I love monograms and personalization, but in my city, there are not a lot of options for having it done and the places that do it are expensive, like $12-15 an item for a small 3 letter monogram. I’m not paying $60-$75 to have 5 baby bibs embroidered! Anyways, I’ve been looking at the Brother SE600 embroidery machine and the reviews say it’s really fantastic for beginners. Many of my friends also love monogramming so I could do it for them for a smaller fee.
What else, besides a machine, do I need? Any pointers? I’m still tossing this idea around in my head.
I don't but I sew and lots of people do both. The main advice I see is to get the biggest hoop you can, definitely bigger than 4". 6" seems to be the most recommended to start with.
I don't but I sew and lots of people do both. The main advice I see is to get the biggest hoop you can, definitely bigger than 4". 6" seems to be the most recommended to start with.
Oh interesting, that’s good to know. All the machines I’ve looked at are 4x4”
Mine is only a 4x4 machine, but, I never got into embroidering "big" things (I've done lots of little things- felt hair clips, baby clothes, small bags, in-the-hoop toys) and I don't do much these days.
I'm going to give my standard speech on undervaluing crafts, though- $12-15 an item is going to feel a lot more reasonable when you've invested in the equipment and the time to learn how to use it.
Mine is only a 4x4 machine, but, I never got into embroidering "big" things (I've done lots of little things- felt hair clips, baby clothes, small bags, in-the-hoop toys) and I don't do much these days.
I'm going to give my standard speech on undervaluing crafts, though- $12-15 an item is going to feel a lot more reasonable when you've invested in the equipment and the time to learn how to use it.
You could be right! The other place I called charged a $12 setup fee and then $5 an item so comparatively it seemed pretty steep! But I would also have to drive further soooo it might have balanced out lol.
I only want to do small things- baby clothes, burp cloths, bibs, etc so maybe a 4x4 would work just fine
Mine is only a 4x4 machine, but, I never got into embroidering "big" things (I've done lots of little things- felt hair clips, baby clothes, small bags, in-the-hoop toys) and I don't do much these days.
I'm going to give my standard speech on undervaluing crafts, though- $12-15 an item is going to feel a lot more reasonable when you've invested in the equipment and the time to learn how to use it.
You could be right! The other place I called charged a $12 setup fee and then $5 an item so comparatively it seemed pretty steep! But I would also have to drive further soooo it might have balanced out lol.
I only want to do small things- baby clothes, burp cloths, bibs, etc so maybe a 4x4 would work just fine
It's certainly never a bad idea to invest in equipment that will allow you to do more than you think you want to do at that moment. But, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying something affordable now, getting your feet wet, and upgrading at a later date if you need to. There's value in getting started with what you think is reasonable for now, knowing you can sell/upgrade at a later time (or buy a second, bigger, machine). Hand embroidery should definitely be an option, too!
I am absolutely not knocking you, by the way- I have a pretty impressive list of things I've taught myself because I was offended by a cost/quality analysis. LOL Trust that it's very rarely cheaper in the long run to learn how to do anything, but, hey- it's pretty cool to be able to say "I did/made that".
You could be right! The other place I called charged a $12 setup fee and then $5 an item so comparatively it seemed pretty steep! But I would also have to drive further soooo it might have balanced out lol.
I only want to do small things- baby clothes, burp cloths, bibs, etc so maybe a 4x4 would work just fine
It's certainly never a bad idea to invest in equipment that will allow you to do more than you think you want to do at that moment. But, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying something affordable now, getting your feet wet, and upgrading at a later date if you need to. There's value in getting started with what you think is reasonable for now, knowing you can sell/upgrade at a later time (or buy a second, bigger, machine). Hand embroidery should definitely be an option, too!
I am absolutely not knocking you, by the way- I have a pretty impressive list of things I've taught myself because I was offended by a cost/quality analysis. LOL Trust that it's very rarely cheaper in the long run to learn how to do anything, but, hey- it's pretty cool to be able to say "I did/made that".
My moms iconic saying is “don’t buy that, we can make that!”
Post by BicycleBride on May 16, 2019 14:47:23 GMT -5
You probably will find that you want at least a 5”x7” hoop. The general advice is to get the biggest sewing field that your budget allows but stay away from singers. I charge no less than $5 + $2 per 1000 stitches (1000 stitches sounds like a lot but it is not) but I don’t do it as a job or anything- just when people ask me to. You’ll need thread and a variety of stabilizer, bobbins, needles, fabric and heat n bond if you want to do appliqués, plus buying fonts or designs. I have a Janome 500e with a max sewing field of 7.9”x12”. I paid $3000 for it about two years ago but I see that machine for $1500 occasionally now. It was a top of the line single needle machine.
So, I started with a Brother SE-400, with a max 4x4 hoop and outgrew it quickly! I now have a Brother Innovis NQ-1400e (6x10 max hoop). Aside from the machine itself and specialized thread, you need a variety of stabilizers, which vary based on project and material. Those are all one-time use items and the cost adds up! I also invested in more hoops and software so that I could merge and modify designs. Also, you’ll have to purchase fonts and designs, as digitizing is not easy and requires very specialized software. BicycleBride said all that and more!
It’s a fun hobby that I enjoy, but it’s definitely NOT a cheap hobby. The learning curve can be steep, and the error rate can be high. I’ve ruined more things than I care to admit. I have an Etsy shop, but really do more for friends and family. I charge $5-8 for a 4x4, and the prices go up with size and complexity. My H is constantly telling me that I’m not “covering expenses”, and I know he’s right. I also severely undercharge for the time I spend designing files/proofs for projects.
Post by tiptoetulips on May 18, 2019 19:42:15 GMT -5
I have the brother PE 770 and have been happy with it You definitely want something with a larger frame than 4x4 You will also need to think about software you can use to design
I started with a 4x4” - the se400 I think? And ended up loving it so much that I started an Etsy business a year and a half ago. I have two larger brother machines - single needles, but with max 8x12” hoops. I’d say my most used hoop is the 5x7 so I’d be sure to get something that large at least if you can swing it.
Thanks so much for all the input! This is so helpful. I’m still looking at machines & ive been watching YouTube videos as well. I want to know all I can before I pull the trigger.
I started with a 4x4” - the se400 I think? And ended up loving it so much that I started an Etsy business a year and a half ago. I have two larger brother machines - single needles, but with max 8x12” hoops. I’d say my most used hoop is the 5x7 so I’d be sure to get something that large at least if you can swing it.
I started with a 4x4” - the se400 I think? And ended up loving it so much that I started an Etsy business a year and a half ago. I have two larger brother machines - single needles, but with max 8x12” hoops. I’d say my most used hoop is the 5x7 so I’d be sure to get something that large at least if you can swing it.
How much business do you do with your Etsy shop??
Much more than I expected to be completely honest! It’s basically become a full time job for me. I do really enjoy it though.
The MIL has one - it’s a brother, but I’m not sure of the model. It’s pretty easy to use and she has a fairly large field as she does larger projects all the time. I know she gets us to order her the thread for it on Amazon. They have the packs cheaper than Joann fabric (she has a retirement gig at Joann for the discount and online is still less.)
Post by sapphireblue on May 19, 2019 5:53:01 GMT -5
I am just going to throw out that I work at a public library and we have several newish sewing machines in a space we call our maker space. So if you wanted to test out some machines or use them without buying them it might be worth asking your local library if they have one.