Free Embroidery Designs

I only have a 4-inch embroidery field, thanks!
does anyone know? C’mon!!

The Rose uses the HUS format *NOT* PES format but if you have editing software then you can convert from other formats such as PES. You will need to have hardware to save your designs to Viking cards (usually known as #1+ & Rose Viking Embroidery Card). You can find many sites that offer free designs such as Secrets of Embroidery, Viking site, Brother site, etc. If you don’t have the Viking card reader/writer, then you need another Reader/Writer so that you can write your designs to a Viking Card or a Magic Card that is designed for Viking Rose machines.

You can also use VIP formats as well as the HUS format but you still need to convert those designs to your embroidery card. Editing Software to check out is Embird.com and Buzz Tools as well as the Viking software.

There are many designs that fit in a 4×4 inch field available. In addition to downloading designs and outputting to the Rose Card, you can buy cards that the Rose Machine accepts. These you get at your Viking dealer, or from OESD and Amazing Designs. The cards are very expensive, about $100-$150 each. So, your best bet is to have Reader/Writer Hardware that saves designs to a Viking Rose #1+ Card. The Boxes that are available are Viking Card Reader/Writer Box, PES2 Reader/Writer, Amazing Designs or Magic Box Reader/Writer to name a few. Today’s boxes use USB ports. If you buy Embroidery Software, some higher end brands such as Viking require a Security device called a USB Dongle to run the software. if you lose the dongle, you lose your investment in the software. NO Dongle=Embroidery Program won’t run and the Manuafacturer won’t help you. So, never lose the dongle and if you buy used software, if there is no dongle, then you’ve lost your money. Embroidery software often costs over $1000. The Reader/Writer boxes cost about $300. Try Allbrands.com for Amazing Box.

My husband bought me a used Brother embroidery machine. I am new to the WHOLE sewing/embroidery thing, and have tons to learn. I wanted to know if there is free software out there that will allow me to design new things to embroider? How do I go about making these things on the software and then getting it to the machine?? I’m totally confused with all this and incredibly overwhelmed! 🙁 I want to have fun!

also, I have windows vista…. does that make things harder?
also, how do i take all these free designs I see on the web, and open them once they are saved in files…. what program do I use to open .art files?? I have tried everything! Help!

There may not be free software to download to create your own designs. Vista is ok to have when purchasing your digitizing software. Brother have some easy to use programs, such as PED Lite and PE Design. But you dont have to buy ‘Brother’ software.
.art designs are Bernina files, and unfortunately, you cannot use them unless you have bernina branded software. Stick to downloading designs in .pes format. Embroidery is so much fun, and there is always something to do!!! I use husqvarna viking software and i find this really easy, and it does a lot! and i use this with my brother embroidery machine.
Digitizing is the process in which you get your image into ‘stitch points’, basically telling the needle where to go, and what direction and form the stitch needs to be. Its not easy, but if you love art, and love the computer- you’ll love this!
Ask your husband if the shop/place he bought it from offers lessons, or classes on the software and machine. i’m sure they can give you tons of advice! Happy Sewing!!!!!!!