by MaryCatherine McCoy
Remember the thrill of bringing home your first embroidery machine? Remember the frustrations of trying to choose the right stabilizer, trying to hoop properly, or just trying to transfer a design to your machine?
Perhaps the only folks who understand the thrill of the purchase, and the agony of the practice of machine embroidery are other embroiderers. Whether you’re a complete rookie or a seasoned veteran, following are a few helpful hints to get the most out of your machine – including the most fun!
First and foremost, make friends with your machine. In our excitement, many of us just want to hoop and embroider. If only it were that easy! If you got a new machine recently, then let’s have some fun and enjoy your entire purchase. You may have bought a brand new top-of-the-line (TOL) machine from a local dealer or you may have purchased a used machine online.
If you purchased from a dealer, then take full advantage of all those free lessons, they should be included with the purchase of your machine, if they are not mentioned, ask. If they offer a paid embroidery club or classes, investigate those too. It’s one of the fastest ways to make new embroidery friends, who can also be great resources, as well as great sounding boards for those inevitable embroidery challenges. And it won’t be as scary when you’re in a class where everyone feels a little ‘lost’.
If you purchased from eBay, CraigsList, a friend, or some other outlet, you still have resources available. If you purchased online, e-mail the seller and find out if you can ask a few ‘getting started’ questions. Machine embroiderers are among the friendliest and most helpful people in the world (just don’t take advantage of the situation.) And remember, while a previous owner may know her old machine inside and out, she may not be as knowledgeable as an authorized dealer about every aspect of machine embroidery.
Don’t forget the resources we all have available to us at no charge: the owner’s manual, the manufacturer’s website, sometimes a video or DVD, and of course, the Designs by SiCK Forum plus its archives of articles and tips.
Owner’s manuals are notoriously dry reading, and we all learn differently. But you may not need to read the entire manual from cover to cover. Like a good summer novel, you can skim through it and just read the ‘juicy sections’ highlighting as you go.
Part of making friends with your new machine is learning to thread it, learning to wind a bobbin, and learning how to change a needle. A Best Friend Forever (BFF) doesn’t become a best friend overnight. It takes a little time.
And that brings us to our second step, which is just that: take baby steps. Learn one thing at a time. It’s so-o-o tempting to buy every stabilizer, embroider Free-Standing-Lace, and digitize your dog’s photo in your first week. But, please, resist that temptation.
Instead, look at all the cool tools and notions that came with your machine. Play with those and make a wishlist of all those other things you (or someone else) thinks you just have to have.
Practice on ordinary items at first, learn how to master towels or T-shirts before you buy the latest digitizing software. You can save yourself a lot of money and a lot of aggravation if you take it one day and one stitch at a time. Plus, you’ll be having fun from day one.
I have been sewing on a embroidery sewing machine since 2001. I replaced the first machine for a larger sewing field in 2005.You gave very helpful hints to a new sewer.I am still learning new techniques. Practice does make prefect. Keep a stitch diary and use templates. Make a sample book using different stablizers. Placements are important in machine embroidery.Writing down a new technique helps.I have markers and I to color in mistakes from poor alignment. Thanks sew much for the great article.
By far this has been some of the best advice I have read for a new embroider. I myself have been sewing for 30 years and embroidering for 4 years. Both the tip and the first comment are right on. For that is exactly what I did and now I am into digitizing and my notebooks are always nearby. I think this comment should be broad cast to All embroider yahoo and forums groups for all of the newbies out there just starting.
Sew true………you must walk before you can run, skip and fly with your machine. I have learned so much from reading articles like this one and listening to other embroiderers. I bought my machine used from a friend who promised me lessons. She is so busy that we never really got together, but I went to some classes at the local dealer and any time I have a question I call and they are only too happy help me out. Never be afraid to ask a question. Someone has had the same problem and is glad to give advice. Happy sewing !!
This is such good advise. I wish someone would have told me all of this before I did the things she said not to do. I love my machine and am still as thrilled as when I first brought it home. I love the idea of using dryer sheets. Even today I find myself in a quandry as to which stablizer to use but I just go with my gut and it still turns out like I wanted it to.
This is OMG TRUE! I got my machine 4 years ago and I have enough thread, stabilizer, supplies and tools I have more “stuff” than my local dealer (both her stores!!). I joined the embroidery club at my local dealers. Didn’t like everything we made but I learned a TON of stuff – from the teachers as well as the other class members. I also took a class (latte quilt) – not me at all – but again I learned a ton of stuff. And just remember – no question is a dumb question – that is how we learn!!
VERY SOUND ADVICE. I have had 3 embroidery machines, slowly getting bigger and better. I still need to keep myself in check that I don’t run away with too many extras. I have taught myself most of what i know but go for lessons whenever they’re available. you can never be too smug or too clever.
This is perhaps the most sensible and helpful article I have read to date, which is exactly why I should laminate it and post it above my machine (or maybe a teeny, tiny version with my credit cards). These are exactly the right things to do and exactly what I didn’t do — I’m one of those “jump in with both feet and learn to swim when you hit the water” types. This kind of methodical approach would have saved me many hours of frustration and disappointment. Excellent article! Excellent approach if you can make yourself do it.
I bought my first machine, a used machine from Craigslist (White 3300) and it took me a week before I would actually turn it on and use it. This is my favorite machine to use. Back in February I bought a brand new Brother PE 750D. Ive only used it twice to test stitch. I STILL use my White for my stitching. I LOVE the White. Ive been trying to find some other embroiderers who have the same model Brother that can give me some advice.
I did a TON of research online and off, before and after I bought my White and my Brother. I continually do research about stitching, stabilizer, thread, hooping, etc. There is always something new for me to learn.
Terrific article…I would add that I bought my wonderful ‘toy’ from a dealer who, unfortunately, had to close shop because of ill-health…I visited several other dealers ( some close, some far ) and chatted to see which one I felt most comfortable with…if you can build a relationship, life is much easier and you get soooo much more help and ideas. We all can help each other..nicest people in the world own ‘sewing toys’.
I’m one of those first time ppl, and I just wanted to cry coz someone out there understands. They make it sound soooo easy on TV (I got mine thru a shopping channel) but the truth is far from it. I’m so very lucky to have all the wonderful ladies of the DesignBySick forum. They helped me with a very frustrating problem and I know I’ll be asking them for help again. Thanks for the great article and I’m doing my best to keep it simple. (I still want to embroider my dog tho – LOL).
This is one of the best articles that I have read. Like Helena I have more embroidering cotton (now the plastic is beginning to break from around the bottom of the spools because of age), more stabilizer than you could imagine, some I can’t remember what I bought it for. Like my husband is always telling me read, read or practise, practise first, not me have to barge headlong into projects, normally disappointed, so I hope new embroiderers will read your advice. Congratulations again for a well written piece. Cheers and thanks.
This is a wonderful article. I have to be honest with you I have not bought an embroidery machine yet and I will tell you why. I hope you will be able to advise me.
Prior to 1993 I had a Janome Computerized Sewing Machine but as I taught design and embroidery as well as art and history at university level and had won (not blowing my own horn) several awards for my designs and work I just spent every moment working on hand embroidery and working out new ideas in all kinds of work from silk embroidery and gold embroidery on silk to crewel wall hangings and all my clothes were embroidered and my shoes painted to match. Then, on a visit to Wales, where I was born, to celebrate my 50th birthday, with my 4 sons and 1 lovely daughter (the youngest, then 22) I was struck by a massive stroke while coming down the stairs of my parent’s home to join my family who had come from all over the world for a family reunion. I awoke two and a half days later, face down on a gurney, my aunt sitting on a stool besides me, holding my hands while a lumber puncture was being performed. Of course I had no idea where I was or what had happened.
In short, everyone thought my life was over. I could hardly speak, walk or hold anything. I hardly recognized myself in the mirror and one visitor actually screamed when she saw me for the first time.
Of course, my children had to return to North America to their work (all university grads) and my husband of 31yrs also left and a few months later wrote to tell me that he had met a twenty one year old divorcee that he intended to marry and was sure I would understand. In the end, she dumped him and he married her room-mate. I was diagnosed with MSA and suffered seizures after the stroke but worked with my Dad (Pharmacist) to workout our own physiotherapy because I wanted to live not just cope with the results of the stroke. By 2001, to look at me, one would not know that I had been hit by a stroke at all, but with what had happened in my personal life my confidence was not what it had been and now I was faced with problems of having to deal with my husband’s new wife telling my children that it was my fault that the marriage had failed and they had begun to believe it. I decided to just keep my dignity and say nothing.
Now I have decided it is time to get back into the groove and I have already proven that I can do hand embroidery again but I want to learn machine embroidery so that I can utilize eventually some of the designs I introduced while younger and working before the stroke.
I would really appreciate knowing which embroidery machine would be a good investment for me. I am looking at used machines and am on a fixed income at the moment and could probably pay up to $1,200 Canadian for an embroidery machine. I already have a Janome Decor Excel II 5O24 and Interlocker Moder 204D. I am asking for anyone who can think of any advice to please write to me at: lynnewilliams24@rogers.com
I have only recently moved into a new condominium here in Toronto and as soon as I am organized, I would be pleased to send anyone some of the designs I made for hand embroidery. I am quite sure that they can be used for machine embroidery and I will be only too please to let anyone use the designs for free. These days, we are all having a difficult time with the economy the way it is and it is always good to help each other in any way we can. I hope you agree with me, as I believe it brings people of all walks of life and backgrounds together.
Thank’s for taking the time to read my story and I hope that all is going well in your lives.
sincerely,
Llyn
Good Advice. After I bought my machine I went online and purchased a “deal”. It was a collection of embroidery thread for “only” $59.99. What a deal! It took me about 3 months to realize that it was not me or my machine that was causing the breakage of thread. That “great deal” caused me much anxiety and almost ruined my machine. There are great deals online, you just need to know a few things before you make a purchase. I wish I had this article before I jumped in over my head!
Thank you so much for your very good article. I have had my used Brother machine for just a short time that I have purchased from a friend who has given me basic lessons. I keep my “book” handy so I can trouble shoot when things don’t go well. Thank you again for your encouragement and advice. karen
I have been embroidering on my Baby Lock Esantra for 3-4 years & I wish I would have tapped into information such as this one. I did not take advantage of the free lessons because it was approx 2 hour drive & I did buy software etc…in other words it’s a great article!
Thanks
I would just like to say that there is nothing quite as much fun and as helpful as someone who has the same machine you buy and can help you through those first challenging times. My daughter helped me buy my first machine and she sweetly answered all the questions I had. Then when I upgraded to a different machine which I bought partly because I had a friend who had one and again I had someone to call or email and ask all the why and what do I do now questions. I will say that some manuals are better than others. My Brother manual was much better than the manual for my Singer XL-1000…which I had to download and print myself from their website. The booklet that came with the machine was NOT the operations manual. That’s why the friend came in so handy.
Hi,
I don’t see any other place to ask this question so I hope it’s OK to do it here. Where are all of the set design instruction? I only see some from a certain time frame. I think September 5th is the last entry and I am trying to find out what the
t-shirt tabs are and how you would make them. I have also downloaded other designs that need explanation and I don’t see them anywhere.
Thanks so much!
[mod note: T-Shirt Tab instructions are now online under Instructions. Let me know which others you need - email me at rob@designsbysick.com rob - moderator]