Hi Cathy!! Congrats on completeing your very first design ! WooHoo! Doesn't it give you such a good sense of accomplishment? This is Judy from (guess where?)FLORIDA! I live near Tampa and we have been here for three years now.We love it here,but as you know it can get kind of warm.

My first experience with embroidery was in a factory where I went to work in the 1970's.......shhhh don't tell anyone I am that old.LOL.I fell in love immediatly with it,and have been an avid embroider since.I worked on a 14 needle back in the days before we had all the computer stuff to make it so easy.

When I met my husband ...Hmm ..let me think here...about the year 2001...and our anniversary is?? Oh well anyway,He saw that I loved to sew and bought me a new Janome for my birthday.Then we got the Viking,got rid of two machines before we moved to Florida.NO ROOM.So I am down to One Janome,one Viking and a serger.

All I can say about the iron is get a good one as you will use it a lot.(I had problems with the cheaper models....they caught fire....it wasn't pretty!.)I have a Rival Steam Shot and it is a pretty good one.I like it because I can shoot water on the fabric for those tough wrinkles that are hard to get out sometimes,but yet it can be a dry iron with a turn of the dial on the handle.You don't have to spend a fortune to get a good one.

Oh yeah the thread trick! Yes even the better brand names can be nasty.I always look before I buy as I bought some threads one time from a real cheap place and I tossed all of them they were so nasty and made a mess of everything.

As far as bobbin thread,use what works the best for your machine,DON'T SCRIMP!If your machine works well with a particular one ,stay with it. All of my machines like a different brand(OF COURSE!) But I use those(and they are not real inexpensive either) and pay more to save a headache and hair later on.My Viking likes Gutterman and my Janome likes one called soft touch that comes in white, cream and black.You can get it at most sewing places but I have never seen it Joanns.I order it from a place in Michigan called Feilds Fabrics.

Great blog again today Cathy! I Love hearing how you are doing on your new adventure.I still get excited with every piece I embroider,to me it's a challenge to see what it will do and still continues to amaze me. It seems I am drawn to it to watch it sew out every time. It is a wonderful world and experience and Welcome ! It will be the ride of your life ! Enjoy!

That's a great idea about the push pins, Cathy! I know such software does exist, but I'm not sure whether it will work on the AnnTheGran blogs. I will look into it and if we can figure out a way to do it, we'll definitely put that up.

BB

Place my pin in San Diego California.  

Jal has some really good points, especially about the threads.  Even with the best of threads, occasionally you might get some that is old or otherwise not up to par.  

Keep up the good work Cathy!!!!

Put my push pin in Clayton Ohio (next top Dayton)  I enjoy the bliogs.  Keep up the learning process, Cathy. I am still learning after many years of E M  ing.  It is always new every day.  35 grandchildren and 10 children keep  me busy working on my machine.  Love it.  I use a Viking SE.  

Hi Cathy--

Put my push pin in Phoenix, Arizona.  I have been embroidering for about 8 years and have a Viking D1, SE and a Pfaff Creative Vision.  I also do quite a bit of quilting and incorporate the embroidery into many of my quilts. I also love to travel and really miss my machines when we are gone.  In February, we did a trip to Antarctica and I can only tell you that you will NOT be disapointed when you get to go.  It is truly the most beautiful place to see.  The wildlife is wonderful and we were so fortunate to spend lots of time with many penguin species.  This trip completed our around the world adventures and we are now trying to figure out what to do next.  Happy sewing!  Carole

You can put my push pin in Michigan

Cathy,

I use Maderia and Sulky tread.  I couldn't survive without  Catalog Xpress.  I am seriously thinking about adding Threadbox to my list of must haves because I more thread than space to store where it can be seen so I think ThreadBox is the perfect solution to "Where did I put that color"  

I have several irons I use from small to iron out tight corners and curves to regular size for ironing.  I do have a separate iron for ironing on the stablizers so I don't get sticky on everything.

Can't wait til next year's Community Circle-See you there - Marsha   Oh yes you can put my pin in West Melbourne Florida (Central Florida-East Coast)

You can put my pushpin in Antioch, Illinois

You can put a push pin at Wheeling, WVa.  Actually, Bellaire, Ohio, but, Bellaire is so not heard of, and Wheeling is 6 miles away.

Please put my push-pin in Cheraw, S.C., USA   I don't get to embroider as much as I'd like to at this point in my life, as my husband and I are building a strawbale house, doing most of the work ourselves.  Retired bones don't move fast!  When it's finished, tho, I'm looking forward to a big sewing room to set up all my embroidery threads, computer, etc.  I use most of them for quilts, altho I like to embroider t-shirts and gift items.  Maybe someday I'll learn to digitize too!

- Kathy

Hi Cathy,

Plese put my pin in Brazil and Florida. I live in Lighthouse Point,  FL . and in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

I have been embroidering since  2005.

          xoxoxo

Hi Cathy,

Put my pin in Chewelah, Washington.  I have a Bernina Artista and a Pfaff.  I've recently discovered Isacord thread and love it for the Bernina.I like a steam station iron; one where the water doesn't remain in the iron itself. I do alot of custom sewing, alterations and embroidery; the sewing for about 40 years; the m e for about 10.  It's my relaxation!

put my pin in lincoln england, i love this site and i love my embroidery machine!!!

WOW Cathy, you have them spread all over the globe!  I lived in Phoenix for - er, well, a long time.  

(It is a dry heat, stick your head in the oven, that is a dry heat too!) LOL  

Phoenix really is beautiful for 9+ months of the year.  We only hear about the wild temperatures.  Phoenix has the Largest Municiple Park in the USA, South Mountain Park, the view is spectacular and the soft breeze will make you want to stay.

Keep up the great work, Cathy - I will be watching and learning from you as well.  

My next blog, The Avid Embroiderer, will be on May 25 and it promises to be an interesting one in which you will learn some great tips.  Hope some of your fantistic guests have a minute for me too.

Pat

place my pin in Marietta, Ohio.

I am somewhat new to machine embroidery but have been sewing for years. I have a Bernina and I am really having lots of fun....for grandchildren, baby gifts and some charity work.

I have the better Sunbeam model iron and I am really pleased with it.  The Rowenta that I spent "big bucks" for was terrible, it spit up all of the time.  But, what I cannot live without is my Iron Shoe...it is wonderful!  I can keep my iron on the highest temp. at all times and it "never" ruins any fabric and works great.

I just discovered this site last week!

Place my pin in Frost, Texas

Got my first E M machine in 1999 and loved it. had been wanting one for  ages.  Now I have 2 Vikings, se and designer 1. I love to do free standing ornaments.

Ireally like the new annthegran site. Keep up the good work.

Hi all, I have a Janome 300E which is an embroidery machine only. Its so simple to use and the manual is only about 30 pages. It does everything I want it to do.

Please place my pin in at Beenleigh, Queensland Australia.

Chris from Oz

I envy you all with all of these grand children! Wow! I have only two to spoil.

Wow! Cathy ,looks like you have readers from every where!That is so wonderful!

I know what you mean about Phoenix,stick your head in an oven,LOL ! I lived there for three years ,too hot for me.

But I was born and raised in Grand Rapids ,Michigan.

I am still trying to convince hubby I NEED A BROTHER  to go with my Janome,I tell him it's lonely(so far he hasn't bought that one)

Congrats Cathy on your success for your blog!

I'm from Snellville,Ga. right outside Atlanta. Yes, I know where Belaire, Ohio is! I bet you have even heard of Gallipolis ! I'm a Brother fan too. Innovis 1000.

Hi Cathy,

I'm from Glendale, AZ.  This year the "heat" is just starting - this is the first year in ten years that we haven't hit triple digits in April!  It's been a wonderful winter and spring - almost normal!  Can't wait to get "out of the oven"!!!  I've been sewing most of my life and embroidering for the past year.  I have a Bernina Artista and absolutely LOVE it.  I am learning SO much!

please pin me in campbelltown new south wales australia---about 1 hour south west of sydney

love reading the blogs

Put my pin in Waynesboro, GA. I've been sewing forever and embroidering for the last seven or eight years.  I have a Viking D1 and an SE, a White serger and a 47 year old Singer that I keep set up just for the buttonhole attachment...gorgeous buttonholes! Love the blogs!!

Hi,

You can put a push pin in Port St. Lucie, FL on the Treasure Coast.  (North of the Palm Beaches by about 40 miles.)

Hello,

So happy that I came across this site!  My push pin should go to Louisville, Kentucky, where we just enjoyed the beautiful Ky Derby.  

Sew much I want to learn......seems sew little time!    

Robin

Just joined Ann the Gran, love the site.  You can add my push pin at Kent, WA, just south of Seattle, WA.  I have been quilting for 10 years and recently added a Brother 4000 embroidery machine to the sewing room (was the living room no one sat in) and Im so hooked on embroidery now.  It's great to incorporate quilted squares and embroidered ones into a quilt design.  I use the Oliso Auto Life Iron and love it!!

Thanks for the great site.  Marsha

My push pin is Lynn Haven, Fl which is just outside Panama City,Fl.  I have a Janome 10001 which is great, but it is fussy about the bobbin thread.  I stick to the Janome brand.

Put my pin at Oxford, AL..about half way between Birmingham & Atlanta GA. I have sewn forever but got my BrotherULT2002D May of 02 & have been embroidering ever since.

Hi All. Pin me in Port Orchard, WA. I have a Brother 2500D and a Brother PE600. I love them both.  I have been doing ME for about 1 and 1/2 years now. I actually did a picture stitch for the first time and was thrilled with the outcome. Loving it.

I am not happy with my Panasonic Iron with the Auto shutoff. The only way to turn it back on is to unplug it and re-plug it. When you are trying to piece a quilt and have to come back to it often and find out that it shut itself off... well all I can say is AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH.

thanks for the wonderful sight.

Hi everyone. Push my pin in West Sussex in the United Kingdom, i always pop in and enjoy  your site. I have a Husqvarna Designer 1, Brother PR600 and a Babylock Evolve overlocker. I have been sewing for over 40 years and machine embroidering for about 20 (ouch!! how time flies).  I use mostly Maderia thread which i find works well on both machines.

I love this global community!  And, everyone has a different machine...LOL

Let us hear it for Cathy and Ann's great community!!

Pat

Hi Everyone

Does anybody have a basic list of what stabiliser you use for what task or fabric type? have mostly been digitising on cotton but are now branching out. Would like a very basic list to make choosing & ordering stabiliser easier.

Hi, rosarypark. You might want to check out Pat's Avid Embroiderer blog for her upcoming post on stabilizer. I've seen a preview and it is going to be an invaluable resource for which stabilizer to use where. Her blog is at:

www.annthegran.com/.../default.aspx">www.annthegran.com/.../default.aspx

Please pin me in Windsor, Ontario, Canada which is just SOUTH (yes....south) of Detroit, Michigan.

I love my Maytag Cordless Iron & I also love my Bernina 180E !!

Thanks for all your terrific info on your web-site!!

You can place my pin in Poughkeepsie, NY (Upstate). I have been embroidering for 10 years. I still learn things from Ann's website. It's the best!

Congrats on winning the machine and finishing your first lesson successfully!!

I have a PE700 and 3-270D's.  I started with the 27OD's and just got the PE700 about a month ago.  I love all of them!  I do some custom embroidery for customers and am learning how to digitize my own designs using Embird.

I LOVE EMBROIDERY and SEWING!!!

Cheryl

For all you stabilizer fans (or unfans when you have problems), I indeed will be placing my final pictures and touches on my stabilizer blog shortly.  

It was fun to do, checking my thoughts against manufacturing recommendations.  Sometimes I wonder if a provider says "use 2 sheets" just to sell more stabilizer.  Well, to find out the answer, you have to watch for my new blog which will be put up very soon.  

I enjoy reading about everyone and their place of honor on the map.  You might be the only one from your country, or you might just find a new friend right in your own backyard.  

Thanks to all those leaving comments!!

Pat

Hello to all,

Please place my pin in Shady Cove, Oregon (just N/E of Medford). After reading all of the comments I believe that I am the newest reader here. I just got my machine (XL6000) yesterday! Sheesh have I got a lot to learn

You can place my pin at Gulfport, MS. I have been having fun for about 2 years now on my Innovis2500D. Have sewn for to many years to count. I don't like my iron, so glad for all the suggestions.

So glad I found your blog.  I just started embroidering. I have a Panasonic iron and I just love it.  I use it for my quilting and have had no problems with it shutting off too soon.

You can put my push pin in Port Richey, Florida.

Pin this new club member in Buford, GA. I have been embroidering for about 2 years. I just dove in with very little instruction, so I have much to learn.... sounds like I can learn a lot from you all.

Thanks, Greg.

  Glad to hear you are enjoying your new machine.  I started out years ago with the PE 100. by Brother    After awhile I went to the Brother 8200, and then had the mother board on that machine upgraded to the 8500.  I would love to have a penny for every stitch sewn on it as an em and for general sewing.  I also have the old Pfaff 1475 CD which has been around since the beginning of my interest in embroidery by machine.  The built in designs were fun and sparked interest to do much more. I learned to do free motion embroidery and then "graduated"  to the embroidery machine. Life has never been the same since.  

   I teach school and the time I have for my hobby varies depending on the time of year.  I do custom work for friends and family and of course, the grandkids always keep me busy. I do some basic digitizing, but love to use products available to change existing  designs I have and vary sizes or combine parts of designs to fit a project. I have been a member of many sewing digests on the web.  Some have come and gone over the years.  I began with the original BBD Digest started by Ann. What a wealth of knowledge there is to glean from all the ladies and gents out there that are willing to share what they know. You are also blessed when new friendships blossom from a shared interest or passion for the hobby.  I am always thrilled to learn something new that I can apply to a project.  I get the same feeling when I can teach someone else.

    I recently bit the bullet and purchased the Brother 4500D.  What a dream.....

    Irons.....I love the Rowena.  I've been using the brand since the beginning.

     Sew-outs for files......I usually make a panel of sample designs from a machine or a design pack before I use them on the real thing.  I use a medium grade white or black felt for this. I just stitch them out in rows without cutting anything out.  When done, I just fold and place in page protectors in a notebook with stitch out info for reference.  I have displayed them in my sewing room or on bulletin boards.  When you are ready to stitch on your real project, always do a sample first with the correct threads and use the same kind of fabric.  

    Technology....keep abreast of products that can make life and designing easier. Check out upgrades and the changes they are making in software.  Keep your products upgraded when possible.

     Keep posting!  

Martha

Google Earth has the capability of doing the map with the push pins you are speaking of.  It is a free dl. I use in in my classroom all the time.  Check it out.

                     http://earth.google.com/">http://earth.google.com/

You can create your own map with push pins as well as create note files about the contributors that will display when the pins are clicked on. Each person can create their own .kmz file and send it to you or to each other.

Good luck with your project.  By the way, you can place my pin over Oxford, Alabama.

Martha

Hi All ,

You can put my push pin in please, I am from  

Tasmania ,Australia.

I have been embroidering for over 7 years now it keeps me sane and I just love it.

Roberta.

Mind if I come along for the ride? I'm learning right along with you, Cathy! I'm already learning soooo much from you, Pat & Greg.

Push my pin in Columbia, Illinois . . . across the river & south of St. Louis, Missouri. It's not as exciting as England or Australia, but it's home.

Hello all, really enjoyed reading the blog, thank you for all the info.  

my push pin Goes in Boise, Idaho.  Looking forward to getting to know all of you.   Sandi

Hello Everyone,

You can put my pin in "Rome New York"

I just love this group... I have been doing machine embroidery for about 25 years now. I started out with the singer #6268 (I think it was the first machine that ever came out the  have the embroidery attachment) anyhow, it was big, heavy, sewed crappy, and spent more time in the repair shop than it spent at my house!

But when it was working correctly, it was a lot of fun. The designs were very simple... nothing like the designs we have today, but like I said, it was fun to play with.

Today, I have 4 brother machines...the PC 8200, PC6500, PE150, and SE270D. I use the 8200 and the 150 most of the time, but on occasion I also use the 6500. I just love my brother machines.

I work full time, so I don't get to sew as much as I would like, but every chance I get, I like to play with my machines.

Hope everyone has a great day, and I hope you find time to do whatever you enjoy doing.

Debbie

Push my pin in Winchester, KY  Does anyone have a Singer Futura CE200 that they can use?  This soft ware is so old that it messes with my computer. Anyone have any ideas for me to try.  I do like to sew and decorate items but this machine is nerve racking.  Good luck with the blog.

Cathy,   Reading your blog is just like talking to you.  You are doing a fantastic job and have inspired me to get busy and get my embroidery projects done.  Keep up the good work.  Oh and thanks for giving me my 5 minutes of fame in you blog!

Linda

Just a quick note to follow up on Cathy's comment about the push pins. I am working on the pushpin idea but the Google Earth solution proposed by motsmith (great idea, thanks!) would make it a bit difficult for most of our users to add pins. I'm looking for one in which our users can add the pins without having to send me a file, but I haven't found that yet.

hI IM FROM MAPLEWOOD MINNESOTA! NEW TO ME BOUGHT A VIKING SE IN FEB DONT SEW DONT QUILT IM A CRAFTER SO IT IS ALL NEW TO ME !!! NED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET AND I DONT KNOW ALOT ABOUT A COMPUTER. SO LOTS OF HELP IS NEEDED ON THIS END . I HAVE DONE SOME FSL BOWLS WITH REGULAR THREAD AND SOME LACE 3 D BUTTERFLIES. lD LIKE TO TRY A RAG QUILT ! ANY ONE HAVE  EASY WAY OF DOING ONE?  ALSO DONE A FEW  DISH TOWELS. ARE YOU ALSO SUPPOSE TO PRE WASH DISH TOWELS?  I HAVE 15 GRANDKIDS 3 GREAT GRAND KIDS 7 CHILDREN BETWEEN HUSBAND AND I  1 BETWEEN THE TWO OF US.

Hello to all!  Put my pushpin in Notasulga, Alabama about 14 mi south of Auburn (War Eagle)!  I have been embrodering about 2 years but not consistently.  Reading this has given me hope that i am not the only one who has failures!!  I am thinking about joining Ann's Club and was wondering if many of you use it?  

hellooo out there ..who has a pr 600 by Brother...do you have trouble with the automatic threader??  love all yur comments.. have been really helpful..i am new a ME..but i love it so far... trying to learn it all is mind boggling. ha.. specially for this old grandma.. but i don't want to give up.  i am determined to learn how to use my machine and turn out (hopefully) better quality designs. help if you can.  

Please put my push-pin at Fancy Farm, Ky.  (I about 40miles

north of Paducah, Ky--where the quilt show is held)

I have a Pfaff2140 and a Brother QC1000.  I have been

sewing all my life.  I love embroiderying.  I have 2  quilt tops

started.  I make quilts and sew for the grandkids.

I enjoy  your site.  Very interesting.

FrancesHiggins

Fancy Farm, Ky.

Put my pin in Silverhill, Al and one for my birthplace of Manchester, England. Been sewing all my 72 years and hoping to keep going as long as I am able. Love m'eing and have a lot to learn.  

Hi Cathy,

I am in Bend, OR and I know  the Medford area and also know where Shady  Cove is as I have driven through it on the the way to Ashland to take my youngest daughter to college. I have gone down to Ashland and back in a day. I wil  have to go to the Gold Hill area someday and go to the Oregon Vortex.

I got my first embroidery machine a Janome 5700 about 3 yrs ago and it stayed in the box for about   months and before I finally used it. I it is the entry closer which is in my sewing room as I  use the Janome 10001  that I got about 2 yrs ago, I was not planning to buy it as I was just going into my dealer to get some embroidery design disk and I got the disk and put a deposit on the 10001 which had everything as it was a trade in by someone who had to have the Janome 11000.

Laurie in Bend

Put  a pin in Oak Island, NC.  New to ME but not to sewing-have been sewing for 38 years and hope to continue for many more.  maangers@bellsouth.net