Re: [h-cost] Multiple machines
I use my Pfaff 1475 machine for buttonholes, although my Kenmore zig-zag machine can make them (but they aren't as crisp and nice--and it's all a manual task), and the Pfaff offers 8 different styles in addition to being able to tweak the size. Of course my Elegante embroidery machine makes incredible ones, although I don't use it for that. I actually know several people who have a home embrodiery machine and use it as their basicmachine! (And they are some of htemost talented peopleI know!). Several of them have purchased and taught themselves the digitizing software (it's quite expensive), but the one who lives near me is a far more compter/technology savvy than mostpeople, andhe started with it almost as soon as it was available. He taught me, and let me come and use his machine whenever I liked. I actually used his embroidery machine to design an entire costume group, and then, when I had some extra cash after my Mom died, I bought a gently used Ellegante from a very reputable place near me (the machine was only about 6 months old, but the owner had upgraded to an even fancier machine)--and they gave me the full warranty, AND free maintenance and any shop lessons I would ever want forever. (Fantastic place--they also can fix any other sewing machine quickly). Also, go to a dealer and talk about what "format" you want the machine to use. I don't know a lot about this, but the way designs are digitized and the format they come in, is important to how the design sews out. If you can buy a used embroidery machine, it's a huge savings--mine ended up being just under $3000, which was about half of the cost new. Also (and no one told me this), be prepared to spend lots more money on thread for the machine--it takes special embroidery thread, of a specific weight, AND you need "a wall of thread" (as a friend of mine says), becasue you want to have multiples shades of every color to get the embroidery effects you want. You don't have to digitize your own designs (machines come with a number of pre-set designs and fonts) but you will want to go to Various websites like Embroidery Library and buy designs. Not terribly expensive but it can be addictive. An embroidery machine definitely has a learning curve, although it's so gratifying to have the designs work perfectly, it's just amazing. So, it is an investment. I haven't even scratched the surface of what my Ellegante can do and I"ve done some amazing things with it. But I do agree that having amachine spedifically for buttonholes and tasks like that is a good idea. Yours in costumign,Lisa A On Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:07:16 -0700 Lavolta Press writes: > I still keeping thinking about getting an embroidery-sewing machine, > and > if I did, I would probably leave it set up for embroidery and use my > > Bernina for sewing. However, I have been hesitating for a long time > > because machine embroidery is a whole new craft and I want to make > sure > I am committed enough for the machine to be worth the substantial > investment. When I was shopping for a workhorse machine, I didn't > really investigate buttonholing closely. My new Bernina 1008 makes > > cruddy buttonholes, which is acceptable because my old Viking 400 > makes > sort-of-OK buttonholes. But I find myself really longing for the > great > buttonholes made by a Greist or Singer attachment on my > long-departed > Sears Kenmore. Somewhere along the line I disposed of its buttonhole > > attachment but plenty of similar vintage ones are available. Are the > > buttonholes on the high-end embroidery machines like the Husqvarna > Designer Diamond really good, or--an alternative--should I buy a > cheap > vintage Kenmore or some other old machine and a buttonhole > attachment? > I ran into someone who did that; they just use their $15, vintage > thrift-store machine exclusively for buttonholes. > > Fran > Lavolta Press > Books on making historic clothing > www.lavoltapress.com > > > > > ___ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Multiple machines
The Bernina 1008 is a solid, no-frills workhorse. The sewing machine store tried to upsell me a fancier model of Bernina on the grounds that those make better buttonholes, but since I was having the Viking restored I stuck with my choice of the 1008. No machine is perfect, but I still have a case of accumulitis, thinking about all the machines I could have bought and thinking another one wouldn't hurt . . . Fran Lavolta Press Books on historic sewing www.lavoltapress.com On 4/2/2013 8:24 PM, annbw...@aol.com wrote: My new Bernina 1008 makes cruddy buttonholes, I'm surprised your Bernina makes cruddy buttonholes. I wonder if they've changed how it works. One reason I wanted a Bernina was their reputation for good buttonholes. They were at that time the only machine that did the zigzag of both sides forward, instead of going down one side and up the other--that is accomplished by going up the other side with a straight stitch and then coming down with a zigzag. Mine also has a optical buttonholer so, once I make one, all the others match exactly. But that feature, of course, was possible with the buttonhole attachment. My old Kenmore has a buttonhole attachment, but it isn't the kind with the drop-in cams, so I'm limited to 5 sizes. Ann Wass ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Multiple machines
I've got two machines myself although I'm not sure I count the one much anymore. A White Rotary straight stitcher, and my son for the holiday bought me a Brother SE-400, the Project Runway version, that does embroidery and sews, pretty nice hybrid. Hoop is small, so I'm out of it for some of the really large "in the hoop" stuff, but man, is it a nice handy machine. Buttonholes can be done "ITH" using designs and I can make them pretty fancy in fact. Am totally loving it. J~ ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Multiple machines
My new Bernina 1008 makes cruddy buttonholes, I'm surprised your Bernina makes cruddy buttonholes. I wonder if they've changed how it works. One reason I wanted a Bernina was their reputation for good buttonholes. They were at that time the only machine that did the zigzag of both sides forward, instead of going down one side and up the other--that is accomplished by going up the other side with a straight stitch and then coming down with a zigzag. Mine also has a optical buttonholer so, once I make one, all the others match exactly. But that feature, of course, was possible with the buttonhole attachment. My old Kenmore has a buttonhole attachment, but it isn't the kind with the drop-in cams, so I'm limited to 5 sizes. Ann Wass -Original Message- From: Lavolta Press To: Historical Costume Sent: Tue, Apr 2, 2013 7:07 pm Subject: [h-cost] Multiple machines I still keeping thinking about getting an embroidery-sewing machine, and if I did, I would probably leave it set up for embroidery and use my Bernina for sewing. However, I have been hesitating for a long time because machine embroidery is a whole new craft and I want to make sure I am committed enough for the machine to be worth the substantial investment. When I was shopping for a workhorse machine, I didn't really investigate buttonholing closely. My new Bernina 1008 makes cruddy buttonholes, which is acceptable because my old Viking 400 makes sort-of-OK buttonholes. But I find myself really longing for the great buttonholes made by a Greist or Singer attachment on my long-departed Sears Kenmore. Somewhere along the line I disposed of its buttonhole attachment but plenty of similar vintage ones are available. Are the buttonholes on the high-end embroidery machines like the Husqvarna Designer Diamond really good, or--an alternative--should I buy a cheap vintage Kenmore or some other old machine and a buttonhole attachment? I ran into someone who did that; they just use their $15, vintage thrift-store machine exclusively for buttonholes. Fran Lavolta Press Books on making historic clothing www.lavoltapress.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Multiple machines
I still keeping thinking about getting an embroidery-sewing machine, and if I did, I would probably leave it set up for embroidery and use my Bernina for sewing. However, I have been hesitating for a long time because machine embroidery is a whole new craft and I want to make sure I am committed enough for the machine to be worth the substantial investment. When I was shopping for a workhorse machine, I didn't really investigate buttonholing closely. My new Bernina 1008 makes cruddy buttonholes, which is acceptable because my old Viking 400 makes sort-of-OK buttonholes. But I find myself really longing for the great buttonholes made by a Greist or Singer attachment on my long-departed Sears Kenmore. Somewhere along the line I disposed of its buttonhole attachment but plenty of similar vintage ones are available. Are the buttonholes on the high-end embroidery machines like the Husqvarna Designer Diamond really good, or--an alternative--should I buy a cheap vintage Kenmore or some other old machine and a buttonhole attachment? I ran into someone who did that; they just use their $15, vintage thrift-store machine exclusively for buttonholes. Fran Lavolta Press Books on making historic clothing www.lavoltapress.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
