Choosing a basic embroidery machine

Even the simplest machine that controls embroidering in a hoop is more expensive than a basic sewing machine. They’re more complex, and the success of an embroidery design depends on the accuracy it’s sewn out with, which comes at a price.
But you don’t need a high-end machine. You can do most embroidery stitching techniques on a machine costing much less than $1000.

Spending more money on a sewing machine gets you more stitches plus some useful tools like needle up-down. Not so true for an embroidery machine. Spending more on an embroidery machine does get you some more built-in designs, but the number is still small compared to the huge numbers of designs anyone can download from the internet.
You can do all embroidery techniques on a basic machine with a 4×4 hoop. Paying more for an embroidery machine gets you a bigger hoop – so you can embroider a larger area.
At mid-price you can also do some changing of designs directly on the machine.

It can be exciting looking at machines which do amazing things, but there’s no point buying a machine which stays in the box. So step away from the thrills and find out how to use the machine you’re thinking about. Start with a machine that gives you an ‘I could do this’ feeling. Beginners may find it easier to start with a basic machine – if you don’t know what you’re looking for, it can be confusing to find your way to the essentials among all the options on a more expensive machine. If you’re used to going for the luxury option, you might find yourself with a machine that you can’t understand !

Hoop size is a consideration. The biggest hoops can be quite difficult to hoop smoothly, and machines that can use them are expensive. I suggest you don’t go bigger until you’re sure machine embroidery is something you enjoy, and you know what you like making. So the main choice is between 4″x4″(100x100mm) or about 7″x5″(180x130mm). (Those are the sizes of the biggest embroidery area you can sew in that hoop, the hoops themselves are quite a bit larger.) Cut out pieces of paper these sizes, to look at and hold against what you might embroider on. What are you dreaming of stitching ?

Are you the sort of person who is happy to use designs made by other people, or do you think you will quite soon want to make small changes to designs, such as changing the size or adding names and messages ?
Cheaper option, if you’re comfortable using a computer – use a basic embroidery machine plus your computer with basic embroidery software, often free.
More expensive – an embroidery machine on which you can do simple editing direct :
– On lower-mid-price machines you can edit single designs (re-size, rotate, flip), and produce simple text. On these machines, you stitch design and text in separate steps.
– Mid-price machines also have simple options for combining designs – so you can stitch design and text in a single hooping. Of course that also means there’s more to learn.
– Upper-price machines have a bigger screen so you can see more detail about your changes.

Other thoughts :
– do you want a machine with Disney copyright designs ?
– do you need a machine which does both sewing and embroidery, or an embroidery-only machine ?
– which brand has the most helpful local dealer ?
If you can’t get to a machine dealer :
– can you find internet videos on how to use this or a similar machine ? depends a bit on how good the presenter is, but do you think you would be comfortable with using it ?
– you can probably find a manual to download, but they’re not always easy to understand. (I read manuals, but whoever wrote the manual for my machine does not think the way I do, happily there are better videos.)

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Machines to move on to perhaps

There’s quite a big choice of machines which can do more. It’s not just a case of moving on to a larger hoop.

Machines for professional embroiders have several needles each threaded with a different colour. So they can automatically change thread colour, which greatly speeds the stitch out.

Single-needle embroidery machines :
Basic machines – all embroidery stitching techniques are possible.
Lower mid-price machines – bigger hoop, edit single designs or text on the machine.
Mid-price machines – also combine designs.
Upper price machines – big screen.
Top-of-line – jumbo hoop, wi-fi, auto-digitising (make your own designs on the machine) . . . no ’embroidery only’ machines at this price level.

When you’re familiar with embroidering, and find you enjoy doing your own editing on the machine, you may want to get a big screen machine so you can see clearly what you are doing.
These machines are generally more expensive, but you don’t have to go all the way to a top-of-line machine to get a big screen.

Though if you’re excited by new technology there are some hugely expensive combo sewing+embroidery machines which provide many special tools.
Do you need one of these to do beautiful or fun embroidery ? – not at all. Will you ever need one ? – quite unlikely. The embellishment and designing they do can easily be done away from a machine.

‘Top of the line’ machines can use ‘jumbo’ hoops, and each year the new models can do yet more amazing things. Currently (mid 2018) :
– cut out fabric shapes for appliqué, paint, add crystals (Bernina with optional tools)
– auto-digitise on the machine (BabyLock, Brother)
– develop a design and transfer to the machine using apps on a tablet or phone and wi-fi (Husqvarna Viking, Janome , Pfaff)

These machines are for experienced sewists who love exploring new and complex technology in their sewing. Are you this type of person ? These machines are not necessary for the rest of us, we may not even enjoy using one. I suspect most beginners would find it difficult to know where to start.

I was thinking of getting a TOL machine, then I watched some videos and realised I would be unhappy if I had to use one. These machines are big. Some people love that, me – I prefer something smaller. And I’m more a hands-on person, I’m not a target customer for a machine where everything is done on a screen or using wi-fi. For sewing, I love my basic workhorse ‘real buttons’ machine. For embroidery, I choose a mid-price embroidery-only machine for the hoop size, and I know enough to enjoy playing with designs on it. I wouldn’t enjoy going through the sequence of changes needed to change a ‘combo’ machine between sewing and embroidery. I’ve found I prefer to add other types of embellishment away from my machine, and to do my design editing using embroidery software on a big-screen computer.

So I use a sewing machine, an embroidery machine, and a computer with embroidery software. Some people love to have all three functions on the same machine.
It is fun to know about these super-powers machines, and they do look marvellous 😀

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Do you love personalising or embellishing what you make ? Happily you can do many beautiful and fun things with a very basic embroidery machine. There’s such a wealth of embroidery designs available, having an embroidery machine can be a rich source of pleasure 😀

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Other posts in this group on using an embroidery machine :
Starter basics
Designs from the internet, more techniques
Altering designs yourself

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Start using an embroidery machine – the basics

(I’m talking about using an embroidery machine which moves a hoop under the control of a software design.
Machine embroidery which you control yourself on a conventional sewing machine with the feed-dogs down – ‘free motion’ embroidery – uses a very different group of skills, see some tips in this free-motion post.)

I keep expanding this post on learning to use an embroidery machine, so it’s now in 4 sections.
– choosing a starter embroidery machine,
– the essentials of machine embroidery, using built-in embroidery designs (this post),
– beyond the basics : using the internet, more embroidery techniques,
– beyond the basics : altering designs yourself.

Like any other type of sewing, it’s surprising how much you need to know to stitch the simplest design. But no need to know everything before you start.

Most of the embroidery machine lessons I’ve seen go :
– here are the 3000 different types of stabiliser,
– it’s essential to use the right one, here are the 300 rules for choosing between them.
And a whole lot more rules before ever getting to a project.

No wonder people are afraid of using their embroidery machine.

I prefer to learn through projects which start from the easiest.
Even so, you need to be willing to make samples to explore what happens.
So, what is the least you need to know ? Here’s a simple possible first try out.

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Starter supplies

For the fabric you are embroidering onto, use medium weight muslin/calico or quilting cotton.

A machine embroidery stabiliser is essential, to support the main fabric against the huge number of little needle holes and the pull of the stitching. (Stabiliser is not the same as interfacing.)
Stabilisers differ in weight, how they are removed after embroidering, and whether they’re fusible / non-fusible. No need to know all the types now. Learn about more of them when you need them for more advanced techniques.
Start with just 2 stabilisers: a medium tear away and a medium cut away.
Even so there are many options. So worth getting small test quantities. They vary in flexibility, ability to withstand tension, etc.

You may find it easier to learn hooping by using fusible stabilisers.
Stabiliser is mostly sold in rolls. Some companies sell pre-cut sheets – best to use at least 4″/10cm bigger than the finished embroidery area in the hoop.

All embroidery threads are decorative – thinner and weaker than threads for construction. The stitching density of designs assumes you are using this thinner thread. Bobbin threads are thinner than top threads to minimise bulk.

Your machine manual probably recommends needle and upper and lower thread types. If not, start with :
– embroidery needle : size 75.
– embroidery upper thread : polyester / rayon / cotton machine embroidery thread (usually called 40-weight, but thread ‘weights’ are confusing – 40 weight embroidery thread is not the same thickness as 40 weight construction thread – aargh). Polyester is best for heavy use / frequent washing.
– embroidery bobbin thread : usually white or black (there is a company which sells a wide variety of coloured bobbin weight threads). Bobbin cases are factory set to the right tension for a specific weight (thickness) of thread. So use the bobbin thread mentioned in the manual for best results. 60 weight is the usual. (With threads – larger numbers mean thinner threads. . .)

Several makers of these special embroidery threads, not usually the same companies as for construction threads.
Cheap thread is not a good economy – does not stitch evenly, breaks easily, and clogs the machine with fluff.

(If you really want to know about thread weights, here’s a piece from Barnyarns giving the reasons for the confusion. For current purposes just get embroidery thread that’s 40-wt.)

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Set up your machine for embroidery

Follow your machine manual carefully for instructions on upper threading and bobbin winding and threading.
You may be able to find videos for your machine.
Most sewing problems happen because the threading is wrong.

If you are using a combo sewing-embroidery machine you need to :
– change to an embroidery needle and embroidery presser foot,
– perhaps also change to a straight stitch needle plate.
– lower the feed dogs.
– change to thinner threads, with bobbin thread thinner than top,
– lower the top tension.

In general sewing, the upper and bobbin threads need to be at the same tension.
In machine embroidery, the top thread is at low tension, so the top thread wraps to the back. This makes sure there’s no bobbin thread showing on the front of the embroidery. See the back of this sample supplied with my embroidery machine. See how the top thread is pulled to the back around the stitching. The bobbin thread is only about 1/2-1/3 the length of the stitches.

On an embroidery-only machine, the tension is probably pre-set correctly. On a combo machine you need to lower the top tension – the manual probably tells you what setting to use.

And when using a combo machine, remember to change back all these items when you go back to general sewing again !
I haven’t got a good memory for specific sequences, I don’t think I would do well with a combo machine.

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Start with built-in designs

Get the stabiliser-fabric hooped so it’s like a soft drum. It needs to be taut enough so the fabric won’t move during the embroidery, or the design will get distorted. But this hooping can take a bit of practice. (Here’s a post about choosing stabiliser, and hooping on my own model of machine – many of the points are general to all embroidery machines.)

Choose a simple design provided on your machine – for the smallest hoop, less dense stitching, and only 1 thread colour.

Stitch out the design. The manual / video / tutorial on the machine tells you the steps needed.

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Learn from your sample

When you’ve stitched a sample, take it out of the hoop and finish the stabiliser in the recommended way.
If the fabric has puckers, use 2 (possibly 3) layers of stabiliser and try again.
Don’t worry about the ‘ring’ left by the hoop. It can be pressed away, or disappears with washing. (Some fabrics need special treatment, but that’s not for beginners.)
Then try pulling the fabric in various directions – see if the embroidery pulls out of shape and what happens on the back. If you’re embroidering on clothes or household linens, you need to be confident the embroidery won’t collapse when used and washed.

For bigger concerns, there’s a helpful Bernina e-book on troubleshooting stitch-outs and an associated troubleshooting video.
Almost all the troubles they describe are caused by :
– wrong needle, thread, stabiliser,
– wrong thread tension,
– poor threading,
– poor hooping,
– poor machine maintenance.

Usually you can use ‘tear away’ stabiliser with stable fabrics. ‘Cut away’ is tougher and essential to support embroidery on unstable fabrics such as stretch and knits, it’s also best used to support dense stitching, or anything that is washed frequently.
Some people mainly use tear away, some people mainly use cut away. Eventually you’ll find which works best for the type of embroidery you usually do – how dense the stitching is, how the embroidery will be treated, what fabrics you like to embroider on. But that’s not something for a beginner to worry about.

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When you feel confident enough with threading / hooping / starting and finishing a stitch out / clipping the jump threads, then try a built-in design with changes of thread colour.

And check in the manual for what to do if the thread breaks ! Practice on a sample.

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Stitch out more built-in designs until you’re confident about these essentials.
Then find out how to use designs from the internet – see the ‘beyond the basics’ post (link below).
You now have the skills to stitch out many many thousands of designs, a lifetime of pleasures 😀

So no need to learn more, but if you want to there are many other things you can do in machine embroidery with even the simplest machine. Some of those are also in the ‘beyond the basics’ post.

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Other posts in this group on using an embroidery machine :
Choosing an embroidery machine
Beyond the basics – internet designs, more techniques
Altering designs yourself

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Start using an embroidery machine – moving on from the basics

The first part of this group of posts was about learning the essentials of using an embroidery machine, using the designs given on your machine.

There are also thousands of designs on the internet, so knowing how to access them is a good idea – notes on that in this post.

Once you know how to sew ready-made designs, that can lead to a lifetime of happy stitching.
Or there two very different but not at all essential ways to expand your embroidery skills :
– embroider a wider range of techniques on a wider range of fabrics – more on that in this post,
– alter designs or make your own – more on that in this separate post.

Using an embroidery machine opens up to a huge world of possibilities. In this post I’m not going to give details about how to do things, just mention some of the many things you could try.

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Internet designs

When you feel confident using built-in designs, move on to using a design from the internet or a DVD/usb stick. Designs are supplied by everyone from huge companies to little cottage industries. Very tempting 😀

You don’t need special equipment for this, just your computer with browser and internet connection or DVD/usb slot.

Find what embroidery ‘format’ your machine uses. Shown by the 3 letter extension at the end of a design name. Some common ones are:
Brother : design.pes
Janome : design.jef
Husqvarna/Pfaff/Viking : design.vp3
But do check your specific machine – some Brother machines don’t use .pes, some Janomes don’t use .jef, etc.

Find how to download a design from an internet site, and where the download goes to on your computer – usually the same as for any other download.

Then how to transfer the design from computer to embroidery machine. See your machine manual as different machines use different methods:
– direct by usb cable from computer to machine.
– from computer to usb stick, which can then be put in the machine,
– wifi direct to machine, currently only on some expensive machines,
– (older machines) from computer to card in box, and card can then be put in the machine. You may need special software for writing to the card.

Then find how to find the design on/from your machine !

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The next two sections are about expanding your skills, so you can embroider on more fabrics, and use more techniques.
All these can be done on a basic machine with a 4×4 hoop.
See the following section for some sources of tutorials.

Beyond broadcloth – more fabrics and shapes

Extend the range of fabric types you can embroider.
Try fleece, towelling, knits.
For these fabrics you do need to know more about stabilisers – more uses for cut away and fusible, also wash away, possibly heat away.
Also methods for handling fabrics which would be damaged by hooping, such as velvet (use ‘sticky’ self-adhesive stabiliser).

Then try embroidering onto 3-D shapes such as ready-made caps, clothes and bags (use sticky stabiliser or adhesive spray). Some machines have special hoops to help.

More embroidery techniques

Learn more types of embroidery. Some embroidery techniques need special elements in the design. Some need special tools and supplies, or more personal attention during the stitch out.

Such as appliqué – adding fabric shapes. Three main methods (not inter-changeable, different steps needed in the design for each method):
– ‘trim in place’,
– ‘pre-cut’ (you may be able to use a cutting machine, some designs include cutting file formats for pre-cut fabric),
– ‘raw edge’.
Or make free-standing lace (using water-soluble stabiliser).
And use special threads such as metallic (with a special needle).
Also ‘bobbin work’ – use thick thread in the bobbin (and a special bobbin case) – and the back of the embroidery becomes the front.

There are ‘in-the-hoop’ techniques for making zipped bags, stuffed toys, patchwork quilt blocks, without having to do any steps on a conventional sewing machine.
Using your embroidery machine to quilt using pre-set designs is another option.
(Use a size 90 needle to stitch through many layers of fabric.)
Several methods for all of these too.

What would you like to be able to do ? all these techniques, or just a few ? perhaps you already know enough to make what you enjoy 😀

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If you like to use the internet for guidance

Many sources to learn from, whether you prefer written instructions or video.

The design company Embroidery Library has a useful techniques section with photo and video tutorials on many topics, Helpful how-tos.

Another design company, Anita Goodesign, has a book and digital design downloads for a course called Fundamental Curriculum. Register with them for many free pdf and video tutorials.

Tutorials for some more unusual techniques at Urban Threads.

There are many youtube videos on embroidery machines and techniques. They vary greatly in quality and content, but you can usually find several on your model of machine or the technique you want to try. (Brother machines have different model numbers in different countries. You need to know the equivalent US model number to find the most videos.)

There are also formal on-line video classes, not free but they do include designs. From several sources, such as :
Craftsy
Martha Pullen/The Sewing Collection
Sewing Mastery/Heirloom Creations (class on an earlier version of the Anita Goodesign Fundamentals sampler).

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If you find yourself wanting to change a design or make your own designs, there’s a final post in this group on tools for doing that (link below).

But there’s no need to change designs if you don’t want to. There’s a huge wealth of ready-made beautiful / cute / jokey / heart-warming / goth and other embroidery designs for every technique and hoop size. Your favourite model of car, flower, bird, dog, sport, hobby ? You name it, someone loves it enough to make embroidery designs. There are infinite opportunities for creativity using existing designs.

Enjoy !

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Other posts in this group on using an embroidery machine :
Choosing an embroidery machine
Starter basics
Altering designs yourself

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