Project of doom... embroidery help!
 

I have just started the Harry Potter quilt Project of doom. It is on Craftsy, the free pattern section.
I would love to do the embroidery for the book titles. I have never done it on a machine and was wondering if it is worth getting an embroidery machine. What else you would need to use the machine, stabilizer , different thread and so on. Or do you think it could be done by hand. ha ha Then I would have to learn to embroider ... any help please

http://www.craftsy.com/patterns/quil...rtBy=relevance

Sounds like an ambitious project!

I will give you my thoughts on the embroidery machine issue, since I have contemplated getting one too.

Points to consider -
How expensive a machine is required to do what I want to do?
Realistically how often would I use it, other than this project?
What sort of learning curve would I be dealing with?
How far would I have to travel for a class or classes to learn how to use it? (I live in the back of beyond. Lol) and would I actually go to the classes if they are over an hour away?
Do I have the time to devote to this or could it become a burden among the other things I'm doing that have priority?
How badly do I really want it? Is it a momentary "oh shiny" or something I've been wanting to do for a long time?

So far I haven't determined that I really want one bad enough to invest the time and $ required. Of course that could change at any time. Lol!

I love my embroidery/combo machine. I can do anything I want with it, of course, I've been embroidering a long time and do lots of embroidery. I also use this machine to embroidery a quilt design on my quilts. Hope that makes sense.

Hand embroidering those book titles would be no big deal. A simple stem stitch or back stitch would be all you need to learn. There are many excellent YouTube videos of hand embroidery that will teach you every stitch you ever need to know. Watch a couple of videos and try it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TebgWq9AqyY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ_wVC84UmM

For a small use I would start out entry level one of the 4x4 brothers from Walmart should be sufficient for what you want without costing much. I love embroidery it can be very fun and costly

Machine embroidery can be addictive. I own two machines and in the beginning embroidered everything and anything. It can also be very costly. I have at least several thousand dollars worth of designs I have never gotten around to using. I have a lot of money tied up in stabilizers, thread and gifts for the machines like different size hoops and extension tables etc. I have discovered that the older I get the lazier I get. Most of my embroidery these days is done with variegated thread so that don't have to constantly change colors which requires rethreading the machine. I also think that a cheapy machine from Walmart would give you a taste of what is involved without draining your bank account. The other option is to approach a dealer about a trade in etc. Some dealers will also do the embroidery for you for a price. That may be your best option. I have found that a paper towel can work as a stabilizer and is handy.

I could farm out a ton of embroidery designs I needed done to my friends who have and regularly use these machines (and therefore are proficient at their use) before I've spent enough money to have bought my own machine!!! :shock:

Perhaps I'm the only person on the planet who does NOT want an embroidery machine!:rolleyes:

Jan in VA

I have two - both Baby Locks. An Ellisimo and an Ellegante. I love them both. I got the Ellisimo for Christmas and tried to sell my Ellegante, no one wants to pay what I SHOULD have traded it in for. Now I use both, 1 is embroidering while I am sewing on the other. I think the investment I made was well worth it. I love the embroidery I can do with it and love the way they sew. I ALSO love to do hand embroidery, and as Lisa_wanna-be said, the stem stich or outline stitch are simple, very easy to do and would do you just as well. Check out the tutes she mentioned. But if you ever decide on a embroidery machine, I don't think you will be sorry. Happy Sewing.

We think a little alike. I have the Ellegante, would love to sell it along with all the designs, feet, etc. (I would even throw in tons of thread) but who will pay what it is worth? Plus, I still do not have the dollars to get the Ellisimo I desperately would love to have, and keep the Ellegante both because I won't give it away. If I did end up with both, I know I would have worse guilt than I do over the existing stash I have that will take many years to go through. I know I would use both, but without a job to take away some of the guilt, I keep enjoying the Ellegante. I believe it may end up being my last big expense with this quilting and sewing addiction I have.

I agree with you Jan, I don't want an embroidery machine either.