Sewing utilities and links
Last update: 2-28-02
Table of contents
Note: These are all Windows programs.
If you have
links to add to this page, email me and tell me under which section the link should go.
Be sure to include the whole web page address so other people can find your site.
I have listed many of the web page addresses so you can see it when you print this
page.
Sewing file conversion and file editing
Sewing file print and display
- Magic view -
view and print various types of sewing files (PES, PCS, etc). Requires
Windows. FREE.
- PCD-CAT
- view and print images. Requires Windows.. Some colors didn't print at
all on my HP 560c color printer: silver, shades of gray, shades of
beige. Some colors printed differently. This is possibly because I was
using win 95, and a win 3.1 printer driver. HP does not make a win 95
driver for the HP 560c. It did print fine on the author's HP 890
printer. Direct download
here. FREE
- Stitch
Preview - print and display catalogs of images. For windows 3.1 or
95. $30.
- Avvio95 -
view 1-4 PCD designs at a time, print 1 at a time. Removes unneeded
stitches, more features. For description, see http://www.
sewdesigns.com/derosia/download.htm.
- StitchEditor - by
QDT. $899.
Graphics conversion
Wholesale tshirts, sweatshirts, supplies, etc
Typically Black and White thread is a little cheaper than the colors.
- ARC-1 embroidery - thread,
adhesive, backing, alphabets. Could not find any prices.
http://www.sni.net/arcweb/
- Baglady - needles (10/$1.50 US or 100/$15.00 US), dissolving
laundry bags to be used as stabilizer.
/Heartland/Ranch/3636/BagLady.html
- Bagworks - has bags, aprons,
pillow covers, vests, etc.
http://www.bagworks.com
- Broder Bros. - large selection
of standard tshirts, sweatshirts, fancy fleece, towels, aprons, bags,
more.
http://204.162.146.83
- Embroidery
Warehouse - Thread, hoops, stabilizer, more. Ex: Tanne 30 wt, 714
yards, color, $2.00. Sticku 30 wt, 714 yard, $1.95.
http://www.eswarehouse.com/esw_cat!.html
- Softwear
productions - thread, hoops, books, stabilizers, designs, notions,
needles, more. Ex: thread, 30 wt Mettler, $1.60 219 yards. Madeira 30
wt, $1.85, 220 yards. LOTS of colors.
http://www.softwearproductions.com
- Staton Wholesale -
pretty good deals on all kinds of sewable stuff like tshirts, bags,
aprons, hats, sweatshirts, and more.
http://www.statonwholesale.com
- Sunwest embroidery -
thread, backing, bobbins, needles, hoops, more. Ex: Madeira thread only,
40 wt, 1100 yards, b/w $1.95, colors $2.15.
http://www.sunwestemb.com
- Tshirts and more - T's,
sweatshirts, athletic jackets, more.
http://www.tshirtsandmore.com
- General Label - they make
personalized labels to sew into your creations. Like "Made by Ann
Smith".
Good deals on thread, accessories
The higher the number (or weight) the thinner the thread. Thicker thread
fills in areas better and breaks less. Polyester thread also breaks less
than cotton. Some people have mentioned that if Gutterman thread was
made in Mexico, it was of a lower quality and could cause bunching up of
thread near the bobbin. Get the Gutterman made in Germany or use Madeira
brand thread for the bobbin.
- Softwear
productions - thread, hoops, books, stabilizers, designs, notions,
needles, more. Ex: thread, 30 wt Mettler, $1.60 219 yards. Madeira 30
wt, $1.85, 220 yards. LOTS of colors. Thread brands: Sulky, Madiera, Coats and Clark,
Mettler, Ultrasheen, Finishing Touch, PrizmLights, Megasheen, Sylko, YLI.
- Sunwest embroidery -
thread, backing, bobbins, needles, hoops, more. Ex: Madeira thread only,
1100 yards, b/w $1.95, colors $2.15. Thread brands: Madeira only.
- Embroidery
Warehouse - Thread, hoops, stabilizer, more. Ex: Tanne 30 wt, 714
yards, color, $2.00. Sticku 30 wt, 714 yard, $1.95. Software. Thread brands: Madiera, Burmalina,
Viscona, Lurana, Acrylana, Tanne, Sticku, Ombre, Toledo, Metalfil, FS Metallic,
Supertwist.
- Madiera thread - email at madeirausa@aol.com
Price comparisons, thread, backing
Backing is also called stabilizer.
The higher the number (or weight) the thinner the thread. Thicker
thread (like 30 wt) fills in areas better and breaks less. Polyester
thread also breaks less than cotton. Typically, black or white thread is
cheaper than the color thread.
| Thread, poly, 30 wt, color | Backing, tearaway
| | Softwear productions
| $1.85 220 yards
(.0084/yd)
| Pellon Stich'n'tear, 22" x 1 yd, $.85
($1.39/sq yd). |
|
|
| Armo Tearaway, 22" x 1 yd, $1.05
($1.72/sq yd) |
| Sunwest Embroidery
| $2.15 1100 yards
(.0020/yd)
| 23" x 25 yd, heavy 1.5 oz, $10.00
($.40/sq yd) |
|
| $9.20 5500 yds, Madeira 40wt rayon B&W
($.0017/yd)
| |
| Embroidery Warehouse | $1.95 714 yards
($.0027/yd)
| 22.5" x 125 yd, white, heavy 1.8 oz, $42.00
($.54/sq. yd) |
|
| Sticku 30wt, 5500 yds, $13.35
($.0024/yd)
| 24" x 50 yd roll, med., $58.25
(.58/sq. yd) |
|
|
| |
| | | |
Free Designs
| num designs
| | DeRosia's designs | 400+, no previews online, some previews in separate MS Word files.
|
| Ann the Gran | about 200+, with previews. 2 crosses. |
| Sewstuff | 5 |
| Ann's page | 13. Religious designs, wolf head, cross with flowers, more. |
| Cactus punch | 4 |
| Patty Porter | 2 |
| Dakota collectibles | 3 |
| Jazzerstitches | about 100, HUS format, previews, food designs! Great snowflakes |
| Catherine's designs | 8. These are such high quality I had to put them here. For PC and Mac. |
| Phyllis' Phreebies | 42 free designs, children oriented (dolls, teddybears), PES, HUS, PCS formats. |
| Free design links |
|
| POEM design exchange | Unknown formats. Collections by picture type. Present design collections: flags, fruits and vegetables, zoo animals, holiday designs (mostly Christmas and Halloween), animal alphabet, 12 days of xmas, snowflakes, Valentine's Day, Greek alphabet. Coming soon: spring, large hoop designs, flowers and herbs, funny faces. |
| Tim and Jane's | 50 US states and some other countries, misc free designs. |
| Sea DX | 100+ designs. Many sea designs, animals, fish, mermaids, boats, lighthouses, shells. |
| DeeGee's goodies | 16 "cutesy" animals. Seal, beaver, duck, zebra, raccon, octopus, rabbit, kangaroo, bear, camel, puppy, squirrel, leopard, pelican, elephant. |
| Henry's files | Xmas, animals, mythological designs, camelot, food, snowmen, ornaments. NOTE: in Janome .sew format. |
| Stock Design | About 150+ designs. Including ethnic, open shapes (under Forms). Global directory for embroidery operators. DST format. Not free anymore. |
| Flying Needle | 3 |
| Mary Sue, Allegan, MI | Cowboy boots, horseshoe, bull, and Michigan state bird (dragonfly), and a few more freebies. |
| | | |
| | |
Alphabets
Anyone know of a greek alphabet for college fraternities and sororities?
| Description
| | FREE Victor Brocolli's cartoon alphabet | Each letter is a cartoon character. Very good. There is a preview of the alphabet on this page. For Brother, Pfaff, Viking, Tajima, Dos expanded. 3 sizes of each letter. |
| FREE Nancy's fancy alphabet |
| FREE Carol's alphabet |
| FREE Old english | Like calligraphy. |
| FREE Dotted | For 7570 Pfaffs. |
| FREE Min's small alphabet. |
| Glynda Black's Block Alphabet | $15 |
| FREE Suzy's Designs | About 10 fonts/alphabets. |
| FREE Applique alphabet | Use this to make appliques. |
| Animal alphabet | $312 for all 26 letters, or buy letters for $15 each. |
| OESD | Block, fancy, monogram, Greek capitals, more. $125-175. Only a few free designs. |
| FREE POEM Greek alphabet | FREE |
| Patti Porter | 3 font collections for sale. |
| Carol Price | For sale: outlined Greek alphabet, marine signal flags, 2 monograms. Some free designs. |
| FREE Cat alphabet | Well done. Also some panda bears. |
| FREE Celtic alphabet | Caps only. |
| | |
| | |
College clip art and designs
Discussion groups
- Bernina
forums - from Bernina web site. Web-based forums for: 1630, arts and
crafts, Deco, quilting, serger, more. Ask your questions and people will
help you.
- Quiltropolis
forums - many forums on specific machines, and the sewing business
in general. These are actually email lists, you will get the messages
via email.
- Down Home discussion on
embroidery
- Sewing World - discussion
group. You need to register with them first (just name and password).
- BBD (Brother-Babylock-Deco) list - Here's how to subscribe to the
BBD digest.....
mail to:majordomo@listserv.
embroideryclubs.com
subject: Subscribe
In the message area type:
subscribe bbd.embroidery-digest FirstName LastName
putting in your first and last names.
More info
- The Embroidery FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is a great place,
one-stop shopping for answers to all your questions. It is at http://www.annthegran.
com/frasques.html. It has links to free designs, wholesale clothes,
wholesale thread, utilities, hints and tips, and more.
- Recalls
from CPSC - listings of all recalls (including clothing) since June
1996. Recalls are also categorized by topic, including one for
"Clothing". A search engine is also handy.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html
- Winzip - use to get your sewing
files out of those compressed ZIP files. http://www.winzip.com
- Pkware - has PKZip for DOS and
windows. http://www.pkware.com
- Scanner
survey - someone did a survey on which scanners people use, their
likes and dislikes. Read this before buying a scanner.
http://www.sewdesigns.com/derosia/scanner.htm
- Sewing
business forms - this is just a job agreement.
http://www.tiac.net/users/fancyth/bizforms.htm
- Embroidery
Directory - lists suppliers of textiles, machines, by state. Search
for name. http://www2.digifax.com/digifax/list.html
Embroidery pricing
Some people had asked about how to price embroidery jobs. Here are some suggestions.
Remember to adjust your price up, say if you live in a city where people have more money, or down, for example, if you live in a rural area.
- Charge by the size of the design. Say a small design for $5, larger for $10, or $15 if it has lots of colors or uses lots of thread.
- Charge by the letter, like $1 per letter.
- Charge a base "setup" fee plus $.50 per 1000 stitches. Like $2-3 plus $.50/1000 stitches. Most embroidery software tells you how many stitches there are in a design. Round up to the next 1000 stitches.
- Charge 10-20% less than a store would for a similar item which is also embroidered. For example, if a specialty store sells a throw blanket with embroidered corners for $39, and you can find a similar blanket for $10, charge $32.
Solving thread jams
You will probably find your machine jams, making a 'nest' of thread on
the underside of your design. Here are some hints for the Deco 600 (note
the Deco 500 uses DIFFERENT bobbin thread, the bobbin tension was
calibrated this way).
- Bobbin thread. Make sure you are using a good quality
polyester bobbin thread. Use a 40 wt, I wouldn't use a higher number,
which is a thinner thread. Most people use Sulky poly thread.
- Stabilizer. Make sure you are using enough stabilizer on the
back. When embroidering thin material, sometimes you have to use 2 or
even 3 layers of stabilizer. If you make a mistake, and you have to pull
some threads out, often the stabilizer will be cut away. You will need
to add more stabilizer in this 'bare' area in order to continue
embroidering.
- Sharp needle. Make sure your needle is sharp. After about 10
hours of embroidering (or about 8-10 medium 3" x 3" designs), the needle
has a tendency to get dull. This is a good time to change the needle.
This can also cause thread 'nesting' on the back, jam ups, and can even
bend your needle.
- Straight needle. Make sure your needle is straight. Thread
nests can bend a needle, then it won't work no matter what the tension
is!
- Thread type Use only polyester or rayon thread on the top.
Use a 30 (thicker) or 40 wt. Cotton thread is not strong enough to use
in embroidery machines.
- Metallic thread. Metallic thread should be put on that
plastic dowel and a net (comes with machine) should be placed over the
thread.
- Threading bobbin. When threading the bobbin, make sure the
thread comes from the top, then goes to the left of the bobbin in the
bobbin case. Then it should go up and left to the cutter.
- Dirty bobbin area Use a small brush to brush out the bobbin
area, or use a vacuum to clean it out. Small dust particles from thread
can make the machine jam.
Notes about bobbins:
Subject: Bobbin Warning
From: Martie <sewsmartie@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 98 10:02:14 -0800
Just finished the Artista Training. Question asked the Swiss Techs was
specifically about bobbins...... tho't you would all like to know what
they have found and RECOMMEND.......
Deco 500......metal Bernina 1000 or 1630
Deco 600......Plastic Only
Artista.......Metal 1630
With ANY OF THE ABOVE....... NO prewound of ANY TYPE! Cardboard-type
leaves disintigrating particles in the bobbin area and can lodge beneath
areas that cannot be cleaned by you, resulting over a period of time in
expensive damage to the bobbin mechanism. Other prewounds have sizing
(for lack of a better word) that holds them together. These particles are
minute to your eyes, but damaging as well.
I know you all take pride in the care of your embroidery machines and
I wanted to share this information with you from those who care for and
repair these machines.
Martie in So.CA <sewsmartie@earthlink.net> see http://www.quiltropolis.com
Machine manufacturers
Free home page provided by Geocities