I need sugestions!
 

My Mom has a Viking Ruby .. and has owned it for over a year. Its a great machine , but she does not use a good many of the functions.. specifically the emboidery . She took a class at Jo'Anns ( they sell them at that Jo'Ann's) but it was not very helpful and they were less than supportive becasue she did not buy the machine at that dealer. The machine was purchased at a dealership no longer in business.
I have tried to coax her into trying it again, but after the instructors obvious distain for her not purchasing at that location... she does not want to try it again. In addition she finds the weight and all the emboidery "stuff" difficult to get in and out of her car... and is concerned that all that hauling it around is no good for the machine.
I know she wants to do more with this machine... and I live 550 miles from her.. I want to find a way for her to be able to learn more and get confidence in using the emboirdery functions. I know she would "play" for hours, if she had some lessons.
Is there a book "for Dummies" on using these machines? The owners manual only goes so far and is quite limited. Are there highly competant people who would be willing to give private lessons? How do I solve this ? I would love to hear suggestions.

I'm really sorry about the dealer! I purchased a machine from a different dealer and felt very welcome at the JoAnn's by my house. Is there another dealer in her area she could try? To be honest, if she is not comfortable with computers, it probably would be better for her to have a real instructor rather than a book. Are there any LQSs or Quilt guilds in her area? I would contact them and see if there is anyone knowledgeable with newer Viking embroidery machines that would be willing her help her. My LQS charges for private quilting lessons, but I'm sure if they had experience with this machine they would be willing to provide private help.

What area does your Mom live in? If she is near me I'd be willing to help - it could be a lot of fun!
I have a Brother Duetta, but don't think it would operate too much differently.

Oh it would be amazing if you could but.... my Mom is in Buffalo , NY.

I know this may seem insulting and I do NOT mean it that way but what about your mom reading her manual? Usually the machines today have very good manuals that will introduce you to your machine. The way I learned to use my TOL Bernina (way back when), was using the manual. Best of all the manuals today seem much better than 30 years ago.

Another thing is the internet. Has your mom visited here:
http://www.husqvarnaviking.com/media...ingroom_us.asp

This is Viking's instructional video series. Then you have Youtube.com. If your mom just starts to use the machine to make something as she has questions say on a zipper insertion or a buttonhole etc... she could search Viking Ruby Buttonhole and I'd bet she get enough information to get close.

Finally joining a board like this to ask any specific questions. This is an unusually positive and supportive group I bet she'd get almost immediate help/answers.

But the big point is to tell her she can't break her machine and to just use it.

Well, that was ***** of the personnel at the that Dealership. May they get what they deserve.


My first suggestion would be to hire a tutor that would make house calls.

Then my concerns would be -where would one find someone? who could/would one trust? and how much would it cost?
Maybe advertise at one of the LQS? maybe ask around at a quilt or craft show?


I'm one of those that learn best by - maybe your Mom is, too?

1) Demonstrate it
2) Let me do it
3) Show me again if I didn't get it
4) Let me do it

I MUST do it myself to get and retain the "how to" -

If your mom is comfortable with computers you could send here a doc with links on it that you found. Gather the links and make sure to number them from basic to more difficult. That way you'll have the links and if she has a question she can tell you what link she is looking at.

If she isn't comfortable with the computer does she have a friend that could do this with her?

Just briefly checking the link provided by moosie, I didn't find any help there for using the embroidery unit. I am so glad that my sewing machine shop offered free monthly classes when I bought mine 2 years ago. At that time I considered myself pretty sewing machine and computer savvy, but would not have become very good, or had much fun, without going to classes for using the computerized embroidery module. Not that I've become very good at embroidery, but I sure am having fun at it and still go to classes to learn new techniques.
It's such a shame that she was treated badly at Joanne's, considering she bought a high end expensive sewing machine. There are a lot of Quilting Board members who also have embroidery machines, and we would attempt to help her (as moosie suggested).

That describes how my Mom learns best and me ( I guess I learned how to learn from her).

I think a guild or LQS is your best bet if there is not another dealership nearby to help. Is this her first machine, it might help to buy a smaller more portable machine of the same brand for classes and learning the basics of the machine before she tackles the big machine. She might be overwhelmed if it is her first machine