It isn't the stabilizer. I used two layers of stabilizer. Besides, if it were stabilizer, the design would be puckered up instead of out of kilter. It has something to do with the unit that moves the hoop under the needle. As you can see in the photo, there isn't any bunching. The problem is that the designs are not centering like they should. Also, the underside of the design looks like it should. There are no thread tangles or nests.

I have been studying the photo of you misaligned design.

Is this a design you have used before? or is this the first
time it was used? Is this the only design that is not stitching
out correctly or is it ALL designs?

Now I had a design to do something close to that kind of
an issue; come to find out my problem was that my machine
was to close to a basket so the hoop was hitting that basket
thus causing it to not stitch out the way it should have.

If you take it in for repairs again go someplace else do not
take it to the same guy as before. And if possible try to have
a hoop "setup" with fabric, stabilizer the works and run that
design to show the repair guy what it is doing.

Thats about all I can think of at the moment.

I had my Brother misalign a design last year. I tried everything to get that danged design to stitch. Finally decided there was something incompatible between the design and my machine. At a certain point my machine would just jump over about 1 inch and then finish the design. Never happened on any other design. I ended up deleting the design from my sewing machine and from the hard drive in my computer where I had it stored. If you aren't lucky enough for your problem to be in the design, then you do need a better trained technician. I think the problem will be in the computer part of your sewing machine. Under no circumstance should a sewing machine be out for more than 2 weeks for repair. If the backlog is so large, then get an appointment for your machine and take it in closer to when it will be repaired. At least you will have it for regular sewing until then.

Sherriann and Quiltnut4ever, thanks so much. I was really shocked at how big that thing is! Now I know why they cost so much.

Krystyna, I own a Babylock Ellure Plus and I could just imagine the asking price for its trolley! Since I don't go anywhere with it I don't need it but you must be excited!

They retail for $179! Quite a bit when you consider that you can get one without the top bit for $39 at Walmart. But it truly is built like a tank. I don't go anywhere with my machines either, but I do have tooooo many machines in this house, so I'll probably use it for storage. What I really need is storage for my Go!

The problem is happening with other designs as well. The design is from Embroidery Library, a good professional design. I double checked to make sure the arm wasn't bumping into anything while sewing the design. It may be in the machine computer, or it may be something in the embroidery unit, because it seems as if maybe it is slipping a cog or something. I may have to check around to find another authorized repair person, but I don't like the idea of having to pay another $99.95 for something that should be covered under warranty.

I am surprised the warrenty didn't cover it the first time. When I suggested going to a different repair person I only meant that the last one didn't seem to know enough to fix the problem. You definitely need to go through an authorized dealer to get warrenty repair work. Maybe you can get a refund for the last work. One can dream.

I don't know how many of you found this design site, but I love
MOST of their designs. They even have several free designs but
you really have to go through them page by page to find all the
freebies.

I can't wait to get the money to buy some of these designs, especially
some of the 3D designs.


CRISWELL EMB

Oh, Louise. Why oh why did you have to point that site out again??? I'm on a design fast until I sew through a TON of my designs. But I really, really, really love those lady bug designs. And some of those angels ... *sigh*

Yeah I know what you mean.

I got all the free designs I could find.

Right now I have the peacock feather earrings stitching out
can't wait to see them finished. I will post pics of them.

I'm currently working my way through all of my lace angels. Stitched out some skulls and Urban Threads t-shirts for one of our RAK members ... you can see them on my blog ... and a lace heart lock and key that will make a sweet necklace on velvet.

Those are awesome.

Ooof! Metallic thread is such a PITA! I use special metallic needles. Digging around for some now, but no luck. There are also ceramic needles if you can find them -- no heat, so no fray. Also, I always use a tiny drop of Sewers Aid on the spool and the needle eye.

For metallic thread I slow the machine down as slow as it will go.
I use a LARGE eye top stitch needle.

Since starting to use the top stitch needle I have VERY VERY few
thread breaks and I also use a thread net on the spools.

Louise, what number needle is a top stitch needle?

I have the 90/14 size.


I am going to send you a package.

I'm not sure if this question has been ask before so here goes.
What method do you use to store/save your embroidery designs?
Do you copy them to your hard drive?
Do you leave them on disc?
How do you store your disc?
If you download designs, how do you save the designs?

I thought I developed a good system, but I always seem to be hunting something.

I save mine on my hard drive under downloads. I put them in various folders according to the type of design they are or what I am using them for - i.e. alphabets, or Christmas placemats, or fleur de lis, etc. I down load them unzipped and I save them unzipped. I move them to a jump drive (high speed USB) to transfer them to my sewing machine. I have about 20,000 designs.

This is what I do. I download my designs into folders according to where I bought them; like orders_emblibrary, etc. Each site has it's own orders folder and the name of the design never changes in That folder.

Then as I unzip them I rename them to make since as to what they are since most are #'s. I put them into folders according to what they are; beachy, Holidays,w/subfolders for each holiday and kitchen, it has sub folders like potholders, kit decor, ect.

The reason I download my designs into order folders is, I was told that most sites will let you download designs more than once if needed. The thing is though they sometimes update their designs and put some into archives and then unless you know the # and where you got a certain design you can't get it back. That is why I put it into a folder with the sites name and leave the download #/name the same and only change it when I put it into a different folder. It also makes it easier to backup my designs by only having to backup the orders folders and the ones that have designs that I created in them. Which I'm just starting to design since I bought Professional 5D for my Ruby.

Now I'm in the process with the help of 5D of converting a copy of each of my designs into a picture and when I get them done I'll print out thumbnails of the designs so that I have a visualization of each one and can flip thru a book to see what I have. I hope this helps.

Trying to get it all organized has been a challenge so I spoke to my Viking teacher on how she does it. She said she's been doing it for 6yrs and is still changing things around. I keep the folders at the top of the list on my pc by placing a # in front of them like 1MyDesigns 2MyMonograms. This keeps them at the top; above all the software installed things. I also have a folder for designs that I create called Judy's designs and Judy's Monograms, etc.

I have everything on my hard drive. They get downloaded into download and unzipped from there and moved to a file I named 1 just so it was on the top of all the others. From there I open the folder, get rid of formats and other stuff like images that I don't need and then re-name if necessary and move to a category in a folder library called Embroidery. I downloaded a folder system from someone's Yahoo group -- can't remember where -- and it works! I've added a few and gotten rid of a few. At the moment I am going through to be sure all designs are organized and then burning a DVD or two for safe keeping.

Thanks, Louise!

I have a separate computer just for my embroidery. I really had too - I have a digitizing program that isn't compatible with Vista on my main computer! Fortunately, my DB found a laptop for me (the one that I had replaced with the Vista one had pooped out), so I can use my program. I store a lot of patterns on that - I also have some (a few thousand) on a flash drive saved from my old computer that is sorted into categories and several CDs full of designs. I wasn't happy when I learned the digitizing program couldn't be upgraded with a patch or something to work on my new laptop - and a new program would cost near $2,000! Oh well - it worked out better having a lap top just for embroidery - its older, but works with all my programs and has a slot for my card reader/writer from my machine to slide into.

BTW - I love Criswell!

Hi everybody.

First, I'd like to commend Emblibrary.com for standing behind their commitment to assist customers having trouble with their designs. I reported a problem and they send me an updated file in a day or so.

Now...I love their designs but they are very dense. Last night I put together a quilt top with nine of their designs. Individually, they didn't seem overly stiff but now that the top is put together as a group I'm not sure if I'm really happy.

I'm wondering, does anybody know if there's a way to soften them? I do plan to wash the quilt before gifting. Will washing remove some of the stiffness? I used three layers of tearaway stabilizer for all but one design in which I used four.

Thanks,
Cathy

I too like their designs and service. My Viking teacher said the same thing about their designs being really dense. I recently went to a trunk show for Hatched in Africa and I love how their designs stitch out. None of them are real dense. It is run by a family and they try to make sure that their designs can be either worn or used on a child without any problems. I hope softener helps; sometimes vinegar will also help. Maybe it'll desolve some of the stablizier. You could try soaking if for a little while before starting the wash cycle so the stablizier can loosen up some and maybe more of it will wash away the first time out.

[QUOTE=deplaylady;5264336]I have a separate computer just for my embroidery. I really had too -

I did the same thing. My daughter had my larger laptop and she broke it and left me with my little netbook. There is no way I could scroll up and down trying to do designs on it. When I was sure I was buying the 5D I went out and bought a 17" laptop. It makes it so much eaiser to work with designs when you can see it all on one screen. I really want to get into designing my own designs and adding cutwork to alot of designs so that my needles can do the work. It is so easy to find cutwork designs but most aren't designed to work with the cutwork needles. I needed to be able to see it all on one screen to do this. It was hard enought reading my email.

Thanks Judy. I'll try that. I doubt it will wash away because it wasn't washaway, but the fibers might soften. Wish me luck. :)

Please....Please can someone tell me why this Machine Embroidery section is not yet a new link? I know there was some discussion about it sometime ago .... but surely it's popularity shows there are many of us that use embroidery as part of our quilts.
It would be great if it were.

So far nothing. Maybe we should start a new link where everyone signs in if they think it's a good idea to create us a link; like a petition of sorts. I don't know, but there are lots of people on here that do embroidery and also use it for quilting. They say they don't want to make this site too much about crafting but you have links for recipes and other non-related sewing (let alone quilting) things. I think everyone would gain from it. There are always people who say they bought their machine and never or hardly ever used the embroideried part of it. I've even this past week or so seen more than one person wanting answers to embroideried questions but didn't see this link. There is a need for it which is proven if you look at how many Yahoo groups there are out there. I'd like to be able to go to one place and get my quilting/embroidery information/answers all together. Most of us are so busy we don't have time to search for good groups on the net. Maybe one day they'll see it that way. I don't look at embroidering as a craft at all.

I do wish you lots of luck and I'll see if I can find any other suggestions out for you. Let me know how it turns out.

[QUOTE=romanojg;5264877][QUOTE=deplaylady;5264336]I have a separate computer just for my embroidery. I really had too -

I did the same thing. My daughter had my larger laptop and she broke it and left me with my little netbook. There is no way I could scroll up and down trying to do designs on it. When I was sure I was buying the 5D I went out and bought a 17" laptop. It makes it so much eaiser to work with designs when you can see it all on one screen. I really want to get into designing my own designs and adding cutwork to alot of designs so that my needles can do the work. It is so easy to find cutwork designs but most aren't designed to work with the cutwork needles. I needed to be able to see it all on one screen to do this. It was hard enought reading my email.[/QUOTE

My friend has a little netbook & had trouble seeing her designs on it--so she added a 15" or 17" monitor hooked to it and now she is loving it! So this is an alternative to buying a larger laptop! Savings!!

One thing that might help getting a machine emb. section, is everytime I see an embroidery question, I refer them to this thread by using search and then finding embroidery machines lets chat. I figure the more we have looking & responding, it will show a much needed section. I love this thread. I learn lots and I do not consider it a craft as much as a quilting technique.

My friend has a little netbook & had trouble seeing her designs on it--so she added a 15" or 17" monitor hooked to it and now she is loving it! So this is an alternative to buying a larger laptop! Savings!![/QUOTE]

I was going to do that with my 22in monitor that I already have. My daughter doesn't live with me anymore and she'll borrow my laptop and take it to her house and forget to bring it back or I'll not think I need it and will tell her to keep it overnight. Then that night I'll get an idea and can't do anything because she's got my laptop. I just decided mess on it. I still only let my daughter "borrow" my netbook because she's hard on them and I want to hold onto it for a backup. I have an old one with XP on it that I might give to her after I decide if I'm selling my magic box that went with my old machine or not. The magic box doesn't like the newer operating systems.

Like many of you, I use my embroidery machine for quilting but I also embroider designs on the veils I make. Other than that, I embroider quilty motifs on t-shirts for quilting buddies. Love these that are now in the mail ... to ???

Me me me krystyna me!

I download my designs on my computer, in a special folder. Then I put them on a cd. This is the way my software will let me see the pictures and the colors. It also gives me a back-up.

I have a Brother ULT2003, a work horse!