Free Embroidery Designs

"Good" but "cheap" when talking about Embroidery Machines is an oxymoron, no such critter exists if you are wanting to go with a new machine. I have a Brother 180D. Brother is the only E machine you can get that you have a choice on Disney designs, but not all Brothers just the ones that have D in the name. You may be able to pick up a used one with a sewing field of 4" x 4", for around $400 or $500, but you will soon learn that you want to be able to do larger designs and the machine cannot be converted to do larger designs. My next machine is a Bernina 330 and has a sewing field of 5" x 7" and is large enough for what I like to do. I bought it used two years old for $825. Both machines have been trouble free and the designs looks great when they are done. The biggest thing you want to do is be very familiar with the sewing/embroidery machine repair shops in your area. Call around and see what kind of machines they work on; not all shops repair all machines. Next you want to check their reputation and how well they handle repairs/maintenance and people. It is best to buy from your local shops whether you go new or used as they are usually willing to do their best for a return customer. Do not buy from a shop or store that does not do repair/maintenance, because even if you never have any trouble with your machine it does need to have a yearly check up that keeps it in good working order. When checking out a shop if you are not familiar with any, ask if they have good used machines for sale and check the prices against what you may have found on ebay or elsewhere, don’t forget to add the shipping and handling to the ones you found online. From my limited knowledge of the different embroidery machines the ones most widely recommended are Brother, Bernina, and Janome, but all have different temperaments and it is best to try them out before you decide.

I have been looking and I can only find embroidery or serger thread in multiple colors in a set. I am looking for all purpose poly blend where I dont have to purchase each spool separate.

Gutermann’s Mara 100 polyester thread, about 400 colors: http://www.wawak.com/products/category.cfm?cID=333 (an excellent price); Gutermann premade assortment: http://www.amazon.com/Gutermann-In-Home-Sew-All-Thread-Assortment/dp/B003SBV5ZC

You may also want to read: http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa102100a.htm

I have a Brother Innovis 4000D sewing machine.

You can download a lot of free designs at Brother. http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/GetCreative/free-designs.aspx

Embroidery Library has a variety of designs at good prices. http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/default.aspx

They also have very good techniques & tips – http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

This is a good site for supplies – http://allstitchembroiderysupplies.com/

I’m 16 and I have a lot of free time after school. I don’t play sports, like to read, I don’t have any hobbies.

Whats something cool I should learn how to do? Something impressive?

I hope the following list of ideas will inspire you! You can buy the books at Amazon website.

1. Abstract Painting. Check out Erin Ashley, Maitreyii Fine Art, Mark Gould, Denise Athanas website.

2. Paint Bold Portraits. Check out Emma Sheldrake and Frank Wagtmans website.

3. Do colored pencil portraits. Check out Bec Winnel website! Book: Colored Pencil Portraits by Ann Kullberg

4. Make fabric vases and fabric flowers. Books: a) Fast Fun & Easy Fabric Vases by Linda Johansen. b) Quilted Art Vases by Fran Morgan c) Fabulous Fabric Flowers by Joie Staff d) The Art Of Handmade Flowers by Jue Liu.

5. Make fiber jewelry. Books: a) Beads And Threads A New Technique For Fiber Jewelry by Diane Fitzgerald. b) Fiber & Bead Jewelry by Helen Banes. Check out Diane and Helen’s website.

6. Make flowers out of beads. Google search "beaded flowers" to see examples. Book: The Beaded Garden by Diane Fitzgerald.

7. Make jewelry using seed beads and thread (bead embroidery). Google search these words "bead embroidery jewelry" or "brick stitch earrings" or "brick stitch jewelry" or "peyote stitch jewelry" or "square stitch jewelry" or "loomwork beading" and click on images to see examples.

8. Papier Mache or Paper Mache.

9. Make plush toys out of fabric. Check out Heidi Kenney website called MyPaperCrane. Google search "Heidi Kenney Flickr" to see alot more of her plush toys on the Flickr website!

10. Make dolls out of doll making clay or porcelain. Check out Marina Bychkova website. Google search "porcelain doll making".

11. Hand paint silk fabric and sew skirts/hip scarf/belts (or Paint/decorate t-shirts). Dharma Trading Company sells paint/dyes and books/videos to learn how to paint on fabric.

12. Buy a pottery wheel and make pottery/ceramics out of clay. Google search "handmade pottery" or "handmade ceramics" to see examples. Book: Pottery Basics: Everything You Need To Know To Start Making Beautiful Ceramics by Jacqui Atkin.

13. Learn to paint on glass. Google search "glass painting" to see examples. Search "glass painting" on Amazon to find books on this subject.

14. Learn fashion Illustration. Submit designs to clothing manufacturers/fashion industry.

15. Learn jewelry illustration. Submit designs to jewelry manufacturers/jewelry industry. Books: a) Techniques Of Jewelry Illustration & Color Rendering by Adolfo Mattiello b) Jewelry Illustration by Dominique Audette c) Designing Jewelry by Maurice P. Galli

16. Learn Trompe L’Oeil painting.

17. Sculpt faces of people in clay. Check out Philippe Faraut website.

18. Make handmade cards. Search "handmade cards" on Amazon to find books on this subject. Sell them on Ebay or Etsy website.

19. Learn to hand color photos. Google search "hand coloring photographs". Book: Handcoloring Photographs Step By Step by Sandra Laird.

20. Rock Painting. Google search "rock painting" to see examples. Search "rock painting" on Amazon to find books on this subject.

21. Make glass beads or lampwork beads. Search "make glass beads" or "make lampwork beads on Amazon to find books on this subject. Sell these beads on Ebay or Etsy website or make your own jewelry to wear.

22. Buy polymer clay and make clay beads. Search "make clay beads" or "make polymer clay beads" on Amazon to find books on this subject. Sell these beads on Ebay or Etsy website or make your own jewelry to wear.

23. Make resin jewelry. Book: The Art Of Resin Jewelry by Sherri Haab.

24. Make real silver jewelry using precious metal clay (PMC). Check out "PMC Guild" website. Books: a) Metal Clay Magic: Making Silver Jewelry The Easy Way by Nana V. Mizushima b) Pure Silver Metal Clay Beads by Linda Kaye Moses

25. Make collage art. Google search "collage art" to see examples. Search "collage art" on Amazon to find books on this subject.

26. Learn wood carving. Google search "wood carving" to see examples. Books: a) The Complete Book Of Woodcarving by Everett Ellenwood b) Carving The Human Face by Jeff Phares c) Carving Realistic Flowers In Wood by Wanda Marsh.

27. Create digital art using computer software. Books: a) Digital Art Revolution: Creating Fine Art With Photoshop by Scott Ligon b) Digital Expressions: Creating Digital Art With Adobe Photoshop Elements by Susan Tuttle.

I am at a beginning level and would like to reproduce an image from a book. Is there anyplace I can find people who can give me advice? Thank you.

Go to this site and go down to " Description of the technique"

Crewel embroidery – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Description…|See also|References|External…Crewel Embroidery, or Crewelwork, is a decorative form of surface embroidery using wool and a variety of different embroidery stitches to follow a design outline applied to the fabric….
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crewel_embroidery – Cached

If so how easy is it to thread, adjust, understand. Do you like the machine and is the embroidery that it does sufficient?

The Singer CE-350 is not available yet and honestly there is not enough difference between the CE-350 and CE-250. The only difference is the color the faceplate and the software it comes with. The machine itself is the same as the Ce-250 it just comes with editing software which is not a necessity, because the CE-250 already comes with AutoPunch. The Editing Software can be purchase separately right now so you can have basically a Ce-350 it is just green. As for the machine itself, I feel it is a great machine for any beginner or inexperienced embroiderer. I have the Brother Innovis 4000D so I know there are a lot of difference when there is a huge price difference. The Singer CE-150, CE-250 and CE-350 are twice as fast as the CE-100 and CE-200. You used to be able to count the stitches now you can not. They improved the software and gave the machine a sleeker look. They did a nice job. As for threading, It is a little tricky at first because you have to make sure you floss it in the tension assembly but aside from that it is fairly straight forward. The embroidery that comes out of the machine is pretty good I think.. Of course the Brother Innovis 4000D is going to have better stitch quality and go faster but the CE machines do a surprisingly nice job. The best deal I saw for the Singer CE-250 is Mr. Vac and Mrs. Sew. That is where I got mine because they have a wonderful add on package you can get with it (I think it retail for like $500 or Something) for only $99. They had a nice fast delivery and a charged No Tax (Because I am in NJ) and Free Shipping. I hope all this information helps. Here is a link to the Singer CE-250:

http://www.mrvacandmrssew.com/go/product/id/955?PHPSESSID=a37664687ba4764b351decb89ce6da31

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.

How do those fancy home embroidery machines work? I know they have software with designs you can use. Does the machine actually embroider the design by itself?

Sort of. Bear in mind that there are all levels of home embroidery machines. The basic machines will accept a digitized pattern and work the embroidery one color of thread at a time. You have to manually change the thread every time the color changes. The more money you’re willing to put into a machine the more options you can buy. Like larger design area, faster stitching, and multiple colors threaded at the same time.

The machine is only part of the equation. Some come with basic patterns already included in the machine. To do any other designs you need to purchase design cards to add more options. Or you can purchase software and hard ware to download designs from the Internet (either purchased or free) and put them into a format your machine can then stitch. If you want to get really fancy you can buy some more software and learn to actually digitize your own patterns.

I am looking for a new sewing machine but would like to see what the consumer reports state. I use my sewing machine for making quilts. If anyone has a copy I would really appreciate the information.

Janome Decor Excel 5124
(*est. $360)

>> Where to buy Electronic sewing machine.In reviews, experts prefer electronic machines to mechanical sewing machines; changing stitches or adjusting stitch length and width involves pressing a button rather than turning a less-precise knob or lever. Janome is the largest manufacturer of domestic sewing machines, with a devoted fan base. Reviews say the Janome Décor Excel sewing machine is quiet and stable, with 24 stitches, including a one-step buttonhole. It comes with seven presser feet and a one-year warranty, an improvement over Kenmore’s paltry 90 days.
• Sears Kenmore 15218
(*est. $170)

>> Where to buy Mechanical sewing machine.The Kenmore uses knobs and levers to change and adjust stitches. Experts say such mechanical machines aren’t as precise or predictable as electronic sewing machines. If you only need a machine for a few occasional projects or repairs, an inexpensive mechanical machine will do, but reviews say more avid sewers should go for at least an electronic machine. Reviews say this Kenmore sewing machine is a good basic model with a few extra features, like a selection of stretch stitches and a one-step buttonhole.
• Brother NX-400
(*est. $700)

>> Where to buy Basic computerized sewing machine.Unlike mechanical and electronic models, computerized sewing machines use a series of small motors controlled by a microprocessor. That makes them almost maintenance free, and their memories hold many more customizable stitches. The Brother computerized sewing machine has two alphabet fonts (for monograms) and over 50 other stitches. It also has adjustable foot pressure, a knee lifter for hands-free raising and lowering of the presser foot, and custom stitch memory. In tests, the Brother NX-400 slightly outperforms similar models from Singer and Husqvarna Viking.
• Pfaff Performance 2056
(*est. $2,000)

>> Where to buy Computerized sewing machine.In reviews, Pfaff sewing machines are popular among quilters for their built-in walking foot (Pfaff calls this feature IDT), which feeds layers of fabric evenly through the machine. A color touch screen makes it easy to change and adjust stitches. The Pfaff sewing machine has 207 computerized stitches and four different alphabets for monograms. It has adjustable foot pressure, another good feature for quilters or others who work with different types of thicknesses of fabric.
• Singer Quantum XL-6000
(*est. $3,000)

>> Where to buy Embroidery sewing machine.The Singer is a combination sewing and embroidery machine, and along with high-end features like automatic threading and automatic bobbin refill, it can also create multicolor hoop embroidery patterns. The Singer embroidery machine comes with hundreds of pre-programmed embroidery designs, but you can download more patterns online. Machine embroidery is an expensive hobby, but those who’ve tried it are quickly addicted. (compare prices

I am just opening my first home business, doing childrens clothing, and would like to get a sewing machine with embroidery options (LOTS and LOTS of ebroidery options)

i dont know what to look for,
or how it works (are you just stuck wiht what you purchase ? or is there a machine that allows you to buy extra embroidery programs to use ?? [kind of like a cricut machine products..])
What exactly do you mean when you say .pes formats, what are the other types of formats, and how does this one compare to the others ??

and is there a way to create your OWN embroidery patterns ??

i am looking for something that i can get a WIDE variety of fonts.. any pointers ??

EDITED TO ADD:

Embroidery designs are formatted and there are several formats (think of it as a language).

Each brand of embroidery machine has a format and this can vary by brand.

Formats can be converted, so if you have a machine that reads only .pes and you see a design that you love and it is .hus, it can be converted to .pes using conversion software, for which you can find free downloads. Pulse Ambassador is one that I have used.

There is software with which you can edit designs and create your own. Embird is a popular brand. Most have a trial which you can test to see how user friendly it is and if it is what you wish to purchase.

You may find most embroidery machines have only the basic fonts. This is something to keep in mind when shopping.

You may be able to work a deal where a font package is included with the purchase of an embroidery machine.

ORIGINAL REPLY:

All the major brands are good machines.

Brother and Babylock use the .pes format, which is a very popular, easy to find embroidery format. These machines are also very user friendly.

Visit dealers with your wish list, this should include price.

Once you tell them you want the machine for a home business, they will let you know if the machine’s warranty covers this type of use.

It would be best to have a sewing machine and an embroidery machine and not just one machine.

The stitching area for embroidery is limited and will be indicated by the hoop size. The standard 4 x 4 hoop is very limiting.

Any design larger than the stitching area of the embroidery will require software for editing and splitting the designs into smaller segments that will require re-hooping for each section.

An embroidery machine with at least a 5 x 7 hoop is a better choice.

There are thousands of designs available on the Internet, many are free. A machine with a flash drive (aka, stick drive or thumb drive) would be the most convenient method of getting designs from the PC to the embroidery machine.

Create a folder on the hard drive of your PC and name it Embroidery. As you download, save to this folder and then create sub-folders for each category. Keeping the designs organized will save you a lot of headache later on.

This is a very good site for machine embroidery tips and techniques – http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

Keep in mind, Disney and other licensed designs cannot be use on items that you will be selling.

Best wishes in your new adventure!