Noiseynana

That Little Max has a free upgrade in case you need it. I can't afford one so thats out for me. You know , retired , broke??? Kinda goes together.

dee1245

Love my 1+ also. The embroidery unit works beautifully, but newer computers don't have the serial port and after buying the usb cord to serial found it didn't work, so now I have the reader/writer unit and cannot use it. Bought the reader/writer unit and extra blank card thinking I was going to do great embroidery designs, so I am bummed at not being able to do anything with it.

Shelbie

I am enjoying this thread as I have a #1+ as well and don't know how to use any of the embroidery stuff. I bought it on Kijiji (Canadian version of Craig's list) advertised as a newish Husqvarna for $200. I was looking for a machine to take to class rather than lugging my Janome 6500. When I got there (former owner's DIL) didn't have a clue what she had and most of the parts were still sealed up in the original cartons along with the sales bill taped in the owner's manual that read $3600 plus tax for this machine). I brought it home and started playing with the main machine and all the face plates with the fancy stitches (have 12 instead of just the original 4) and haven't yet even tried out the rest of it. I'd like to figure out how to use some of the rest of it too. It sews so much better than my Janome 6500 so now my Janome is for sale!

ArchaicArcane

This is an option, but I highly recommend that someone with limited computer experience get a friend or family member to set it up. It takes a lot of resources ( computing power, etc) to do it, and it's not the most straight forward, especially if you've never installed Windows before. There are several programs out there to do this:

VirtualBox - Free
Microsoft Virtual PC - Free
VMWare Player - Free, but quite limited

What's not free is you're supposed to have a license for all operating systems on your machine. This means the one for Windows 7 /8 that your machine came with AND the Windows XP / Windows 2000 / Windows 98 that you install as a guest. -None- of the guest operating systems discussed here are available for purchase anymore, so you'd have to find a copy somewhere.

This option will only -potentially- work IF the host operating system (Windows 7 or 8) understands the hardware (dongle / card reader, etc) completely. If the host can't understand it, it won't "pass through" to the guest correctly.

OK, so DollyO told us it's a parallel port connector, so that's good. I would have guessed serial, because there used to be more than one on a computer, and using parallel - there was only ever one on a computer, so you'd have had to unplug the printer to use your embroidery machine, but it is faster than serial, so this is a good thing. Hopefully the USB to parallel port adapter works, DollyO said it didn't. This may have something to do with the software. If the software doesn't understand a USB connection, if the adapter (and its software) doesn't make it look like a printer port, the software will not work with it. I would definitely follow up with the guy if he was willing to answer your first question.

This is one my favorite sites for learning anything about computers:
http://www.howtogeek.com/56158/begin...ng-virtual-pc/
This can walk you through the process, or at least help you decide if you want to try to take it on.

Dollyo

I bought my machine used in 1997 for $2800 (found the receipt not too long ago). Keep in mind that I had the desktop built to my specifications about 8-10 years ago ($1600). It has 2 dvd burners, 4 usb ports, 3.5" floppy drive and 2 parallel ports + lots of other typical stuff. I use VMware player on my laptop to do designs, but I also use my old desktop to make and transfer designs.
The base size of the embroidery is 100mm x 100mm, w/an ability to slide to 3 positions to make designs 100mm x 170mm. You must have the dongle to make the reader/writer work. Viking is very proprietary. Each of the later software programs have their own dongle (usb) to make the software work. Here is an example of some of the things that you can do w/your 1+. I've also done cross stitch. The bowls are free standing lace. Love, love, love them. They're just thread stitched over washaway stabilizer. They are soooo cool.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]434457[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]434459[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]434460[/ATTACH]

Cecilia S.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]434457[/ATTACH]
Dollyo?
You.
Made.
That.
ON A SEWING MACHINE?!?!?!?!?

THWODK.

That was the sound of my jaw hitting the ground.

Wow.

Dollyo

What company? If it's the Amazing Little Max, I don't know. If you are talking the original reader/writer, it won't work. I just checked on the Viking 1+ group, parallel port on the reader/writer. You all had me second quessing myself and I had to go check.
You can buy pre-programmed cards and overlays for the 1+ on ebay for $50-100. You are limited to what is on that particular card. For the programmable ones, you need software that designs, edits and saves in a format that your machine can use, HUS, and a reader/writer to read and write to. Husqvarna doesn't make it easy or cheap. The 1+ is one of the last machines made in Sweden.

Dollyo

Yeah, they're even cooler when you handle them. That was for my niece's wedding. That and a signature quilt. Yes, it is a sewing machine and a darn fine one at that. It was the first embroidery machine that Viking made. I have several other bowl patterns that I haven't had a chance to make yet. Here's my favorite website for these type of bowls. Sue does a wonderful job designing them. Take a look around her entire site, she does incredible design work.

http://www.bfc-creations.com/Designs...SLaceMenu.html

Dollyo

Are you asking if I want to sell one of the software programs? I have 3, Customizing 5, VIP, and 3D. I would sell VIP. It's the upgrade from Customizing 5. 3D is the one I use. PM me if you are interested.

oldtnquiltinglady

This has been one of the best reading sessions ever offered (to me) on this forum. I have a Designer I that I bought used about 5 years ago (it is a 99 model year, I think) and with it I got all (and I do mean ALL) of the previous owner's "stuff" with it. Friends have told me that I got more money's worth of stuff with the machine than I paid for it ($1250, if I remember correctly). She died, and her son and daughter divided up, and he came home with sewing machine things and his wife didn't want it, so he sold it through CL. The lady was a teacher (sewing, quilting, embroidery) in Michigan, and if I were into teaching, I'd not have to buy anything to get classes going.....

I thought I might learn to embroider, and went to a class to learn how to use the machine; it turned out to be basic use of a HV (they own the local dealership, 50+ miles from here); and I felt sure I would be going back to learn the embroidery stuff on it; but it hasn't happened yet. At $45 a lesson, I keep trying to work it into my schedule of road trips, quilting classes, sister's days, birthdays and birthday parties for all the kids and grandkids, and occasionally cooking and cleaning house around here.

If there is something special that I need to do to put this section into my personal file, please someone tell me how to do, because I have a computer savvy SIL, and he can get all the things you have mentioned and get me all fixed up with the correct programs, etc. He was lucky enough to find a site one time that had HUS, SHV, and several other things on it, and I have seen that you need HUS with this machine, so maybe we can get ourselves headed in the right direction. (ToniC, I still have your PM; just didn't know how to answer you a long time ago).