Re: [h-cost] Sewing and Embroidery Machines
My best friend just bought a Bernina 440QE which she is very happy with. She had an early model Pfaff and another Bernina but they gather dust now that she has this one. Sidney On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 2:37 AM, Jane Pease [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Anyone have any experience with/comments on Bernina machines? Thanks ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Sewing and embroidery machines
I am so glad you mentioned the Designer 1 machine. I am purchasing one from a friend who bought it with all the accessories, but her health won't let her use it much. It is to be my first embroidery machine, so any advice will be greatly appreciated. She bought the extra software too, though I'm not sure yet what all that entails. Thanks, Vicky Pierre Sandy Pettinger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Getting into this discussion late, as with the 2 week Costume-Con hiatus, I'm still catching up on this list (lots of good stuff to read!). Anyway, my 2 cents: Pierre has a Husquvarna Designer 1 and loves it. He has all the newest toys that have come out for it - the XL hoop, the endless hoop, etc., and the newest software. He is the digitizer in the family - since all of the things we do are originals (originals as in not pre-digitized, sometimes, and sometimes drawn by us as well), and he's the one who can draw. I pick the colors, though. He wouldn't have any other machine. While I don't know about the newer machines like the SE or the new one, be aware that the Viking software requires that a dongle be installed on the computer for the software to work. If I can get him to chime in this weekend, he can give more details on digitizing. I do know that you can do a large object in several pieces, as we did one - a large dragon for the front of a costume. I have the Janome 11000 and I love it also - we're very machine specific - He doesn't like my Janome and I don't like his Viking - just small differences in the way things are done (both sewing and embroidery) and how the machine feels cause this. They're both excellent machines. The cool thing was that when we got my Janome, we didn't have to get different software - the Husqvarna/Viking software will output in the Janome format. It might output in others as well. The Janome will use either a standard flash drive or a machine-specific card, and can be connected to the computer as well - 3 ways of entering designs. One thing I like about the Janome is it is very well lit - I can work in a room with lesser lighting than I would normally like, because the lights are both bright enough, and they are full-spectrum. I think it has 3 or 4 lights. It comes with a bunch of feet, 2 hoops, etc. What I really like about the Janome line is that a few years ago, they came out with an attachment that mimics a stand-alone machine called the Omnistitcher. What it does is allow you to apply cording, yarn, thin trim, etc. with a free-motion movement rather than running it thru a cording foot. I have used this for several things to apply passementerie (or the fantasy version thereof) to costumes. It is very quick and easy to do intricate scroll patterns with this - you can even do cursive writing! As a side note, we both really like the Robison-Anton line of embroidery thread. We have a lot fewer problems stitching out embroideries with this than with Sulky. HTH, Sandy Those Who Fail To Learn History Are Doomed to Repeat It; Those Who Fail To Learn History Correctly -- Why They Are Simply Doomed. Achemdro'hm The Illusion of Historical Fact -- C.Y. 4971 Andromeda ___ 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] Sewing and Embroidery Machines
Anyone have any experience with/comments on Bernina machines? Thanks Jane In rainy No VA ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] Sewing and embroidery machines
Getting into this discussion late, as with the 2 week Costume-Con hiatus, I'm still catching up on this list (lots of good stuff to read!). Anyway, my 2 cents: Pierre has a Husquvarna Designer 1 and loves it. He has all the newest toys that have come out for it - the XL hoop, the endless hoop, etc., and the newest software. He is the digitizer in the family - since all of the things we do are originals (originals as in not pre-digitized, sometimes, and sometimes drawn by us as well), and he's the one who can draw. I pick the colors, though. He wouldn't have any other machine. While I don't know about the newer machines like the SE or the new one, be aware that the Viking software requires that a dongle be installed on the computer for the software to work. If I can get him to chime in this weekend, he can give more details on digitizing. I do know that you can do a large object in several pieces, as we did one - a large dragon for the front of a costume. I have the Janome 11000 and I love it also - we're very machine specific - He doesn't like my Janome and I don't like his Viking - just small differences in the way things are done (both sewing and embroidery) and how the machine feels cause this. They're both excellent machines. The cool thing was that when we got my Janome, we didn't have to get different software - the Husqvarna/Viking software will output in the Janome format. It might output in others as well. The Janome will use either a standard flash drive or a machine-specific card, and can be connected to the computer as well - 3 ways of entering designs. One thing I like about the Janome is it is very well lit - I can work in a room with lesser lighting than I would normally like, because the lights are both bright enough, and they are full-spectrum. I think it has 3 or 4 lights. It comes with a bunch of feet, 2 hoops, etc. What I really like about the Janome line is that a few years ago, they came out with an attachment that mimics a stand-alone machine called the Omnistitcher. What it does is allow you to apply cording, yarn, thin trim, etc. with a free-motion movement rather than running it thru a cording foot. I have used this for several things to apply passementerie (or the fantasy version thereof) to costumes. It is very quick and easy to do intricate scroll patterns with this - you can even do cursive writing! As a side note, we both really like the Robison-Anton line of embroidery thread. We have a lot fewer problems stitching out embroideries with this than with Sulky. HTH, Sandy Those Who Fail To Learn History Are Doomed to Repeat It; Those Who Fail To Learn History Correctly -- Why They Are Simply Doomed. Achemdro'hm The Illusion of Historical Fact -- C.Y. 4971 Andromeda ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] Sewing and embroidery machines
Hi, I have been following the discussion on embroidery machines and decided to chime in and suggest that you check out the Janome 11 which is a TOL sewing/embroidery machine. If it seems like too many bells and whistles (for me it is, I am impressed but have no desire to purchase it); there is the 350E which is an embroidery only machine that takes software and has many of the capacities as a TOL but costs less money and, as with all the Janome embroidery machines, does not require a separate embroidery unit. The issue I have with the sewing / embroidery combos is that when a design is being stitched out, they really can't be stopped to use the sewing function. Bernina, Viking, Pfaff, Babylock, and Brother all have good quality embroidery machines as well. It is just good to see the different models, look at your budget and the value you can realize with each machine and, how easy--comfortable the machine seems to you. Also having dealer support and a place to go for classes and/or quick interventions when something seems to be going wrong. As for software, I am clueless. I have heard a Viking ind. educator advise to first buy the software that goes with your brand machine, learn that and then branch out to the independent ones. Kathy ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
