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I started out with the Singer SES2000 and Futura software 18 months ago. I learned to use the software, edit and even digitize designs from graphics. There was a lot to learn between thread, nets, needles, stabilizers, etc. After a year my projects started looking more and more professional. Last month my husband treated me to to the Quartet from Joann's so that I would have a bigger hoop and multi-hooping features.

Here are some things that I have discovered through trial and error - they may seem obvious to more experienced Singer/Futura users.

1. Having to connect the computer to the sewing machine in order to use the software harks back to the early 1990's practices used to prevent people from sharing software. There are MUCH more user-friendly ways to protect software these days.

2. If you have two Singer embroidery machines, they each need their own computer in order for the software to work. You cannot install two versions of the software on the same computer - the software versions are specific to the machines. ---> If you are going to install a newer version of the Futura software on a computer that has an older version installed, you must not only uninstall the older software version, but also use a Windows registry cleaner application to get rid of all the stuff that is not uninstalled, or the new software will not work correctly. This is not explained anywhere in the manuals, nor did the customer support folks realize that this may be necessary.

3. The version of Futura that shipped with the SES2000 has editing and optimizing features. The version that ships with the Quartet does not include editing features. You can create new designs, but you cannot delete stitches, change density, edge or underlay stitches, etc, nor manually optimize a design. So, my choice is to keep the SES2000 (and use a second computer) in order to edit designs, or buy new editing software.

4. SES2000 version of Futura allows changing colors of design elements by selecting the object, right-clicking and then choosing Change Color. If you try to do this with the version that ships with the Quartet, the color changes are not saved. If you use the right-click method to change more than 3 colors or switch colors multiple times, the entire color scheme gets confused. If you change the colors in the Stitch Colors tool, however, the changes will be saved, but if you copy the color-changed design and paste it into a new design, the original colors return!

My Futura Quartet seems to have gremlins inside. Out of the blue, for no apparent reason, the whole dashboard lights up and it starts to beep. Turning off the machine, disconnecting the USB and power cables, removing the embroidery unit, waiting for a full minute and then reconnecting the embroidery unit and cables and then powering it up again MAY work the first time or the third time. My husband thinks this machine should have shipped with a dead chicken to wave over it when it lights up and beeps!

I gave up embroidering today when Error 01 appeared and seemingly cannot be remedied. There is no thread or other problem in the bobbin area. Everything is lint-free and lubricated. The threading has been redone, the bobbin and needle changed, nothing appears to be amiss, yet the error will not clear.
I don't want to return this machine - I love what it CAN do on the occasions when every thing hums along.
If it is one of the lemons in this Singer product line as some have speculated, I will return it, but I will never buy another Singer embroidery machine. Machine embroidery is supposed to be creative and fun, not frustrating work!

Sounds like you have a problem machine that needs to be returned? These machines are designed to be much cheaper than other embrodiery machines and you can't expect them to act like a $3000+ machine when they are not desgined that way.Since the computer is it's brain probably why only one version can be loaded at a time.Much of the editing could be accomplished by buying a program like Embird. http://www.secretsof.com/content/1798
Singer software is not known to be all that good so many buy other programs instead.

Dear Rare Bird

Thank you for taking your time to write and summarize your experience with the Futura Quartet. I have the SES2000 but I have been experiencing crazy intermittent problems with it. Sometimes it stitches out a design with 40,000 stitches no problem but at another time the same design may stitch one color block half an inch away from where it is suppose to be from the adjacent color block. I was going to upgrade to the Quartet last October and have been trying to research the details of software compatibility without much success. I have written to Singer but the answer was vague. Thank you for your detailed experience with the Quartet and its software. . I find it very helpful. From reading many many reviews on the Quartet, I think I better wait to purchase the Quartet until Singer decides to improve on software and hardware of the machine.

CW