Definitely how much extra expense is involved. Stabilizers, designs, embroidery thread, bobbin thread.

It always seems so simple when they demo -- just choose your design and embroider to your heart's content.

There have been really good points made here about stabilizers and threads and knowing what's involved in digitizing, deciding if you want to make your own designs -- again a lot more expense to purchase software and make it compatible with your machine. Often, designs purchased online also need additional software to make them compatible with your machine, or even just to resize them.

I think I would have liked to know more about how long it can actually take to make a design, and how it will tie up the machine during that time. You pretty much need to babysit it too -- not just get it started and walk away till it's done.

There is that patience requirement. It really IS a learning curve, and there is so much to learn! A person needs a reliable source to help them learn and get good information and that is often NOT the person you are buying the machine from.

I have a 10 needle, I started 12 years ago with an inexpensive Brother. Doesn't matter what machine you have or what you want to buy. You need to go to a dealer and test drive a machine. They will sit down and do their demo, but you need to sit down, thread it, change the bobbin, hoop something, make sure you can read the screen. Some of the less expensive models have do not have clear images of what you are embroidering. Ask to be shown how to go back a few stitches in case the thread breaks. As how to forward it to the next color in case for some reason you want to skip forward. Make sure they tell you how to transfer designs, not just how to use the ones in the machine. It should have a USB port so you can download designs from the internet with it. The machine should have some software built in for simple editing, and color changes. Purchasing software can be very expensive. Check into Embrillance or Embird. Very inexpensive and you can just purchase the basic module for starting out. Also, make sure the software is compatible with your computer, some are not compatible with MAC. Starting out you do not need $1000. software, if it comes in a package deal, tell them no and ask for a price reduction. You will need stabilizers, and thread, lots of both. I like iron on mesh for t-shirts, ironing it on keeps it from stretching when hooping. A medium cutaway is a must have on my list and for doing towels I like a medium tearaway. When embroidering towels, fleece or anything fluffy, I use a water soluble on the top to help keep the stitches from sinking into the fluffy fabric, it will get lost and won't been seen very well. I have black stabilizer for black t-shirts, beige for lighter thin fabrics, I mostly use white. I buy prewound bobbins, I do wind my own for some things. If you choose to wind yours you will need bobbin weight thread and of course bobbins that fit your machine. I purchased a bobbin winder from Brother. Do not buy any after market hoops, or fancy hooping aids until you get used to your machine and figure what you really need. The issue of thread is a tough one. I use embroidery thread, polyester, I get most of it from Metro Threads. I have tried some of the big name brands and a few other off brands. My machine will take anything, never have had any problems. Some people say their machine doesn't like xyz brand, the machine doesn't know what brand you use. It's probably a tension problem or some dark colors I've heard do break a lot, I don't know why. If a design calls for Floriani #123 yellow, you can use any color yellow you want. The machine will tell you to put #123 on but you can put any color number or color you want, it won't know you put green on instead of yellow.

Make sure you have hoop sizes that will produce larger designs--some machines only come with a 4x4 hoop and that is not large enough--5x7 is very popular but get a machine that can handle larger hoops. Also, a machine that will cut jump stitches is very convenient. Learn how and when to use the stabilizers--sometimes you have to float another piece under your embroidery to produce good stitch outs. The various machine manufacturers want to sell you their software but there are several that will do the same thing and are a lot cheaper. A lot of free designs are by beginning digitizers. Over time you will learn who are the better digitizers.

Seems like there is a lot to be aware of -

How much time do you have for these classes? How many sessions?

So far, some of the topics that could be covered are:

Machines
Hoops- hooping
Threads
Stabilizers
Designs/ computers
Cost

So far, I have been avoiding embroidery machines because I do not want to start a new category of expenses for supplies!

Today I read a machine embroidery trick that I am going to do. The article said to put a baby monitor next to the embroidery machine while it was stitching so if you had to step out of the room you could hear if a problem developed. That will be the thing I begin my garage sale search for soon.

Please keep up the suggestions, tips and questions. Thank you

Great observation. Worth sharing esp because machine embroidery has a steep learning curve and it is an expensive hobby. Kind of like fabric...buy the best you can afford.
sandy

Who presented the library program? What does machine embroidery have to do with a library or was this a presentation from an outside expert? Keep your presentation general and not too mired in details. An overview vs a lesson. Each machine is different and unless you are familiar with each, you will become the teacher.
sandy

Embroidery machines are a whole different facet of sewing for sure. I do not have one nor do I want one because I know that the cost is great and all the 'stuff' you need is also expensive. I know from discussions with friends who have them that they spend far more for thread, software, stabilizers, etc than I spend on fabric. I guess you could say they have a thread stash. I do think that the product they produce is an engineering marvel.

I will be doing the program. The program will not be about selling machines. It will be informational. My embroidery friends and I have found when we were buying our machines you can do all sorts of research on the actual machines. The dealers are great to show the wonderful features each of their models boast. What is sometimes (not always) missing is the information concerning software needed to view designs on your computer. I am not referring to digitizing or anything more than seeing the design and maybe changing the format. Somehow that is not referred to in research done on machines. There is the stabilizer, thread and many of the things already mentioned by all of you creative thinkers.

The goal is to have consumers aware that buying the machine is not all there is to the embroidery experience. For instance one lady was thinking about buying a machine and she told me she had plenty of thread. She didn't realize thread she used for piecing or quilting wasn't necessarily what she was going to need. Those are the types of things...not information on a particular brand, model, etc of any machine.

Please keep the suggestions coming. They are helping so much.

PS: The local library offers a variety of different programs. Lots deal with crafts then there are the book club meetings, etc. Our library is wonderful.

The baby monitor works well, I bought the cheapest one Wal-Mart has, probably spent about $25. I've had it for about 5 years. My husband has a wood shop and we use it for that also so I can call him for dinner.