Embroidery Machine
 

I don't post often, so not sure If this is the correct procedure. I am looking to buy an Embroidery machine, Would anyone every buy an inexpensive Brother? Really don't want to spend a lot if I won't use it often. Just looking for some input. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have. Happy Sewing today.

I have a cheap Brother that only does 4 inch designs. I love it and it was under $400.
Ive done lots of 6 in squares with 4 in designs. One is all teddy bears and the other is Mother
Goose designs. It would be nice to have a bigger hoop machine but the price is so much more.
Also have downloaded some pretty circle designs for a table topper.
The machine is easy to use and smaller than the big embroidery machines. Not interested in anything but quilting so it is fine for me.
One thing that a bigger machine can do is quilt blocks, which would be wonderful.

I'm planning on buying a Brother PE770 (embroidery only machine) next year (about $600.00 on Amazon right now). I can't wait. I think it will be a good introductory machine for me since I've never used an embroidery machine before.

I recently bought a Brother PE770 and love it! There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Brother brand.

BTW, I bought my PE770 from WalMart.com and had it delivered to my home. :)

many people have them and love them. I have no problems with my low end brothers

I have had 3 Brother embroidery machines and love them, gave my little PE150 away last year and she was still doing great!!!

Thanks so much for your input. That is what I will do. Glad I asked.

Love my brother. only 4x4 hoop size but could not afford more. Would someday like to have a bigger hoop size machine, but for now this is great. Easy to learn and use. It was only 250.00 on sale, so I am one happy camper. I do go wild on sale designs. lol

Can you use any brand USB thumb drive? I saw a review somewhere that said you had to use a USB drive from Brother.

Any USB can be used in a machine. There is a lot that can be done in the small hoop so look forward to it!! It's great learning curve you can carry up to a bigger machine later.

I have several Brother embroidery machines and love them, but wouldn't consider the cheaper ones simply because of the limited hoop sizes. I use the hoop-it-all with mine, for a 12" embroidery area without rehooping, much easier than a 4" hoop. Depending on how much embroidery you're interested in doing, think about a later model in a used machine if price is a factor. There are many of the 'smaller' machines for sale due to owners upgrading - and price-wise, like cars, their value drops. If you don't plan on using it much the little Bro's are well thought of, I just wouldn't get anything less than a 5x7 hoop though

PatPitter - my youngest machine is 6 yrs old, and I can use any brand usb. If your machine uses embroidery cards I don't think any other brands make the same size, and you need a Brother reader/writer, also blank Bro cards are too expensive anyway.

My thumb drive is a 4 GB SanDisk, I bought from WalMart.

I would recommend finding a dealer near you that gives lessons. Machine embroidery is a whole different ball game. IMHO the dealer is much more important than the brand. I agree with looking for trade-in machines at a dealer. I have traded up 3 times since I started embroidery about 4 years ago. It is an addictive (and not cheap) hobby, but it is so much fun. Hope you find what you want

I thought it would be weird to require a particular brand of USB.

I have the PE770 too and I like it a lot. I bought mine from Amazon. I was worried about buying a machine like that online but it was perfectly adjusted and ready to stitch right out of the box. I've had no troubles with it at all. It can handle larger hoops but I mostly use the 5x7.

The USB stick I use in my machine is a cheap unbranded one that I got for free as shwag from a vendor at a work event, works just fine!

I do think classes would be valuable - I read a lot online but I still screw up and use the wrong stabilizer, etc. I kind of have to fumble around a bit before I get it right sometimes, which wastes materials. I could probably find local classes to take - I might look into that after the holiday and year-end chaos subsides.

My husband bought a refurbished ("little") Brother SE270D for me one year, 4 inch hoop and pre-loaded with Disney designs. I never used it much for embroidery, but it was my "daily driver" for about 6-7 years until I bought my ("big") Brother 1500. That little 270 is awesome, even though it's a lower-end machine. I still pull it out every now and then for button holes or when I need a decorative stitch.

I *think* the 270 is the predecessor of the 770.

I got the Brother PE770 last year for Christmas and I really like it.

I have an expensive Baby Lock (which I LOVE) but it is so old (about 15 years old ), it has to be used with a floppy disk to bring in designs. So last year, I bought the Brother PE770 just so I could use a flash drive to transfer designs - and I LOVE it also. I only go back to my Baby Lock when I need a design bigger than the 5X7 that you can do on the Brother. You should be very happy with the PE770, Irishgal - but I would caution you about getting a machine that only does 4X4 designs. Machine embroidery is addictive, and soon you will be wanting to do bigger designs than that! :D

I have a friend who does commercial embroidery and she uses Brother machines all the time with no more problems than any others. I would want the ability to use larger hoops than the four inch ones however.

I have the PE-770. I refused to buy one until I could afford the one with the larger hoop. I didn't want to be limited to just 4x4 designs. If you really, really like embroidery, you might want to wait and get the PE-770 which also uses the 5x7 hoop.

I bought a Brother combo sewing embroidery Machine for less than 400 dollars 5 years ago it is still going strong Yes it only has a 4 inch hoop but a 6 inch block with a design in the middle is about perfect. I have done quite a few quilts already My Brother machine is serving me well! I got it off Amazon from Kens something or other! Good luck on your decision mine was up and running within an hour of getting it and I was even looking at Hubbys underwear as a possible spot to embroider until I made a few quilts! LOL

Embroidery Machine
 

My suggestion is to look at ebay, they have a guarantee and I prefer a yesterday's top of the line to any of the cheapies on sale as NEW today. Yesteryear they sold for thousands and today for hundreds and they can have larger hoops and usb ports etc. I bought a used Viking Designer 1 for $750.00 that I love with all the bells and whistles and sew on it all the time while my Pfaff is working away behind me.

I bought a brother as my first machine and then added a smaller hoop. I am now trying to sell this machine since I bought a new machine with a bigger hoop and decided to get into embroidery/ Likeyou I was not sure I would like embroidery and really didn't get into it that much so we investedin a basic Disney machine. Now I am in an embroidery club and loving it as it has come alon gway and like someone mentioned the key is using the right stabilizer.

Jeff

I have been researching this myself and I like Brother's Designio machine which has a few more features than the Pe 770. The price is slightly more but for me it is worth it. Check it on Amazon.

It depends on which size hoops you want. If you want only 4 inch you can get great deals on overstock and get extended repair as well. If you want bigger see a dealer and find a reconditioned machine from them.

My DH bought me the $300.00 one for Christmas last year from Hancock's. I love it as I don't do much, it is just right for me.

My BFF in TX bought a Brother Quattro II two years ago for around $10k. She just stepped up to the Brother Dream, so she is going to sell her Quattro for a real bargain. I'm not into embroidery or I'd snap it up in a jiffy.

I think Brother machines are the best, from the inexpensive ones in discount stores to the top of the lines dealer only-I use them all. I keep the no longer made SE270 from Walmart at my daughter's, still going strong after 8 yrs-use it every time I visit.
The disadvantage of the lower ends ones are just capable of the 4 x 4 hoop but that is the size I use most anyway.
Brother just came out with a new embroidery only machine, on sale for $399 at dealers this month, can't remember the model number but it does Disney, not sure of what hoop sizes it takes. You can find information at Brotehr.com

I'd like one just for putting a name on something, would a 4x4 be good for that? I don't want to spend a lot of money just to embroider names on a quilt or clothes ect. I already have a long arm I don't know how to work "yet" so can't spend a lot on an embroidery machine I know nothing about. I think DH would finally baulk at a big price for that. Any help would be appreciated.
Jeri

Two of my sewing machines are Brother's and so is my embroidery machine. I love them all. I've never had a problem with them. I've mostly done hand towels, aprons, baby clothing, quilt squares with my 4 x 4 hoop and it's always been big enough for the kinds of projects I enjoy doing.

Before you buy, check out www.allbrands.com They are an authorized dealer and their prices are great along with super fast delivery and FREE shipping. That is where I purchased all of my machines

I have had Viking, Bernina and now a Brother embroidery machine and the Brother is the one that has given me least headaches! Handles all threads - no hizzy fits. Personally I think a 4x4 machine to start out with is just right. Some find that embroidery is not for them so a smaller machine is less cost and could be easier to sell on to somebody else who wants to try. Don't forget that the smaller the hoop the easier it is to hoop and get good results. Larger designs in larger hoops make for trickier hooping and bigger risk of misaligned designs.
Personally I made do with 4x4 for 13 years before going on to 5x7 for another 6 and have only recently moved up one more notch to a 7x12. I love ME but I doubt I will go larger because I do find it difficult to hoop well enough for the 7x12
Have fun when you get the machine.

I have a Brother 150 which they don't make any more, has a 4x4 design area and a sewing embroidery combo which does the 5x7 and 4x4 inch. I will say this, get the largest embroidery field you can afford. They are doing so many larger designs these days.

I'm in Brother's email list and just received notice of a flash sale on the PE700:

http://www.brothermall.com/HomeSewin...1#.VI2qXGo5B5g

I also have one and just love it