Very cute, Louise. I also love Sonia's designs. They are exquisite. But beware of the density of the earrings. VERY dense. But very cute.

Oh I know.

If you recall we BOTH was working hard on trying to get the seahorses
to stitch out properly because they were so darn dense.

I have SEVERAL of Sonia's designs the cardinal birds, baby feet, and many
others.

Have you tried the cardinal yet? I would have loved to make them, but was hesitant because of the density issue.

On another note, many of the Designs by Cuties at Cuteembroidery.com are fabulous. I especially love the ripple designs - farmer's market, doors, vintage toys, flowers with meanings. Have you tried them?

No I have not tried the cardinal earrings yet.
Maybe I will give them a try today (if I can find my design LOL).

As for the Cute Emb I have MANY (if not all as of 6 months ago)
ripple designs but have not tried any of them yet.

I have OVER 200,000 designs now (discovered this when I was backing
them up). But I KNOW that there are MANY duplicates, and over 30,000
are names only (in about 3 different font styles).

I keep thinking that SOMEDAY (haha fat joke there) I will sit down, and sort
my designs into the folders I have set up (right now most of them are just
sorted by WHERE I got them from ie. designer/website). Maybe delete the
designs I KNOW that doesn't stitch out very well (looks bad).

But like I said that is a someday project and I have many more OTHER
projects on my list that are more fun. LOL

Quilty-Louise I know exactly what you mean. I need to organize my folders and binders in order for me to find my designs. At this time I have certain pages with sticky notes to remind me where I took the page from. I mostly get my designs from embroidery library but I just dont' have the time to sit and sort them all out :( BTW, those earrings are adorable!

Here are the folders I have - but each has many subdivisions within the parent folder

1 (the folder where I plop unzipped files for sorting)
Abstract
Alphabets
Amish (Lickety Split designs)
Angels
Animals
Apparel Fashion
Applique
Aquatic
Awareness Ribbons
Babies Children
Basting Filies
Bikers
Birds
Body Parts
Bookmarks
Borders Corners Frames
Bows
Bugs
Buildings Structures
Butterflies
Celebrations
Celestial
Circus
Coasters Mug Rugs
Convert (stuff not in my format)
Country Prim
Crafty Classes
Crochet Gift Bags
Cross Stitch
Cultural
Elves Fairies Gnomes
Famous Landmarks
Fantasy
Fine Arts
Floral
Food
Futuristic
Games
Gardening
Gigantic (for huge hoops)
Hearts
Herbs
Holidays
Household Items
Hunting Camping Fishing
Jacobean Designs
Lace
Lessons
Loops
Music
Napkin Rings
Nature
Occupations
Optical
Patriotic
People
Projects
Quilting - Sewing Themes
Quilting Designs
Redwork
Religious
Sachets
Samplers
Sayings
School
Scrolls
Seasonal Weather
Skulls
Snowmen
Sock Monkeys
Sports
Sunbonnets
Tattoo Designs
Tea Towels Pot Holders
Teddy Bears
Toys
Transportation
Wedding

K,

I have MANY folders like that also, but have yet to get my designs sorted
into the folders.

Right now though when I get new designs free or purchased they go onto
my external HD (1TB in size) I have a folder there labeled as "Embroidery"
in that folder I have all the folders like you have (maybe not all the same names)
but at the TOP of the list I have folders labeled as:

##1 Embroidery Designs Sorted
##- By Designer
8 Paws and A Claw
123 Embroidery Design
A Stitch A Half
etc, etc, etc.....

So as I get designs now I download/save them to the folder in which I get them
from. This has helped me a great deal when I am looking for a design. But I STILL
have to get the rest of my designs sorted.

How on earth do you find anything???? Yow!!!
Uh oh. Sonia has "sea star" earrings now ...

mylar design
 

I did some embroidery today with mylar has anyone else used this??? I want to make a stabalizer organizer and use the mylar designs for each stabalizer. looking for a pattern for stabalizer organizer so I can use my designs with

I have a Brother Innovis 1500D. Its currently being cleaned and serviced, getting ready to sell for $1500 to upgrade but I have made handbag/totes, tops, 1 large quilt, 1 small both with pillow cases. I am very new to quilting. I enjoy embroidering occasionally for the grand daughter and I am hoping to buy the 4750D. I have been enjoying the Brother sewing/embroidering machines.

newbee3 that is so cute!

On the learning curve. Today I was able to repeat last Saturday's class, by myself. I could find my way around the screens. I even was able to change to a different pattern and stitch it. Yeh!

Very pretty newbee3. Have you tried Anglenia Fibers yet. It comes in fibers plus you can get sheets. I like the fibers because you can mix and match different ones to get any color combo you want and then you iron it and it works just like mylar, it even looks alot like it. It's really great for Christmas ornaments and I put a shiney snowman on a picture frame that I digitized and made .

Newbie3 I have those designs but haven't done it yet. I love the way it came out. I purchased a blank embroidery stabilizer kit to make one using these motifs.

where did you get the blank embroidery stabilizer kit ?????????????

I don't know what the "gold standard: is so can't say about that, but I just love my Crescendo. It's easy to use, the work surface is large and bright, and the walking foot is a dream. It seems I did get a good deal, cause everyone else seems to say their dealer is much higher.

newbee3, I got the kit at a quilt store in Winter Haven, FL. There is a group of us in FL that meet twice a year at the Heartfelt Quilting and Sewing Store. They had one done on display and they also sold the kit to make one. I have yet to make it but plan on doing it soon since I am running out of room for my stabilizers. Bigredharley, you did get a great deal and I hear wonderful things about the Crescendo but I had a combo machine and used the embroidery more than the sewing features. I had the Babylock Ellure Plus which worked like a charm but I upgraded it to the Spirit. No complaints here. The gold standard is a 3 yr warranty for the machine. So it is best to get the most of service and maintenance for the next 3 yrs. Make sure that it is a Babylock technician because if not it can void the warranty. AND Today I received my last cherished embroidery machine that I have been looking for. A wonderful new friend here on the qb sold me the Brother PE-200 Snoopy Embroidery Machine. Brother only made one edition of this and later they did Winnie the Pooh and now it is all Disney. I am a big Snoopy/Peanuts fan and she was gracious with her deal. It arrived today and I turned it on and so far its not broken. I haven't yet used the embroidery (this machine came with a 4x4, 5x7 and smaller cap hoop. So now I am fulfilled! No more machines for me...wait a minute, oh my I like this machine*wink*wink*

jratcliff

Can you put a little oil on the upper parts of the needle shank? Then try moving it using the hand wheel. It may be difficult. My Brother 3000 did this a few years ago, took it to the mechanic, and all he did was oiled that.

Good luck, RosieG

The SNOOPY machine was my first venture into the emb. world. I sold it when I upgraded, but recently bought another from ebay (just because I was feeling nostalgic!) My machine came with PE Scanner (I'm having a ball!) However, I only got the lgr hoop and I want a 4x4. I ordered one & they sent the lge one. I informed and they sent another lge. I give up! Am trying to trade the lge for 4x4 on my local swap site. If anybody...???? Both are still in pkg....new.

Which model of machines do you have?

I have the NV1000 and the Innov-Is 1500D and have the 4x4 hoop for both
machines.

The Snoopy machine is a PE 200 --the same hoops fit 150, 175, 200..Bernette Deco. The ones with the little round pins on the side that slip down into grooves and you pop back up & out. My other machines presently are Bro ULT-D 2003 and 2002 (upgraded to 2003. Their hoops slide into place and are not interchangeable with the PE200. As you prob know, the 5x7 hoop for the PE Snoopy (& others of this generation) is a hoop that can be repositioned for split/larger designs than the 4x4 will handle.

Thank you for the suggestion. I didn't try that although I did try to move the hand wheel. No go. That sucker was frozen tight. I just got it back from the shop and it's all good as new - in fact better. They did a very thorough cleaning and service and had to replace a part. On the thread take up mechanism there is a little copper ring. Evidently there was thread wrapped around the ring which caused it to seize up. They replaced the ring and now it purs. $10 was it. I hate to admit that only one time in my half century plus of sewing have I taken a machine in for service was about 14 years ago. That machine is still with me and works beautifully. However, the difference in how my emb machine sounds and sews is amazing. I would highly recommend having machines serviced. Soooo worth it. Jane

OH, and I wanted to add for quiltnutforever, that my Brother dealer told me about a yr+ ago that the "Snoopy" has become very desirable...AND expensive! He said there were not that many of them available and he had one that he wouldn't quote a price for. Charles Shultz having passed not that long ago, it might have influenced the popularity of the machine. Anyway, mine will remain in my sewing rm until my toes turn up.

The Snoopy machine is a PE 200 --the same hoops fit 150, 175, 200..Bernette Deco. The ones with the little round pins on the side that slip down into grooves and you pop back up & out. My other machines presently are Bro ULT-D 2003 and 2002 (upgraded to 2003. Their hoops slide into place and are not interchangeable with the PE200. As you prob know, the 5x7 hoop for the PE Snoopy (& others of this generation) is a hoop that can be repositioned for split/larger designs than the 4x4 will handle.

Mermaid, well congrats to you too on getting one back for nostalgic. I'm so happy I have this one! When Charles Schulz passed away the buzz in the embroidery world was that those who had the limited edition of the PE-200 Snoopy machine is worth more. I don't know if Brother plans on re-doing it since his passing but who knows! I actually have the 4x4, 5x7 and the small cap hoop but for me this machine is definitely for baby stuff and small projects. I'll be using the machine this weekend and I can't wait!

WOW. Now that I have found this thread I will spend even MORE time at QB. I think I saw a reference to an embroidery thread once before but do not think I followed up. Now I have 50 pages to catch up on and.... many more to look forward to.
My neighbors/friends say I am addicted to embroidery and I have a Brother Quatro 2 and a Brother PR650. My husband is an enabler so my fate is set.

I just finished stitching the cardinal birds and the baby feet designs from
Sonia Showalter Designs.

They came out BEAUTIFULLY!! I just need to soak them in water to remove
the stabilizer.

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I also have the Brother SE 350 but I don't have any experience with it. Now that I am back home from my brother's I want to start learning what to do. I took one lesson at the Brother store near me a few wks ago but still not sure what to do. Do you have to get the PED Basic to download patterns from the internet or just for the moment practice with what's on the machine? I have a lot of patterns that came with the machine. I sure could use the help and it sounds like fun. I really want to learn so I can do a lot more. Let me know what and how you plan to get together. Thanks, Sue

Louise,
Those are the cutest birds and baby feet I've seen so far. Good job!:thumbup:

Quilty-Louise, what stabilizer do you use for these? They are beautiful!!

On this particular hooping I used the Floriani Wet n' Gone stabilizer.

But I ALSO use the Pellon 541 Wash n Gone which looks like the
Floriani, and depending on how much you are going to buy can
end up costing as much if not more as the Floriani.

I purchased a 100 foot "Commercial" roll of the Wet n Gone for
about $135 that came out to costing me LESS then the Pellon
even with my 40% off coupon at Joanns.

But to me they both work just as well.

Oh and I used 2 layers in the hoop pulled tightly (without tearing)
for a better stitch out.

Love the little baby feet and the cardinal birds. Great job on them Quilty Louise.

I have used the mylar for a Halloween wall hanging and love the look of it. Newbee3 where did you get your sewing design?

Do you use the same thread in the bobbin that you use on top? I have just purchased a Singer Quarter SEQS-6000 and am trying to learn how to use it, at this point I am very confused.

Anytime I am making FSL (free standing lace) designs like those I
posted pics of (baby feet and cardinal birds) I use the same color
thread in both top and bobbin.

All other designs I USUALLY use either black or white bobbin thread.
There are rare exceptions to that, mostly depending on my "mood"
and how much I feel like just "sitting" at my machine to change the
bobbin thread.

Of course that is just me, everyone pretty much has their own methods
for doing things that work best for them.

I have seen You Tube videos that show a sulky adhesive spray product on stabilizer as a prep before adding the fabric on top. Can adhesive spray products designed for quilt basting be used instead? Thanks!

mylar embroidery designs on the internet purly gates is the name of the site

I use 505 spray

It really depends on the project for me. I am currently working on burp pads for two babies yet to arrive. I want the embroidery to be rather soft and to "stand up" on the flannel so I'm using bobbin embroidery thread on the back and a water soluble stabilizer on the top. I am not convinced that it really looks any different if I don't do that, however the lady at the shop said that the embroidery bobbin thread is finer and doesn't pull the top thread to the back quite as much. I am also working on clothing labels so I do use the bobbin embroidery thread or the clear nylon thread. Also very fine and seems to work very well. On other stuff like the quilt I'm doing, I tend to go to regular sewing thread that I've got left over from other projects. No one will see it, it doesn't go to waste, and I'm not thinking about the added expense of specialty threads. Keep in mind, I am not a professional embroiderer and definitely not a purist by any means. I just do this for pleasure. Jane

If you are embroidering you need to use embroidery bobbin thread and not the thread you use at the top.

To get the BEST looking FSL though you want to use the same color thread
on both top and bottom.

I know that ABC Embroidery Designs sells bobbin thread in the same colors
as the top thread, but from ALL the designers, instructors, Retail store (where
machines purchased) said tat using emb. thread on top does not hurt anything.
Even my repair guys use the same thread.

Of course everyone has their own preferences on what they will or will not use.