OT somewhat - embroidery SM?

There's not much I wouldn't do for our DDILS. Can't think of anything.
They love our sons and raise our grandchildren. That said, one of them is
enjoying a really limited embroidery machine and I would love to buy her a
better one.
It seems that having a sewing machine that also does embroidery could be
double trouble - much like having a tv set that also can record. Better to
have one of each so that if something goes amuck, you at least have one that
still works.
Do I want to research 'just' embroidery machines?
Do any of you have SMs that also embroider and are happy to have both
abilities on one machine? Do any of you have embroidery machines (only)
that you use and enjoy? I've seen and passed by those that hold 17 spools
of thread and demand a rocket science degree and some dare devil airplane
experience. I'm not looking at those.
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
There's not much I wouldn't do for our DDILS. Can't think of anything.
They love our sons and raise our grandchildren. That said, one of them is
enjoying a really limited embroidery machine and I would love to buy her a
better one.
It seems that having a sewing machine that also does embroidery could
be double trouble - much like having a tv set that also can record.
Better to have one of each so that if something goes amuck, you at least
have one that still works.
Do I want to research 'just' embroidery machines?
Do any of you have SMs that also embroider and are happy to have both
abilities on one machine? Do any of you have embroidery machines (only)
that you use and enjoy? I've seen and passed by those that hold 17 spools
of thread and demand a rocket science degree and some dare devil airplane
experience. I'm not looking at those.
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly

Polly,

I have a Brother 180D (it will do the proprietary Disney designs). It works
very well for my purposes but the embroidery field is really constrained. It
will only do 4 inch by 4 inch designs max without some extra trouble and
taking a chance on not getting the registration right for starting where you
left off. If I was getting a different machine I'd still consider a Brother
machine with as big a field as possible for your budget. I have several
friends that have two sewing machine/embroidery machines so if one is
embroidering the other can be a sewing machine. It works well for them.

Donna in Bellevue

"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly

I have the Viking Designer1, can't remember exactly the year I bought it,
second year it hit the market. I kept my other machine and often sew on that
when the Designer1 is embroidering. I do my majority of all sewing on the
Designer1. The other (Husqvarna 6440) is standby, used when the Designer1 is
embroidering or I use my OLD 194? Singer straight stitch if I have miles of
straight seams to sew since it goes like a bat out of Hell and no other
machine has that speed.

I've never regretted buying my embroidery/sewing machine and wouldn't change
a thing. I also like that it uses floppy discs and I don't have to plug it
into a computer or mess with reader boxes and such, just my personal
preference. However, I've decided if it dies I won't replace it. Way too
much money now. I've found that in the last few years I've really scaled
back in the amount of machine embroidery I do. I guess I'm getting old.

Val

I have the Husquvarna Designer 2 (now called the quilt designer 2) for
almost 7 years. I absolutely love it. I use it for both all the time
(should say, "used", as I am too busy getting the house cleaned since it
was listed today). I have not regretted my decision at all, except I did
not do a very good job negotiating and probably paid quite a bit too much.

Debbi in SO CA


Val wrote:
"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly

I have the Viking Designer1, can't remember exactly the year I bought it,
second year it hit the market. I kept my other machine and often sew on that
when the Designer1 is embroidering. I do my majority of all sewing on the
Designer1. The other (Husqvarna 6440) is standby, used when the Designer1 is
embroidering or I use my OLD 194? Singer straight stitch if I have miles of
straight seams to sew since it goes like a bat out of Hell and no other
machine has that speed.

I've never regretted buying my embroidery/sewing machine and wouldn't change
a thing. I also like that it uses floppy discs and I don't have to plug it
into a computer or mess with reader boxes and such, just my personal
preference. However, I've decided if it dies I won't replace it. Way too
much money now. I've found that in the last few years I've really scaled
back in the amount of machine embroidery I do. I guess I'm getting old.

Val

I have a 30yo Janome Memory 7 that I would not part with for
any price and I still do most of my sewing on it. All
metal, solid, a real work horse.

I recently got a Janome 11000 embroidery machine - which
interestingly featured the Memory 7 in its promotional
material, so I have the earliest and the most recent
computerised Janomes lol - that I will set up to work
virtually only on embroidery.

I like the Janome 11000 because it does not have to have
anything attached to convert it for embroidery - selecting
options on the touch screen changes it back and forth from
one mode to the other. It is a nice sewing machine and has
a large embroidery field (8X8 standard hoop with magna one
hoop even bigger). If I could only have one machine and I
wanted embroidery capacity the J11000 would be my choice for
that reason.

If I had to choose between a super sewing machine and an
good sewing/embroidery machine, I would take the super
sewing machine. But that is a reflection of my preferences
only and so not really relevant to anyone else's decision.
I must admit I only got the embroidery machine because I had
a REALLY great deal offered. I love what it can do but I
could live without it. I would HATE to have to give up my
beautiful workhorse sewer.

--

Cheryl & the Cats in OZ
o o o o o o
( Y ) ( Y ) and ( Y )
Boofhead Donut Rasputin
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau


"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
: There's not much I wouldn't do for our DDILS. Can't
think of anything.
: They love our sons and raise our grandchildren. That
said, one of them is
: enjoying a really limited embroidery machine and I would
love to buy her a
: better one.
: It seems that having a sewing machine that also does
embroidery could be
: double trouble - much like having a tv set that also can
record. Better to
: have one of each so that if something goes amuck, you at
least have one that
: still works.
: Do I want to research 'just' embroidery machines?
: Do any of you have SMs that also embroider and are
happy to have both
: abilities on one machine? Do any of you have embroidery
machines (only)
: that you use and enjoy? I've seen and passed by those
that hold 17 spools
: of thread and demand a rocket science degree and some dare
devil airplane
: experience. I'm not looking at those.
: I've so much appreciated your experiences and
conclusions. Once again,
: please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. .
.. and I thank
: you. I need some adult supervision. Polly
:
:
:

I bought my Brother 8200 way back when just for the emroidery aspects.
Then I started using the sewing parts and began to find it the equal,
if not the superior in most areas to my at the time TOL Bernina 1630.
The only part it fell down in comparision was the ability to change
some of the decorative stitches and the fact that the stitches wer 7mm
instead of 9 mm.. Had I had the 8200 first, I might never have gotten
the 1630. The 8200 was also consdierably cheaper.

Linda
PATCHogue,NY


On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 22:49:09 -0600, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

There's not much I wouldn't do for our DDILS. Can't think of anything.
They love our sons and raise our grandchildren. That said, one of them is
enjoying a really limited embroidery machine and I would love to buy her a
better one.
It seems that having a sewing machine that also does embroidery could be
double trouble - much like having a tv set that also can record. Better to
have one of each so that if something goes amuck, you at least have one that
still works.
Do I want to research 'just' embroidery machines?
Do any of you have SMs that also embroider and are happy to have both
abilities on one machine? Do any of you have embroidery machines (only)
that you use and enjoy? I've seen and passed by those that hold 17 spools
of thread and demand a rocket science degree and some dare devil airplane
experience. I'm not looking at those.
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly


Linda
PATCHogue, NY

Never for a moment let this pure and innocent face fool you. You bet your
boots I'm an enabler. I did a crib size quilt top of little teapots and
asked DDIL to embroider "I'm a Little Teapot" on it for me. How's that for
enabling? Polly


"IMS" wrote Hi Polly,

Well aren't you an 'enabler!' LOL

I love having machines that do both. The problem is, if one is really
into sewing (and not just the embroidery) you really then need two
machines because then you are freed up to do something else with the
other machine while the first is embroidering.

I thought I'd love having a machine that did both but once I got into
the embroidery capabilities more it really limited me. My Viking 1+
just does too many wonderful things! When it 'sat' and did embroidery
I couldn't use it for any of the other wonderful things it did.That is
exactly the reason I purchased a 2nd embroidery machine, a Viking
Rose, last summer. It uses the same embroidery format, shares the
same embroidery cards and hoops,and shares all of the snap on feet,
with the 1+. The Rose was the 'step lower' model to the 1+ when they
were both new, so I have two high quality and very similar 'feel'
machines and it's great; I can set up one for embroidery, the other
for FMQ, or with a walking foot...and leave them like that and go from
one to the other. You can really do two things at once When the
Rose is embroidering and I'm using the 1+ for something else, DH
tells me I'm running a sewing machine sweat shop.

I really can get my projects done a lot faster this way.

-Irene

I have a Bernina 180 and version 4 of its embroidery program. I love using
both of them. However, both are now outdated and I doubt there will be much
support for either of them much longer. I know my embroidery program won't
work with Windows Vista should I need a new computer. And the upgrade is
quite pricey.
It's so sweet of you to think of boosting your DIL's embroidery
capabilities. I wish I knew more about other machines to help you make a
choice. I do find that I don't need to use two machines while doing
embroidery though. There are many thread color changes to be made and its
disrupting to me to hop up from a different sewing machine every few minutes
(or less) to change the threads on the embroidery one. I like to use that
time to do cutting or just leaf through my library of books and patterns.

--
Kathyl (KJ)
remove "nospam" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz
"Polly Esther" wrote in message
...
Never for a moment let this pure and innocent face fool you. You bet your
boots I'm an enabler. I did a crib size quilt top of little teapots and
asked DDIL to embroider "I'm a Little Teapot" on it for me. How's that
for enabling? Polly


"IMS" wrote Hi Polly,

Well aren't you an 'enabler!' LOL

I love having machines that do both. The problem is, if one is really
into sewing (and not just the embroidery) you really then need two
machines because then you are freed up to do something else with the
other machine while the first is embroidering.

I thought I'd love having a machine that did both but once I got into
the embroidery capabilities more it really limited me. My Viking 1+
just does too many wonderful things! When it 'sat' and did embroidery
I couldn't use it for any of the other wonderful things it did.That is
exactly the reason I purchased a 2nd embroidery machine, a Viking
Rose, last summer. It uses the same embroidery format, shares the
same embroidery cards and hoops,and shares all of the snap on feet,
with the 1+. The Rose was the 'step lower' model to the 1+ when they
were both new, so I have two high quality and very similar 'feel'
machines and it's great; I can set up one for embroidery, the other
for FMQ, or with a walking foot...and leave them like that and go from
one to the other. You can really do two things at once When the
Rose is embroidering and I'm using the 1+ for something else, DH
tells me I'm running a sewing machine sweat shop.

I really can get my projects done a lot faster this way.

-Irene

Not having any wish to own an embroidery machine! I can give you an
unbiased opinion.
For myself, I would always appreciate separate machines. We have a
separate washing machine and dryer - I turned down the idea of a washer
that then dries.
We sought a fridge/freezer that had separate motors.

I have heard it said that it is good to set an embroidery machine up to
do a motif, say; while still being able to sew seams and such on the
sewing machine, at the same time.

This may, of course, because I have a very compartmentalised mind?
..
In message , Polly Esther
writes
There's not much I wouldn't do for our DDILS. Can't think of anything.
They love our sons and raise our grandchildren. That said, one of them is
enjoying a really limited embroidery machine and I would love to buy her a
better one.
It seems that having a sewing machine that also does embroidery could be
double trouble - much like having a tv set that also can record. Better to
have one of each so that if something goes amuck, you at least have one that
still works.
Do I want to research 'just' embroidery machines?
Do any of you have SMs that also embroider and are happy to have both
abilities on one machine? Do any of you have embroidery machines (only)
that you use and enjoy? I've seen and passed by those that hold 17 spools
of thread and demand a rocket science degree and some dare devil airplane
experience. I'm not looking at those.
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly




--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Nah, you're a multi-tasker! I've heard of your kind, but never thought to
actually meet one in RL!! I always sort of thought that you guys were
mythical creatures!!

(DS *says* he's a multi-tasker, but I don't really think that reading while
you're on the potty counts as "multi-tasking!" LOL!!)

--
Connie :-)
FREE patterns n' FREE eZine at my blog:
http://sewverycreative.blogspot.com


"Patti" wrote in message
...
Not having any wish to own an embroidery machine! I can give you an
unbiased opinion.
For myself, I would always appreciate separate machines. We have a
separate washing machine and dryer - I turned down the idea of a washer
that then dries.
We sought a fridge/freezer that had separate motors.

I have heard it said that it is good to set an embroidery machine up to
do a motif, say; while still being able to sew seams and such on the
sewing machine, at the same time.

This may, of course, because I have a very compartmentalised mind?
.
In message , Polly Esther
writes
There's not much I wouldn't do for our DDILS. Can't think of
anything.
They love our sons and raise our grandchildren. That said, one of them
is
enjoying a really limited embroidery machine and I would love to buy her
a
better one.
It seems that having a sewing machine that also does embroidery could
be
double trouble - much like having a tv set that also can record. Better
to
have one of each so that if something goes amuck, you at least have one
that
still works.
Do I want to research 'just' embroidery machines?
Do any of you have SMs that also embroider and are happy to have both
abilities on one machine? Do any of you have embroidery machines (only)
that you use and enjoy? I've seen and passed by those that hold 17
spools
of thread and demand a rocket science degree and some dare devil airplane
experience. I'm not looking at those.
I've so much appreciated your experiences and conclusions. Once
again,
please tell me what you have/love/wish I'd done better. . . and I
thank
you. I need some adult supervision. Polly




--
Best Regards
pat on the hill