Free Embroidery Designs

singer or brother

Hands down – Brother! This brand is the leader in home embroidery machines.

The format used is very well known and used at many sites that offer free design downloads.

Next step up is Baby Lock, which is of the same family.

I have owned both brands. Started as a newbie with a Brother model with a maximum embroidery area of 4" x 4". I soon outgrew this limitation and traded up for a Baby Lock with a much larger embroidery area.

In addition to the embroidery machine (no matter which brand you choose) will be the need for software for viewing and editing designs.

Embird is the leader in this field. You begin with an inexpensive base/basic program and then add "plug-ins" as you progress and determine a need for the additions. http://www.secretsof.com/content/1853

This site – http://www.annaboveembroidery.com/embroidery-tips.html will help you learn how to download, unzip the file and save to your PC. There is also a tutorial for using fonts with Embird.

This site has many helpful techniques and tips – http://www.emblibrary.com/el/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

Do you mean free motion quilting? I have an Ellegante, too. You drop the feed dogs, put on the darning foot, have your machine set on straight stitch, then start quilting. It involves eye-hand coordination. The faster you run the machine, the faster you have to move the fabric. Soon you’ll be making nice, even stitches, but it does take practice. Mark your quilt with stencils or follow the designs in the fabric. You have complete control of the fabric "sandwich" in this way. I use temp adhesive spray to hold layers together.
You also can use the walking foot for SID or echo quilting. I teach from the Better Homes and Gardens "Teach Yourself to Quilt" book. There are many books available on the subject
There are many emb. quilting designs available for quilting "in the hoop". I never hoop the quilt; I use Aqua Magic Plus (TM)-(there are other brands, too) and stick my quilt to it. You hoop the AM+, then use a pin to score the paper and then tear the paper off exposing the sticky surface. I then use the hoop’s plastic placement grid to center the block then sew it out. It’s water soluable and merely washes off the back when you’re done quilting. You can quilt in "sections". See the book "Divide and Conquer" by Smith & Milligan.
You have an awesome machine and I hope you have support nearby. My nearby dealer retired and closed her store. Now I’d have to drive over 2 hours for instruction. Support your local dealer!

I’m wanting to get my wife a sewing / embroidery machine for Christmas. I know Brother sells their ‘Disney’ versions, but what if I don’t want a Brother machine. If I buy say a Singer, or Husqvarna, or Janome machine, will she still be able to embroider Disney characters? (I know legally you’d need copyright licensing to sell it, but I’m talking about just on a T-shirt or pillow case for our kids). Anyone know a good website where you can buy embroidery designs like this?

If you are determined to have Disney designs will need the Brother brand and for the best PC connectivity, a model with the USB stick for sending downloads to the embroidery machine.

Otherwise, my first choice is Baby Lock, then Brother.

This Brother program will work with several Brother models – http://www.ibroidery.com/default.aspx?campaign=ClickOut Models are listed at the side bar. The iBroidery designs will be in the .pen format and only certain Brother models can read this format.

Before iBroidery was available only Brother D (model numbers ended with D) machines had or could stitch out Disney designs.

If you select another brand of embroidery machine, the machine’s required format may be different than the usual Brother and Baby Lock of .pes.

Most formats can be converted as required by your embroidery machine. With the exception of the .pen format used by iBroidery designs and .art used by older models of Bernina.

You can embroider copyrighted designs to your heart’s content as long as they are not represented as a liscenced product (such as an authentic MM sweatshirt).

In addition to the embroidery machine, a minimal embroidery machine software program will be needed.

Embird is the most economical and most popular with the home machine embroiderer.

Embird requires the base program and then as the embroiderer progresses more can be added, or not. http://www.secretsof.com/content/1798

In addition to the Embird software, it would be a good ideal to have this book – http://books.google.com/books/about/Embroidery_Machine_Essentials.html?id=j6e847_n3MUC

This site – http://www.annaboveembroidery.com/embroidery-tips.html will show how to do many things including downloading from the Internet and saving to the PC. There are many free designs available for downloading (avoid those from foreign countries as many are counterfeit).

Flash drives/flash sticks/thumb drives can be used for backing up the design files just in case the PC has a break down. These can be purchase for very little money almost anywhere (office supply stores, electronic stores, drug stores). They are about the size of a Pez dispenser. I have several and keep them in a storage container so they are not misplaced.

More tips and techniques – http://www.emblibrary.com/el/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

Another tip – most machine embroidery thread will be rayon. Use polyester machine embroidery thread on items that will be washed a lot or come in contact with chlorine.

Free Motion Embroidery / Thread Painting on any sewing machine. Everyone at any skill level can embroider on ALL sewing machines because we only use a straight stitch and NO sewing machine Foot is needed so visibility is far superior to any other embroidery process. This kit includes 3 8 sided frames varying in size that have holes on all 8 sides where a handle drops into to make it so you don’t have to hold onto the frames. It is ergonomic and feels like you’re holding a crayon and coloring in a coloring book. So simple even beginners succeed! It’s fun and relaxing and is a fantastic stress reducer. Invented by Clare Rowley, inventor of the Creative Feet presser feet for sewing machines and are available for purchase from http://www.creativefeet.com/products/frames/octi-hoop

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No such puppy.

You can get free, limited trials at Brother – http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/Software/digsoftware.aspx

Or, Baby Lock’s Designer’s Gallery – http:www.babylock.com