Thanks to my wonderful husband I am now the lucky owner of the Bernina 440QE with the embroidery unit. Now I only need a laptop, talking about pushing it. I have never embroidered before and I am so excited. Does anyone now what kind of files the 440QE uses? I don't want to take it out of the box until I am ready to set it up but I woul like to start looking for embroidery sites. Does anyone have any suggestions on websites? I think the 440QE only comes with a handful of embroidery designs. Does anyone have any hints that I can use? I truely am a novice and although I am excited I am a little anxious. -Thanks G.

Many of the web sites sell downloadable stitch designs in multiple formats........the main Bernina format is .ART.....check out embroidery library (you can google machine embroidery designs and find a large number of sites that sell these -many very reasonably.)

Congrats!! You will love your new Bernina!

You will need some software to be able to download the designs on your USB stick. I have explorations and embird.

You can get a free 30 day trial of embird here to try it out. Don't download it until you are ready to use it tho or your 30 days will run out.

http://embird.com/

Congratulations!1
here is a great site.
http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/new.aspx

Embroidery Library is the best site as far as I'm concerned!! I only use them now. For your Bernina you use the ART file with your version of software. As long as the file is in .ART you shouldn't need any other software..only if you have to convert to .ART from something else. I have a Bernina 180E. It's an oldie, but a goodie!

I have the same machine and Love, love love the embroidery!
The machine can use ART and PES files, I use them both all the time. Occasionally the colors on the PES are wacky, but you tend to use your own colors anyway. There are tons of free designs out there. There are also clubs you can pay to join that give you a number of new designs each month. My favorite is the Silver Threads Golden Needles club with OPW (Oregon Patchworks). One site has 1 free design each hour, 1 free hunt each hour and 1 free design each day. They also have dollar hour where a certain page of designs is $1 and every once in a while you can catch Happy Hour, where all designs are 50% off (usually $4)the site is http://www.designsbysick.com/

OPW is: http://www.oregonpatchworks.com/OPW/specials.php They also have freebies as does http://www.annthegran.com/Default.aspx

If you google free machine embroidery designs you will be pleased with all that you find. The Bernina website has some freebies also. Trust me it is almost as addictive as collecting fabric!

You can download the files to your laptop with no problem. If you have a problem, PM me and maybe we can chat.
I think that your Bernina dealer should offer classes also...I learned a lot there. OH, did your embroidery module come with Editor Lite software or Art Design? Doesn't change a lot, but you have to have a security dongle with the Editor lite.

Oh, there is a Yahoo 440QE and embroidery board.

congrats

I want to thank everyone for thier comments. They have been very helpful. Please keep them coming as I need all the help I can get. Not only am I a novice but I am also computer and electronically challanged. I will be taking the classes for the embroidery but the shop I bought it from offers the meat & potato, dessert classes first. I just hope I am not in over my head. G.

gjp424 - You will do fine with a little help and then you will have a whole new addiction! Remember, If you need help PM me! Enjoy!

Thank you, I will.
G.