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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: pbaus
Date: 06-14-2005, 09:38 AM (1 of 17)
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Yikes! I have been reading and studying this message board for a couple of weeks now in preparation to buy an embroidery machine. Yesterday, I took the plunge and thought I was equipped in making intelligent decisions and now I am second guessing, nervous, AND excited and anxious to get started. I’ve decided it’s time to come out of the closet and introduce myself in hopes of finding a place to call home. I bought the Brother SE270D machine and the PED-Basic Embroidery Software. I debated whether to get the PED or the Ultimate Box so I hope I made the right decision. Probably not too late to return PED and go for the Ultimate Box if anyone thinks I should. Threads . . . now that’s a whole other story and sooo expensive! I have been pursuing purchasing online and would really appreciate input on good and reputable sites to pursue. Is Rayon or Polyester a personal preference? Also, I haven’t read my manual thoroughly (but I did fall asleep with it last night) but is the bobbin thread different from the embroidery thread? Any tips anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. I have 3 granddaughters that I can practice on but am really clueless where to begin. Paula |
User: pbaus
Member since: 05-10-2005 Total posts: 3 |
From: MaryW
Date: 06-14-2005, 09:50 AM (2 of 17)
Hi Paula and welcome to Sew Whats New.  I am glad you decided to come out of hiding. I cannot help you with your choices but there are many here who can give you their experiences and advice.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: pbaus
Date: 06-14-2005, 10:50 AM (3 of 17)
| Thanks Mary for the welcome and I am looking forward participating and learning on this thread. |
User: pbaus
Member since: 05-10-2005 Total posts: 3 |
From: suesodyssey
Date: 06-14-2005, 11:41 AM (4 of 17)
| Welcome Paula, you will really enjoy your machine and doing things for the grandbabies. I have 4 and another on the way. Even the boys like getting a shirt from Grandma! Machines are everyones personal choice. There is a web site for really inexpensive thread. It is about an hours drive from my house, so I get over there about every 2 months, but they have so many threads, in every color and very cheap. http://www.longcreekmills.com/sys-tmpl/door/. The people are very nice and extremely helpful. Hope this helps. They also have a very good price on the prewound bobbins. Good luck, Sue |
User: suesodyssey
Member since: 03-29-2005 Total posts: 86 |
From: chris b
Date: 06-14-2005, 01:07 PM (5 of 17)
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It wouldn't matter what you bought I think most of us got that "what have I done" feeling the next day.Atleast I did!It isn't everyday that we spend that much $$ on ourselves. I'm a big fan of Marathon thread.I have all 377 colors of the rayon,plus all of the varigateds.It is avaliable from http://www.gigalinksys.com/marathon/index.shtml Alot of the digitizers now use Marathon,they offer more colors than alot of the other brands. Pfaff 2170,Pfaff 7570,Elna 945
Singer 301A,Singer Redeye,Singer 15 HC Simplicity 2/3/4 Pfaff Creative 3-D digitizing,3-D Fabric Decorator Pfaff PCDMac2.2 StitchBunnyPro,FlutterWhumper Embird,Studio,cross stitch, EQ5....and adding all the time! |
User: chris b
Member since: 01-10-2001 Total posts: 109 |
From: pbaus
Date: 06-14-2005, 01:35 PM (6 of 17)
| Thanks Sue and Chris for the thread links. I just returned from Wal Mart with some basics to just get me up and running and basically see what the machine AND me are capable of. Another $70 investment on that trip alone. I did have a very pleasant and helpful clerk. Someone walked up and was asking about stabilizer and thread while she was gathering up my items and the clerk shook her head and said, "another glassy eyed embroiderer." We both got a kick out of that. This woman had just purchased a $7,000 machine and was even more clueless than me if that's possible. I hope to be able to graduate to that level at some point and time. |
User: pbaus
Member since: 05-10-2005 Total posts: 3 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 06-14-2005, 03:52 PM (7 of 17)
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I'm a Robinson-Anton and Mettler user....(either rayon OR poly) Rayon is shinier. You can use the embroidery thread in your bobbins or buy/make your own white or black ones( depending on what you're doing). I'm a big fan of YLI bobbin thread (if I can't get Robinson-Anton in prewound). Machine embroidery is one of the most expensive hobbies around, but it's so addicting you just HAVE to do it. I'd stay away from Coats&Clarks thread. Too much shredding and lint (makes for a machine repair problem) Lint your machine out often. Change needles after about 4 designs or so. (depends on how dense they are...if your thread is shredding it's an indication that you need a new needle) Always use GOOD quality products and you won't have problems....and make sure you service your machine on a regular basis. (at least once a year for moderate use, twice for heavy use) Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: paroper
Date: 06-16-2005, 11:18 AM (8 of 17)
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The rayon threads are known for the sheen. They are lovely when sewn. However, they can melt if ironed at too hot a temp and they often will bleach if put into laundry with bleach. I like poly. Many poly threads now have a pretty nice sheen (perhaps not quite the level of rayon). They do not normally react to bleach. They also have a higher (of course) melting point. One of the reasons I like poly is because I normally purchase more items that are poly than rayon and I like having thread that is basically the same as the garment (comes from so many years of sewing). Many people love the Madiera thread chests that are purchased from Joann.com. I think that thread is rayon. I have almost a full assortment of Isacord (lack 7 colors now) but I still find that chest dificult to resist. The problem is that it is not that difficult to spend more money on the accessories and thread than your machine. I think that was my biggest surprise in this whole adventure. I started out with a spool of red, blue, black, green and yellow and figured that I could embroider almost anything I wanted. (It also amazes me that I have more shades of brown and yellow than any other colors.) I didn't realize how much art and shading is involved. When it comes to buying thread, if you don't buy a bulk lot like with the thread chests, I would recommend buying for a particular project from the beginning. Then you know that you have enough colors to do your project without wasting your money on colors that just don't work or you may not need. If you continue to add that way, you'll have a method to your purchases and not have to spend money until you need to use additional colors. I also am a strong believer in finding a thread you like and can afford and staying with it. The reason is that you don't duplicate your thread colors as much and they are easier to match to your design, and there is no change in texture in your design from one color to the next. If you use thread charts to match your colors, they can all be taken from the same chart of numbers without conversion. Many people do mix poly and rayon threads and they mix brands. I just think that it is cheaper to stay with one type of thread (just my 2 cents.) You will probably LOVE the software. The thing that will determine if you need the box or the software FIRST is whether you can download directly from your computer to your machine. Many machines require that the download to the machine be from a card, not by cable. If you machine is one of these (and it well may be), you'll need the box to get the designs into your machine. You can store designs in the computer from different sources and I think that Ped should convert to your format (PES I THINK?)..(you'll need to double check that)...... and then allow you to download some place, but unless you can cable to your machine, again, you'll need to download through the box and into the machine. By the way, when you download, you do not move your designs from your computer, you just copy them temporarily (until YOU remove them) to a card which you use and reuse. Unless you are doing a huge project, one card is plenty. Have fun! Welcome to the new addiction and to the boards! pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: chris b
Date: 06-16-2005, 07:59 PM (9 of 17)
I hate to disagree but poly(ester) thread will melt at a much lower temperature than rayon will.It's a plastic fiber,rayon isn't.True you can't use bleach on it but who uses bleach on their clothes? 
Pfaff 2170,Pfaff 7570,Elna 945
Singer 301A,Singer Redeye,Singer 15 HC Simplicity 2/3/4 Pfaff Creative 3-D digitizing,3-D Fabric Decorator Pfaff PCDMac2.2 StitchBunnyPro,FlutterWhumper Embird,Studio,cross stitch, EQ5....and adding all the time! |
User: chris b
Member since: 01-10-2001 Total posts: 109 |
From: paroper
Date: 06-16-2005, 08:40 PM (10 of 17)
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I did not check the specific properties of these two items but I knew that rayon and silk (both natural fibers) are always on the iron as a cooler temp than poly. Here are are couple summations about temps of the two products. The sites listed had some interesting comments about both fibers. Although I know there are bound to be sites that compare them side by side, I was without more research, unable to come up with any. Rayon is made of cellulose (plants) it does not melt but it does loose it's strength above 149 degrees C and it decomposes at temps of 177-204 degrees. It also degrades in sunlight. http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Cellulose/Rayon-Fiber.htm Polyester is an oil product. The ironing temp of Polyester is 150-200 degrees c and it melts some place between 249 and 288. It is mildew resistant. Note: Years ago I did a demonstration on polyester in a college home ec class. It does not flash or burn. It melts, shrinks and becomes incredibly hot, retaining its heat; it will absolutely burn itself into whatever it can...including flesh. If you are ever in a fire in a polyester garment...get RID of it. You won't want them removing that from your body! http://www.swicofil.com/pes.html#Properties I don't bleach clothing unless I am out of my mind and unable to get out serious stains on white, but I do sometimes use light bleach on towels which I do embroider. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: chris b
Date: 06-17-2005, 11:44 AM (11 of 17)
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Are they comparing thread or fabric on these sites.It looks like fabric to me? I used to work in a pro embroidery shop and they used steam presses set on cotton to do the final ironing on rayon embroideries.We once got a poly shipment of thread by accident.You should've seen the mess on those presses when the poly thread melted.I was going by personal experince.Normally you iron by the temp the fabric takes not the thread.You always want to steam the back of an embroidery and to get stream you need to use a higher temp than a rayon setting.Atleast this is what I was taught to do.
Pfaff 2170,Pfaff 7570,Elna 945
Singer 301A,Singer Redeye,Singer 15 HC Simplicity 2/3/4 Pfaff Creative 3-D digitizing,3-D Fabric Decorator Pfaff PCDMac2.2 StitchBunnyPro,FlutterWhumper Embird,Studio,cross stitch, EQ5....and adding all the time! |
User: chris b
Member since: 01-10-2001 Total posts: 109 |
From: paroper
Date: 06-17-2005, 12:03 PM (12 of 17)
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I'm sure that it did. That stuff is NASTY when it melts and it would just be in blobs! That would be a terrible shock and a terrible mess. What did you do if/when that happened? I guess that meant shutting down everything to clean and throwing out the product or were you able to salvage it? If it was salvagable, how was it repaired? According to the information in the site, I wouldn't expect the rayon to do anything at the time of ironing. I was under the impression that it would degrade over time and not hold up as well because of fiber damage. Cotton and linen can withstand much hotter temps that almost clothing fiber. The properties of the fiber do not essentially change whether they are just thread or if they are fabric. Thread is usually just a different processing of the fibers. However, for the sake of home embroidery, most of the thread choices become personal preference anyway. Few people ever even iron clothing and overall fabric care has changed considerably over the last several years. I love the twist look to the good rayon thread giving it that special sheen that is different from the polys. The polys are getting better, but unless they can duplicate that look, they'll never have that extra little "spark". I also think that the rayons seem to have a little more dimension when they are stitched out. However, I use poly and I've never had a problem with it shreading or splitting on me. If you choose a good poly or a good rayon thread, I don't think you'll have any problems. I use Isacord poly and Yenmet metalics. I have heard absolutely nothing but good about the RA threads and the Madiera and I don't think I would hesitate to purchase either and I am sure that there are other major brands out there that are equally good. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: chris b
Date: 06-18-2005, 11:01 AM (13 of 17)
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The presses had to be shut down,cooled and then cleaned(glad that wasn't my job!) and the shirts were pitched.None of the embroidery operators seemed to notice that the cones were different but as soon as the first ones hit the presses they knew something was up.Luckily the production was only a few hours,so not a major loss.The ones that hadn't been pressed yet went to the seconds store.This was a very large embroidery/sewing factory that is still here.It is alot smaller than it used to be in the mid 90's.Before NAFTA they did Disney and all of the major sports contracts.Great place to work if you wanted to learn!I got my first embroidery machine in 1998 about a year+ after working there.I think they still do all of the Longaberger basket liners.I live between where Roseville pottery was and Longaberger baskets is literally,one is at one end of the county and vice versa. I have t-shirts that have been done this way and are years old.The fabric of the shirt is in worse condition than the embroidery is.I might just have to snip off the embroideries eventually and make a t-shirt quilt out of them since I'd hate to throw it away because the shirts are beyond wearing. If you ever get a chance to use Marathon thread,I highly recomend it!They have both poly and rayon and both are very good and very reasonably priced!I have all 377 colors of rayon and a small collection of poly.The normal price is $1.95 for 1100 yrds of rayon and $1.75 for 1100yrs of poly.I like it equally as well as Maderia and RA and alot better than Sulky. Pfaff 2170,Pfaff 7570,Elna 945
Singer 301A,Singer Redeye,Singer 15 HC Simplicity 2/3/4 Pfaff Creative 3-D digitizing,3-D Fabric Decorator Pfaff PCDMac2.2 StitchBunnyPro,FlutterWhumper Embird,Studio,cross stitch, EQ5....and adding all the time! |
User: chris b
Member since: 01-10-2001 Total posts: 109 |
From: allie-oops
Date: 06-18-2005, 01:16 PM (14 of 17)
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I agree about Marathon thread - it's all I use now. I also order needles from them, 100 at a time at about $10. They not only have the best prices, they're SO helpful - my first order, I couldn't find my way around their website, so I called in my order and I don't think I've ever had anyone help me out so much. There are two sites, one for US and one for Canada. The US one is http://www.marathonusa.com/ Allie "onward through the fog"
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User: allie-oops
Member since: 10-25-2002 Total posts: 282 
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From: natred2
Date: 06-18-2005, 05:32 PM (15 of 17)
Nobody ever told me when I bought my machine that the machine itself is just the down payment on the hobby.... I bought an entire set of thread...with a rack to hang on the wall, it was a good deal, but I cannot remember where the heck it was from. I do not have every color in the world ( obviously) but I have no complaints about the quality and can so far, just about match my colors to any design I have done ( with very few exceptions). This was proabably the most expensive hobby I have ever undertaken. 
Don't be so open minded your brains fall out.
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User: natred2
Member since: 04-09-2005 Total posts: 81 
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From: paroper
Date: 06-18-2005, 06:05 PM (16 of 17)
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I don't keep my thread out, I keep it closed up in thread boxes and in a storage cabinet with glass fronts, it is so pretty I love seeing it). That keeps the threads from dust and sunlight and helps protect the thread. Figuring out how to store the thread is a big thing and a lot of people do keep it on the wall. I have a COOL TIP for you: purchase a folding thread rack next time you see it on sale for ten dollars or less. When I got to stitch a design, I always have lined my thread up in order of useage. It helps esp. if you are substituting a color because you know which color will be next. If I have a place where I reuse a color in the pattern, I leave a space so I don't inadvertantly pick up the wrong color. I purchased a folding thread rack and I now line the threads up there. It is really nice because I don't have to have the threads near the machine when I pull them, I just place them on the rack and I can move them easily anywhere and if I am using the same design again, my threads are still in order and can be moved around the room for a later date. I store my threads in number order so when I go to put the threads up, I start at the botttom of the rack and put them in number order to return them to storage. It works out really well. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: chris b
Date: 06-18-2005, 07:16 PM (17 of 17)
Boy if that isn't the truth!The cost of the machine compared to all of the necessary things plus all of the goodies that make things easier,I don't even want to think of what I've spent!  Truth be told it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have a rider put onto the insurance to cover all of that stuff.... but that would mean I'd have to admit to Dh just what this has cost and I think I might be better off just taking my chances!
Pfaff 2170,Pfaff 7570,Elna 945
Singer 301A,Singer Redeye,Singer 15 HC Simplicity 2/3/4 Pfaff Creative 3-D digitizing,3-D Fabric Decorator Pfaff PCDMac2.2 StitchBunnyPro,FlutterWhumper Embird,Studio,cross stitch, EQ5....and adding all the time! |
User: chris b
Member since: 01-10-2001 Total posts: 109 |
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