery machines were either made by Janome or Juki.....

By Juki, I think, under licensing from Singer since the similar Juki machine does not include all the features of the Singer.

They are made by Juki...I have said that before and a darn fine embroidery machines it is too.....Juki was instrumental in keeping Singer afloat by producing such great machines for them. Janome is the largest manufacturer of domestic (home) embroidery machines in the world. They do machines for every brand you can name. Good machines too and consistent sellers. Janome is subsidized by the Japanese government which takes a bit of the pressure off them and allows the company to really do some R & D.

I love the old black Singers and own several. :) Last year I bought my mum a new one: in the price range and for the weight, it is an excellent machine. When I bought my Lily I did look at Singers, but at the time (1998) they were still in the doldrums and nothing was up to my usage... :( )

Recently they have bought in some excellent machines, but it isn't the same as the old days: they are all badged these days. Singer hasn't actually built machines themselves for many years. I think they finally stopped manufacturing machines themselves when the Kilbowie factory closed in 1980.

The other thing to keep in mind is that very few machines are actually made by the people with the name on the machine! Singer and Brother, like Frister & Rossman and others all buy the machines in from several different makers. Elna, Bernina, and Husqvarna still make their own (though they buy in many components), but even Toyota are no longer making anything but sergers for themselves. I understand that Toyota makes the Huskylocks for Husqvarna. No wonder I get on so well with both brands! Juki make all their own machines, both conventional and sergers, but we don't see many of them here yet, at least not under their own name.

Remember also that VSM (Viking Sewing Machines) and Husqvarna Viking are and always were two totally separate companies.

Yes, and that just means that it's not a Singer-built machine, which is why so many of us have said that a Singer brand on a machine (or a Kenmore these days, for that matter) does not in itself guarantee that it's a well-built machine.

Thank you for confirming that.