I found the Brother 770 embroidery machine on Amazon for 590.00. I have never had an embroidery machine, and keep thinking I need one. I would like to make small motifs for on CQing blocks. I would probably use it for that more then anything. Do you have one, and do you use it?

Hi Tisme, I have had an embroidery machine for at least 15 years. I started out with a Janome, went to a Bernina and now have a Janome 11000. I have oodles and oodles of designs, either on disc or from embroidery library. I have done some embroidey over the years but not enough to warrant the price of the machine. Fact is I hardly use it. I would rather piece and applique. And also I am quite busy with the quilting business. I suppose when I get it in my mind to embroidery I do do some but not often. It takes a lot of time as well as the cost of stabilizers and thread, not to mention the cost of designs. Be sure when you buy that you have the capabilities to do the size you want as some machines are limited in the size you can do. That is just my thoughts and if you do get a machine I hope you enjoy it! Jackie

Wonderful for doing quilt labels. Can also embroider words or sayings in borders. Can use to quilt also.

I wanted one to write my dear late mil's name on her clothes when she was in a nursing home. She passed before I got my first one.

Now, I am not embroidering as much as I would like. Did more at first. I have some friends that are really into machine embroidery.

Good luck in making your decision.

I have a brother 2800D an love it!!!! I am hook. I embroidery more than sew on it. Just make sure it does a 5x7hoop an has a jump drive. I love embroidery garden as well as embroidery library. Lot of sites have google sales. Good luck. I wish I knew how to post a pic cause I just finished a nativity scene.

Here is a pic of a project I just finished

That price is really low for what you might find at a dealer today. Be sure you know what you are getting. Check to see if it uses cards only or can it hook up to a computer to transfer designs or use a USB stick to transfer. The machines with cards only are not really a good deal any more because companies are not making cards since there are so many designs on CD or download.

Otherwise, if you can use it for your cq or labels or ornaments, designs on shirts, etc. I would do it. I have embroidery units with two of my Pfaff machines. Right at the time now I haven't had time to do much, but there is always some tomorrow that I will get to use it more.

I have a Brother 1500D for 4 years now. I have embroidered lots and lots, sometimes the machine is sitting in the waiting room doing nothing. Now I'm embroidering again.
You can download lots of free designs from the internet, just do a google search. What is said about hooking it up to your computer is right, it makes life lots easier. If this machine has a card you have to have a special cardreader to be able to transfer the designs from your computer onto the card.

Here is a close up of the quilt I just posted.

Tisme thats what I have and you can do 4x4 or 5x7 and the price sounds good if it is new but used some bug might be in it and can be frustrating when you don't know whats wrong. will share with you if you get one though. Stablizer threads. and all get to be **

Thanks all for your input! I will do some more research and probably go for it if it has the computer hook up. I like the idea of quilting with it, and doing words on CQ pieces. There are so many times I want to do words, and I did not even think about that part of it.
Edited to add,
I love that quilt and the nativity set is darling.
now I see even more possibilites, faces for CQ, oh yeah gonna have to have one!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tisme,

You could come and see mine in action this morning and see what you think ....doing laundry and have Dr app at 2 but gps on come this morning



Edna

I had embroidery machine envy at my sewing meetings, til I asked myself would I ~really~ use it that much? Or should I spend my time & energy on other types of perfectly good sewing? The answer became obvious, I haven't missed it, and I saved myself a bunch of moola.

tisme - I have Brother embroidery machines and the best advise I can give you is to make sure the machine you choose embroiders at least a 5x7 inch area. I've been embrodering for over 16 years now and that is the most common size I embroider in.

Do you need one? Do you have grandchildren yet or like to make baby quilts as gifts or want to personalize duffel bags for gifts or sweatshirts -quilt labels as was mentioned? If you answered yes to any of those questions...you should get one from a dealer with some lessons ..even if it's a trade-in, I have enjoyed embroidering for some years now. Don't know if you can see the center design I put on this pillow to coordinate with bed quilt.

I have a Janome 350e - I bought it from a dealer who had brought it in on trade after only a few hours of use...the previous owner really needed a more industrial machine. I took a class and haven't touched it since. It takes the jef embroidery designs - I have a few of those as well.

I no longer buy all the "toys" - just don't have the time to sit down and really learn how to use them and I don't see when I will I should probably put this one on Craigslist and see if I can get my money back out of it. Good luck with your hunt.

I "always" thought I didn't want an embroidery machine. Some years ago had been saving up for a HQ16 midarm quilting machine. Finally realized I didn't really want one of those. Had been looking at some of the ME things posted here - went shopping. Bought a Baby Lock sewing/embroidery machine. I knew at the time that the dealer didn't do "real" lessons but figured I knew how to read - yaadda etc ...

Bottom line, it was the dumbest investemt I have ever made. Maybe with lessons with demos of useful stuff it would have been a better idea. Or not............

Two of my quilting friends have emb machines. One of them brings something to almost every meeting that she embroidered. The other one says it was a waste of money for her.

I don't think anyone can answer your questions except you. My opinion also is that if you decide to get one, it would be best to buy from a local dealer who offers free classes on using it.

This was a timely post...a girl at work asked me if I wanted to buy her "sewing machine that also does embroidery". She doesn't sew & her (now ex-)husband bought it. She said it was a Singer, but doesn't really know a lot about it.

I think I'll pass...

I never took lessons, the dealer didn't offer them. Reading the manual was enough to start and there are lots of instructional videos to find on the internet. You have to invest time in order to learn how to work with the machine but that's with every machine.

I have a Brother 750D which is similiar. I have had it for many years and it is still going. I embroider quilt blocks, sweatshirts, other clothing. Mine doesn't have the USB connection, only uses cards but I have a blank card I can transfer designs to. I didn't buy the Brother cards anyway. I mostly buy from Embroidery Library. I didn't take lessons but this machine is pretty straight forward and easy to learn with just the instruction book. $590.00 is a really good deal.

My stepS once told me "need has nothing to do with it" - meaning "do you want it?"

My dealer was too far away for me to drive back and forth for classes so it's been trial and error for me. Practice on other similar fabric first...you can always use those pieces for a scrappy quilt, pillow, something. I once embroidered on the wrong side of a piece of WOW which wouldn't have been a big deal except it was one of 9 on a quilt. Since it was the month of September, I gave it to the elementary school librarian for her bulletin board.

Cuptowels, infant and kids quilts, burb cloths, many, many applications.

Check out the mermaid. If I picked the right shot, some of the blocks have m.e. on them and they're from Emb. Library.

I am on my 3rd embroidery machine. The first one I purchased was 400 miles away from where I live. I was at a sewing expo and got caught up in the hype. Well, no lessons and although I can read, I am a hands on person when it comes to learning. Oh well, it was a Designer 1 and had lots of stitches so.... The second one I bought I purchased from a dealer that promised lessons. Four of us purchased the machine and we got lessons, but the machines did not work. Out of a class of at least 12 people only 2 people did not have technical problems. Pfaff has since come out with machines that fixed those problems. But, a lemon for sure. 2 years ago while in the Bernina store and looking at the new 830, the dealer promised us (my girlfriend was with me) lessons and all the help we needed. We took the plunge and have not been disappointed. The dealer gave us lessons on the software for a year and a half 2x a month and we can phone or go see her if we want. This dealer is an hour away, but soooo good. In hindsite I would not buy a machine unless you got free lessons with it. We also were allowed to use her floor models for sewing purposes instead of carrying our heavy machines.

I don't hand sew or embroider by hand so this machine has been great. I doubt I will ever use it to its full potential, but I do get a lot of use from my machine. Right now I'm enjoying making mugrugs and doing some free standing lace Christmas ornaments.

Wow, wow, congratulations on the 830!! That is the creme de la creme, I believe. I have bought Berninas from a Deco to 180 to the 630. Simple to embroider and I have the software which I use but not to its nth degree-for what you COULD do with it. Anytime I have a question or a how-to they just tell me to come in and they take time with me. Kudos to Blaine's in Warwick RI.

You are right about the software. I'll never truly know it all, but I am having fun and able to manipulate designs, resize etc. It's great when the dealer is committed to helping you enjoy your machine. I feel soooo lucky. Kudo's to Vicky at EZ Knit in Colville, and Spokane Washington.

No I do not have an Embroidery Machine,
However, if money were still available I would have one. Not that I would have the time to use it!
I too bought a BabyLock that "blows" the thread where it belongs (A self-threader)for $3,000 in 2009, went to about 4 or 5 "classes" and like others
it was too far away, got sick and had to put it on HOLD for a little while. But time is going by and now that "little while" is still going on without me. It is still in its lovely little carrying (tote on wheels) waiting for me. I know I'll never be able to use it, Parkinson's has set in.
So like Bosie said "That was the dumbest thing I ever did!
An Embroidery machine...Whew I scraped by on that one.. And I am sorry I missed it,But I am glad now that I did!!! At my age (81) I'll just have to be glad to leave it to the younger gals!
Good Luck with all your decisions...Try to make them pay something for your enjoyment......
How I would love to have a Sweet Sixteen.. LOL
I will never give up my sewing, knitting , Crocheting ETC. ETC, ETC.
Wondering if they have classes one could teach in H*E* V* EN?
nuquiltr

Miss Polly, it sounds like you are doing a lot, even though your health has been compromised. You certainly haven't lost your sense of humour.....Keep on craftin'

Sending you a big HUG!!!

You ask the question..."Of course you need the machine"!!!!

I asked myself the same question, will I use it enough to warrant the cost, so I decided the best option would be to get a sewing/embroidery machine. If I didn't use the embroidery part, I would still have a great sewing machine. I have never regretted the decision. It's not something you do every day, but it's there when you want/need it. I got a Pfaff 2170 on Ebay (I knew this was a risk but the lady owned a quilt shop and was selling it for a customer. It was also a LOT less expensive than buying it at a dealer. I also didn't take any lessons and have learned what I know from reading the manual. It can do a lot more that I don't know about yet.

I agree about the hoop size..get one that does more than 4x4. I want to do larger designs but I would need a much larger hoop, and a larger hoop won't work without new software (which is around $1,400, so that's out of the question right now.) For now, I'm content with it just like it is.

This is a 3D Christmas angel I made last year. They were a lot of fun.

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It is interesting that when I bought a Brother embroidery machine 11 years ago I didn't have a clue how much I would use it. It sews great and has been trouble-free.

50th Anniverary? Embroider a throw. (Our friends have had it out on display ever since.)

New babies: Embroider a flannel rag quilt. (Instead of a thank you note I got a call across the miles telling me how thrilled they were.)

Christmas gift exchange: make lace ornaments or embroider Christmas hand towels.

Embroider names on Christmas stockings...

The list goes on and on...

Like others have said, make sure it can embroider on a 5x7 inch hoop.

Have fun with it if you decide to get it.

I have the Bernina 720, a combination of sewing machine and embmroidery. While I use the embroidery part frequently because of a little side business I picked up, I don't use it all that much otherwise, there are just so many things you want embroidered. As for cq'ing, I have made some butterflies on fabric for my cq friends, I have found it difficult to find embroidery patterns that were small enough to put into a cq block. However, if you asked your cq friends to embroider some things for you on the fabric you want, I am sure they would comply (I would be glad to). Sure would be a lot cheaper than buying a machine

I'm glad that I have mine (actually two of them-sewing/embroidery) My plan today is to embroider free standing lace snowflakes for the small Christmas tree my hubby has here. Last night I arranged all that I could in the hoop size so I can do them all at one sitting. I don't use it all the time, but when I want/need to I have it available.

Well I have to say...if enabling is what you were after...you certainly came to the right place...these guys are experts at it.

You only get one go around so you might as well Eat dessert first and get that new toy....

I want to thank each and every one of your for your input!! I am still going to wait a bit and think a little more, but now I have so much more info on the who, what or where of it. lol
And Thank you so much for the offer EBGQ! You all are awesome!

My thought on buying a embroidery machine:

If we only bought what we absolutely need - what a boring life we would live. I say go for it and if it turns out to be a mistake, sell it and chalk it up to experience. Remember: reach for the moon and if you fail, you will land among the stars.
amiko