What machine embroidery supplies do I really need to get started?
The basic machine embroidery supplies needed to begin machine embroidering is a little more extensive and expensive than that of the supplies needed for hand embroidery. The main things you have to have are really expensive! Remember, most embroidery machines are also a sewing machines, so there’s a lot of basics.
Basic Machine Embroidery Supplies
Embroidery Machine
This is a must! It is THE most important of all the machine embroidery supplies!! After all, what would machine embroidery be without an embroidery machine?
Machines range anywhere from a couple hundred dollars up to thousands. Any of the machines on the lower end of the expense scale are going to be really limited in what they can do. Whether it’s the size of design they can do, or which designs they can do. The more expensive models will have lots more accessories and options.
This is also a must! I put this as the 2nd most important of the machine embroidery supplies. You can’t very well sew out something if you don’t have a few machine embroidery designs to sew out!!
You have to make sure that the designs are in the file format compatible with your machine. You can find lots of designs on the internet or they usually carry them at your local embroidery machine store.
You have to have machine embroidery hoops for your particular machine. Most machines you buy will come with one or two as a package, but there are lots of different size and types of hoops you can add to your collection. (And the expenses rise...)
You have to have some sort of embroidery software to be able to, at least, view and transfer your designs. There are lots of different types of software out there. You can do anything from view, to edit and resize, to digitize your own designs. (There is even cross stitch embroidery software so you can cross stitch with your machine!)
Computer
This is another must. You have to have a computer to be able to view and edit your machine embroidery designs. Most machines require a computer to load the designs onto them. (Everyone knows how expensive computers can be! ...and rise...)
Embroidery Thread
You have to use special embroidery thread with embroidery machines. Regular sewing thread will not give you the same look in your finished product, and it is not as strong as embroidery thread. Regular thread is also more “linty” than embroidery thread. This can cause your machine to malfunction as the lint fibers build up inside its many compartments.
(Note: The warranty on most embroidery machines will get voided if you use regular thread instead of embroidery thread in them.) I would also add bobbins and bobbin thread to the thread category. You can actually use the same embroidery thread for top and bottom stitches, but bobbin thread is a little finer, so it makes your finished design a little less bulky.
Embroidery Stabilizer
You really should have some sort of embroidery stabilizer for your projects. It’s not absolutely critical all the time, but I’m going to put it into the basics, because it is essential some of the time. This is to stabilizer your fabric and your stitching.
This is pretty important in machine embroidery. You really have to measure a lot more often to make sure you designs are placed and aligned properly.
Marking Pens/Pencil/Chalk
I’m putting these in the basic machine embroidery supplies as well. I use them almost every time I embroider a design. Especially when placement is critical. They mark your fabric so you get it placed into the hoop properly, or they mark your center starting point for your needle placement.
Scissors
A good pair of sharp fabric scissors is necessary. You will find you are cutting a lot more fabric than with ordinary hand embroidery once you start machine embroidering!
I also recommend a small, thin, very pointed and very sharp pair for clipping your jump stitches and starting and ending tails. (I would also add a set a tweezers to this. I use tweezers to help pick up the little stitches and to hold the thread while I cut it.)
Like I was saying, even just the basic embroidery machine supplies can get a little spendy!! Now let’s really turn up the volume on our all ready screaming wallets......
Extra Embroidery Machine Supplies
These are what I call “extras”. They are not necessarily essential machine embroidery supplies, but they can be important, and are definitely fun! (Mostly they are just more of the essentials.)
Embroidery Designs
I’m putting these into this category, as well, because once you start collecting, it’s really hard to stop!! In addition to standard designs, you have programed fills and stitch patterns. Throw in the sewing machine aspect of your machine and you can add all sorts of specialty stitches to your library of designs.
I’m putting this into the extras category, too. There’s so many different types of software out there. The only one you really need is one to be able to view and transfer your designs with. All other software is completely extra.
Gadgets and Accessories
I’m a gadget gal!! I do love them!! Just as in hand embroidery gadgets, there’s a ton of them available for machine embroidery, too. There’s thread spool covers, unwinders and feeders. There’s desks, and organizers galore. There’s different presser feet, attachments and accessories for your machines.
With machine embroidery, not only do you have actual embroidery gadgets and accessories, you have to figure in everything available for your machine itself! (If it were me telling my husband ... I'd tell him that these are absolutely essential embroidery machine supplies!!)
Organizers
Once again, there are organizers and organizers for your organizers! You can organize everything from your thread and bobbins to your fabric and stabilizers to your scissors and needles. There’s something for everyone in the great big world of organizers. (Another of my favorite machine embroidery supplies categories.)
Presser Feet
You can add all sorts of specialized presser feet to your collection, too. Since most embroidery machines are also sewing machines, you can collect them all! (Zipper feet, button feet, gathering feet, free motion quilting feet....etc....)
Scissors
This one goes in both categories, too. There are specialized scissors available for different styles of embroidery and different tasks. A pair of applique scissors makes your life so much easier than trying to fight a normal pair of scissors when trying to cut close, but not too close, to your stitching in your applique designs.
Spray Adhesives
These are fabric spray adhesives. You will love this stuff if you do a lot of in-the-hoop or applique designs. With a small spray, you can hold small pieces of fabric in place while your machine stitches around them.
Most machine embroidery supplies have to be purchased at specialty sewing machine stores, or machine embroidery stores. The internet is a great place to search for supplies.
Be sure you know which things have to be purchased for your exact machine (like hoops, designs and software), and which things don’t matter so much (scissors, stabilizers and thread). That way you won’t end up spending your hard earned money on something that you can’t even use!
