The Sewing Place

Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!

Ploshkin

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #150 on: October 13, 2017, 12:11:51 PM »
Iminei, why Elvis?  Was it just random or is there a back story?
Life's too short for ironing.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #151 on: October 13, 2017, 12:21:42 PM »
Iminei, why Elvis?  Was it just random or is there a back story?
Just what I was wondering too...

Here's today's test stitch hot off my machine - I'm looking for subtle... that brown may be too light...

Sewbee

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #152 on: October 13, 2017, 13:05:04 PM »
Just what I was wondering too...

Here's today's test stitch hot off my machine - I'm looking for subtle... that brown may be too light...

That's lovely!!

Vegegrow

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #153 on: October 13, 2017, 13:08:14 PM »
Elvis is in the building!

Specifically the newly tidied sewing/art/wardrobe/spare room


Could it be  Elvis because of this
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

Iminei

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #154 on: October 13, 2017, 15:54:32 PM »
Bingo Vege! Seems like he named himself!

Well I looked up machine cover making, I watched the tuts, measured and marked and set off making a toile ...

How do you sew a neat over the shoulder seam? How does it all measure up so you don't get loads of fabric over at one end and none the other??How do you even press an over the shoulder seam????? AAAGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

Lets face it, I can't bloody sew! Everything I've ever attempted in the real sewing world has been an unmitigated disaster! I'm rubbish!! GAH!!!

I've packed everything away now and thrown all the fabric, sewn and unsewn, in the bin  :angry:
and I'm going to have a drink while I search for handmade embroidery machine covers on etsy uk!

If any of your girls are a whizz at making machine covers, and would like to make one for me ... for spondoolicks of course, please drop me a line.
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Vegegrow

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #155 on: October 13, 2017, 17:04:12 PM »
you pin edges and middle and even quarters  Imi and one of these is great for ironing curves
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

Jo

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #156 on: October 15, 2017, 08:42:18 AM »
Imi, first thing - make sure you match at the stitch line and not the seam allowance. Then, if one is bigger than the other you do what Vege said. I honestly don't understand how you can do amazing quilts and say you can't sew. It's really just a matter of practice :)
How about you post the parts you're having trouble with and we try to help you?
By the way, why do people use sewing machine covers? Asking because I've always loved to display mine, they're a conversation piece.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #157 on: October 15, 2017, 08:47:07 AM »

By the way, why do people use sewing machine covers? Asking because I've always loved to display mine, they're a conversation piece.
To keep the dust off - there seems to be lots of it in my house, and not just at the moment while we're having building work done.

Iminei

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #158 on: October 15, 2017, 08:58:44 AM »
I'm sorry but I was serious when I said I had binned it!!!

All of it, all the fabric, all the pieces in the proper bin too, with the  kitchen waste ... not just my thread catcher either!!!
A more sane and reasonable Imi would have saved it for embroidery practice or such, but this Im was a girl possessed :(

The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Snowgoose

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #159 on: October 15, 2017, 10:20:38 AM »
Bingo Vege! Seems like he named himself!

Well I looked up machine cover making, I watched the tuts, measured and marked and set off making a toile ...

How do you sew a neat over the shoulder seam? How does it all measure up so you don't get loads of fabric over at one end and none the other??How do you even press an over the shoulder seam????? AAAGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

Lets face it, I can't bloody sew! Everything I've ever attempted in the real sewing world has been an unmitigated disaster! I'm rubbish!! GAH!!!

I've packed everything away now and thrown all the fabric, sewn and unsewn, in the bin  :angry:


If Lowena reads this, Imi, she'll be ticking you off!! 

You are the lady who used to sew beautiful waistcoats, WON the Japanese sewalong with a gorgeous kimono jacket and creates quilts I, for one, can only dream of making.

There is a tv ad currently running ' if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'...

Rescue your poor fabric, wash it and try again  :)  Or, donate to the charity shop, bins of offcuts and remnants are a joy for some, the only way to afford a mix of different fabrics  :)

Perfection is overrated, Elvis will love an Iminei-made cover far more than another because you made it for him  :D




Sewingsue

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #160 on: October 15, 2017, 10:48:44 AM »
I'm sorry but I was serious when I said I had binned it!!!

All of it, all the fabric, all the pieces in the proper bin too, with the  kitchen waste ... not just my thread catcher either!!!
A more sane and reasonable Imi would have saved it for embroidery practice or such, but this Im was a girl possessed :(
Well I guess the next one of us who announces that she has binned some blocks that went wrong (yes, FPP blocks I'm talking about you) will get a free pass now  ;)
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

Elnnina

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #161 on: October 15, 2017, 12:53:37 PM »
Hi Imi,  not having ever seen your Brother embroidery machine, I can only assume it is similar to other embroidery machines that have an add on embroidery unit, but yours is made all in one.

I have a suggestion for you.  You say that it came with a plastic cover which is rubbish, now was this cover one that covered all of the machine including the embroidery unit?  If so you have absolutely nothing to lose by copying this, you could cut it up very carefully to flatten this, stick labels on so you know which part is which, add a good seam allowance to the various pieces, but before doing this take a few photos of the plastic cover so you can compare when sewing your lovely new one together.  If you do  this why not make it up to start with in  calico or curtain lining fabric, see how it goes and then make a proper cover, possibly interface this with some interlining or wadding, and then use the first calico or lining as the lining – one neat and useful cover.  You could always make lots of squares that will fit the overall shape and embroider them, piece them together and then assemble as if you were making a quilt.  Have fun.


Iminei

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #162 on: October 16, 2017, 10:13:56 AM »
Its a Plan Dan, but a non starter I'm afraid ...
When I say it doesn't fit I mean its like someone has included a marquee to put over Elvis ... It has no 'fit' what so ever !

Im loathe to cut it up as I might need it if I sell it!

Yes I am mightily peed off with the whole experience ... What was I thinking???

That I could embroider??? Tsk! GAH!
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Acorn

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #163 on: October 16, 2017, 10:39:32 AM »
Yes you can.

What's the problem (apart from Elvis needing a rather snugger jumpsuit)?
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Elnnina

Re: Pros and cons please ... Embroidery machine in the offing!!
« Reply #164 on: October 16, 2017, 16:52:56 PM »
Hi Imi,  Oh I am so sorry that you are having some problems with Elvis, as I know you were so looking forward to playing with this new machine.  Please don’t go giving up, I am sure there is someone else on TSP that has this same machine that will come along soon and be able to help you/talk you through.  (Remember I said I am in awe of my own Bernina Artista).

Now I have just got out my cover for the machine plus the embroidery accessory cover, and as my machine is not a purpose built stand alone embroidery machine, my cover is in fact different from yours.  Bernina supplied a very smart sturdy red fabric but it is not fabric as we know it, more like some form of canvas but it is not canvas, and whilst mine has been folded up and put away in its trolley suitcase system, I am pretty sure without the creases from the folding that this would stand up on its own.  It has been beautifully made and edged in black, the part that goes over the machine has piping on it plus  pockets, and because I have a separate embroidery unit Bernina cleverly had a section of the machine cover that unzipped and that piece comes off and you can then zip on the embroidery cover.

I am going to keep this out and when I see Twopence on Thursday (we go to hydrotherapy together in my village) I will show this to her as I am not sure if she has the same with her new Bernina or not, and perhaps between us we can make a pattern  for you to be able to follow.  If this works, whilst it may not be the same size for your particular machine perhaps it would be easier to adjust.

I know in amongst my huge collection of sewing related books there are a few with instructions on making a basic machine cover, and I believe Twopence has actually made one, she is not at home at the moment so I cannot ask her.

However to give you a boost, following your exploits with Elvis, you are making me want to get my machine up on the cabinet and have a play, so that is very good. But I do know exactly how you must be feeling, it is so daunting seeing these elaborate machines, trying to follow exactly what you have to do, press the right buttons, it is almost as though we need someone to be sitting alongside us telling us what to do, and of course that can rarely happen.

When I first got my machine I combed the internet looking for Bernina  books  - apparently Bernina USA have produced quite a few that are not available over here, so I indulged and had a selection sent over from the USA.  Now I wonder whether Brother have done the same sort of thing, have they produced any embroidery books taking you step by step through the process that might help you.

Like yours my machine was not brand new, it had been taken in part exchange for the new whopping big Bernina 830 machine,  however the dealer had not sold this machine on to anyone and then decided to retire selling off a lot of the contents of his shop.  His mechanic however was going to keep the shop’s name but found he had to move to different premises and a different part of the town that was cheaper, and he only deals in servicing machines and selling machines/overlockers.  So I was really lucky in getting my Artista at a sensible price, and I did have several hours tuition by a lady that worked in the existing shop and she certainly knew her way around the machine.  At a push I could always make contact with her and go back for more lessons, but as I am not driving these days due partly to my balance problem I don’t think my husband would be too delighted having to occupy himself in a different area whilst I am playing machines, and it is really too far to take me and come back home and then come back to collect me.  So I must really get down to getting to grips with this machine for myself.

Having indulged in a CD of Sue Box’s rose designs, it is my intention to embroider some collars and cuffs with tiny rosebuds on some blouses I intend to make, and I also like the idea of perhaps embroidering something delicate down the front of the blouse between the buttonholes.  As  you know Imi, I am still trying to decide whether to indulge in yet another of Sue Box’s designs as she has a special half price offer on at the moment and  this time it is a CD of Christmas designs.  Oh decisions, decisions.  There are some lovely borders to be found on the Christmas CD.

Give yourself a little break from Elvis, and perhaps in a day or so you will be ready to go back and have a little play on the machine perhaps embroider something following the instruction book with a built in design rather than one from another source.  Your first attempt of the sailing boat with the wording of Isabella looked lovely, so don’t go giving up.

Twopence has just rung me and yes will came back to have lunch with me on Thursday and we will try and construct a pattern from my cover – will be a fun thing to try and do, so watch this space.  I will also charge my camera up and take some photos of the cover with the embroidery cover zipped in place, and will then ask Twopence if she can show me how to download the photos onto my laptop and then attach to TSP - I will be on a learning curve!!!!!