New embroidery machine and many questions.
 

I have been reading and looking, with a little bit of playing tossed in but I have a few questions. I just got an Elna 8200 embroidery only machine and want to download some other patterns but not sure which format my machine uses. I have read the book and I'm sure its in there I am just missing it. I am really excited to try some different things out but also very intimadated and over-whelmed at the same time.

Embird seems to be the fav for downloads so I will be heading there to do some reading and downloading next.

I am planning on keeping a library on my desktop so as not to clutter the machine with designs is there a suggested way to organize?

Where is a good place to get thread from?

Thanks for looking and answering.

Back to reading

You will love your embroidery only machine, I have a janome 300 which is a Old model now BUT I can still embroidery ad sew at the same time, vbg Why don't you go to the "Embroideery Library" and ask them what format you would use on your machine, they are SO helpful plus they have great design plus freebies. I bought Embird in 2006, along with two alphbet fonts, I fin this is all I need to go hand in hand with my patchwork
You can pm me if out would like at more help

Go to the Elna site. They would be able to answer your questions about it. I use Embroidery Library all the time for buying and downloading designs. If you download it in your machines format, do you really need Embird. I don't have it and use only my machines software. I guess it depends on what you want to do with your embroideries.

There are all kinds of sites that have downloads. Annthegran.com, http://www.starbirdstockdesigns.com/asp_pages/home.asp
http://sewswell.com/index.html
http://www.embroidery.com/default.as...ctsetID=173846

Thread:
http://www.sewthankful.com/
and of course Connecting Threads.

Also, each of the embroidery sites will have the list of extensions for all of the machines on their site. I have my designs in different categories. Babies, Western, Scroll, Quilting, Etc....
Congrats on your new toy!

Here is a site I was just turned onto for a free set of designs every day for the next thirty days. It's really cool, as they email the link to you, so you don't have to remember each day to go get them, lol.

http://www.30DaysFreeDesigns.com/

Embird is a wonderful program and I just wanted to share with you that if you need inexpensive lessons, check out bdzines.com. They are very easy to understand and once you order one you can download it forever if need be. She also has a yahoo group and is very good at answering questions.
Now if I could only retain everything I have learned on her video's -- that's another story. Just thought I would give you a heads up.......
Best wishes for the New Year

Embird is wonderful. I have had it for over 10 years and used it thru several machines. The edit features are well worth the money. As far as how to organize designs..I have been doing machine emb for over 15 years and I have have an incredible collection. At first I tried sorting them by type of designs..that didn't work for me so I now sort them by site. IF I know that I'm going to need something right away I put it in a folder that I named "Project". You will find what works for you and your style.

Embird is great for changing the format of any designs you download to the one(s) your machine will take. You can also edit designs with it.<o:p></o:p>
I recommend a program such as CloneSpy to search your computers hard drive for duplicate embroidery files (and any other files). CloneSpy can be downloaded for free at CNET’s download.com website. As you collect designs over time, duplicates are inevitable.<o:p></o:p>

Thank you all so much. I haven't been able to load anything I have downloaded, I think my memory card is too big. Machine doesn't see it on the card. I found it uses the . JEF format so that is something tomorrow will be going to get some thread to play and learn some more. Are there any tutorials for the applique/embroidery combo, or is that just satin stitching around fabric.

Thanks again