1. Home
  2. Quilting Forum
  3. Technology Marches On - not OT

Technology Marches On - not OT

I'm sitting here in front of my computer and am just flabbergasted!!! My daughter is having a baby girl in June, and I'm making cutesy burp cloths. I have a Husqvarna Designer I embroidery machine which was top of the line when I bought it, several years ago. I use it for quilting, not much embroidery. Anyway, I decided to download some cute embroidery designs from Embroidery.com and spent several hours finding just what I wanted. OK. . . today I'm going to sew. Yea, right! That's when I woke up. My machine has a disk drive, yes, the little 1.44 MB disks. Does anybody remember those? The procedure is to download the stitching file (pay for it of course), save it to the little disk, then take the disk to the machine, insert it and let the machine stitch out the design. Here's where the whole thing falls apart. I bought a new computer almost a year ago. It doesn't have a disk drive, just a CD/DVD drive, and it just never entered my mind that I could no longer create the disks for my sewing machine. That tells you how often I use it for embroidery! I can't plead technology ignorance, I worked as a computer specialist for the Government for 30 years. I really think I'm getting old, and losing my mind. I'm not going to even entertain the idea of a new sewing machine, have you seen the prices on those! So for now, I'll drag out an ancient computer I have in the garage, go through the drill of hooking it up, and download my files and create the disk. Oh Happy Day! I am going to call Husqvarna and see if they'll replace my defective machine! Ha! Maybe there's an upgrade to replace the disk drive with a CD/DVD drive. Michelle G.

Reply to
Michelle G.
Loading thread data ...

It's those little technical obstacles that make this antique quilter throw up my hands and want to creep away from the whole process (progress ?). Back at Christmas when I 'gave' DH an embroidery machine I was very careful to take note of little things such as the comment: this emb machine is highly unreliable. I need all the reliable I can get. The cupholder on my computer is sideways. Not a bit good for holding a cup of coffee - but it DOES have 3 wee little places for plugging in things.

2 of them will let me plug in a thumb-something (looks like a black stick of chewing gum) and transfer an embroidery design from the computer to the emb machine. The embroidery software I finally decided on is not intuitive. (for me) I've read the manuals many times. Mostly, they explain how to take the thing apart. I don't Want to take it apart. I just wanted to embroider. I'll get there. I make a little headway everytime I return to it - with gritted teeth. I've learned to be really careful where I bang my head. Polly

"Michelle G." <

Reply to
Polly Esther

That is going to be a big problem with sewing machines. I think we are accustomed to a high end machine lasting a lot of years. It just won't happen with the computer sewing machines. Another option for you, might seem wacky, how about hand embroidery? For little baby stuff it goes quickly and looks good. Actually a lot softer than machine embroidery. Congrats on the coming grandbaby. I am jealous. : ) Taria

Reply to
Taria

Michelle,

When I bought this computer a few years ago, an A drive was no longer available. I bought an external floppy disk drive (they are super cheap), plugged it into one of the USB ports and I now have it to read those old disks as necessary.

Debbi in SO CA

Michelle G. wrote:

Reply to
Debbi in So CA

Michelle,

When I bought this computer about 3 years ago, it did not have a floppy drive. I bought an external floppy drive for super cheap, plugged it into an USB port and it is avaiable as needed.

Debbi > I'm sitting here in front of my computer and am just flabbergasted!!!

Reply to
Debbi in So CA

It is possible to get the disk drive changed to a USB port............but it is very slow and the memory stick is only 128MB. I've had mine updated and sometimes think it would have been better to have stayed with a external USB disk drive.

Megwen

Reply to
Megwen

Yes! Yes! Yes! This thought came to me a few minutes ago, after I had wrestled the old computer into my office. My old brain finally kicked in and "external floppy drive" flashed into it. I'm on my way to Best Buy! Thanks, Michelle

Reply to
Michelle G.

These external drives really are cheap, and it's an easy fix if you have USB ports on your computer.

ep

Reply to
Edna Pearl

and while you're at it... why are you paying for designs when there are heaps of things for free online. you might have to look around for the one you want as only limited free ones on each site but there are heaps of machine embroidery free designs online to be had by anyone who wants'em. google images for free machine embroidery designs. they come in various formats for the various machines too. just takes time to look thru all that are out there.

as long as you are clever with your computer, you should be able to mix and match various designs to upgrade to what you really want. time to play girl. j.

"Michelle G." wrote ... Yes! Yes! Yes! This thought came to me a few m> Michelle,

Reply to
J*

Oh the lengths to which we will go for a grandchild. I love it!

Karen, Queen of Squishies, oh - and congratulations!

Reply to
Karen, Queen of Squishies

Had the same thing happen to me with my Rose+ and Designer from Husqvarna. My Rose did the embroidery. No problem until I it came time for a new computer. The updated XP will not do the designs. I'm suppose to spend $2-300 for a new device. Yeah, and the little piggie had none.

I don't have the old computer so can't even switch back to use it for the embroidery. Let me know about any upgrade/dvd drives.

Donna in WA

Reply to
Lelandite

Michelle, please do let me know what you learned and bought. While I don't have a lot of $$ to spend right now, it would be something to say me change for. It would have to be useful for the Viking Designer.

Donna in WA

Reply to
Lelandite

If I buy an embroidery machine, does a grandchild come with it?

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

formatting link

Karen, Queen of Squishies wrote:

Reply to
Sally Swindells

Just wanted to thank everyone for their support and great ideas. I did go to Best Buy and bought an external floppy disk drive that connects with a USB cable. Costs about $44, which is not too high, but high enough. It works great! Also, for Donna in WA, try downloading the updates for your software from Husqvarna. I have Customizing Plus which is the original software that came with my machine. I had to reinstall it and download the new driver for the dongle thingy, but it's working! As little as I use the embroidery feature, I didn't want to invest any money in it. You may well be wondering why I bought an embroidery machine; well, my husband was crazy about tools. I took him with me to look at the sewing machines, intending to buy a 'quilting machine'; but, he loved all the features on the Designer I and really pushed me into buying it. I do love the machine and have never had a problem with it, guess I should use the embroidery more. Oh, just to let you know, this will be my 12th grandchild! And my daughter is 41 yrs old; yes, it was an accident, but a happy one! My daughter has one other child, a 16 yr old son, so her life is going to be turned upside down in a couple of months. Michelle G.

Reply to
Michelle G.

If it does, can you please let me know, Sally?

Thanks . . In message , Sally Swindells writes

Reply to
Pat S

I didn't get one with mine!!

Megwen

Reply to
Megwen

On Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:12:21 -0500, Michelle G. wrote (in article ):

I just inherited MSM's Designer 1. Yes, had to search high and low to dig out my external floppy drive as I haven't used it for ages. Also managed to find a handle of disks for it. Which got me thinking, can you even buy the disks any more?

I have to remember to check when I go buy an ink cartridge for the printer.

Maureen

Reply to
Maureen Wozniak

Thank you, Michelle! will try and let you know but that $44 doesn't seem to high a cost after all the frustrations I've had not being able to embroider.

Donna in WA

Reply to
Lelandite

Sigh! . In message , Megwen writes

Reply to
Pat S

You can get/buy a stand alone, hook to your current computer, disk drive.

Is there a way to connect your two machines by cable? Probably not, I can change the stitches on my SM by using a program on my computer, the program runs on MS 2000, not XP, Vista, or 7.

SOOOO, I have saved a laptop that has MS 2000 on it, easy to store and no upgrade from the SM co. at a cost of $300!

Bonnie, in Middletown, VA

Reply to
Bonnie Patterson

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.