Showing posts with label computer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label computer. Show all posts

7" x 5" Hoop for NV4000D Review

7' x 5' Hoop for NV4000DVery good price for this item.Great size for machine embroidery.A "must have" for me.

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Product Description:
Pacesetter Large Hoop for NV4000D

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Brother PE700 Embroidery Machine Review

Brother PE700 Embroidery MachineSo far I haven't seen much this machine can't stitch thru!I monogram on key Fobs, diaper bags, clothes, burp clothes, overalls, hats, etc!You name it you it works!It has great features like the autothreader, drop in bobbin, warning when the bobbin is running out, I love the outline feature that will show you in the field exactly where the design will go!I love the several hoop sizes!I have the small, large and extra large and love them all!All in all I would highly recommend this machine to anyone!

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Product Description:
Add The Perfect Embroidery Machine To Any Sewing Room With the Brother PE-700 embroidery-only machine you can create high quality embroidery designs quickly and easily. Now you can embellish everything from home décor to T-shirts with one of 136 built-in embroidery patterns which include delicate scrollwork, intricate florals, classic quilt patterns and so much more. Create beautiful embroidery with the new PE-700. Built with the same attention to detail as the entire Brother line, the PE-700 embroidery-only machine is the perfect addition to your sewing room. Specifications Embroidery Pattern Monogramming Fonts: 6 Decorative Patterns: 136 Media Recognition: Memory card Needle/Thread Feature Needle Threading System: Advanced Upper Thread Tension System for perfect stitches on any fabric: Automatic # of needles: 1 Bobbin: Horizontal, drop-in Thread Sensors: Top and bottom threads Thread Cutter Button: Yes Bobbin winding system: FAST system Machine Features Presser Foot Attachment: Screw-on, Embroidery foot LCD Touch Control Panel: Monochrome, back-lit, 1.6"x3" Maximum Embroidery Field: 5" x 7" Screen/Software On-Screen Editing: Yes Display Control Panel: 4.7" x 2.5", LCD, touch, black and white Compatible with PE-Design/PED Basic: Yes Design Memory: Yes Also Carrying Case:Dust Cover Machine Dimensions:13.63" x 10.7" x 10.8" Machine Weight:28 lbs. Features Automatic needle threading system Thread cutter button Monochrome back- lit touch-screen control panel, 1.6"x 3.5" On-screen editing features include layout, pattern rotation in 1 degree increments, mirror imaging and scaling 2 Bright LED worklights Upper and lower bobbin sensing system Quick-Set™ bobbin Advanced on-screen help menus Built-in embroidery designs include 6 monogramming fonts, 10 frame shapes, 12 borders and 136 decorative patterns. Built-in memory card slot accommodates Brother embroidery memory cards (excluding Disney). Compatible with embroidery cards bas

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Brother PE700II Embroidery Machine with USB Port Review

Brother PE700II Embroidery Machine with USB PortBrother PE-700II Embroidery Machine / B0013J8F9U

In this video review of the Brother Embroidery Machine PE-700II, I want to show you just a few of the basic things you can do with this machine, right out of the box. This is my first embroidery machine, though I've been sewing for a few years now on a Brother XL2600I, and the fact that I'm able to showcase the basics of this machine when I only received it in the mail yesterday is a testament to how easy this machine is to use. In this video review, I'm going to briefly show how to load a bobbin, how to load the material, how to transfer a pattern from a computer to the embroidery machine, and how to load and change the color spool. I'll also show some projects I finished yesterday, and talk about some potential pitfalls to avoid. (I'd like to show more, but the video time limit is fairly short!)

The Brother PE-700II is a single-use embroidery machine, NOT a dual-use embroidery/sewing machine. The reason I bought a single-use embroidery machine is because it makes sense to me to invest in a separate machine just for sewing, and that way your expensive embroidery machine sustains less wear and tear and lives longer. I've posted a picture of the PE-700II and all the included paperwork and accessories out of the box. The paperwork includes a detailed manual in English, the same manual in Spanish, a "pictures-only" manual for quick reference, and a manual for the USB functionality of the machine. The manuals are very detailed and extremely helpful - if you'd like to see them for yourself, I think they are currently available on the Brother website. The standard accessories are included - white thread, empty bobbins, seam ripper, scissors, maintenance parts, a 5x7 inch embroidery hoop and guide, and a nifty plastic machine cover.

For the video, I've selected a quick and simple two-color pattern that I downloaded for free online so that I could show off the USB functionality of this machine. The machine itself comes with quite a few pre-programmed patterns, including the English alphabet in 6 different fonts, but if you're anything like me, you're far more interested in the ability to download millions of free patterns online. Indeed, the selling point for the PE-700II for me was the standardized USB connectivity. I was wary of machines that require special card readers and special programs in order to work - I don't like buying peripherals (what if they break? what if I can't buy a replacement?) and I hate learning new software. The PE-700II, on the other hand, has a standard USB interface which means that you treat the machine as a removable device, as though it were a really big USB thumb drive. The drag-and-drop ability means that I don't have to learn a new software in order to use my machine and, best of all, the USB connectivity is operating system independent - meaning that the PE-700II talks equally well to my Windows XP desktop and my Windows Vista laptop. You can save the patterns from the computer to the machine's internal memory, or you can just hook up a laptop next to the machine, use the pattern, and then delete it from the machine memory right then and there. I cannot rave enough about this feature - I've already downloaded and tested dozens of online free patterns and everything has worked perfectly. The one thing to be aware of, as I note in the video, is that the machine isn't terribly good at sensing which colors are meant to be loaded. You just have to ignore the color prompting and watch the pattern about to be embroidered and feed in that color directly - or follow the numbered instructions that come with the online patterns. You can reprogram the pattern, once it's stored in machine memory, to have the correct colors, but I never felt it was worth the trouble. (UPDATE: I've since loaded these free patterns into a separate program in order to print 'actual sized' templates of the patterns, and the same "wrong" colors are loaded into the program, leading me to believe that this isn't a flaw in this embroidery machine, but rather in the source program. Interestingly, the "non-free" patterns tend to have correct color charts, so I suspect that the free ones just weren't polished fully before release. Again, just pay attention to the pattern on the LCD screen and you should be just fine.) A quick mention of formats - this machine accepts .pes and .dst formats, which I've already found an abundance of. (UPDATE: And there are several free conversion programs out there that I've found that will convert patterns to .pes and .dst format.)

Loading the Bobbin: If you've used a Brother machine before, this is easy as pie, but even if not, it's a quick learning curve. For embroidery, I just use the white thread on the bobbin for everything. I didn't have video time to show how to wind the bobbin, but it's pretty easy to follow the user manual for this, and there's also cheap bobbin winding machines like this one SideWinder Portable Bobbin Winder if you want to be really spoiled rotten. Be certain to wind the bobbin carefully - as in sewing, a tangled bobbin will cause your pattern to muck up and will bring the bobbin color on top of the pattern by accident.

Loading the Material: The machine comes with a 5x7 hoop, but it also accommodates the other Brother embroidery hoop sizes. Ideally, you want to use the smallest hoop that will work with your pattern, so as to avoid wasting material and stabilizer, but in the video I use the included hoop. The machine doesn't come with any stabilizer, so be sure to have some on hand so that you can get started as soon as your package arrives. You can buy stabilizer anywhere you buy fabric, and it's usually about half as expensive as the cheaper fabrics. The stabilizer does what it sounds - it provides stability for the fabric whilst your machine is rapidly punching hundreds of holes into it. In the video, I'm using a medium weight stabilizer.

Loading the Hoop: I can't rave enough about how easy it is to use the embroidery hoop. I've been cross stitching for years, and opening and loading the hoop feels like second nature. Just unscrew until loose, drop the fabric into place, pop the inner hoop in, tug the fabric taut, and screw to tighten. The 'snap in place' feature for inserting the hoop into place on the machine guide deserves a quick mention - although the hoop DOES snap-in-place, the snap action is subtle, so don't go crazy trying to force a loud crack from the machine because you won't get one. Basically, the "snap" is a half-feeling, half-sound that you half-sense. And while that may sound confusing and intimidating, I can assure you that I was completely comfortable with the process after my first three or four loads.

Loading the Spool: Loading the spool is so incredibly easy with the automatic threading feature. If you've ever loaded a sewing machine before, you will have no trouble with this; if you haven't, I'm guessing you'll have it down perfectly in less than five minutes. I'm going to miss the auto-threading when I go back to regular sewing on my other Brother machine.

Pausing the Pattern: Once the pattern starts, you can pause the process at any time for any reason. Need to trim the thread tail because it's sticking up out of the pattern instead of sticking out the back? Press the Start/Stop button to pause the program and trim away. Need to check the bobbin because you think it's getting low? Pause the program, lift the foot lever, cut the current thread, pull out the hoop, and check the bobbin level. You can replace the bobbin, if necessary, then pop the hoop back into place, lower the foot, and continue and the machine won't miss a single beat.

I cannot rave enough about this machine. It's easy to learn, easy to use, it practically does everything except wipe my nose for me, it has cheerfully used every downloaded pattern and every type of thread I've fed into it, and the LCD screen is actually surprisingly easy to navigate, considering the natural limitations of a computer stuffed into an embroidery machine. The ONLY issues I have had with it so far was one time when the white bobbin thread leaked through the pattern onto the top (I had wound the bobbin too sloppily and the bobbin thread was tangled) and another time when I ran out of bobbin thread and wasn't paying attention in time to switch out the bobbin and the resulting pattern was incomplete - and you'll notice that both of those "problems" were human error on my part. I hope my video and pictures will be useful to others and I had a very fun time putting them together.

UPDATE (08/23/09): Still as happy as can be with my embroidery machine. I've gone back through the user manual more thoroughly this time and found that not only can it automatically stop when the bobbin or spool is running low, it's also very easy to go to a specific portion of a pattern - you can even move the pattern stich-by-stitch until you get to *exactly* where you want to start, or re-start as the case may be.

Another neat thing I've learned is that the little boxes in the upper left hand corner of the machine represent the three Brother hoop sizes most commonly used with this machine - and when a box is "grayed out", that indicates the pattern is too big for that hoop size. Very neat! I definitely recommend picking up the other, smaller hoop size (Brother SA443 Medium Embroidery Hoop 100mm x 100mm) for embroidery monograms and names on clothing and sheets - the smaller hoop is much more manageable, in my opinion.

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Product Description:
Embellish everything from home decor to clothing and handbags with this computerized embroidery machine. The unit features six built-in lettering fonts and 136 built-in decorative patterns that include delicate scrollwork, intricate florals, classic quilt patterns, and more. In addition to the patterns already programmed into the machine, an endless variety of embroidery designs can be pulled from the Internet--simply connect the machine to a computer using the USB port for easy transfers. It's also compatible with the entire Brother memory-card library (excluding Disney memory cards).
Incredibly user-friendly, the embroidery machine provides an LCD back-lit touch-screen control panel, on-screen editing, a fast bobbin-winding system, advanced needle-threading, top and bottom thread sensors, and an automatic upper-thread tension system for perfect stitches on any fabric, as well as a 5-by-7-inch embroidery area and a thread-cutter button. The unit also supplies a full array of accessories including an embroidery foot, a seam ripper, bobbins, a needle set, a cleaning brush, screw drivers, spool caps, a spool net, scissors, and an accessory bag, plus a dust cover, an operation manual, and a USB cable and reference guide. The versatile embroidery machine measures 13-5/8 by 10-2/3 by 10-4/5 inches and carries a 25-year limited warranty.

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Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery and Sewing Machine Review

Brother SE400 Computerized Embroidery and Sewing MachineI agree with the rave reviews for the se-350 now se-400.... for sewing, it's a dream of an upgrade from my battered but still working brother xr-40 bought from costco @ 10-ish years ago.
for embroidery it's limited as the max hoop size is not very large,and an extra purchase, but fun to play with. I give it 4 stars... it's a great intermediate sewing and beginner embroidery machine.

i purchased this machine (shipped promptly from J&R via Amazon) last month after a lot of research. what i found was.... the brother se-350 was pretty much identical to the brother project runway 7700 machine. the 7700 was recently updated to the 7800, adding 1 usb port, as was the se 350 upgraded w/ usb port. the project runway machines come w/ a roller case, the se models ship w/ vinyl case. se-400 is 100 bucks cheaper than the PR 7800. the se 350 is still shipping for smae price as se-400. i advise purchasing the se 400 even if you don't plan on using it w/ your computer currently as brother will be offering system upgrades you will need usb port for.

most software for embroidery sewing/embroidery machines is not Mac compatible so i assumed the usb port would be useless for a while.. Wrong!

connect the se 400 via included usb cable to your mac, it'll show up as an external hard drive, mine was named unknown, i do not advise changing this. then add pes files from your computer by dropping them on the sewing machine/external drive. do not add folders of designs on machine, they must be added one at a time to be recognized.
and have fun!



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Product Description:
The computerized SE-400 combination embroidery and sewing machine is designed to help you give your projects a customized, high-end look -- all while being priced to fit your budget. Featuring 70 built-in embroidery designs, 67 built-in sewing stitches, 120 frame pattern combinations and 5 embroidery lettering fonts, the SE-400 is the perfect machine for all your sewing, embroidery, crafting and home decor projects. Computer connectivity allows you to enjoy future machine updates and easily import and digitize embroidery designs directly from your computer. Features like the automatic needle threading system and backlit touch screen LCD make working on the machine easy on your eyes, while the Quick-SetTM drop-in top bobbin, easy bobbin-winding system and built-in push-button thread cutter add a new level of convenience to your sewing and embroidery crafting. With an impressive assortment of included accessories, the SE-400 is truly an affordable, feature-rich choice for the budding fashion designer.

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Brother SE350 Computerized Embroidery-and-Sewing Machine Review

Brother SE350 Computerized Embroidery-and-Sewing MachineI bought my Brother in April 2008 and have been sewing on it daily for at least 3 hours every day since then.I've never had ANY trouble with it.It's a MUST that you also buy the PED Basic to go with your machine so that you can download designs from the internet.I've downloaded over 8,000 free designs so far, and that's just a "drop in the bucket".You're limited to 4 x 4 designs (that's the only drawback).The machine is very light weight and has accompanied me on many trips.You don't have to have special needles or special bobbins for this machine.It's VERY user friendly!The patterns that come with the machine are very high quality, as are the Alphabets.I'd like to have more fonts on the machine, but they are so easily accessible on the internet that this really isn't an issue.I will say that 40 weight rayon thread seems to work best (and use a bobbin thread when embroidering).When I finally wear this machine out, I'll probably go with another Brother machine.

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Product Description:
Ideal for both sewing and embroidery, this easy-to-use machine provides an array of convenient features. As a computerized sewing machine, it comes with a wide array of built-in stitches, as well as a large, backlit, LCD touch screen for easy stitch selection and editing, making it possible for both novice sewers and professional designers to create fashionable projects tailored toward their unique preferences. Choose from 67 built-in stitches, 98 stitch functions, and 10 styles of one-step automatic buttonholes. As an embroidery machine, the unit offers 70 built-in embroidery designs, five monogramming fonts, and 120 frame pattern combinations. Other highlights include an automatic needle threader, an automatic push-button thread cutter, 15 needle positions, a maximum sewing speed of 710 stitches per minute, and a free arm, as well as a snap-on presser-foot attachment, a drop-feed function, auto presser-foot pressure, and a maximum embroidery field of 4 by 4 inches. A vast array of useful accessories are also included: seven feet (buttonhole, overcastting, monogramming, zipper, zigzag, blind hem, and button fitting), a seam ripper, four bobbins including clips, a needle set, a twin needle, a cleaning brush, an eyelet punch, a screwdriver, a touch pen, three spool caps, a spool pin, a spool net, and a foot controller, as well as scissors, a disc-shaped screwdriver, an embroidery hoop, an accessory case, a hard cover, and a user manual. The computerized sewing-and-embroidery machine measures approximately 18 by 8 by 12 inches and carries a 25-year limited warranty.

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