# Newbie Machine Embroidery questions



## Karen

I just took the plunge and ordered my first embroidery machine - a Brother PE-770. I know very little about machine embroidery other than you need special thread and stabilizer; so off I went "a googling". 

Well, now I'm so overwhelmed!! Just the needle, type of thread, type of bobbin thread, hoops, stabilizer, and thread alone has my brain like noodles. I'm not sure I'll ever understand what to use with what or why. They make it sound like you'll totally ruin everything you do (and your machine) if you don't use the right stuff with the right stuff.

Anyone have a recommendation of a good book and/or a simple website of basic info and charts on the topics? 

I was even going to start looking at digitizing software, etc., but I'm wondering if my brain is just too old for this stuff. I had no idea it was so complicated. It didn't look this hard when Sewing with Nancy did it!


----------



## AngieM2

Great on the new machine you have coming.

to begin with - there is machine embroidery thread at Walmart - a bit larger spool than normal large thread spools.

And you can take light to medium weight pellon interfacing (non iron on) and use under your designs, but you'll have to trim a good bit afterwards.

Most of what I use is a roll of a paperish type backing that is self sticking, and just pulls off easily when done.

And if you want to fry your brain

www.emlibrary.com


----------



## CJ

Congratulations Karen! Actually, not to scare you off, but you can waste a whole lot of money and time with the wrong stablizer for your project. In a nutshell, anything stretchy (tshirts, etc) need a CUT AWAY. Things with a loft (and also tshirts) also require a TOPPING.

Towels and very open designs work fine on a TEAR AWAY.

My suggestion and the one that will save you a lot of grief is to pick a project you wish to do, then come ASK what the proper stabilization method/product is, until you have enough experience under your belt to know.


----------



## cc-rider

When I first got mine, I read all I could read, too. Found that machine embroidery is the hobby of "higher income women" than I am....now I know why! (No, it really DID say that!!!)

I got on a yahoo chat group that was specifically for my machine (Janome) and it was fantastically helpful! I found that Nylon #40 thread works just fine. And is relatively cheap (Of course, I found this out after ordering 180 spools of embroidery thread -- but, hey....I have every color you'd ever need now!)

I also found that commercial sized, ironed-flat coffee filters work fine as stabilizer for lots of things. And that Glad Cling Wrap works good as toppers on towels, or hooping upside down to use to hold smaller-than-the-hoop pieces of material. Lots of tips to make things more affordable for us "common folk". LOL

Like CJ said, though, maybe you should choose a project and then get on here first and they will tell you exactly what you need to do. My first project was just on felt, stabilized with JoAnn Fabric by-the-yard iron on stabilizer, and sewed together to make Christmas ornaments. Next project was tiny felt stockings embroidered with family member's names as tree decorations to hold candy canes. I wouldn't try a fluffy towel or sweat shirt as a first project....


----------



## cc

Don't be afraid, it can be as expensive as you want it to be or as cheap or like most of us, someplace in the middle. The first thing I ordered was a small assortment of embroidery thread in basic colors and got a roll of wash away stabilizer and a roll of tear away. I started putting the built in patterns on shirts, kitchen towels, tote bags etc. (even used some plain muslin with no reason but practice) Didn't buy anything to embroidery on until I felt comfortable and then and only then, jumped in with special stuff. Everyone likes different stuff, I like the wash away stabilizer for most projects but use the other for some special projects, you will learn as you go along. The thread has lasted a long time before I had to get some of the replacement colors and now I know which ones I use the most and get larger spools of that. See, not so bad!


----------



## Karen

Thank you for the encouragement! I need it! 

Angie, I couldn't help myself...I had to look. Yikes! :stars:

Yep, this is going to be a whole lot more expensive than I originally thought. I never even priced stabilizer before. I figured, how much could it cost? It's gotta be cheap. :doh: 

I don't think I'll break that news to my husband just yet. It's taken me years to get this far just to get a machine..lol! And to think I've been envisioning monogramming and embroidering everything in my life and everyone else I've ever known! Goodness, I'd need to take out a second mortgage! LOL

I'm wondering about bobbin thread. I've been reading that some recommend prewound bobbins; some do them yourself. Some say white or black bobbin thread only; others you can use just about anything. So, in the 'real world', what do you recommend and what is bobbin thread anyway? A different weight? Thicker, thinner?


----------



## AngieM2

http://www.ctsusa.com/_e/gdept/01/Threads.htm
Nice threads and needles here, and some embroidery supplies.

Also, coffee filters flattened can be used as backing - I've not done it, but I've read of many using them.

this is what I have for my embroidery machine... I got one box of prewound, and a cone of the bobbin thread to rewind on them, and it works fine.

http://www.longcreekmills.com/product/bobbins.html


----------



## Molly Mckee

I get a lot of things on ebay. There are stores that sell everything you need for much less that the fabric stores. I got a large spool of white and black thread and a package of extra bobbins for my machine and I wind my own. It's much cheaper.If you buy thread on ebay, stay with the best name brands. I'm not very good at following other peoples color schemes so I don't follow the charts that come with the designs, and I don't need certain numbered colors. I got several different rolls of stablizer. I like to have things here and not go into town and pay the fabric store prices for basics.


----------



## Karen

Ebay is also my friend. :bouncy:

Angie, those are good prices. Thanks!


----------



## CJ

The initial expense is higher, because you're buying larger quantities, but stabilizer isn't really bad at all if you purchase it on commercial rolls. I buy mine from www.allstitch.com.

Bobbin thread is typically thinner than your upper thread for embroidery, generally a 60 wt thread. Superior Threads "The Bottom Line" is a 60wt poly that does a terrific job for embroidery. Generally either white or black will suffice for most anything. If your embroidery needs to look good on both sides, then you wind a bobbin with matching thread from the top. Lettering or freestanding lace usually use matching threads.

I would never consider using saran wrap for a topper. Toppers are water soluble and "melt away". Saran Wrap does not, nor would I want bits of pieces of it inside my machine. Coffee Filters I might consider in a pinch.


----------



## Molly Mckee

It's not regular Glad wrap, but Glad Press and Seal. I didn't think it would work but it does. You pull off what comes easily then hit it with a warm iron. It just goes away-doesn't mess up the iron or anything. I have made paraments for our church on fabric that is not too washable, so that is nice . It's so much cheaper that water soluable, and on some things is better. I haven't found anything it doesn't work on. Try it. One of the women that suggested it makes display and ad projects for Janome.


----------

