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Posts Tagged ‘Caveat’

Can you embroider on a Singer 7430 Sewing Machine?

November 29th, 2012 2 comments

My sewing machine has a lot of "built in stitches" besides monogram…I was wondering if I could use it for embroidery..
I hate to have to have a special machine for the little bit of embroidery that I would want to do…

So long as your sewing machine can do zigzag stitches, go in reverse and forward and you can set the machine with zero pressure on the pressure foot, you can make some pretty darned cool embroidery. Just so long as you’re not trying to make precise stitches, as you would need for monograms.

What you need: An embroidery hoop, practice cloth, lots of thread, paper to back the design. A rough idea of what you want to do, as well as a washable drawing medium such as a chalk pencil. This works especially well on smaller, more free-form designs.

How to do it: Set the stitch for zigzag, draw the design on cloth, back with paper, set in hoop. Place under presser foot, with no pressure on foot. Go back and forth over drawing, experimenting with stitch length and bobbin tension. Caveat: doing this free-hand will not produce the smooth, professional style embroidery. More of an artisan style.

These instructions came with my sewing machine and I’ve used them with varying degrees of success. If you’d like more info, please just e-mail me; I’d hate to type exact instructions if you’re not interested!

I am going to purchase a Janome 300e embroidery machine. What is the format for the 300e: Art. Dst. Exp. jef?

November 19th, 2012 2 comments


jef is the format you need.

If you find a design you like, but does not come in .jef format, there is a free conversion program that you can download and use. Pulse Ambassador is the software.

Designs that you download from the Internet will be zipped and you have to unzip or extract before they can be used. Windows is the support system for machine embroidery software and neither Windows, nor Mac can read a zipped file.

Another caveat, is the hoop size which normally indicates the limitation of the design that can be embroidered.

Create a folder on your hard drive for the downloads. As you find designs that you like, save to the folder, then unzip and use the new file.

Are there any classes available in the San Diego area for using a Brother NV4000D embroidery machine?

November 13th, 2012 1 comment

I inherited my mom’s Brother NV4000D embroidery machine and want to learn to use it. The Brother dealer wants $50/hour and I can’t afford that. Mother used to go to weekly classes and I doubt she paid that much for them but she was in Colorado so I don’t know.

Your mother may not have paid that much, because the lessons where at the dealer from which she purchased the machine. Over the past years, prices have gone up for service and lessons.

When I purchase my first embroidery machine, there wasn’t anyone selling the machines who new very much about how to use the.

I learned at my own pace from Jeanine Twigg’s books.

The manual for the machine will show you how to operated the machine – read and follow the instructions carefully.

There are many sites where you can ask questions or view "conversations" among those who do machine and embroidery and they are always very helpful when it comes to a "newbie".

Try Machine Embroidery Essentials, How to Stabilize, Hoop and Stitch as well as a few visits to http://www.sewforum.com

One important caveat – never walk away from the embroidery machine while it is operating. A jam can throw off the timing and this is around a $90 fix.

Visit Ann The Gran for free designs to download as well as Sewforum and several other sites.

Ask about lessons in San Diego at Ann The Gran. There is at least one person on the forum in CA, but I am not sure of the city.

You might also ask the same at sewforum.

Additional information –

Your machine embroidery format is pes.

According to this ad, the 4000 has been discontinued, but it does have the USB port for easy transfer of downloaded designs from the PC to the embroidery machine, but a limited embroidery area of 8" x 4". Another plus – it is a combo (sewing as well as an embroidery machine).

http://www.mrvacmrssew.com/Shop/products/Brother/Embroidery-Machines/Brother-Innovis-4000D-Sewing-and-Embroidery-Machine/index.html