I have been going to an embroidery class and there are several people with the smaller machines. All of them have commented that they now wish they had the capability of larger hoops. Mine will do 8" blocks and I love it, although I do have machine envy when I see the ones that can accommodate the super big hoops. When I got the machine I had no desire to have an embroidery machine and only used it as a very nice sewing machine. Now, many months later I am completely hooked! Love, love, love it!

I've been lurking. Never wanted an embroidery machine. But....as I'm teaching classes at a dealer and have been casually thinking about a new machine, started looking at all the models. I teach FMQ, so wanted a large harp. Then discovered that I can quilt blocks with an embroidery unit. So I went all the way to the top of the line. Have been playing with FMQ and piecing. Took a basic lesson and first embroidery lesson. When I got home, couldn't do even one thing on the embroidery unit.

Went to embroidery club today. Wow. So much to learn because my machine can do so much. There's a new project every month. I think this will help my learning curve. Was there the longest and did the least it appears. Most of the doing is what's happening in my brain. Did learn it needs a very sturdy table. May need to rearrange the studio.

Now I need to get it out and do the class all over on my own, so I can remember, before I forget too much.

There is a group of ladies in my area that would like to start some sort of group so we can exchange experience and ideas on our embroidery machines. Something much less formal than a quilt guild. Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

We thought we might meet once a month then from time to time go to one another's sewing rooms and see demonstrations. We have several different brands of embroidery machines.

Again, all ideas and inspiration appreciated.

I have been playing - what I call practicing and learning- with my new Janome Horizon 12000 including downloading free designs and purchasing some on sale. I must say I see a definite difference in the embroidery stitches between those in the machine and the freebie ones from websites. I 'm thinking of that old saying "you get what you pay for" is true. Has anyone else noticed the quality difference?
Maybe it's just me.
Are there websites with good quality embroidery designs?

Nanny's Dollface, it depends on where you're downloading from. There are many sites with excellent free designs. I like Oregon Patchwork as a sort of mall for embroidery shopping. Always lots of sales there, too.

While there are those out there that aren't stitched as well as should be and some have a lot of unnessaary stitches added to the design which will make them seam poor stitching quality. You need to look at the stitch count and this will make a difference on how it stitches out on different stabilizers and fabric. I'm fortunate enough to have 5D and I take all designs and have them checked for unneeded stitches and it will remove them and I also add jump stitches to reduce the amount of running stitches that aren't needed. I agree that OregonPatch is a great site and it represents lots of designers and they send out emails all the time about specials. One thing that I was told from emblibary.com was that you need to download the version closest to the newest one offered. For my Viking there are 3 formats that are Viking and I can use any of them (including most for other machines) but depending on what the design was orginally created in it will vary the outcome. This is something that isn't always easy to find out. So I just run the designs thru 5D. I get lots of free designs from various sites and haven't had a problem for the most part since I found out that the stitch count and using the right stabilzier really makes a difference. JuJu and Juia's needles are two more great sites for freebees.

Sonia Showalter Design just added a NEW FSL earring design called
"under the sea" if you have her seahorse design then this new design
will go perfectly with it.

Sonia Showalter Designs

I want to order these (soon as I can get the extra money for them,
since I already have the seahorse.

Enjoy!

Not ALL embroidery designers have the "best" workmanship, but there are
MANY talented designers.

Embroidery Library has FREE designs in multiple sizes (minimum 2 sizes)
every month. This is my #1 embroidery site I go to when I am looking
for anything, 8/10 times they will have something that will work for what
I am working on.

I get designs from MANY different websites so many that I had to create a "list"
of the websites.

You are going to love embroidery!

Just remember it is a learning curve and you WILL have times when
get frustrated and want to give up, but DON'T just walk away for a
short while than try again.

Even after 6-1/2 years I still have times where I want to scream.

Be sure to post pictures and share with us your works of art.

Just want to share some baby bibs that I made for my friend Teresa aka MsCupid804
who is about to become a first time grandma (lucky woman).

Of course I need to learn how to spell again I think LOL (see the blue bib).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]424058[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]424061[/ATTACH]

I was going to try and remove the stitches on the misspelled bib and
start over, but I had already put a "backing" on the bib (to secure the
stitches) , and the more I tried to work on that the more I damaged
the bib, so Teresa is getting 1 less bib than I expected (no more stock
of bibs for a boy).