Embroidery/Sewing machines?

[ldelacruz]

My wife wants an embroidery/sewing machine and I know nothing about them except that I have a budget of no more than $1500 and it means I won't be getting another lens anytime soon. She wants to accessorize items and embroider names and logos for children's sports. What do I look for in a machine?

I know the Hatguy might know but this is probably way below his level of machinery.

[TXhummer2]

Oh! My wife found a Janome 10001 on Craigslist, and we picked it up in south Houston from someone who took good care of it. Paid a little over that. If Janome's last model is selling used for that, a Bernina or Pfaff used would. Check at H-S&V have her go and touch them. She may feel better on a Brother embroidery sewing machine.

[ldelacruz]

She is looking at a Brother 1250. I am clueless and she has never used one. I don't know what questions to ask or what features to look for? What does your Wife make with Hers?

[janikphoto]

Look on craigslist. My mother-in-law teaches sewing and quilting. She has machines that cost as much or more than my bodies and lenses. She almost put one up on Craigslist the other week, but decided to keep it as a back-up (like we keep our older bodies and flashes as back-ups when we upgrade camera gear). She said you can find good machines that way.

All her equipment has strange foreign names. No Brother brand stuff. I guess it's like buying a pentax vs a canon or nikon. It will do, but isn't very "pro" (let's not start a camera debate here. I just mean that you walk an NFL sideline and it's all canon and nikon... no pentax. I know pentax makes good stuff). If you need help, I can ask her for specific brands and models to search for.

[David Whatley]

The thing to watch for in "home" machines is not to "overbuy"
Some of the more costly ones will do things that you will NEVER use. I was in the sewing business for 7 years and had 10 women sewing 35 hours a week and we also had 2 commerical embroidery machines. The software alone for the 2 machines was 15K.
You might want to look into 2 machines, 1 for sewing and 1 for embroidery. You should be able to get a good used sewing machine to do the basics for 150.00 and that will give you more to spend on the embroidery machine. The number of threads it will stitch is one of the things that will drive the price up. Call the Kalman Co in Dallas and speak to Craig or Bobby, and let them give you some advice.

[ldelacruz]

Thanks for all the help so far everyone.

Jason,
that would be great!

[TXhummer2]

PM sent

[Rson]

My wife has the brother SE330 we got from overstock.com. She has never really sewn before and now she is making outfits.

Realize that you need the machine but the patterns, fonts cards, reader are all extra.

Sewing & Quilting | Overstock.com: Quilting Kits, Sewing Kits, & Sewing Machines

[ldelacruz]

Very cool!

[Charles Putnam]

Considering that our upstairs gaming area and what should have been my media room (I'm not bitter....much) is filled with embroidery/sewing stuff....I think I can provide some input.

Go to someplace like Humble Sewing Center or SewContempo and take a look at the various embroidery machines. Brother, Janome, Husqvarna/Viking are all good manufacturers. She'll need one that has a screen that shows the design and allows positioning, etc. These places also might have refurb's that you might want to look at.

Then comes software. Each manufacturer has their own line (which sometimes gets pricey). Take a look also at Embird 2010. Side note on the software - almost 100% of the software is Windows-based. I'm not aware of any that's ported to the Mac.

[Cajungaltx]

Lonnie,
A couple of things - from experience. I've been sewing since high school.

Sewing is one thing - I've had a super basic Brother sewing machine for about 15 years - it has 22 different stitches, I use maybe 4 of them, plus the button hole option. You can pick up a basic Brother machine at Walmart for less than $100.

Don't blow a crapload of money on a basic sewing machine - a basic model with basic stitches is going to do most everything she needs.

Embroidery Machine - I picked up a Singer Futura about a year or so ago - bought it off Craigslist - used it on a couple of things - and sold it for the same price that I paid for it. The reason? Commercial grade embroidery machines hold multiple colors of threads at a time - 'most' home versions hold one thread at a time... so you have to switch the colors....and switch the colors.... and ... you get the idea... I had originally decided that I'd buy it to avoid buying my daughters embroidered uniform shirts - and would just do the design myself - but after realizing the shirt had 5 or 6 colors in it... and you had to switch them out multiple times to get it all 'right' - I just paid to have it done.

If she's SERIOUS about sewing - a Serger is a great option - it does all the 'professional' tricks - rolled edges... finished edges (like the inside of clothes where it's sewn at the very edge)...etc. There's a great shop out in our neck of the woods off of Park Row at Fry Road - McDougal's - they have been around for a while - and when you buy your serger from them - you get the class to help. TRUST me - you need the class. You've got a machine with 4 different threads and 2 different needles... coming & going... it's crazy! ;-) I've got an Elna, and it was worth every dollar of the $600 I spent on it.

If you want me to bring them over and let her play with them - let me know.

[ldelacruz]

Update.

thanks for everyones help and ideas. She got the Brother a few months ago and now she is looking at software and what not. Definately not a cheap hobby!

[dlanter]

I missed the thread when you first started it Lonnie. You thought we had an expensive hobby, just wait until your wife gets going. My wife has 3 Huskavarna (sp?) machines and with all the software and accessories I'm afraid to ask how much she has into them.

From what I see & hear I would suggest your wife look into taking some classes. My wife teaches a monthly class at our local JoAnn Fabric store with subjects ranging from intro basic sewing to advanced quilting & embroidery.

[Charles Putnam]

Originally Posted by ldelacruz

Definately not a cheap hobby!

Just wait until she sees the six needle BabyLoc machine. Yeah...my wife got one last year.

[ldelacruz]

Wow! I didn't know this hobby was so popular! So far she has taken a few lessons from a friend. I am a firm believer in lessons.

Charles,
She is already dropping hints that it would be nice to have 6 colors. My car isn't worth that!