Bernette Chicago 7....... Not reading USB sticks !!!!!!!

Once you have the USB formatted for your machine and your computers embroidery software a caution: DO NOT just pull it out of your computer with a new design loaded to take it to the sewing machine. You must go to your computers file explorer click on the USB drive listed and tell the computer to EJECT the USB stick. I found out the hard way..losing the designs and damaging the stick beyond repair. I love using the sticks but have had to learn the hard way how to best use them.

Have you formatted the USB in your machine? My friend had the same problem until I told her she had to do that first. Worked fine after that.

Welcome Bev, from another Aussie! I know that you cannot put too many files onto some USB sticks, I found out the hard way. Fortunately for me I have a couple of just 1gig USB's and they work fine. I'm glad to see you have sorted out your problem. Come on here often as there is a wealth of information and it's the friendliest place on the internet for sewing information etc. Love Chris, Newcastle, Australia.

Just remember it is usually recommend to use only a 1 gig stick! Presumably so that you do not have too many designs on the USB. I understand these are almost obsolete!

I just bought a Bernina 580 in December and had constant problems with it. Last week, I took it back and traded it in for a Babylock Journey. I know people love Bernina machines, but sometimes I think Bernina has a very good advertisment campaign.

The Berninas are wonderful machines, however they are quite sophistcated and are very technical. The Handbooks really don't tell you everything you need to know to operate the machine. I think they try to merge a computer with a sewing machine, and heaven only knows how may problems I have with my computer without the sewing machine factor. I made many mistakes with the 580, but the machine had it's own issues like the thread sensors not operating properly or the motor clacking. When I did get it to work, it was just wonderful.

If you can find a forum where people can help you along the way would be good. My dealer was close by, so I could just take the machine there, set it up, stitch away, and have them help me with my problems. That way I could know if it was my problem or the machine's problem.

I thought I had a "problem" with my USB which was really my problem. My 580 used a different format than my other Bernina machines. I had not changed the format of the design to the format of the new machine.

2 comments

by elizabethak 12 Jun 2016

I have a Bernina 580. Reason I stick to Bernina is I have a Favorit 740 bougt in 1971 as a wedding present from my parents. I still use it daily for most of my sewing! I do find the 580 had a few problems. Initially it did allow me to change the size of the design but after I had it serviced some 18 months after I bought it, it works fine. I did find the thread cutter at the bobbin a bit flimsy. I sometimes feel that I preferred the Aurora 440 where designs ran direct from laptop to machine but that could also be a problem. Guess you get used to what you have.

by elizabethak 12 Jun 2016

Oops, error meant to say "it didn't allow me to change sizes"

Oh dear, I've just bought a Chicago 7 not sorted a USB yet and as I'm a complete sewing machine novice... (Well since school many moons ago) I've just been getting to grips with using it, I was flabbergasted by choice of machines available and now reading these problems wonder if I've made a blunder and will get confused by brand problems as well as knowledge problems.
Oh I'm new to this site too so Hello.

2 comments

by vickiannette 22 May 2016

hi to you Clover, you will gain much knowledge on this site as there are many experienced embroidery members. Vicki from South Australia.

by pacmp 23 May 2016

WELCOME Clover to the Cute Family! First I would say you have found a great place as there will be people who have that machine and be willing to help you figure things out. Just keep posting letting us know what has worked and very important what does not. Hopefully you will figure out quickly if you and the machine can work through this adjustment period and be sure to save the link that bev2951 posted that helped her, as it likely will help you too. Let us know. Once again welcome to the Cute family! Pam

I can sympathize with you! Sometimes I feel these machines can be more complicated than necessary. With the computer technology that they have today, it seems to me that they should be able to make machines that read any format and have more memory.

My brother can only read One File Deep. And not too many images in each file - maybe just 30 in each file.

Is your USB formatted to your computer you have. If you are using Mac, like I use, make sure your sewing machine recognizes Mac. If not, you can pick up PC computer. Or, If you still want to use your Mac, you can do so by Installing Parallels software which is about $99 AND Windows for Mac which is also expensive.

Also for other Mac users who may be reading this - All the new Brothers recognize Mac formatted embroidery files.

Ive answered on a new topic instead of here...DOH!!!!¬

Found instructions, which I think should come with the machine, here
https://berninaofamerica.zendesk....

Thank you all very much......just need a wider hoop now to do what i want....lol

1 comment

by spendlove 17 Apr 2016

Glad you are now sorted.
There is no need to start a new thread to say thank you! Those who have tried to help you will look back to your first thread.
If you read through the Q&A section you will learn a lot about how this site works. It is really worth doing because this is probably the friendliest place on the net!

I have deleted your other thread!

Is the stick correctly formatted?

I have that with my Bernina. It will only read from the bernina usb stick and not from any other I have tried.

1 comment

by pennyhal2 17 Apr 2016

My Bernina reads from any usb stitck. The reason why it is reccommended that you use the Bernina stick is that you can only put the amount of designs on it that the machine's memory can handle. If you use a stitck that you can put a ton of designs on, the machine's memory can not handle it all and it can "overload" the machine and cause a lot of problmes.

Are there other files on the USB stick, like pdf or jpg pictures?
Some machines don't like them.