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Posts Tagged ‘Embroidery Area’

is it expensive to get started embroidering. i know the machine is costly.?

January 6th, 2013 3 comments


You can start machine embroidery (ME) for less than $600.

An embroidery machine (EM) can be purchased for around $500. You can start with about $50 in supplies. A reader/writer/card unit can be purchased on-line for around $120.…this can be added later.

Visit sewing machine dealers or purchase from Walmart or Costco. I started with a Brother EM from Walmart, then about five years later, traded up for a Babylock with more bells and whistles.

Brother and Babylock are very user friendly and the most compatible with software and design files.

The lesser expensive EM most likely will have a maximum embroidery area of 4 x 4.

There will be built-in designs and fonts, but for more selection the machine will require a reader/writer unit with a rewritable memory card in the format of the EM for sending designs downloaded from the Internet to the machine. You do want to be able to take advantage of products on the web where you can find thousands of free designs to download.*

If you go higher in the price of the EM, you will get a larger embroidery area, and USB compatibility.

USB compatibility offers USB Direct Connect – a cable will come with the EM to directly connect to your PC and/or USB Flash Drive/stick drive. Either of these devices will indicate to the PC that a removable drive has been installed and that is where you will send the designs you want to use on the machine.*

Purchase supplies as you find them on sale – check the ShoppersRule and Allbrands websites – they usually have the best prices and variety. JoAnn Fabrics has thread on sale almost every month and if you sign up for the store flyer, you will know when the thread will be on sale. The flyer usually has at least one coupon. Also, check the Internet for JoAnn printable coupons.

Start with ME thread in basic colors. Polyester can take bleach, Rayon cannot. Bobbin thread comes in black or white – buy both….white for most items and black for darks.

Embroidery machines are designed to slightly pull the top thread to the back of the design, so the bobbin will only show on the back of the embroidered item.

Purchase medium weight stabilizer in tear-away (white is fine as the excess will be removed), cut away (white and black) and a water soluble stabilizer for placing on top of napped fabrics, such as towels. This provides a smooth surface for the stitching and helps prevent the stitching from sinking into the nap.

The machine will come with extra needles, tools and a manual – keep the manual handy. When learning to use the machine, open the manual and go step-by-step through the entire process, then refer to the manual as needed.

Excellent resources are: Jeannie Twigg’s book, Embroidery Essentials. Websites – Embroidery Library, ABC Embroidery and Ann The Gran.

*Before downloading embroidery designs/files, create a folder on the hard-drive of your PC. Name it Embroidery or EMB Downloads….something easy to find.

When downloading, select the design in the format of the EM and save to the folder you created on the hard-drive. Also, keep in mind the hoop size. A 8 x 6 design will not be accepted by an EM that is limited to a maximum 4 x 4 hoop.

The downloads will most likely be a zipped/compressed file. This has to be opened before it can be used. Highlight the zipped file and open or extract the file. Give the opened file an appropriate name and then delete the zipped file.

Should the design not come in the format you need, there is a free software program – Pulse Ambassador that you can download from the Internet, then open the design in question and save it in the format needed.

which is the best embroidery/sewing machine ?

January 4th, 2013 4 comments

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

Sewing Machines?

December 29th, 2012 2 comments

What is the best sewing machine to purchase to stitch words onto shirts and hoodys?

you didn’t say how big you want the letters and words. are you planning on doing this commercially? most home embroidery machines will void the warranty if you use it commercially. i’ve used the janome, pfaff, viking and brother embroidery machines. i personally prefer the brother line. i still haven’t read completely thru the manual. it is really easy to use. my machine is a ult2002d and i have heard that the new brother self threading is tricky to learn to use. i’ve heard good things about the brother se270d that walmart sells for $350 is a good machine. if i remember right it comes with a 5" x 7" hoop. since you basically want the machine for lettering i would suggest purchasing a hoop-it-all for your machine. www.hoopitall.com it will give you a much larger embroidery area without having to re-hoop. i will also say i haven’t really heard anything good about the singer embroidery machine. there are many yahoo groups for machine embroidery. some are machine specific. you may want to search yahoo groups for the specific brand of machine you are looking at and see what the people on the yahoo groups think of their machines.

here are a couple of embroidery websites i would like to share with you.
http://www.astitchahalf.com/ puts 5 different fonts on sale each week for $3 for all 5 sets.
http://www.designsbysick.com/amember/go.php?r=5647&i=l0">Designs by SiCK Embroidery Library has many fun fonts. they have 49 free designs per day and the membership fee to all the designs on their site is very reasonable.

good luck and if i can be of further assistance please feel free to e-mail me from my profile.

how do Brother and Singer embroidery machines compare?

November 27th, 2012 3 comments

Trying to decide which machine to purchase as my beginner embroidery machine. Don’t want to spend too much under $500 would be great. Not sure that I will like doing it so looking for a lesser model. Thanks for your time and expertise!!!

Brother is the leader in home embroidery machines. They are easy to use, software friendly and most designs that are available on the Internet (best and least expensive way to obtain machine embroidery designs) are in pes format, which is the one used by Brother.

For your price range, you may be limiting your embroidery area to 4 x 4, which many of us started with. And many designs come within this hoop size.

The price may also limited you to using memory cards for designs which are not built into the machine. Most of us started with a reader/writer unit and rewirttable memory card for machine embroidery – the unit has to be compatible with the brand and format.

You can purchase a unit – PED Basic, a Brother product with a rewitable memory card for around $119. See Source.

To use designs from the Internet, you need to have a PC. On the hard drive, create a folder and name it Emb Downloads. Choose the design you want from the many sites on the Internet and save to the folder. The design most likely will be zipped. Mouse over and choose extract or open. A new file will appear and this is what you will send to the memory card. The zipped file can be deleted.

Save the folder to a USB flash drive (if your PC has a USB port) or to a CD as backup – do this everytime you add or change a design file in the Emb Download folder.

Open the manual and lay it next to the embroidery machine. Read through and apply each feature of the machine.

Some basic supplies you will need are – stabilizer (tear away, cut away and water soluable); machine embroidery bobbin thread; machine embroidery thread – polyester will withstand chlorine bleach, but rayon is more readily available. Start with a few basic colors.

Add to your supply list as you find the items on sale.

Embroidery Library has great tutorials and tips – http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques

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

What is the best embroidery machine for a beginner?

November 5th, 2012 3 comments

I have never used an embroidery machine and would like one. I have a very old Bernina sewing machine which I love, but would it make more sense to buy a combo machine?

Combos are usually a little more expensive, but it is always a good option to have a second sewing machine.

Brother is the leader and first to offer home embroidery machines.

I purchased a Brother embroidery only machine from Walmart and used it for several years and then upgraded to a Babylock (same family) that is a combo, has a larger embroidery field and USB connectivity.

The standard embroidery area (based on the largest size hoop that comes with the machine) is 4 x 4, which limits the size of the design that can be stitched without using editing software for machine embroidery to split the design into smaller segments (2 or more).

USB connectivity makes it easy to send designs to the embroidery machine from the PC (or flash drive) as this is where downloads will be stored.

Most of the new models have either a cable (USB Port B) that connects to the PC (after sending the designs to the embroidery machine, it no longer has to be connected to the embroidery machine and PC).

Or, flash drive (USB Port A ) which comes up on the PC screen as a removable drive. This product is good to have as storage as well as a method of providing designs for the embroidery machine once it is plugged into the machine.

Without USB connectivity you will need to purchase a reader/writer/memory card unit for machine embroidery that is compatible with the format of the embroidery machine.

Brother and Babylock use the pes format. Example roses.pes.

Bernina makes great machines, but they are too expensive and so are the accessories. The format is not that compatible for conversion (formats can be converted if you find a design you like in a format different than what is required by the machine).

Pulse Ambassador is a free software download for conversion. I have used it with success, with exception of the art format (as in roses.art) which is one used by Bernina.

With these basics in hand, shop the sewing machine dealers and see what is available.

Buy the machine you like the best from the dealer you like the best.

If you do machine embroidery could you suggest what brand is the best to accept other discs?

November 5th, 2012 2 comments

I want to use some of Clotilde’s embroidery patterns, and Jo-Anns is having a decent sale on Singer. But what about Brother? Help?

I prefer Brother or Babylock and I would suggest buying from a dealer if you have never used a sewing machine – the embroidery machine has some similarities.

If you do not buy from a sewing machine dealer, try the Singer – it should connect via cable to your PC and this is where you will store designs and then send to the embroidery machine.

You choose designs by the format of the embroidery machine and the the hoop size. Watch this when downloading.

An embroidery machine that has a maximum embroidery area of 4 x 4 will not stitch a design that is larger.

The least expensive method to obtain designs is downloading from the Internet to the computer, then send to the embroidery machine as you want to stitch out a design.

Methods for sending designs to an embroidery machine:

Memory card only (you will need a reader box and card compatible with the brand/model of the machine.
Memory card and USB cable (connects directly to the PC)
Memory card, USB cable and USB flash drive.

The more options, the more expensive the embroidery machine.

Clotilde does not sell machine embroidery designs.

Each of the two books listed in her catalog has a CD with free designs, which you upload to your PC. You cannot just stick these CDs into an embroidery machine and start stitching.

You have to have a method (reader box/card, cable or flash drive) of getting the designs from the PC to the embroidery machine.

The designs at Nancy’s Notions are her choices, but they are Amazing Designs products.

http://www.amazingdesigns.com/en/products/

There are many Internet sites that have free designs you can download to your PC.

Once you get an embroidery machine, you may find this site helpful – http://www.annaboveembroidery.com/embroidery-tips.html

Thinking of buying embroidery sewing machine…?

October 31st, 2011 2 comments

How hard is it to embroider…I do not have much experience with sewing machine. Mainly all I wanting to do is embroider cute graphics and customs names on baby items for a business i currently have running. I have tons of customers wanti8bng these products and I need to know how hard embroidery is. The machibne I have looked at is the singer futura because it appeaqrs to embroider for you once you put it in the computer. is this how all embroider machines work. What is the best one to use…as i said i am new to this and want something that will be easy to use and I love the idea of hands free bevause the though of sewibng a difficult design is kinda scary to me

Brother is the leader in machine embroidery. The Singers are not supported once the new models come out.

The SE400 sold at Walmart is less than $400 and serves as a sewing machine as well as an embroidery machine.

A sewing machine dealer may have something a little more expensive and they would be able to teach you how to do the embroidery.

There are some designs built into the machine and others can be downloaded from the Internet.

Before downloading, you need to be sure the design is within the size of the embroidery area of the machine – this is usually indicated by the maximum hoop that comes with the machine.

Create a folder on your computer for the designs to reside.

When designs are downloaded, most will be in a zipped/compressed file. They have to be opened and saved to the folder.

Embroidery machines will have a limited selection of alpha/numerical fonts. Others can be downloaded.

You select the design from the folder and copy to the method of transferal that comes with the embroidery machine; USB cable or USB stick drive.

Avoid machines that use floppies or memory card only as they are obsolete.

To view the designs on the computer you will need a catalog, such as Catalog Xpress or Embrilliance Thumbnailer. Cat X has more features and cost more than ET, which is only for viewing.

http://www.annthegran.com/Product.aspx?t=1&i=2567&gclid=CNbwwZ-HlqgCFYjsKgodi2XuDg

http://embrilliance.com/products/embrilliance-thumbnailer