i am new to this whole embroidery machine thing so i dont know anything yet. i am looking to buy a machine so i can add designs to my own creations that i started for my kids. i want to monogram but also do those cute little designs for cheering, fairies and trucks and cars, things like applique. im not doing quilting and i already have a serger and a sewing machine. so this would be all it is used for. will make several items but dont want to buy a $1000 machine until i get into making my money back.
can you give me a run down on what i need to look for.
i dont like the cards that you have to buy for certain designs. i would like to find clip art or free designs online and send them to my machine through usb port or something. also handmade designs maybe that i can design myself. is there accessories i would add to do all these things or would a certain machine have it all.
also what about the thread. i would like it to have multicolor on one design but i think only the large industrial machines do that.
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2 responses so far ↓
1 pattiann // Jul 16, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Sewing Machine
In order to get a machine that will transfers via an USB port, and create your own designs or even use clip art you will end up spending $1,000 or more.
The Brother PE II has the USB option.
To create your own designs is another heap of money.
You cannot just download clip art and sent it to the machine. It has to be digitized in a machine embroidery format.
To do this you have to purchase digitizing software. This can cost $300 and up.
Forget the cards, they are practically obsolete – almost every designer has the option to download directly from their site.
Embird is a popular software that many people use for digitizing.
You start with Basic Embird, and then add plug-ins (digitizing it one) as you learn and want to expand your talents.
You can do just as well with the $500 dollar Brother at Walmart or Costco and use an reader/writer unit and rewritable memory card, which you can get for just over $100. With Embird, that is still around $1,000.
There are many free embroidery designs you can download from machine embroidery sites without digitizing your own. You would still need the USB or a reader/writer and card.
Thread – There are stops already in most designs and this is where you change colors – you can use any color you want.
Editing software (Embird Basic) can be used to add stops where you want them for color changes.
About the only thing the industrial or professional models can do is work faster, using multi needles and multi spools of thread – the design colors stitch out the same on the home version or or pro version.
2 drip // Jul 18, 2009 at 10:30 am
Embroidery Software
If you are going to be selling your embroidery then you need to take classes. I took classes in hooping, stabilizers and thread. You really need to go to a sewing machine dealer and get a demo on an older model. You really don’t have any idea how much this entails.
above writer is correct. there are many software packages you will need, especially if you want to digitize your own designs. this is $$
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