Welcome back to:
Today is the final installment of 31 In’s and Out’s of Machine Embroidery.
I hope I have explained machine embroidery well enough for you to make an informed decision.
If you have decided that machine embroidery is more than you need, then I want to thank you for joining me on this journey.
If, on the other hand, you think you’d like to get an embroidery machine, then I have a few suggestions to help you get the best deal.
1. If you want a new machine, purchase it from a dealer. I suggest you find a dealer that has been in business a while. Check local reviews. Most large cities will have a quality dealer.
I would avoid dealers that sell sewing machines and vacuums. You want to purchase from a place dedicated to sewing.
A great dealer will stand behind his machines, hold new owner classes, and be able to answer all of your questions.
Best of all, dealers have regular sales, some with up to 40% off. Find a dealer you trust and get on their mailing list. If you have done your homework, you will be able to get the best machine for you at a price you can afford.
2. If you have a small budget, check with a dealer about used machines. Most manufacturers release new models in the Fall. That means that people will be trading in their older machines to get the latest and greatest.
If you look at used machines, you want to ask these questions:
What is the stitch count?
What are the hours-used on this machine?
Lots of machines are mostly used for sewing and quilting and have very few embroidery hours on them. This type of machine would be something to consider.
3. Embroidery machines can be purchased at large chain stores like Joann’s and Walmart. I’ve seen them on Amazon and QVC.
I would not advise purchasing your machine from discounted retailers. They do not offer support, free classes, or repair work.
And, the machines cost about the same as you would get from a dealer. So, you really don’t save any money. You are better off purchasing from a dealer that has an excellent reputation. Even if you have to drive to another city.
If you decide to take the plunge and get an embroidery machine, I’d love to have you chime in and let me know what machine you bought and maybe a picture or two of your first few embroidery project’s.
In November, I will pick back up where I left off. Lots of sewing, cooking, and gardening ~ and few things you’ve never seen.
See ya’ then,
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Welcome, I'm Leslie. The Seasoned Homemaker is where I comment on all things delightfully domestic. To read more, click 
I had no idea that new machines come out around the same time of year as new cars! How interesting is that??
Thank you for doing this whole series! Excellent!!
Excellent informative series.
Thanks
Thank you for posting all this Leslie! I just read through it all and feel much less scared about attempting to do some appliques on my new machine!!
My pleasure! Appliques are my favorite.
Leslie, thank you so much for your tutorial.
I cannot tell you how important it is to purchase from a dealer offering classes on machine usage. I am a lifelong seamstress and though it would be a piece of cake to learn the ropes. Little did I know the learning curve that was ahead! The Bernina dealer offered me one-on-one lessons if I purchased from her. It was an easier drive to her shop than the other closest dealer. Unfortunately, I went to her shop to get some instruction/constructive criticism and the store was empty! She had close the doors and with that went my promised lessons! I have tried to get help from the dealers, but nobody wants an orphan.
I am creating some interesting projects, but sometimes it is done not knowing exactly what the next step should be. I will bookmark your “tute” for future reference.
Thank you for sharing this. I know some stores bristle at taking ‘orphans’. I suggest you contact Bernina USA (www.berninausa.com) and tell them about your situation. They will put you in contact with your area representative who can, in turn, get you into some classes.
My husband surprised me with a Brother 400 SE for my birthday. I must admit that using the embroidery function has intimated me a lot. I live in the northern panhandle of Idaho, so there aren’t too many stores available for instructions. I tried reaching out to Brother, but they weren’t much help. But thanks to you, I think that I can use this function without too much trouble. As soon as I complete a project I will post it for you. Once again “Thank You”.
Oh, how wonderful. I would love to hear about your project(s) and how they turned out. I’m so glad that this can help. Feel free to ask more questions.
I want to say BRAVO on such a wonderful series. I’ve had my embroidery machine since Spring of 2008 and I wish this series was available then. I was so totally lost. I definitely bought more than I needed at the time (Viking Designer Diamond) but honestly I’ve learned so much through this journey of machine embroidery that I’ve probably saved money. Sure I spent a fortune on my machine up front but I haven’t needed to upgrade machines either! LOL! The helpful staff at my local shop let me know I needed software when I took my first class with them. I couldn’t fathom at the time why on earth I would need it when I had just spend several thousands of dollars on my machine. Ha! After I got my software, I was indeed enlightened. They said without software I could only truly utilize 60% of my machines capability. They were 100% right. Software is a MUST!
I still learned quite a bit from your series! Especially the article on bobbin thread. I don’t have special bobbin thread. *Gasp* I must research which bobbin thread I need to be using.
Stabilizer still manages to mystify me so your articles on that helped a lot too.
I’ve always been intimidated by applique but your articles make it look so easy so I think I shall use a Joann’s coupon and get some of those handy scissors and give it machine applique a try (I was under the impression that I would have to cut all the little shapes out before put them on the hoop to embroider. However I see that is not the case at all! Thank you!)
You were dead on in your article on Jump Stitches. I must say that even if you have a fancy machine that has the ability to trim all of your jump stitches you still have to have software to add that function to the design!
Your wonderful article on where to get designs was awesome! I get most of mine from embroidery library but I’ll have to explore your suggestions too!
Once again THANK YOU so much for such a wonderful helpful series.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a thoughtful response about your machine embroidery experiences. I wrote the articles to de-mystify machine embroidery for those who are just starting on their journey. Your comments are a fabulous addition.