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Customer Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Futura Hardware - How can I make a template to position my design? When I print the design, there is no hoop or other reference point.
Pull up the design and center in the hoop on screen. Left click on the lettering tool. In the text box type a period. Insert a color change by left clicking on the color box on the horizontal tool bar; choose another color from the palette. Now move the text box off the design toward the top of the hoop. Left click on “Stitch It.”
Now return to the main screen (deselect lettering by left clicking on it). Select the period to move and position the period just inside the sewing field aligning it with the “0” on the top ruler. 
Insert a color stop by left clicking on the color box on the top tool bar and selecting another color. Now go back into the lettering portion of the program and repeat the above steps, but this time place the period at the side of the hoop on the “0” on the ruler. When you have placed periods on all four sides, print the design. The periods will show on the printout. You can now use this to make a template for placement. Select the Show Grid option from the View menu on the horizontal tool bar for ease in placement of periods. (The Grid will not print.)
- How do I get to AutoPunch.
Open Futura™ software. Go to create and click on AutoPunch on the drop down menu.
- How do I mirror image a design ?
- Select your design, but do not apply the stitches.
- Activate the number lock on your keyboard.
- For laptop computers, touch the J key while holding down the function key; it should have a number 1 on it. This will flip the design.
- For desktop computers, touch the number 1 on the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard. This will flip the design.
- Right click and then click on apply stitches.
- De-activate the number lock on your computer.
- Go to your toolbar and select “Design”.
- Click on “Change Size”.
- Click on rotate sign on the left. (Counterclockwise rotation).
- Enter 180 in the white box and then click on OK
- How do I wind a bobbin when my embroidery unit is attached ?
- In order to wind a bobbin you must transmit a design to the machine, as well as send a block to your sewing machine.
- If no design has been transmitted and no block of color sent, the bobbin winder will not work.
- Replace the embroidery thread on your spool pin with bobbinfil thread, wind the thread around the thread guide located over the transparent threading path on the top of your machine and then slip the end of the thread through the opening in the bobbin from the inside to the outside.
- Place the bobbin on the bobbin winder shaft and push the shaft towards the right.
- Hold the thread end securely above the bobbin, and then press the green operation switch on the front panel of your machine to begin winding. (The foot control is inoperable with the embroidery unit attached).
- Allow the bobbin to turn several (10 to 12) times and then stop the machine by touching the red operation switch on the front panel of your machine. Cut the thread at the top of the bobbin as close to the bobbin as possible. Continue to wind the bobbin.
- The bobbin will stop turning when it is full. Push shaft to the left, clip the thread and remove the bobbin from the shaft.
- Remove the hoop from the machine, (DO NOT REMOVE YOUR FABRIC FROM THE HOOP), replace the empty bobbin and then re-insert the hoop.
- If your design moved forward a stitch or two when you picked up the bobbin thread, you can use the backstitch operation switch on the front of your machine to move back to your original position.
- I can’t get my hoop to tighten up. The screw won’t hold any more.
On page seventy of the Futura™ manual it does show to tighten the screw with a screwdriver, but this not advisable. Usually just tightening the screw by hand is tight enough to hold the fabric in the frame. Repeated over tightening of the screw will eventually cause damage by either stripping the screw or cracking the hoop.
- I don’t understand all the steps when I’m using my AutoPunch feature. Is there more information available that will explain the choices?
Yes. There is a very informative 10-page manual located on the AutoPunch CD. To access the manual return the CD to the drive and go into Window Explore and find the AutoPunch CD. You will find a file named “Manual,” just double left click on the icon and it will open the .PDF file.
- Is there a more extensive manual for the Futura™?
Yes. With the basic Futura™ CD in the D drive, open up Windows Explore, by right clicking on the START button on the bottom tool bar. Left click on the drive and the contents of the CD will appear on the right side of the screen. Among the folders listed will be the Manual. Double left click on the icon. The manual is 92 pages and explains in detail all of the programs functions.
- Is there a way to view all the designs that I have on my hard drive? I would like to have a preview of all design no matter what the format.

Use the DESIGN BROWSER located under FILE on the horizontal tool bar. Not only can you view the design, but also when you select it you can see the color blocks, size and stitch count.
- My needle thread broke. How do I back up to cover the broken stitch area.
On the front of the machine, just above the Start button (red/green light) is the Return Arrow button. In embroidery mode, this will back up stitches while depressed. The Needle Down button (sewing mode) will forward a stitch at a time when depressed.
- Sometimes when I resize a design it is not dense enough. What am I doing wrong ?
The Futura™ software will recalculate the stitch of an imported design when sizing, but only when using the DESIGN>CHANGE SIZE option. It does have a limitation of re-sizing up to 149% and down sizing to 51% and while still being able to re-calculate the stitches correctly.
If these parameters are exceeded the stitch processor is not accurate.
It is possible to use the stitch processor option, found in the Change Size Pop-Up screen to correct the density of an imported design. If the design isn’t dense enough, deselect the stitch processor and size the design down 2-3%. The opposite would be true of a design that was too dense. Simply size it up 2-3% with the processor turned off.
- The hoop is so hard to get under the foot. Is there an easier way to do this ?
Raise the presser foot and the needle. Place the hoop behind the foot and bring it forward. This will tilt the foot up and allow the hoop to slide more easily into position. Hold the hoop securely in position and tighten hoop-mounting screws with a screwdriver.
- The lights are flashing on my machine and it will not sew.
Most probably this is a threading issue. Turn off machine and be sure top transparent threading path is threaded correctly. Turn machine back on.
- What bobbins can I use in the futura ?
- You must use bobbin part number 085128. This bobbin is specifically designed for the Futura CE-100 and CE-200.
- Do not use standard class 15 bobbins.
- Do not use metal bobbins.
- Pre-wound bobbins are not recommended, as they cause tension problems and will result in poor quality embroidery.
- What do the “thread break”, “flashing lights”, “beeping sound” or “88” error messages mean ?
All of the above signify that the upper tension path is not threaded correctly. Check that the transparent thread path located at the top of the machine is threaded correctly.
Hold thread in both hands and slip under transparent thread guide. While holding the thread securely, pull the thread towards you and then slip it back and forth like you were flossing. You should hear or feel two clicks as the thread slips past the thread guides.

- What does
Optimize For Speed takes the longer stitches and shortens them. The Futura™ will sew these stitches faster. This may take a satin fill and turn it into shorter stitches, thereby altering the look of the final embroidery. When this option is selected, software will turn a jump stitch into a running stitch. This could actually run across a previously sewn block.
- What formats will my futura software recognize ?
When downloading designs from websites, off a floppy disk or CD, the Futura will recognise AND AUTOMATICALLY CONVERT the following formats.
- FHE
- CHE
- XXX
- PSW
- PEC
- PES
- HUS
- SEW
- EXP
- DST
- PCS

- What is the correct start-up procedure when using the embroidery feature of your futura machine?
The following steps must be followed for proper start-up protocol. If these steps are not followed precisely, you will get a “Transmission Pending” error message.
Boot up your computer, but do not open the Futura software. Next attach the embroidery unit to your sewing machine and connect the USB cable between your computer and sewing machine
- Turn on your sewing machine by setting the Power/Light switch to ( l ). Make sure the needle has been moved to the highest position by turning the Handwheel towards you.
- Attach the hoop that you plan to work with to your embroidery unit.
- Double click on the Futura Icon on your desktop, to open up the Futura Software.
- You are now ready to select and transmit a design to your machine
IMPORTANT: If you have embroidered using the small hoop, and you are now ready to use your large hoop. Turn off your machine, close the Futura software and then turn OFF your computer. Wait one minute, turn on your computer and then follow steps 1 through 4.
- What needles should I use with my futura ?
- You can use a variety of needles, but we recommend needle type CHROMIUM 2000 or 2001.
- These Chromium needles are designed to stand up to hours of embroidery. They also result in better quality embroidery.
- Style 2000 is for woven fabrics like cotton, linen and silk. Style 2001 is for knits, stretch and other man-made fabrics.
- Chromium needles are available in sizes 11 and 14.
- You may also use type 2020 for woven fabric or type 2045 for knits. Use size 11 or 14 for embroidery.
- When I click on embroidery anthology, nothing happens.
The “Embroidery Anthology” selection on the drop down menu under “File”, on your Futura toolbar, is CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE.
This selection has been included with the intention of making additional embroidery designs available in the future.
As soon as information is available on this feature, a notice will appear on this website. - When working with embroidery unit, computer screen says thread is broken and machine stops sewing. I check the thread but it is not broken.
Thread path under transparent cover at top of machine is not threaded correctly or you need to cover your spool of thread with small net that was supplied with accessories.
- Why do some of the designs that I digitized with autopunch turn out better than others ?
Notice when you choose the image that there are many different formats. Autopunch gives the best result when using vector type images, such as .wmf. The software must be able to recognize a color (block) of information. A “. bmp” can be made of millions of colors making it impractical for use. 
Clipart falls into two basic categories, Vector Art and Bitmapped Art. 
The software is capable of vectorizing the “.bmp” image, but it may loose detail, depending on the image. It is essential to understand about the type of artwork or image used with AutoPunch.
Vector Art is a clean “graphic” blocks of color – by simple definition. Some common formats - .wmf and .emf are two formats that the Auto Punch software can read
Bitmapped Art is the type of “format” that is typically saved when scanning. The computer sees millions of colors to create the “realistic” type of image. Even a 3-color design that we see as simple has billions of pixels. Common formats recognized by the software: .bmp, .jpg, .tif, .pcx, .pcd, .tga, and .psd.
Tips for Auto Punch:
Scan art with a “high resolution” (200-300 DPI).
Scan at 3-6 times larger than the intended output.
Lines that are too narrow to properly sew out are eliminated by the software when it cleans up the artwork.