The Adventures of Crash Course Cathy : Madeira thread

Tons and Tons of Questions - Who Has Answers?

TravelBug1237 — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:57:00 GMT

HH (Hello Hello!) Fellow Embroiderers,

How are ALL of you??? What things are you doing these days???!!!!! How many NEW embroiders are out there like me. (I stitched my 1st design last week. Yeah!!!). It would also be interesting to find out who has embroidered for the LONGEST time in this group too? Please share!!!!!

Pins In The Map

It's REALLY exciting to know that you are from so many places in the US, Canada other countries on OTHER continents. How exciting! In fact, just as I am writing this, an idea for Greg just emerged. Personally I'd love to see a map with 'pins' representing where AnntheGran members live. It would be so fun to watch the community board map grow as people started sharing their locations. I bet there are multiple members from EACH of the 50 states, Canada & ........beyond!!!!

I wonder which state has the most members in AnntheGran. (One might think for sure it would be Florida, but we might be surprised...Let's find out!!!! ) Which continents are represented???? So fellow e m' ers how about submitting your place of residence???!!! Just a Hi, ( or an HH ) , I'm from New York,USA....or Oslo, Norway etc etc would be great!

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A Little Overwhelmed...

Some of you already have asked how I was doing; I'm fine and thrilled to actually have a machine!!!!! :):) I will try to answer your questions in the future as soon as I can get everything in working order...( me, that is.) I'm just getting use to my new computer (an Apple), trying to download photos w/iPhoto, plus learn to 'blog.' ( oh and learn to m e .!!! How could I forget that!!). I kind of feel like the person who is patting her head, chewing gum, rubbing her stomach, throwing plates up into the air and trying to type and embroider all at the same time. :) You get the picture.... For the moment, most of the questions are going to be from me, and there are so many in this post alone that I've created separate forum posts for each one, so that you can help me by answering a particular question in a new window and then getting back to me and my next question!

I have, however, learned to quit cooking and cleaning since winning the Brother machine in Florida .... so it has all been worth it!!! Thanks Ann & Brother!!! My husband E is picking up the slack. Portland firefighters learned to do "chores" in training. Yeah... Somebody was very inspired: I will be forever grateful! (He also is willing to iron at times.

The Iron Question

Speaking of irons & boards...Do any of you have an iron you love for m e ing? [please answer here]Does the size of ironing board really matter?(...big, small,portable, industrial like push down handle w/steam.) or the one Ann has that folds that looks pretty neat and has 2 different side with a special purpose each. Have any of you used it? I have heard quilters love it via my friend whose passion is quilting.

Pucker Up!

I still do SOME 'domestic' things... For whatever reason, I love to do laundry...don't ask me why...but I do, well..... except for scrunched up dirty socks). Good thing, because I learned that PRE washing material (oops...there I go again ......"fabric" ) is important for shrinkage, especially when it comes to embroidering on any fabric that MAY some day be laundered. Apparently if you forget to, it can mess up your designs royally (threads can pucker up.) Although some items won't ever be washed (but my input on that topic is WAY down the road because I am not there yet.) In the meantime, I have washed (and thoroughly shrunk) my 'bag to decorate' from Florida, some basic black cotton material and white muslin.

Not Fade Away

I'd love your input as to what product you use to retain colors in the fabric ( especially black). [please answer here] I haven't checked out Ann's store yet for that, but those of you who have had success, please let me know. (I happen to LOVE the look of metallic thread on 'black" fabric & I bought Eileen Roche's Little Black Tee offered in Orlando for a down the road project.)

Fabric Brands

For those of you who have sewn on silk or cotton 'fabric' before...is there one brand name you'd recommend? (I have heard Kona black is great for quilters for example.) What do you e m'ers LOVE to use? [please answer here]

Hot & Cold

Do all of you use HOT water to prewash cotton for embroidering??? [please answer here] ( I have been told 3 different things so far at various fabric shops in my area; 1. Use COLD H2O only, that the dryer is what shrinks it. 2. Use HOT water and a hot dryer. 3. Use WARM water.....aarrrrrgggghhhhh!!!! ) Now, this was just for COTTON material....one little ol' fabric type. and I haven't even gotten to my favorite fabric which is silk...but that - is definitely on the back burner and I will ask you about it & other fabrics in the future. For right now, I'm concentrating on learning my machine & I want to reduce as many variables as I can...so I want to use a GOOD black cotton material, prepare it before I start my design, use Ann's black tear away stabilizer ( stiff I think ).........for success. THANKS!!!!

Calling All PE-700 Owners!

I truly want to order a 'bolt' of one fabric and just do EVERY one of the designs available on the Brother PE 700 so that I will have each design SAMPLE showing the final size etc.
I don't ever plan to sell this machine or trade it in. I LOVE my new Brother PE 700 machine!!!!! I am GLAD that it is a dedicated embroidery machine.. (I don't sew either, so trying to learn to do that also right now would make me need to touch up my roots every week instead every month.:) It is a 'treasured gift" and so I want to learn every aspect on it that I can. If you already own the 700 machine I would LOVE to have you specify that in a note to me so I can pick your brain. [PE-700 posts here]

I have SO many questions and sincerely want to hear from you!!! I can learn SO much from you - both beginners and very experienced. So when you do have some time, please share. It will be appreciated!!!

Going Rate for Lessons

What is the going rate where you live for private (or group tutoring) for 'm e' lessons? [please answer here] My 1st quote from the local dealership was $75 an hour. Yikes???? That seemed a LOT to me, but I am new and maybe that was ok, but I decided to 'shop around'. I found another shop owner who charged me $25 per hour. That seemed much more reasonable. She ( Wendy) is a doll and I LOVED my 1st session with her.

Getting There...

So, 1 month after Community Circle in Orlando, SOME of the mountain of information I got there really IS starting to make sense, and I now understand better the need for various stabilizers, the need for quality threads( I LOVE my MADEIRA threads!!!) I have some beautiful colors that are both strong and shiny!!! Yeah!!!! ....They are gorgeous and I can hardly wait to do a sample of each design that comes on my machine!!! Speaking of threads...I didn't know before (until Florida) that in m e'ing - one should use special 'bobbin threads' ( black, white & maybe it comes in cream too ??? ) , vs using regular matching colored machine embroidery thread.

Lesson Learned

When I got home I went to a local store and bought a brand-name " m e 'bobbin thread'. " (not Madeira.. They didn't carry that brand.) Anyway, I took it with me for my 1st lesson. My teacher showed me the difference in quality of threads. Thank goodness I was taught what to look for next time, so that it won't gum up my bobbin casing (?) and machine in general. ( Linda, my very 1st new Florida m e friend I met at the convention, shared with me her experience with 'thread, bobbins, and machine repairs.' That got etched in my mind.) I now know what to look for in thread. Hold the thread up into the light and take a good look. If there are "knots in it" (I kid you not) or if there are already wisps of thread hanging from the main line...DON'T use it, regardless of the name. I was shocked to see that my quick purchase would have eventually caused me grief.

Hugs,

Crash Course Cathy (Chatty Cathy, given the length of this post?)

Introducing Crash Course Cathy...

TravelBug1237 — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:07:00 GMT

Hello Hello fellow AnntheGran Embroiderers & New Orlando Circle of Friends!!!! :):):),

Who Am I?

For those of you who attended the VERY SPECIAL 1st annual AnntheGran's convention in Orlando in April, you may remember me...it was pretty hard to miss my loud scream and waving arms when I won the grand prize of the Brother PE 700 embroidery machine!!!! I'm Cathy from Oregon who went to Community Circle to see if I indeed wanted to get into 'machine embroidery' as a hobby. As far as I know, I was the only one there who did not have a machine....most of you have MORE than 1!!!!!! Yikes.

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

I KNEW it was beautiful, but I had also heard it was VERY addictive and very expensive... SO before I invested in buying a machine I googled the topic and found AnnTheGran right off the bat....along with several other sites that had 'designs'..oh my goodness..the designs!!!!! I fell completely in love with the BEAUTIFUL and also beyond CUTE designs that are 'out there'. I seriously wanted to 'try' it...but didn't know which machine, etc etc etc.to buy. ( I had a couple of 'tries' which I will share later...)

Magic Moments

When I saw the upcoming event in Orlando and talked to my husband Ethan about it, we decided to make a vacation out of it...and the rest is history as they say. When I found out at Community Circle that the Brother PE 700 was going to be given out as a prize...I thought, WOW, wouldn't THAT be nice to win, and lo and behold, I DID win it!!! I want to personally thank those of you who had the presence of mind ( mine was long gone ) to take some photos of that drawing......the outstretched arms with the wide wide smile says it all. Thanks for sharing those. I will have that magic moment captured forever. THANKS!!!! I just can't put into words what it was like winning that machine and THEN to have SO many of you SINCERELY happy that I won (.....and not you.) You are an AMAZING group of women ( and gents ) and I can hardly wait to get to know you better through this site....and at next year's Community Circle...(hint hint, Ann).

Scary Stuff

Since I am BRAND new to machine embroidery and literally am starting from scratch, and I think because I am not very shy, Ann's Beamish Boy contacted me after I got home to see if I would be willing to write a blog to share my "new adventures" in this "new passion" with the 'group'!!!! I was very flattered but to do a 'blog was as intimidating as trying to ME (machine embroider) for the 1st time...but his rationale was that if I can learn to do it, anyone can. I am not a sewer either and I did not have space dedicated to the hobby...but I'm working on it.

Temporary Home for my Machine

Before Orlando, my husband was about 80% done building me a new art studio out in the country. It was a dream to have a dedicated space to 'play' since I took early retirement. (from teaching after 28 years). I didn't want to take my new machine and materials into a space that needed to be sheet-rocked and painted etc., and the building is now about 90% done, but after winning the machine I made a 'new design' for the upstairs'....my poor husband...but it IS going to work and I will actually end up with a dedicated room just for machine embroidery. I can HARDLY wait...but in the meantime, I am using my office. Have a look at the photo to the right.

My First Project!

I actually DID my very 1st project yesterday and it brought tears to my eyes. (tears of joy). I was just THRILLED ....I used the Brother machine, Madeira magenta thread on black material that I had pre-washed and ironed. Thank goodness I found a willing teacher who worked me in for a private lesson yesterday. She's worth her weight in gold. I made my share of mistakes (broken needle, got side-tracked and the initials messed up), but it was under the watchful eye of Wendy my teacher and it turned out to be good that it happened at her store rather than here at home.

Join Me on My Journey

So, a LOT has happened since a month ago in Orlando....& I will write as long as you like. I hope you'll join me on my journey of learning through this new world, and help me along the way when I need it.