I finally went to my local Janome dealer and learned how to use the embroidery module on my MC 10001 this week. I'm happy to say that I have a new auxiliary hobby-like quilting wasn't enough, right?

I know there's hundreds of places to buy embroidery designs from. Tell me which ones are best.

I've been trying to search for larger designs and finding that hard. Any ideas for searching for size rather than a specific subject?

Specifically, I'd like to find a large, possibly giga-hoop size, Father Christmas. I like the traditional guy. Either applique in the hoop or a regular embroidery design.

And lastly, I'm sure I'll be collecting designs, right? So how do you catalog them? I should probably start out with good habits right away!

THANK YOU for all the help I'm sure will be coming in the next few days! You guys are the best!

This is my favorite site. Check out the Christmas and Birthday clubs too, they are free.
They also have wonderful free projects and tutorials too :D:D:D

http://www.emblibrary.com/EL/default.aspx

I created one folder for embroidery designs, then inside that I have separate folders for Childrens, Christmas, animals, etc... to keep them organized.

I like Embroidery Library, Designs by Sick, and Artistic Thread Works to name a few. They also have freebies. For a design the size you are looking for, I would say your best bet is Embroidery Library.

I like the emblibrary they have weekly and monthly design for $1.00 or 129 they have gone up the past few months.They have a lot of design. Also Ann The Gran. There are a lot of sites out there. Yahoo has a lot of groups on there site. Just put in embroidery groups.

I really like Julias Needle Designs
http://www.juliasneedledesigns.com/DOLLARSALEPAGE.htm

The are large, detailed and in groups and the stitching is wonderful.

Here is one. Have never purchased from them, but price seems reasonable, and they have a larger one.

http://www.advanced-embroidery-desig...tml/21895.html

First advice....download the free design offered by each site and test stitch, using different fabric and stabilizer. You don't want to mess up your original item.

All of these are just gorgeous. I need to get busy.

There are soooo many sights out there. Often one will link to another. Hatched in Africa, Oregon patchwork,googling works also. Designers Gallery Studio is great for cataloging and you can do some editing and rotating, desing template printing as well, color changing, format changing, well,lets just say it does alot.

I like to try free designs from some of the web sites already mentioned. For purchase, I have quite a few from Anita Gooddesign. They stitch out well and there are quite a few large designs.
http://www.anitagoodesignonline.com/

I also like OESD. They sell single designs or collections.
http://www.embroideryonline.com/products/index.aspx

I try to look for sales. They can be so expensive.

Sew for Less has some good sales.
http://www.sewforless.com/

Good luck. It is so much fun.

i do mine the same as amma

Also join this forum lots of info and free designs. Like like you need another forum.................

http://sewforum.com/

Thanks for the link littleone!

DITTO...

If you are going to the designs to your computer, I would suggest having a backup hard drive installed. They are not expensive, and if your computer crashes, you only lose what's on the main hard drive.....my DH put one in for me and I save evrything to the backup drive (designs, pictures, anything I wouldn't want to lose). This way i don't have to save everything to a disc....

Yes, it's a good idea to back up your designs in at least 2 places! If your hard drive or PC crashes, you won't loose all your designs. This is also why I like embroidery library. They keep a record of all your purchases so if your PC crashes, you can just download them again, even years later!
Here are 2 more sites, don't think have been mentioned. I've ordered from both and they stitch out great:
http://www.bfc-creations.com/
The florals here are beautiful:
http://www.kodesign.de/flowerframe.htm

I use some of these sites already mentioned and see a couple I did not know about.
Look closely or stitch it out on a scrap first, sometimes the design is not correct from the digitizer. I e mailed emb library
when this happenned and they got it corrected but I had wasted 1 hr doing it first.
Also Martha Pullen has designs offered each month and old ones to purchase.
Sending you a private message also.

I look on Ebay all the time for embroidery designs. Anita Goodesign is a great design company. They can be expensive, but sometimes you can get a deal or get a used one. Most of my larger design collections come from Anita Goodesign.

There is a post about the site "Designs by Sick". I just wanted you to know that their thread prices are really good as well. I've run their thread in my Janome and they run great.