Free Embroidery Designs

It looks like a slot for something like a compact flash card. Does anyone know what type of card this is? I can’t imagine I’d have to buy "special" cards. I know I’ll need software to digitize/convert images in PES format. I’d imagine the software also knows how to format the card so it can be read by the embroidery machine.

First, you have to have a card reader for machine embroidery and then you buy the card for your machine that is compatible with the card reader.

You use Brother memory cards or cards made for Brother machines. Again – these have to be compatible with the reader box.

You get these items from an embroidery machine dealer – preferable on-line.

Walk-in dealers don’t always have the cards in all formats, or any at all and have to order what you need.

They are more expensive than at online dealers.

To take advantage of downloading from the Internet, you need a card reader and a rewritable memory card.

You can get Brother’s PED Basic with a card for about $100 – On-line.

This is one dealer that I have bought from. They have a graphic showing how the card reader works. Note the PC requirements. http://www.sewingsupplywarehouse.com/pedbasic.html

Another dealer that I have bought from – http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp01060-0165.html

Digitizing is a horse of another color. This is software that allows you to create your own designs or digitize pictures and clip art. It is fairly expensive around $1,000.

You can download a free trial of Embird Embroidery Software here – http://www.secretsof.com/content/1853?PHPSESSID=f1d6a79654e8e476eaffaf7784b652a6 It is a very popular software and what you are downloading is the Basic program. It doesn’t digitize, but it is the base component for this software.

As you learn and want to expand, you buy plug-ins that allow you to digitize, among other things.

Free designs to download (I have used many of them) – http://www.brother-usa.com/HomeSewing/GetCreative/free-designs.aspx

When you buy or download designs, make sure they are no larger than 4 x 4. That is the maximum stitching area for the 350.

What I really need to know from you guys is if I bought designs off the internet can I transfer them to this machine. I realise I would have to purchase some software, but basically is it limited to what it can download?. Am looking to update my embroidery machine but not fork out too much as I would not be using it on an everyday basis, but would like the capability of getting designs off the computer.

Download to your hearts content!

The Janome 300e uses a Compact Flash card (used in some digital cameras) to transfer designs from your computer to the 300e. You will also need a Compact Flash card adapter (pcmcia card) in order to load the CF card into the 300e. You will also need either CF card slot in your computer or a card reader to transfer designs from the computer to the 300e (f your computer is a laptop with a pcmcia card slot, you will not need a card reader, just the CF card and the card adapter).

The 300e uses JEF format. (If you download the older SEW format you will need a program to convert to JEF–most on-line digitizers offer their designs in JEF).

The 300e comes with 4"x4" and a 5"x7" hoops.

If you download JEF format, you will not need any software. You will format the CFcard/adaptor in your 300e by putting it in the slot then turning the machine on. When you want to add designs to it, you put it in either the CF slot on your computer or in a card reader and drag or copy the designs to the EMBF5 folder that was put on the CF card when it was formatted.

You can find the CF cards and pcmcia card adaptors on ebay; they are inexpensive . I have used cards as big as 512mb without a problem, but I only put the designs that I will be using at the time on the card. I have several cards from old cameras that are as small as 16 mb.

If you are looking for software to change formats, you can use Wilcom Truesizer. If you want software that will let you adjust size, thread color, etc., Embird is a great way to go–it is not free but is a bargain for all that it will do (and you can purchase add=ons if you want to try digitizing for yourself in the future). Just download the JEF format designs onto the CF card and load them into the 300e. It is very easy. The 300e is a wonderful machine, you won’t be sorry if you get it!

Just be careful when you download designs that they are "legal" designs! Stay away from ebay as although there are legitimate digitizers that sell on ebay, there are also pirates who will sell you hundreds of designs for a few dollars that they pirated off places like Disney and other digitizers that they have no legal right to sell.

I hope this is clearer than mud 🙂