The brother PE770 embroidery only machine was delivered yesterday. I would love to do my first design. I know that you need 90wt in the bobbin. What wt polyester embroidery thread do you use in the top? TIA for any kind of help with this machine!!

I thought the same thing but some wonderful QB friends told me the 90 wt thread is an option, not a requirement. So far, I've used 60 wt without any problem.

for the top thread, I've used 40 wt thread, so far. Coats & Clark even works.

Don't know if you have "found" all your answers! LOL Here is a great site to learn all about embroidering on different fabrics, what needle to use, what stabilizer to use, etc. www.embrlibrary.com I printed out the articles on put them in a binder to refer to.

Digitizing software is a whole other world. You can spend hours and hours learning it. I would suggest learning your machine first doing some built in designs or download from sites on internet. Get a feel for the different types of fabric, blank embroidery items, etc. That is a learning curve in itself.

Good luck...you will become addicted and want to embroider anything not nailed down in your house!!

I have the PE700II which is basically the same machine. Yours just has the USB option. I use 60 weight thread in mine. Was told by my service tech that it was better and less breakage. Use any "embroidery" thread. It will be labeled as such and is usually 40 wt. I use Mettler and Metro thread. I catch the Mettler on sale at Hancocks. MetroEM is the site to order the Metro thread. My machine LOVES it. It doesn't like the rayon much which is the Sulky brand. I use a "large eye" needles which cuts down on breakage. There are a little hard to find but they are out there. I had my dealer start carrying them!! I told him he was losing business not to do so! LOL

Hope this helps you a little. Post again if you have questions.

I would love to have a separate Embroidery section too! It's so frustrating to try to find this thread and there are so many pages to cull through. We could have separate post on treads, stabilizers, machines, tips, embroidery design websites, digitizing, etc. This is such a huge and diverse topic. I'm going to check out the other site mentioned, maybe it's time to spread my wings a bit.

Most regular embroidery thread is 40wt. Most machines aren't picky about the brand, it's mostly personal choice. I use Madeira. For small and/or real dense designs I use thinner 60wt thread. Yes, you can use 60wt bobbin thread with no problems. My BFF has the 770 and used to buy the 90wt prewounds but I talked her into buying a cone of bobbin thread(60wt) and she's had zero issues with it.
Everyone has their favorite threads, stabilizers, etc. and their favorite place to get it. When I got my first machine I bought everything I needed right then and there from my dealer, but quickly found much cheaper places online to buy supplies. Now I buy all my supplies from Walmart.com or allstitch.net. Walmart.com has so much more than what the store carries. That's where I buy my Pellon stabilizers, by the bolt when possible. Allstitch for everything else.

Cari

I'm planning to buy my first embroidery machine and need some help here! Hope to buy a mid range one about $2000-3000 that is a good machine for free motion quilting too. I would like to make monogrammed or personalized gifts with the machine. I stay in Singspore and may be limited in choices but there are retailers here selling Brother, Bernina & Janome. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have a Brother 1500D which is a mid-range (about the price you're looking to spend).

It has an embroidery hoop field of 6x10 which is a good size, you can get the extension
table for the machine which gives you quite a large surface to help with FMQ and larger
projects.

Brother machines are the only machine I have any experience with, there are others
who will have Janome's, Bernina's, and other brands that are also good machines. So
be on the look out for advise from them.

[QUOTE=vivientan;7019973]I'm planning to buy my first embroidery machine and need some help here! Hope to buy a mid range one about $2000-3000 that is a good machine for free motion quilting too. I would like to make monogrammed or personalized gifts with the machine. I stay in Singspore and may be limited in choices but there are retailers here selling Brother, Bernina & Janome. Does anyone have any suggestions?[/QUOTE

I have heard good things about all three BUT Good with one where you have access to the dealer and repairs....