How To Choose a Sewing Machine

You have finally come to the conclusion that you need or want a sewing machine. Now, what is on the market and how do you make the right decision?

There are many brands of machines out there and everyone boasts different features. Some machines appeal to quilters, others want you to embroider everything including the toilet seat and the shower curtain. Searching for the right machine is going to take some time.

Shopping for a new machine can make your head spin. The girls on my boards discuss which machine is best every time someone needs a new one. We all know the name brands but I am not going to suggest one, that decision is yours. It's a personal one and an important one. I will, however give you a few basic questions you should ask yourself.

1. What type of sewing do you plan to do?
- clothing
- crafts
- repairs and alterations
- home decorating

2. Where will you sew?

- sewing room
- kitchen table
- integrated into other family living area

3. How will your machine be stored?
- in its own cabinet
- in a closet hiding behind the coats
- leave it out to sew every spare moment

4. Consider your budget and buying habits? How long will you keep this machine?
- 6 months
- a few years
- forever and a day

When you answer these questions, you are on your way to making the right decision. Obviously if you are going to sew from the kitchen table, you don't want a machine with lots of accessories or add-ons that will take up too much room. If you are doing repairs and alterations, you don't want a machine that duplicates the quilting stitch. If you have small children around, your machine needs to be tucked away safely. Just a few things to think about.

Research is the name of the game here. Check out the latest consumer reports. Visit the forum discussions on sew-whats-new.com and see what the girls are using. They will gladly tell you what works and what doesn't. Another source is the well known sewing magazines. Sew News and Threads do comparison studies all the time.

If you are lucky enough to have local dealers, pay them all a visit. Test drive all their machines and ask lots and lots of questions. Take fabric with you that you use and test out things like stitch length, reverse and some of the different presser feet. Find out about lessons. Lots of dealers will give you a few free lessons to get you acquainted with your machine. Above all, take your time. I cannot stress this enough. Don't let anyone rush you thru the process. Leave the kids at home so you have no distractions. While you are in the shop asking questions, you can see how the staff relate to customers and if they have the answers to all your questions. If they seem impatient or brusque, imagine how they might be after the sale. If they are not helpful now at the prospect of a sale, they probably won't be later if you need help.

On the other hand, a strong sales pitch can also steer you in the wrong direction. Paying for a top of the line model doesn't mean you are getting the machine you will be happiest with. You must resist the urge for that impulse buy. Go home and talk to someone who sews. Find out their experiences and listen to what they have to say. Again, take your time with this decision.

If you have visited all the dealers, and test driven their machines visit them all again. Visit again when you are rested and can make a clear decision. Go back and take a second look at those machines. You are looking at them with new eyes now. Maybe there are a few things you never noticed the first time that stand out now. What about that foot pedal, is it comfortable? Do you want the even feed feature? Does the machine run smoothly and quietly? Are there more programmes than you will ever use? If so, make a mental note and you can scale down your possible choices. This second visit will tell you more than you expect.

Ask about the warranty that comes with each machine. Be sure you know who is responsible for standing behind it, your dealer or the manufacturer. Are repairs made locally or will you have to pack everything up and send it away.

Be very sure you understand what is included with the sewing machine. Which feet, how many bobbins and what about a manual. The manual is very important. You will refer to the manual time after time so it should be a good reference guide to all the accessories and stitch designs along with any other functions. The manual should be full of pictures and diagrams for the basic sewing as well as clear directions. If your manual isn't helpful, do you want to go searching out the answers every time you have a problem. I wish I had a penny for every time someone has emailed me with a problem that their manual doesn't answer.

Be sure you get your sales agreement in writing and keep your copy in a safe place. Nothing less will do.

The bottom line is you must do some work before you ever sew your first stitch. If you make the effort and educate yourself, the rewards of a great sewing machine are yours.

Mary is the mother to three grown children and six perfect grandchildren. She is also owner/editor of http://sew-whats-new.com Her site has been recognized in many national sewing magazines

A Great Choice, a Brother Sewing Machine!

A great choice in sewing machines is the Brother Sewing Machine. With its many features and accessories, these machines offer many choices and conveniences. The company, known for its home, home office, and office products has been in business since 1954. All of their sewing products are available on their easy to use website but are often found in department stores and fabic/craft stores as well.

The Brother sewing machine is high quality and highly innovative. They offer home sewing machines as well as industrial sewing and embroidery items. They have many, many models to choose from. These machines can be found in most department stores or even in craft and hobby stores. The line is famous for its design capabilities.

An even easier way to find and choice the best Brother Sewing machine for you, is to use their website. There, you will find many pages of information on each model of sewing machine they offer. The easy to use format will take you to whatever you choice and your choices are many. Not only can you browse, choose, and purchase the right Brother Sewing machine, but you can find craft projects as well. There are free designs available and tutorials. There are thread charts, custom stitching, and embroidery information at your finger tips. Download a project to make, join the Brother Club, and get ideas all from the Brother sewing machine website.

To find the Brother sewing machine website, simply enter this information into any major search engine. Search around and get ideas, maybe even learn a thing or two. Brother sewing machines are great tools to have to add a level of sophistication to any sewer's collection. They offer many choices and many rewards as well. Brother sewing machines should be considered when buying a sewing machine.

Mike Yeager
Publisher
http://www.my-sewing-machine-4me.com/

Finding Help From Embroidery Digitizing Forums

You were looking for a hobby. You knew that crocheting or knitting weren't for you because it took too long to complete a project. So you started looking at other hobbies. Scrapbooking was great -- until you ran out of pictures. You decide to look online for a hobby when you see an ad for embroidery machines. You felt that actually sounded like fun.

Not wanting to make your decisions on impulse, you do your research online on which machine to buy. You compare price and features, and still have trouble deciding. Looking for product reviews, you happen on a machine embroidery forum. You spend hours looking at the forum, reading product reviews for each machine that you had considered, and finally you decide on an embroidery machine.

That's great, but what next?

With a sense of excitement, you read other areas of the forum and you find out about embroidery digitizing programs. Knowing that once you purchase a program, you cannot return it, you read more product reviews about each program. You compare the different programs, and decide to take the leap and buy your own embroidery digitizing program.

With all your research and reading, you knew there was going to be a learning curve when you bought your embroidery digitizing program. After all, you did your research before you bought the program. You even asked for advice on the embroidery digitizing forums where you did most of your research.

After all of your time on the forums, you've made friends there. These friends can help you learn to digitize embroidery patterns. Now, keep in mind that the people you meet on embroidery digitizing forums are also in the middle of the learning process; however most of them will be more than happy to give you suggestions on how to learn to digitize embroidery patterns.

Embroidery digitizing forums are a great way to meet people who have similar interests to you. A good forum I found was www.digitizingtalk.com. You can get to know people who are doing the same hobby, and you can eventually help others that are just starting out in the embroidery digitizing world.

With all of the expert help in digitizing embroidery forums, you would think that their advice would help with the learning curve for embroidery digitizing. The people who are giving their advice have gone through the learning process and have their own tips and tricks that they're able to tell you about. However, a lot of the learning process is trial and error. So even though you can get some great advice and meet some friends with similar interests through embroidery digitizing forums, you will still have to deal with the learning curve in learning to digitize an embroidery pattern. Just relax and take your time. Don't pressure yourself to learn embroidery digitizing quickly, and enjoy your new friends.

Sahel is the Sales/Support representative of Cheap Digitizing. You can find more information or ask questions about Embroidery Digitizing on www.cheapdigitizing.com

The Art of Embroidery

Embroidery has survived history in different forms. It has existed in one form or the other for many years. Embroidery is a fulfilling art form which has become an interesting pass time for people from all segments of society. In the recent past, this has made advancements in a lot of aspects, and many of those who are not fully involved with embroidery are unaware of the immense developments.

Basic embroidery means creating a pattern on fabric by using multi-colored threads. Chances are if you buy something already embroidered, it was done by machine. Hand embroidery is time consuming and doesn't lend itself to mass marketing. Most who embroider use a pattern, although some can create as they go.

The patters are as inexpensive as the thread and needles. So without much investment on equipment, anyone can craft fascinating art work on tablecloths, napkins, blankets, dress- materials etc. Internet offers many embroidery related material on the web. You can easily find a lot of embroidery patterns on the web and print it at home or get it sent to you and use it in your embroidery.

Advanced sewing machines are available today which can do embroidery with little assistance from you. Some are even software powered, which enables you to specify where to point the needle to craft a design to suit your requirement. But embroidery by hand still remains the first option of many people for whom it is a hobby. For them embroidery by hand provides a more fulfilling experience compared to embroidery by machine.

If you interested in getting into embroidery but aren't sure where to start, you may be able to find a class at your local community college that can help you understand the basics. They will probably take you through a few simple designs and patterns. Once you understand how to read the pattern and do the stitching, you can pretty much tackle any design you're interested in.

Many craft fairs and embroidery conventions are organized in the country for exposure on embroidery. Apart from that, you can get a lot of information on embroidery from various other sources such as the internet. Many websites are available on the net which are purely dedicated to the cause of embroidery. These sites offer free embroidery patterns for you to download or patterns for discounted prices for you to buy.

You can subscribe to many embroidery magazines to enrich your knowledge and get started. These magazines offer lessons and tips on embroidery. They also give you a lot of free patterns on embroidery apart from other useful information. These magazines concentrate on the most important aspect of the needles and thread that you will need to finely craft a pattern. These magazines also keep you up-to-date with the current developments in embroidery and activate your imagination for your next embroidery project.

Embroidery is a hobby that many people have enjoyed for hundreds of years. You can create some beautiful designs and it is a very fulfilling past time. You don't have to be partially creative to start embroidery. As long as you can follow instructions and have a little patience, you can be creating interesting and unique designs in no time. Pearl Mertens is the chief writer at RC Embroidery, visit there today for the latest Embroidery advice, and why not sign up for the free Embroidery newsletter. If you want to read more Embroidery articles go to: http://www.rcembroidery.com/articles

Fashionable Embroidery Fabrics

There are many types of embroidery fabrics so logos can be embroidered to any type of apparel or accessories. Materials used for embroidery can be chosen to suit any fashion style from athletic to corporate casual. The types of fabric used may require embroidery to be done a little differently. Below is a listing of the many types of fabrics used in embroidery and the differences in types of fabric.

Basic Cotton. Basic cotton is the one most popular choice in embroidery because T-shirts are a great way to display a logo and are inexpensive. Basic cotton is a lightweight material so it requires fewer stitches than heavier fabrics

Basic Cotton/Polyester. Cotton/Polyester blended fabrics are another light-weight material, also very popular for embroidery. Again, it uses fewer stitches because the fabric simply cannot hold that many stitches.

Woven. Woven fabrics like twill, chino, and tweed use a diagonal weave to create a stronger fabric with diagonal lines for a more dramatic effect. Woven fabrics are thicker than basic cotton and therefore can take more threads for a given embroidery pattern or logo.

Knit. Knit fabrics use a complex interlocking pattern that makes it more flexible than woven fabrics. It can stretch is all directions, so most knit fabrics are made with acrylic material for shape retention. Logos must be specially prepared to be embroidered onto knit fabric due to the many threads and loops in the knit fabric.

Fleece. Fleece is a thick and springy fabric made from synthetic materials. Since fleece has a raise fuzzy surface, proper underlay stitching must be used in order to keep the stitches from being lost in the fabric. If not embroidered properly, little bits of fleece may come through the embroidered logo.

Nylon. Nylon is another synthetic fiber used in a number of apparel items. Jackets and vests are very popular items for embroidery.

Leather or Suede. Leather and Suede are very thick materials, rich representation of group or business. Leather jackets used for embroidery are engineered for easy access for embroidery machines in the left pocket area. Letterman jackets of leather and suede are a classic look to include in corporate apparel.

Denim. Canvas, Denim, Twill and Poplin are all woven fabrics that are very thick and look great with embroidery. Denims and Twills and others come in a variety of shades and colors, and seamless denims are perfect candidates for embroidery.

Micro-fiber. Micro-fiber is a material made from very thin fibers of synthetic material that resists water and wind, so it's perfect for staying dry and looking professional. Micro-fiber is perfect for professional or athletic outerwear.

Sweaters. Sweaters made of various materials including cotton and polyester, and are ready for embroidery.

Backpacks, Duffle bags, Totes. Tote bags and other bags are made of cotton twill, 100% cotton, polyester, nylon, and a variety of other materials that are used for embroidery. Carrying cases are useful for a number of reasons and are a fashionable way to stay organized.

Pricing of embroidery fabrics depends on the type of material, while some are relatively inexpensive, others materials of higher quality are worth a higher price. There are also a great number of apparel items available in many different kinds of fabrics.

Angela Oliver is an author for EmbroideryAuthority.com, offering competitive pricing for all custom embroidered logos, apparel, and accessories. Get your company or group logo on hats, shirts, caps, and more. Visit www.embroideryauthority.com for a full selection of embroidery fabrics.
 

Some Information on Embroidery

 Some Information on Embroidery

 by: Mike Yeager

Embroidery is the detail work for sewing. It is the small, intricate designs on fabric that make it so beautiful. A good eye and much talent produces a beautiful design whether it is on a pillow case, a table cloth, or even the cuff of a dress shirt. Whether it is machine embroidery or hand done, it adds an extra elegance to an item. Embroidery designs, while widely available in fabric stores, can also be found online. Free embroidery designs are also available, mostly for trade online as well.

To learn to embroider or the art of embroidery, much information and training is required. Mainly, this can be done through experience. Too find information on the skill and techniques, check out a few how to books at the local library or purchase them at a nearby book store. Or, if the beginner is Internet savvy, doing some simple research online will also produce a wide selection of knowledge. Knowing someone who is experienced in this area will also benefit the student.

Whether a small flower or a detailed design of an animal, embroidery is very well sought after. There is a large market out there for handmade designs like this. Someone who is advanced enough to do detail work, can earn an income from doing it. There is a large market for finely produced work online as well. People who frequent online auction websites are willing to pay for quality work. Or, it is possible to find a company willing to provide work. Another place to sell embroidery designs and work is at local craft fairs where people can browse through finished products to purchase.

Many people who do embroidery, do so as a hobby though. Maybe they are creating an heirloom to hand down to their grandchildren. Maybe they are creating a design with their family name and their descendants or ancestors on it. Definitely a way to use skills and talents! Well worth the effort and hard work!

Mike Yeager
Publisher
http://www.a1-fabric-4u.com/
mjy610@hotmail.com