I have become interested in an embroidery machine (after seeing them at the quilt show). I have actually been wanting one for several years. Now that I am in the US they are more affordable (without the 25% VAT added on). But I can't find the newsgroup where they talk about the machines. Does anyone know?
Kirsten Sollie
Kirsten, the machine embroidery newsgroup is: alt.sewing.mach-embroider
But, you'll find the same thing there that you find "here" when people ask "What machine should I buy?" So many things are part of that decision: budget, software(?), brand preference, etc., etc. And, in your case, you'll want to be sure you can use whatever you buy *here* in Norway when you return there.
I bought the Singer XL5000 (now replaced by the XL6000 with a few more bells), because I loved the idea of the "endless bobbin" for embroidery. I will never use it for regular sewing, although it is probably very good at that, because I use my 401As for "real" sewing. I do like some of the fancy built in stitches in the XL5000, but I just keep it set up for embroidery. I like the three different hoop sizes, and the built in embroidery designs are nice, but mostly I digitize designs or purchase new designs online.
The cost of the digitizing software is also something you need to consider. The PSW2.0a for mine cost $1200 retail, but I found it online for about $700. In the case of the Singer XL5000, you
*have* to have the PSW reader-writer box in order to transfer designs from a computer to the embroidery machine or to write them to a SmartMedia card which the machine can read, or you can buy designs already on the right card (SmartMedia, not the easiest to find). I use Embird for opening designs, but PSW to edit and transfer.Also, keep in mind that you'll need: stabilizers (at *least* five or six different kinds depending on what you intend to embroider), and threads (and LOTS of it, I have both rayon and poly, probably 300 different cones)), in addition to whatever you budget for designs. There are several places online where you can download free designs, some are very good, some not so.
It's a *lot* of fun, and your girls would love it, Blair certainly does.
Good luck,
Beverly
alt.sewing.mach-embroider
alt.sewing.mach-embroider
The group is not very active, with much spam but you can Google the archives for information.
Basically you'll find the same queries and responses one finds here when some one pops in making inquires about a sewing machine purchase.
Top of the most wanted list seems to be the Viking 1, Designer 1, Rose, and Iris machines. Others like the Janome series, others still,Pfaff.
What is important is you sit down and decide what you want versus must have, versus could do without when it comes to an embroidery machine. Do you want an embroidery/sewing machine combination, or stand alone embroidery machine? What size embroidery field? Most older units and combination units have about a 4"x4" area. This is fine for say monograms and or small designs, but do you want to do repeated designs like bordering a tablecloth or cover a larger area? How many colours are you likely to use? Many older and BOL units only hold one colour at a time. The machine will stop when a new colour is required, indicating you must change thread. This brings to mind how easy is it to thread the unit and wind the bobbin. Can you wind the bobbin while it is still in the machine? Trust me you do not wish run out of bobbin thread, and have to remove your project to get at the bobbin for replacement.
What sort of fabrics and thread will you be working with? Embroidering linens and baby things is one thing, but jeans, canvas, leather, heavy jackets and so forth are quite another. Do you also wish to be able to do free hand embroidery? If so feed dogs should drop easily.
My standard advice is to drop by your local sewing machine dealer with lots of fabric and ideas, and ask if you can test several machines. Ask lots of questions and put each machine through it's paces. Are controls "second nature" for your fingertips? What is the quality of the embroidery? If you have a particular thread in mind to work with, bring it along as well. Just like sewing machines some embroidery machines do not like certain types of threads and better you find out now before starting out on that project.
Resist the temptation to go for an expensive new machine. Instead try for an older/trade in unit to get your feet wet. Not only will it be good for practice, but you will also learn what you like, do not like, can do without, and cannot live without. It also means if you go bored with machine embroidery you can pack the thing away and not feel too guilty about spending good money.
Just my two pence, Candide
i started with a brother made bernina--a 4x4 design area....it kept me happy for a while. 3 years ago, i wanted a bigger design area, but could not afford all the bells and whistles...so, for less than a grand, i bought a babylock ellure and love it.
betsey
On the rummage sale site
I have a Designer 1. They use floppy discs to store the designs, you pop it into the side of the machine to embroider. One disc will hold numerous designs. You do need a pc with a floppy disc drive. You will also need the Viking program to import and convert the design. When I bought my machine the sales guy told me you can simply download directly from the net. He failed to tell me I would need a Viking program (code words for COST O' LOT) to do this until three weeks after I had the machine and couldn't figure out why the hus. designs I down loaded to discs wouldn't work. You can't import a design directly off the net to a floppy, even if it is in hus. format. I don't do my own digitizing so I got the rock bottom priced, only imports, type program. It was still expensive and you still have to use a dongle. Beware of buying a second hand program. Those dongles are registered and I've heard that once they are registered to the original owner they won't work for somebody else, so do your research and 'buyer beware'. I love my machine, I love the way it sews and embroiders but don't be fooled by "you can take designs from the net and use them on your machine".You do not however need to have the machine attached to a pc. Once you've got the designs on a floppy you are good to go.
Val
The risk in buying something second hand with these computerized machines is that you don't have the support or the warrantee/guarantee from a dealer. The used machines the dealers sell usually come with a limited warrantee, from a private party you stand the risk of problems IF you have mechanical problems. Of course, with some less reputable dealers you still stand that chance. The new computerized machines are the same as the brand new computerized cars. They are expensive to fix. I have some older machines that I can take apart and repair myself, I personally would not do that with my Designer 1 other than simple maintenance and even some of that requires the expertise of a trained repair person. Also something to keep in mind, from a simple foot attachment to any other part, they are costly $$$$. So far I think I've been luckier than many (knock on wood). I haven't had a bit of trouble with mine so other than selling off my first born to acquire some of the fancier extra attachments I haven't had to put any money into it to keep it running.
Val
Kirsten, I have been a happy customer of Nancy Zieman for years. In the latest issue of SEW NEWS magazine, she was advertising a BabyLock embroidery machine on sale for $999 till the end of the year. Go to the BabyLock web site and check it out; I was looking at it last week and am giving serious consideration to buying one myself. My Pfaff 7560 is a wonderful machine and does beautiful embroidery, but only in a 4x4 design. Now that DGD is getting older, I'd like to be able to stitch out larger designs for her. I believe the Singer dealer, Little Stitches, is a dealer. Rick Kell is a great person with which to deal, I bought my Koala cabinets from him and also, had him ship the little Singer machine to my great-niece a while back. I have no affiliation with the business, except as a happy customer. Emily
The newest version of Embird is supposed to be able to create the floppy disk files for the Designer 1 (shv format). I think it runs around a hundred dollars (give or take a few) Check at embird.com for the details on that.. I know that is much less than viking wants for their program.
Karen O
numerous
Thing about floppy disks is that the technology is rapidly fading, at least where computers are concerned. Most if not all new computers sold today and indeed for the past several years no long have floppy disk drives. Instead they were replaced by CD drives, which in turn are being replaced by DVD drives. The good thing is one can now find MIB floppy disks at Goodwill and the like, for pennies. The bad news is that as the drive is replaced Windows and other OS will not offer support. It may also come a time where the disks simply will not be produced in large amounts if at all. Same sort of thing is happening with VHS tapes as VCRs are being replaced by DVD players/recorders.
Candide
Janome 9000's are old technology now and you'd need a reader/writer to transfer designs from your computer to card that then slots into the
9000. You could also buy pre-written Janome cards but these are expensive and you are then limited to their designs. This machine is only a 4x4 design area too!!If you have 'plenty of sewing machines' why not look at a Janome 300E (embroidery only) that has just been superseded....some owners are trading up to the 350E so there will not only be superseded stock at the dealers, but good trade ins, or you might find one privately. Current model Janomes use a compact flash card which are also used in most cameras/PDS's/etc so they are available anywhere and everywhere. To use this card you only need a compact flash to PCMCIA adaptor which only costs a few dollars.
If you computer doesn't have a PCMCIA slot, what about your printer...does it have a built in card reader? Failing this, a card reader is only $15-20. No generic hardware is needed.
The benefit of a stand alone embroidery machine is that you can still use one of your other machines to sew while the 300E is happily doing it's thing very 'quietly' in the corner. Quiet is a big feature of Janome machines, specially when you have a couple going at one time.
For further into check the site
I'd recommend getting yourself setup with a machine before you contemplate digitising your own designs....and at that time have a look at Embird, it's a great program and much cheaper than generic software.
H>
My 6+ year old computer has its original optical drive that reads and records both CDs and DVDs (a Superdrive). I was not aware that any modern optical drive was unable to at least read DVDs in addition to CDs (combo drive). My previous computer which I kept for 5 or 6 years had a CD drive and no floppy drive. Haven't seen one of those since maybe the
1980s.Phae
When I ordered this computer about a year ago, I paid an extra $20 to have a floppy drive put in it. It's a Dell. It was an offered option at that time. It also has a serial port, something else that is disappearing on newer computers.
Floppy drives and disks are still a very popular way of storing smaller amounts of information. We always have a stock of brand new drives on hand to place in store bought computers for our customers. They are in demand and disks are still readily available. Do not let the 'brand' name computer companies tell you they are not. It is a simple addition to put a floppy in most computers----Dell being the exception. Only a Dell floppy will work as it has no face. Mostly we do them for kids going to college, teachers and for business presentation clients. They like the smaller re-writeable disks for lesson plans, proposals and lectures. I like them for teaching at the sewing store. I absolutely hate to burn one or 2 designs to a CD/DVD and floppies are quick, inexpensive and re-writable. I have some from over 10 years ago when I first started to teach that still hold the info and play it back on any machine, can't say that about a CD or DVD. They work well and everyone's computer can read them. Our suppliers have said there will be floppies for some time to come.
Both serial ports and floppy drives are available as USB devices, too. That's what I resorted to with the Dell notebook I ordered. In fact, I got a 12-in-one card reader, which will read the SM card for the XL5000, 1.4 floppies, and the CF card for my cameras.
I second that idea of having two machines. I kept my original Viking 6440 (which I plan on being buried with) and while my Designer 1 is embroidering away I can sew on my trusty workhorse 6440 or use my serger, multi tasking is a big plus unless you want to just sit and watch the machine embroider, which actually can be a pretty mesmerizing black hole of time. I really don't pay that much attention to it while it embroiders until I hear it's little beep letting me know it's time to change thread colors. One of the things I really like about my Designer 1 are all the hoop sizes including the endless hoop. I have from the tiny little round hoop for iddy biddy baby sized designs on small things to the giant hoop for bigger things. Makes it pretty handy.
I think the most important thing you can do is to take along some fabric swatches you'd probably use the most and of varied weight and types of fabric and actually see what these different machines do for you. Everyone responds differently to each machine and you are the only one who will know which is right for you and for what purpose it will serve no matter what kind your friend, sister, Mom, etc use and say are the best you can get. The
*best* machine is the one that's right for you!Val
Husqvarna's "3D Organizer" also provides format conversion, cataloging capabilities and will place designs on a floppy disk in SHV format. I'm not sure what the cost is in US dollars, but it might be around the same as Embird.
gwh
The Designer 1 now comes with a USB slot for a memory stick. There is a package to convert older D1's to the new USB technology.
gwh
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