aother good site for embroidery designs is...
www.emblibrary.com I use them all the time and love them. They have free designs monthly and are very low cost. i have never had a problem with them.

I have a Pfaff 2140 Embroidery machine that I've had for over 8 years now. I like the embroidery but I now fear that it was just a phase for me. I have tons of designs, but I don't do much embroidery any more. Just the odd kids thing and maybe a quilt label. At Christmas I did do 12 redwork squares last month for the 12 days of Christmas. I loved doing the patches, but I still don't have the wall hanging finished. It will get done for next year.

I have a Janome 11000SE that I use for embroidery work and a Janome 6600 I use for general sewing. I know my 1100o can also do general sewing, but using them the way I do, I can multi task and sew on one and embroider on the other!

whats a latte quilt? please

I have the singer futura 150. I enjoy embroidering on it, but with the problems I have had wouldn't recomend it for purchase. The bobbin case is so difficult to get in right after cleaning. I have had fits trying to get it correct, had to have help twice (luckily my sil has experience with a brother machine but she lives over 2 hours away). I did kitchen towels for friends this year, pillow cases for grand kids, bath towels for my house. I have had fun.

I have the Bernina Deco (13 Yrs) and am now using a Babylock Ellegante 2 (2 yrs). The internet is such a great resource for designs, both free and $$. I have made several quilts using the embroidery; just love it. My next quilt with embroidery will be quilt as you go.

Wow, the embroidery library really makes me want to get an EM! However, cost is a big factor right now.

I've looked at the Brother machines, affordable, but is the embroidery really nice looking? I'm afraid to pay good money and get a machine that doesn't make a nice quality embroidery design.

I would really only be using the EM for a few projects a year, not as a constant need, so if anyone can suggest a nice machine under $500, I'd love to hear about it.

Diane

I love my Brother SE350 it stitches beautifully and was under $400.00 I did get the PED Basic also for downloading off the internet'

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?ur...hine&x=12&y=19

The brothers that I have do amazing work, one is older and is about what you can get for under 500 now but it still does the job, just watch what hoop sizes you get and can do with it, the smaller ones can be very limiting. you may be surprised at howw much you end up using it.

On the Brother machines, what model has the largest hoop size? I'm now thinking, I would like to be sure I have one that can do a decent job of filling the space inside a 12" block for my quilts, so maybe one that has a hoope of about 8x8? Do they make those or am I getting into an expensive machine to do that?

Diane

The biggest hoop my older machine has is a 5x7 my big machine has a 7 7/8 x 11 7/8 hoop on it, and it is most definitely a little more than that, I am not sure how big some of the hoops are on the newer ones, but I think that 5x7 is the biggest for them but could be wrong, check the brother site out, they will have all of the information as well as some pricing,

Thanks for the great info!

Now, thread! What is the best to use for machine embroidery? If I am putting embroidery into quilts, I don't want it to be too heavy or thick.

Diane

They come in two weights, 40 and 60, I use isacord, I find it durable and a good quality and I get it pretty cheap, but I am also in canada, so not sure what stores sell it there, I also use Gunold but it is more of an industrial one, if you don't want it to be to heavy or thick you would pick the design best suited to what you are doing, there is simple line designs, to full filled in heavy designs, it can be very versitile, there are a lot here obviously that do embroidery that can help with specifics when you are trying to work things out, feel free to pm me anything, I may or may not be able to help, I have been at it for a bit, my first embroidery machine was a janome 16 years in Feb. check out the site www.emblibrary.com for ideas and what there is out there, they have a very large supply of designs and they are pretty reasonably priced and continuously go on sale, the quality of the design plays a large part in out it will turn out, I have not had any issues with their designs or their customer service, they are alway friendly and helpful when ever I ask a question, they have a lot of projects as well on their sister site.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-28272-1.htm

if you would like to see some of the things that I have done with the machines, I have done this and more, it is a lot of fun once you get into it, and the best part is if you still have another machine you can piece and do other things while it is working away.

Thanks Cutebuns!

I went to emblibrary and that is what got me hooked on the fact that I need an EM! The designs are fabulous, and I love everything patriotic and saw so many great designs that I would love to use.

So, if I have this right, first the machine, then the software, a computer for downloading and 30 hour days to have some fun using it! LOL!

Diane

yup, the good thing is that while the machine is doing it's thing you can go and do other things so it stretches your time somewhat. it is very addictive, it gives that professional look to all sorts of things, I did some really nice tea towels before Christmas as well, took some inexpensive towels and customized them, it is easy and really once you get into it it can be pretty cheap, it costs me about 50cents in supplies to do them and once you have some patterns, the more you use them the less it costs, people thought I was nuts to have the machines that I do but I more than have paid for them as well, if you looked at the brother site, I have the PR620 which is just the one before the one show at the top of the embroidery page, it has 6 threads and a bunch of cool things to play with. as well as a double set of hoops including a hat hoop. it is faster than most of the domestic machines, you save time not having to stop and rethread for every color change, the only thing I wish it had was the jacket back hoop, they don't have one that big yet, and the machine is less than some of the domestic machines that I have seen, I worked it out that I could buy it and a regular sewing machine for less than a combo one that does both, thing is that you can't use it for both at the same time, it is one or the other, so this way I would get two for less than one, and it isn't hard to learn how to use.

the odds are that for the first bit you will get stuck watching that needle go up and down, it happens here all the time when I get comapny, they are fasinated with watching the design appear,

the brother sewing and em combo that has the largest size is the Quattro 6000D with 12 x 8 working field. This is at the high end cost wise.

The Brothers that have a D are liscenced disney designs so you are also paying for that.

I bought the Innovis 4000D about three years just as it was being discontinnued so I got a great deal. have not done any EM as of yet.

OK - Just a note of caution - the sites listed above are pretty good sites - BUT sometimes you get what you pay for in embroidery designs. Some of the free stuff is not digitized very well and some of it is great. Always stitch out a sample design.

Also - the major companies such as Viking, Pfaff, Janome and singer have free designs. They are clearly in different formats but if you have software you can convert them. If not, many of us have software and could help you.

http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/us/2894.htm
http://www.pfaff.com/global/4704.html
http://janome.com/index.cfm/ProjectC...embroideryid=2
http://www.singerco.com/downloads/?content_block_id=13

I have a Pfaff 2144 with all the upgrades to make it equal to a 2170. I love it. The stitching is beautiful!!!!

I have a Pfaff 2170 for about 2 years. I LOVE it! This is a Dakota designs 'Tara Reed' coffee cups, and chose the colors to match the fabric.

Thanks
That is what I don't understand. When or how I should say, does digitalizing(sp) happen. So I might download something and it is not digitalized. Will I know after
it is in my machine and I do a practice piece?
As you can tell I am a very..... newby at this.
I am learning so many tips just reading this forum
amazing.

OK I hope this is what you are asking . . .

My machine is a Pfaff 2170 and will "read" several different files/formats. Digitizing takes place when a image (either a .bmp or .jpeg file) is converted into machine stitches. Most digitizing software can also take a particular stitch file (such as a .vip , .pes or other file) and convert it into another file format such as .exp or .jes. Some simple programs are available that will allow you to view the stitch file and convert it to other formats. Each embroidery machine manufacturer has a proprietary format but many of the newer machines will "read" and stitch out several different formats.

My guess is that you will download a file that has been already digitized. All the sites that UpNorth gave you are good sites and all the files you find there or at the sites that I posted are digitized already. The question is really whether you machine can read the file and stitch it. What machine do you have and or what format does it take??

You have answered my question thanks. I have a SE270D
Embroidery /sewing machine and after reading about downloading patterns it really sounds like fun. It has a card not usb. I just need to get a card it didn't come with the machine. I am really happy with this machine so far.

I have a Janome 350E and an MB4. Been embroidering for about 4 years. Love Artisticthreadworks. Been a member for the past 3 or 4 years. I have learned so much there. There is a group of us who make charity quilts and quilts for the veterns. We also make the troups stockings at Christmas. This year there were over 4000 stockings sent. It is a lot of fun and adds to our quilts. Kacy 49

The Brother card requires special software/hardware. You can use PED, Amazing Box or Ultimate Box (there may be others). Some of these read write devices come with a blank cards.

Hi, Margie! I just got a new Ellegante that I will get in another week. I also sew with a Bernina Activa computerized machine. I really like to sew heirloom and vintage projects. Also costume antique reproduction dolls.

You have a good assortment of sewing machines! It is easy to get alot of them in a stache!

SassySewer53

Diane, the difference between Brother and Baby Lock is in Disney embroidery designs. Brother has a contract with Disney, so their machines are preloaded with a host of designs from Disney. Babylock has some Nancy Zieman designs loaded on their higher end machines.

I think you will be happier to get an embroidery machine with larger sewing field capability. Seems like the smaller machines do not have enough designs to offer out there. Babylock has the Esante' that is mid range but very good quality work for around 2500. Brother Innovis 2500D is also a good machine that is midrange but has enough bells and whistles to intrique your creativity that falls in the same price range.

You also want to make sure there is USB capability. This is for design transport, and to also keep machine firmware current in technology applications. If you look online at SewsItsforsale.com or sewingbuys.com at the Brother links, you should be able to get a good used machine with more capability at much less cost. Usually, these are tradeins or machines that the owner wants to rid of in order to downsize a sewing studio, or to raise funds to buy the TOL version of a brand.

I have seen Brother machines used for around 2500 to 3500, depending on age, size of machine, etc. Often with older models that use converter box, those will run right at 1000 to 1500. Again, perfectly fine machines, but older ones that the owner sells in order to upgrade or downsize sewing space.

Thanks craftybear (Karen) for starting this thread.
I have a Brother 1500 and am loving it. I have gotten several patterns from Embroidery Library that I love and have also gotten several freebies from sewforum
http://www.sewforum.com/ . In fact just sewed one of the free designs from there tonight and like how it turned out.
But like others has said before, you should always sew out a practice piece just to check out how it will look.

Some times that is the best way to adjust the colors as well, I recommend choosing a similar color to stitch out on as the back ground fabric can make a difference in the all around look, they will adjust colors but you don't need to stick to them, infact the odds are that you won't have all the colors or the brand that they suggest and if they did it out in white or off white (which most of the samples that I have seen are just so) it will need a change probably if you stitch it on a dark, I have about 400 colors and there are times that I can't find the color that I would like, you can also match fabrics that you are using if you are putting it in a quilt or other project that has more than the one that you are working on,

If there are any new to embroidery users reading this, I like to also practice on tea towels and things like that, if they work out (you can do some of your practice runs on them as well) then they make good gifts, if not then you can use them yourself in the kitchen or as rags,

Thanks Sharon, wow the t shirt is so cute. I will need to buy me a tshirt for this summer and come to your house and pay you to monogram it for me.

Awesome!

Remember quilt guild meeting is Thursday morning!

Karen

i have a janome memory craft they are wonderful i use buzz tools when i am getting designs off of the internet it catalogs them and while convert to the format i need them to be in and unzip it if they i do so many things i i dont think i could stand it if they made another type of sewing machine sewing is truly a passion

Well, I have one that is just about obsolete. It is a Brother PE150. It will only embroidery in the small hoop. I would love to have a larger one, but I bet I haven't used this one 10 hours in the past 10 years.

I have a Brother ULT2002D and a Duetta. I embroider centers for baby quilts that go to the hospital NICU units and other baby quilts. Other than that I made a Baltimore Album quilt using all embroidered squares. I also use them to make my labels for the quilts.

I am so glad to see some embroidery people on this forum. I have a Janome 350E and Janome MB4. Love them both. I use alot of designs from WWW.embroidables.com and also Anita Goodesign (found at LQS). My LQS gives unlimited classes and lessons for any machine or software you purchase from them. I also have Janomes customize and digitizer programs and also EQ6 (which I haven't used much). Love to see some others work. I will post a picture of a quilt I did using coloring book pages from Toy Story -the movie.

I can't see very well can't find a good pair of my glasses. I have a 350 janome embroidery machine that I love. I find many free designs all over the net and basically add them. the only thing that is difficult is finding a 2 kg flash drive for it most flash drives are 4 mgs or kgs or whatever. It is very easy to use but another drawback is changing threads. most machines are way to expensive for my pocket book but this is great for the money.
cee gee(carol in Charleston) :)

do u do actual quilting with embroidery machine? like hoop it?

what are buztools?
ceegee

what are buz tools?

I have a Babylock Ellageo. I haven't used the embroidery nearly as much as I thought I would. But that has to do with losing my job to outsourcing and not being able to find another. This embroidery setup is complicated and the few designs I've tried were too dense for the fabrics.

I'll stick with just quilting. I'm thinking of selling this machine and buying a good general purpose sewing machine.