Sewing Machine Applique or Embroidery Machine Applique?
 

A year or so ago, I purchased a Brother HE-1 embroidery machine on sale ... as an inexpensive way to see if I liked machine embroidery. I finally set it up recently and did a small "saying" (using fonts) to be framed. I loved doing this much to my surprise. However, I realized quickly that, with the limited 4" x 4", I could not fit the wording in the larger size font I wanted to use. I haven't yet tried doing an embroidered applique on this machine yet, but I'm wondering if I'll find I wish I had the choice of larger hoops for this as well.

I have a Juki F 600 for sewing/quilting. Is it possible to do satin stitch applique on my Juki that will give me as nice a look as an embroidery machine applique? Seems to me after watching some videos online, that it's much neater and easier on an embroidery machine.

Also, while I'm debating & researching embroidery machines, I would appreciate recommendations ... not high end, but a step or two up from the HE-1 with larger hoop options.

Thank you.

you are right, it is a lot neater looking on the embroidery machine. My hoops only go up to 5x7 ... I wish I had larger hoops, but do not want to spend the money right now to get a new machine.

Yes, you are limited with just a 4 x 4 hoop. There are so many wonderful designs out there but a lot of them require a larger hoop. I would try to go for a bigger machine if it is possible for you. The machine embroidery is so much neater too. I have done the machine embroidery with a blanket stitch on my machine but it is more time consuming and I don't do as neat of a job. I started out with a smaller machine and kept moving up until I finally bought a 10 needle embroidery machine. I still have a sewing/embroidery machine but it doesn't get used much.

I've found by paying attention to how my embroidery machine moves to make satin stitches around appliques, I can try to do that by hand for my own lettering. I've gotten much better, but doubt I'll ever get the super neat look the machine does on it's own. Maybe some day I'll figure out how to scan and combine my own applique and have the machine stich it out. I'm pretty sure my machine has the capability to do it - I'm the one lacking knowledge.

I have the Babylock Destiny upgraded to the DII. I have a 9.5x9.5 hoop along with the 8x11. The square one is really nice for quilt blocks.

I've been doing turned edge appliqué and attaching it with a narrow zigzag with invisible thread. That turns out quite nice too.

I love applique projects on the EMB machine. Easy to cut around the applique and let the machine do the stitching. When I do the satin stitch on regular machine, I don't always get close or even on the edges.

Buy the machine with the biggest hoop that fits your budget. You won't regret the larger hoops!

Macy,

Do you get the emails for projects? Here is a recent one that I saved to do later.

https://babylock.com/learn-and-creat...ique-tea-towel

Have you used the scan (camera) function to scan the hoop? This feature is fun to use for EMB design placement.

Plus a few more for you if you like!

https://babylock.com/search?q=applique%20towel

Thanks for all the advice. I had read before purchasing my EMB machine that this was 1) addictive to some, 2) can be expensive, and 3) buy a machine that let's me grow. Obviously, I didn't heed the 3rd one ... Ha Ha. This time I will be doing a lot of research so I make the right investment.

Thank you.

MacyBaby, years ago I did embroidery and monograming by hand and it looked very nice. Unfortunately, I tried to do it this time and it looked terrible. Guess I've lost the knack. That's what prompted me to get out the machine and finally use it.

Ronda, I was just looking on the Babylock tutorial sight and found some applique ones. I have a Scan N Cut so really want to learn how to use the two together for applique.

Sharon, I'm on my 2nd embroidery machine. Several years ago I bought a used Pfaff machine for $1,000 and it came with a large assortment of hoops, including a "megahoop" that was an add on. Even though one of the employees where I bought it offered to give me lessons, I was so intimidated by it I never have figured out how to do anything with the emboridery features on it.

Then I decided to upgrade my "full feature" 30 year old sewing machine and bought the Destiny - took me a year to get brave enough to try an embroidery design. A year later, and I'm hooked on the embroidery. I was thinking of rehoming the Pfaff, but have found I like having that machine to use for stitching when I have the embroidery module on the Babylock. I have an industrial straight stitcher for most of my piecing work.

Yup live and learn...I started out w/Husq Viking EM10 only with 4x4 hoop. Within 4 mths I upgraded to Husq Viking SE combo sewing/emb...I love that machine but largest width on hoops were 6 inches up to 13 inches long...So after 12 yrs I just treated myself to the Husq Viking epic where you can use Mega Hoops up to 13 x 14 and good thing is all my other hoops from SE can be used with it so have a good amt of sized frames along with the 3 larger hoops that came w/Epic...I shouldn't want another machine for a long time if ever in my lifetime...

I've never wanted to do hand applique but I do like how my embroidery machine does it for me. Of course the embroidery type applique designs all depends on how the digitizer creates them. I love how Stitch Delight does her's. She does a satin stitch around the design and then comes back and adds a crisscross stitching which really makes them stand out. Kreative Kiwi does a nice job on appliques too. Think she might do the same stitching on her's. There may be others out there that add a nice extra stitching around their applique designs, you just have to check them out. Right now I'm collecting Stitch Delight's applique lower case alphabets as I wanted to add the little girl's name on the cuff of her pillowcase that goes with the quilt she's getting. Purchased the upper case while they were on sale so just waiting for the lower case. Its just about finished and I can now make up her pillowcase to match her quilt.

Snooze,

Love that type of satin stitch and then the cross hatch stitch too.

Yes, you Can learn to do the satin ( and other ) stitches very nicely with your regular machine.... I have. But the problem is time. You must sit and guide it every bit of the way! With my pe770 Brother, and a 5 x7" hoop, l can set the machine into action, and stay nearby at my Janome piecing while keeping an ear tuned to the embroidery machine for stops/ colour changes.

I think the topic has been covered by others, but wanted to add that if you go to some embroidery sites such as embroiderydesigns.com you can sign up with profile information about your machine and then restrict your searches to designs that fit what you have available. This should reduce the frustration level some. You could, for example, use 3" designs in the cornerstones of a quilt, and that might be all that quilt needs in the way of applique.

To get something larger, it might be possible to do some designs in multiple hoopings if you're determined. For example, a single leaf done over repeatedly in a circle could be a flower. This might not be fun if you need many of them, but for a center design with only one or a few, it would be doable. If you can print your single leaf in exact size and cut it out, you could use it to help in placing each element precisely. Or you could stitch one and trace it while it's still in the hoop, adding marks for where the hoop is precisely.

Snooze, Thanks for mentioning Stitch Delight! I'm amazed I haven't stumbled onto that site before. It looks like a gold mine.

I did it the other way around and bought a machine that I could grow into. I’m not rich by any means but I do make a monthly payment on my machine. I got it on a deal with no interest. I’m really glad I did, I love my dream machine!

This is what I truly like about this board. I can always count on learning from others' experience, advice and encouragement. As I mentioned earlier, I made an impluse purchase because the machine was on sale and thought it would be an inexpensive way to see if I would enjoy embroidery. From that perspective, it worked out so not a total waste and it's a great little machine with beautiful stitch quality and easy to use. I'm sure I'll continue to use it while I research and save up for something with larger hoops.

Thank you so much.