Help! Going crazy looking for an embroidery machine

[look1angel]

I'm a beginner at this so all the advice will be much appreciated.

I'm looking to purchase an embroidery machine so I can begin making Disney baby items for my "one day I hope to be a grandma soon" event

I've looked at the Brother combo sewing/embroidery machine, that seemed like an idea, about $490.
Then there was just the embroidery machine with the USB port for about $700 I like the idea of getting graphics from the internet so I'm sure to go with a machine with the USB port.
I don't want to spend more that $700 & hope for that amount I can a decent machine to do some really cute projects.

I have a very, very old Singer sewing machine (Genie#354) It's on it's last stitch so the combo machine seems ideal.

Or, should I get a new sewing machine for about $150.00 & splurge on the embroidery one?

I'm looking at this as a small investment because $700 is ALOT of money

I came across the Quattro 2; watched the video; was so excited until...$9000.00!!!

Do you know how many trips to Disney I could take on that?
It sure was nice though

So back to reality I searched, read a few reviews but figured this would be the place to turn too.

 

[LuvClarice]

I have the Brother Disney combo embroidery/sewing machine (270D) and I love it. I'm pretty much a beginner, so I haven't got any great projects to show you, but I'm currently embroidering some blocks for a quilt and will try to get some pictures up soon.

Kathy

 

[LuvClarice]

My cousin helped me make this t-shirt quilt for my niece. Only the top is done so far. It's made from cutting up my mother's favorite sweatshirts. She was a huge Mickey fan and passed away last summer. I made a quilt for my daugher for Christmas and when my niece saw it, asked if I had enough to make her one too. The corner and connecting blocks were embroidered on my Disney 270D. We're planning on quilting this top layer to a Mickey print fleece for the bottom.

Kathy

 

[mjtm610]

I am in a similar situation. I have 2 of my friends that just bought the Brother quattro....for $9000.00 While I'd love to have one.....there's no way I can spend that kind of money. What I'd like is a machine that I can embroider disney designs, but I'd like one that has a large enough hoop so I can embroider patterns that could have a few characters in them....not just heads.
Naturally, I don't want to spend alot of money. I do have a sewing machine that works well.

 

[melancholywings]

I got the Brother Innov-ís 950D and I'm in love with it it. I paid $650 for it. I had a very basic White Jeans Machine, so I feel like I've gone from a rotary phone to a cell phone. The best features: It cuts the thread for you, it self threads very easily, you can sew with out the foot pedal...I've completely given up mine and do it all with a button press. It's so much better for my knees and as I sew very tiny things, it gives me more control. The touch screen is easy to navigate, and it comes preloaded with Disney designs. Overall it makes construction a much faster process.

http://www.brother-usa.com/homesewing/modeldetail.aspx?productid=nv950d#.T3pcDfV5F8E

 

[Miz Diz]

Some of the embroidery machines only go up to 4x4 and some do larger. I would at least get one that does 5x7. If you have space for 2 machines, I would get a separate sewing machine. Your embroidery machine can be running while you are sewing on the other. Also, if you have trouble with a combo machine, you can't sew or embroider.

All of the new ones should have a usb port. You can't just plug the usb into your computer and be able to stitch out a graphic you found. You have to digitize it or buy one already digitized. You can spend money on digitizing software or you can find a free one online. The free ones are good to start with, but if you use it a lot, you will probably want to buy software later.

Some of the Brother embroidery machines have built in Disney designs and you can purchase additional ones.

 

[mommyarewegoingback]

I just bought the Brother SE-400 at a Walmart clearance for $299, but be forewarned, I've already spent more than $100 for all the extra stuff, just so I can make Disney shirts

Brand new to this, so I didn't know it, but I needed, embroidery thread, bobbin thread, stabilizer and an inside fusible stabilizer (so that it's not itchy) and of course the designs.... But boy is it satisfying when that first shirt comes out of the hoop!!!

-Virginia

 

[PrincessNana]

Get a machine with a USB cord. You can download everything you need off the Internet. I have a Singer Futura and I love my machine. You do need at least a 5x7 hoop.

 

[lsenquiz]

I bought the Brother SE-400 a couple of weeks ago through amazon. I paid $339 and it works great. The only limitation is that it can only handle patterns made for 4/4 hoop size. At the same time I bought a batch of disney patterns through Ebay(it included 100's of disney designs).

I had never sewed before I got this machine so I was a true beginner. In the past two weeks I have mastered the embroidery part. There were definately some learning curves during that time though. My biggest lessoned learned were learning to know which stabilizer works best with specific fabrics and always keep your eye on your thread(I broke 4 needles the first week because my thread got tangled up). You also need to have a good stock on needles because you have to change them often as they get dull. I finally bought a batch of 100 of them through amazon.

Now that I have had the machine for two weeks I am sort of wishing I would have bought a machine that would do a pattern bigger than 4x4. If I am still at this in a year I will definately trade up.