Free Embroidery Designs

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.

Include a link to a picture so I can see what it looks like. I would also like a link to a free web sites with instructions on how to make friendship bracelets.

DMC embroidery floss is used to make braided bracelets. Wal Mart, Joann fabrics and any craft store will carry it. Your library should have how to books

I’ve noticed that companies charge $10 and up just to put a name with a mega phone and pom-poms on a jacket front. I’d like to buy my own and embroider them myself. What type would be helpful. I don’t want to go over $800.
I only want to embroider names on the front of jackets at most 4 inches long, and logo’s that won’t be more than 4 x 4 inches.

You can do this with the Brother 350 sold at Walmart and it is less than $400.

You also need Ped Basic. More info below at Allbrands.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Brother-Se350-Sewing-Embroidery-Machine/8033273

So there you have it. For around $500 you can have a combination sewing/embroidery machine and the software for downloading.

You can use the remaining budget to purchase thread and stabilizer and still have money left over – that’s always a good thing!

Eight years ago, I started with the first Brother embroidery machine that Walmart sold, but at that time the additional software (like Ped Basic) needed for accessing designs from the Internet sold for $200 – $300.

Later, I purchased a Babylock with a larger hoop and sold the Brother on Ebay for about 80% of my original expense.

The embroidery machine will come with a few tools for maintenance (cleaning), needles, bobbins, thread nets (keeps thread from feeding too fast from the spool – it may, or may not be needed) and a small pair of scissors.

If you use polyester thread for machine embroidery, it will withstand chlorine bleach. If there is no chance the item will come in contact with chlorine bleach you can use rayon.

Be sure to use machine embroidery bobbin thread – this comes in white and black. I use NEB prewound bobbins as they hold more thread.

You can find good prices on stabilizer at Allbrands or JoAnn Fabrics when they are on special. Start with a medium weight cut away and a medium weight tear away. You should also include a tricot iron-on to cover the back of the embroidery if the garment is going to be worn next to the skin.

Rayon and Polyester machine embroidery thread can be purchased online as well, but you may want to buy a few of the basic colors at a fabric shop – JoAnn Fabric has thread on sale from time to time at 40% off. Thread that comes in kits sometimes leave you will colors you may not use.

If you embroidery a design that has lots of black or other dark color – buy Madeira brand as Coats & Clark and Sulky tend to fray as the machine stitches. This is due to the dying process used by the manufacturer.

Embroidery Library has a great section that provides tips and techniques as well as sales on designs. This is worth downloading or a least flagging it as a favorite site.

Embroidery Designs is another site that has a variety of designs for cheer leading as well as access to other vendors of machine embroidery designs. Download freebies and use them for practice, if nothing else. The embroidery machine will have some designs and fonts built-in.

When you get your embroidery machine home – open the manual and lay it right next to the machine. Then read and follow each step of each feature of the machine – this is the easiest and quickest way to learn how to use the machine.

Be sure to use the right stabilizer (see embroidery library); practice on old shirts or fabric scraps and in no time you will be expert at this.

JoAnn does not have any specials on embroidery supplies right now, but you can sign up for notices – http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2005/12/jo-ann-coupons.html

http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp01060-0145.html – check your PC’s operating system for compatibility.

http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/elprojects/holder.aspx?page=techniques – be sure to check the charts for placement and stabilizer recommendations.

http://www.embroiderydesigns.com/DesignSearchResults.aspx?SearchText=cheer%20leading&ddsearchid=Stock%20Designs – downloads, check the vendors on the side bar for more possibilities.

Never leave the machine as it is running and if it sounds like it is jamming – stop and remove the hoop and check for thread snarls in the bobbin area (maintenance section will show you how to clean). This can happen with any machine and at any experience level. All sewing and embroidery machines with a drop-in bobbin need to be cleaned after a few stitch-outs.

Take some quiet time and have fun. This is a hobby that can shortly lead to a business.

I do my answers on a person-by-person basis and if I missed something pertinent to your situation, or if you have more questions, please feel free to e-mail me.