Ebroidery machine recommendation request
jailnurse
| Posted in Machine Embroidery on
I would like your opinion about embroidery machines. My husband bought a Viking Scandinavia 300 machine on the comment that I would “like a machine someday.” Sort of like someone buying underwear for you. Anyways, does anyone have an opinion on good machines. I am not a newcomer to sewing but this is new to me and am interested but not sure where to start.
Replies
I have three Husq/Viking machines and love them! I suggest that you check with the place he bought the machine to see if they have free learn your machine classes. I got them with each of mine. Also, I bought the large manuals seperately as they describe everything the machine can do in detail, including troubleshooting and maintanance.
I understand your comment about it being a unique "gift" and rather like having someone buy your underwear. I hope you will get past that and give it a go, that is a wonderful machine from what I have seen.
http://www.husqvarna/viking.com also has info on the website which will tell about your machine. Many of the H/V dealers also offer trade ins at full price the first year if you prefer a different model. Good luck and hope you learn to love this lovely gift! Mary
Thanks for your input, it is a help and gives me a bit of confidence to stay in this genre. Do you have any opinion about "embroidery-only machines" ? I have a Bernina that I love sewing with now, wondering if I need the combination.
I agree with Mary - dealers don't just hand you the machine. They should open the box in your presence, set up and test the machine, then let you give it a whirl.
Since it was a gift, you are still entitled to the "whirl"!
Many dealers offer lessons and classes.
If you want more than the machine offers, trade up. Husqvarna/Viking is an excellent brand.
My husband did a similar surprise for me when he bought my first, and only Bernina. I wanted a model up from the one he bought, but accepted the one I got and it was the best sewing machine I have ever owned.
He bought it from Joanne Fabrics and they will have classes. Think I will go in and talk to them about it, too and then with a class, see what befits what I want to do. Am hoping to do some heirloom embroidery. It should be fun. Both of your input is really reassuring and I appreciate it. I, too, have a Bernina and love it, just wondering if I should get an "embroidery-only" macine or if that is even worth considering. Not sure that I need two sewing machines but always a good challenge. Thanks again.
The reason I went with Viking years ago was because they do such beautiful heirloom stitches. If you watch Martha Pullen on PBS, that is what she uses. You can go to her website at http://www.marthapullen.com You might want to get her email newsletters for free and see what you think. I used to get Sew Beautiful magazine and belonged to thier online club and got a ton of embroidery designs and projects, also joined the martha pullen emb club and got many designs there. I was really into it for several years.
Haven't been doing much heirloom work lately. I'm doing and learning other things, especially with my serger. I just bought the Professional 4D software so will be delving into that for at least a year with all the things it can do.
I am a retired RN, but haven't worked in a jail, though in the ER, we had our share of characters. Mary
Thanks for the resources, got so engrossed did not hear the family get up. Cool!
Do you have an opinion on embroidery only machines or is there a true rationale for having 2 good machines at the same time?
I am still working but loving it. Alot like ER, same people and problems you treated. It is always good to have another outlet, though and sewing to be the challenge I can get lost in and I get something out of it for myself.
Mary Pat
I don't know much about the embroidery only machines, my dil has a new one but she hasn't learned the machine yet.
The Scandinavia 300 has the embroidery and sewing doesn't it? Mary
Yes, it does have both. Am going to go over to Joann this week and see what they have to say. That is where Bill bought it. I am excited about it all and really want to just open and go....but want to check it out a bit further. Will fill you in as I find out more. We are back to MN after a wonderful week in Seattle and now back to work.
http://www.emblibrary.com has some short but precise tutorials that will give you a little background re the lingo.
http://www.sewforum.com or http://www.patternreview.com may have helpful information and sewing machine/embroidery machine reviews.
Thank you for all of this and will utelize these resources, appreciate all the input and after this, I have no excuse to not know what I am doing.
I just read your post and noticed you are in MN..........me, too! I have embroidery and sewing machines .......two of them (well, 3 if you count the one I don't use!). I took in the classes at the Viking dealer inside the JoAnn store and found them very helpful. I am sewing and embroidering and having a ball!
If you would care to email me and share where in Minnesota you are........I live on the eastern suburb of St. Paul. I am having so much fun reading the forum with posts from all over.
Happy Stitching!
Kay
What is your embroidery machine? and is it that only? I am east, also. Think we are neighbors. Will email.MP
I have been reading all your posts about embroidery and the sewing machines that do the work for you. I have a pfaff 7550 and it has some built in embroidery stitches. I'd love to know if anyone else out there has this machine and do they use it for these beautiful projects that I see featured in "Gatherings".I have just visited the Embibery site and of course I can't make head nor tail of it. I thought it might mention the machines that one could use the designs on. I have no way of connecting my machine to my computer (Apple). I presume this is a basic requirement.
Otherwise I find this a great machine .... after several Singers, and a disastrous Brother, it is a precision machine and very easy to use. Oh and one other thing I have not found any info by visiting the pfaff web site.
The older embroidery machines did not connect directly to the computer, they used memory cards and design cards.
Each embroidery machine brand has a design format. This is what you go by when purchasing and/or downloading designs.
Machines that use memory cards only require a reader/writer unit which does connect to the computer so designs can be downloaded to the card, then the card is inserted in the embroidery machine.
Your manual will explain which design format your machine requires.
Thanks very much for your reply.. I think that you have confirmed for me that I have a pre computer friendly machine. The machine came with a unit on which I can draw designs and then following what seems about 12 steps transfer it into the machine's memory and then I presume stitch it. I have never bothered too much about this in the past, as generally I just do very straightforward assembly, clothes for myself, curtains etc for the house and some alterations for myself or friends. However now that I am retired and have more time on my hands, and have been inspired by the work of people who have contributed to these various threads I began to wonder if I could download some of these patterns and emulate their work. As I said above I think that you have confirmed for me that while I can use the built in stitches on the machine I will not be able to expand much further on this without a lot of work. Worse still there are no classes for pfaff users here in Ireland that I can source. The year before last when on holidays in the Isle of Man I managed to fit in a day's tuition and learned to master buttonholes. Anyway despite all that I love my machine and it is definitely the best one that I have ever had (Number 5) and I would not like to part with it - ever.
http://www.cyberport.net/users/milnerwm/FAQ.html
you might find the link has a few interesting #### bits for you. It's a Pfaff users faqs and help site.
http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=Pfaff
lots of pfaff user groups.
Where in Ireland are you?
Thanks for the links in your reply to me. There really is a great deal of info out there when you know where to look. I haven't had time in the past few days to keep up with this discussion but I did email your answer back to myself to ensure that I can browse all the links at leisureI live in Dublin reasonably near the city centre.
Now Dublin I don't really know having only travelled from the Airport to the Rail station. Cork on the other hand I do know, was married to a Corkman for 40 years. I'll see what we have here in UK for Pfaffies and if there's any online or store based help groups.
Dear MaggieThanks for that. I would love to hear of a help group in this neck of the woods. I would not be adverse to treating myself to a trip to the UK to take part in a course on Pfaff machines, my 7550 in particular.Interested to hear of your Irish connections. What part of Cork was your husband from? As a matter of fact my husband is from Herts and moved over here to Dublin in 1995 so I know both countries pretty well! Where in the UK do you live?
Hi flower, I've been deprived of internet connection for the past few days so only just recieved this, my hubby was from Ballyphehan in Cork City. I've decided Cork City is the biggest car park in the world, I was there recently and it was impossible to drive into Cork itself, we had to take a detour.
There's a few Pfaff chat groups, http://www.pfaff-talk.net/chatroom/mvnforum/index
A lessons site for purchasehttp://www.designsandmoreonline.com/?&tgt=TrainingVideos&PHPSESSID=0bacf12f03a4eeb5b529ce5d08d202d5
some free lessons from a very talented lady http://www.aldawldup.com/pfaff.html
and a pfaff yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pfaff_digibuddies/ same lady as above. You should find a wealth of information in the archives.
Thanks for that . I will be kept quite busy checking all these websites out. By the way the biggest car park in Ireland is the M25 around Dublin for anyone who has to travel on it at the busy times. Despite the traffic Cork is a lovely city and is such a friendly place.Cheers Mary
Sorry to be off topic here but have to say that I have always wanted to go to Ireland. My great grandpa on my Mom's side was Lord Mayor of Dublin. When doing an inquiry on line about him I was nicely sent a packet of many of his works. I found that there was a barrister with the same last name in the court papers and am wondering if he is also related.
My late grand mother, (mother's mother) was also Irish with an Irish name that dates way back and has different spellings for the same name. I wish to look into my Irish ancestry more but I have just never had the time to check it out.
Youare lucky that he purchased a Husqvaqrna Viking. Talk with the dealer to see if the 300 is the best "fit" for you. Many times they have a trade up policy--like use the machine for a yr and if you want more you get your purchase price toward the upgrade. Make friends with the dealer and take advance of the free lessons. TLM
Thanks for your reply and support. I have talked with the woman that sold him the machine and will be taking classes next month. This is all with the support of everyone that has written and I really appreciate it. It has helped to ask some of the questions I did not know how to ask.
I am actually opening the machine tomorrow, with thread and book in hand and ready to go. Had do "de-Christmas" first because I am going to be obsessed with playing with it and wanted the time.
The upgrade is what you say and that is a good incentive to use it to the best of its ability for a year and then if the world needs to be opened up more, it is there to be done. I would think that is a good deal
It should be fun.
MP
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