Ann The Gran Community

I'm interested in connecting and networking with other embroiderers who live in Alabama.  I have a Brother PE180D machine and PED Basic reader/writer and am very new to embroidery so would appreciate any advice as well.

 Rita Moritz

I live in Alabama in a  little town called "Coker" have been embroidering for 10 years and sewing since my first Home Eco. class in school. have 8 "Grands" and use sewing and embroidering as a way to stay busy and relaxed since retirement.The web is a great way to stay up to date on the latest tec. And I have found that every one is so helpful, and they share thier design and ditizing talent too !!  I started with a Brother PE 100 and then got a Brother 8500 and now have a Babylock Ellageo,and use Palette 5.6 software. But my "Dream Machine" is a" Happy" 12 needle for home or small studio, I just know one day if I am real good I'll be able to get one :) With 8 Grand Children I make alot of gifts and have found no one can resist and item with thier name or initals on it!! So welcome to the wonderful  "WORLD of EMBROIDERY" I think you will like it more and more.... the more you learn to do with it. Until next time I'l be Happliy Sewing Along.......Nancy Williams

Thanks for your reply, Nancy.  You're quite a ways from where we live.  I'm learning very quickly and loving every minute of it (except when the hardware or software doesn't do what it's supposed to do!).  It's too late to do it tonight and a dear friend's grandson was killed in a motorcycle accident on Sunday so I'll be tied up the next few days, but I'll send you a private email when things slow down.  Would love to find some other women who love to embroider and plan some get togethers both virtual and actual.

 

hi rita, my name is kathy. iused to live in alabama but now i live in tennessee but i can see the stateline from my south window,so i still feel like i'm in al.ihave been embroidering about 4years,i started with brother180D NOW I HAVE INNOVIS 4000.il love it .my town in north alabama is florence.we are about55 miles west of huntsville.maybe you can email me,we can chat,i dont have enough time to do all sewing i want,make a lot of gifts for friends at work.

Hi Kathy.  Sorry it took so long to reply.  Just got around to checking my messages this afternoon and saw your reply.

I love Tennessee.  If we were not here, that's the only other choice for us.  Love the lakes and mountains together.  Awesome place.  My son used to live in Morristown. 

I wish I had more time to sew as well.  This EM is really addictive.  Have about 5 projects waiting for me to get busy.  Right now I'm having a blast downloading designs and organizing them with Catalog XP.  I'm really busy with tennis, music, church, and two Papillons. 

The machine I have is a Brother PE180-D, and I'm already wishing I had one that would use bigger hoops.  That won't happen for a while.  I'm very new to this and still have a lot to learn, so I hope I can learn from you and others.  Thanks again for your reply.

Rita

Hey Kathy and Rita,
I have lived in Talladeag, Al all of my 71 years. Raised 7 children, have 12 grand kids, 4 great grand.
I have sewed since I was 13 years old. Bought my first EB machine 11 years ago. Bought another one about 3 weeks ago and have not stoped for very much. It is the Brother's Disney 750D. It is a great machine. I still work part time, which supports my EB adiction ha ha.

I love Tenn. also. My family is planing to spend Thanksgiving there. Can't wait. This will be our first time there for Thanksgiving.
 
Mary

Hi Mary:

I'm absolutely delighted that you posted your message.  Talladega is right down the road from me in Pell City.  As soon as I figure out how to send a private message (doggone it...), I'll send you my email address.  Maybe we can get together and chat sometime?

I went to Trussville yesterday to Sew Bizz, Inc, which is an embroidery store.  Wonderful owner, Carol Wright, was most helpful.  She steered me away from buying things I don't really need even though she had the items (can you believe that?) and gave me some really good tips as well as solving a problem I was having. 

I've had my machine for a couple of years, but only began to really use it a couple of months ago and am totally in love with it and Machine Embroidery in general.

Rita

You are all making Alabama and Tennessee sound so wonderful, I have never been, but think maybe I should check it out.  I love hearing about great places and people.  I know everyone thinks that where they live is the best and I am no exception.  I love San Diego and its people.   It is a great leveler, at the beach, we are all exactly the same, enjoying the beautiful ocean.

I had a PE-180D myself but traded it in on my new BabyLock Ellageo.  They 'gave' me $450 as the trade in.  Of course, that is more than it is actually worth, but I was really wanting a bigger machine.  I hated giving up my 180D because of the great designs on it.  I also have a PE-700 just like the one Ann sells on her site.  I really don't want to give up my machines, ever. 

Pat

Hello Rita and all of you other embroidery addicts! I live in Vinemont, AL which is just north of Cullman, and about 55 miles south of Huntsville. I have been a big embroidery fan most of my life, but as I have worked as a registered nurse for almost 30 years, did not have a lot of time to do the things I love to do for myself! I was fortunate enough to finally go part-time ( two 12hr shifts a week) and really get busy with embroidery and sewing in general! My oldest child blessed me with my first grandchild 3 years ago, which happened to be a girl, and of course that is when it really took off! I have made so many things for her, as well as other members of the family, and my work family, and it just seems to be growing more every day. I started up a small home business last fall, as a way of using part of my expensive hobby to offset some of my expenses. Of course, I have sunk a lot more money into my hobby than I would ever see a return on, but I do still sew for the pure joy of it, so if I can sell something now and then to keep the thread and stabilizer coming, that is just great too! I started out with the Janome 9000, but while taking it in for repairs one day, I fell in love with the Brother Innovis 4000D and just had to work some overtime to purchase it! hahaha Seriously, I love my machine, I absolutely love AnnThe Gran, as they have been such a joy to shop with and always so helpful with any software issues. I highly recommend joining the ATG club! It is well worth it! There are a lot of embroidery sites out there, but this one is the best! As someone with not much time for "social gatherings" in person, I would love to correspond by emails while I am waiting on my machine to finish my designs! I still have so much to learn also, but having worked through some difficulties, I may be able to assist some as well. By the way, I did a lot of embroidery for my youngest child last fall who married, and we did a lot of special touches for the wedding reception that I would love to share with anyone interested. I am expecting my second grandchild in Sept., which is a boy this time, so that opens up a whole new world of designs for me! Happy Embroidering! Pam

Hi to you Rita and all the other Alabamians..."ROOLLLLL TIIIIIDDDDEE"...That was the first thing I learned when I came to Guntersville -Alabama...My name is Norma and I am Australian...I came to AL just 5 years ago after my now DH came to Australia and married me..(NO we did not meet on the internet)!!! I have been machine EM for just on 10 years now in Australia I had a Janome 9500 but alas could not bring it to the states...the power differences would  have blown it up.. I went nearly 18 months with out even a sewing machine here and nearly went mad...but then DH surprised me with a Husqvarna SE for my 2nd Christmas here...and I too dream of a Happy LOL I now have 3 machines set up in a sewing/craft/computer room and all 3 of them are on every day..

.I belong to a group on the internet that is the most helpful group in the world...and they have become like a family to me..it costs about 19.95 for 3 months but they have over 16000 designs that are yours for the taking...in is the most helpful place I have found and if you cant find what you want there someone will direct you to where you can get it at the best price...the groups name is  www.Artisticthreadworks.com if you decide to join it will ask you in Tell2 who reffered you just tell them MrsButterfly thats my screen name...and I will get a refund on my monthly fees...just like if you tell 2 then you will get one too...and if you tell more than 2 and they join you will get paid....the reason for this is that Larry and Holly the owners of the site stopped paying for advertising and started paying the members as most of us tell everyone that we meet about ATW...you can check it out without joining...then make your decision..hope to see you there sometime...if so tell me in the forum where you came from..I am there everyday...there is a daily prize of 3 months membership and also a monthly prize for the best project photo..we would love to see you ...there are groups within the group and one of those is a charity group we send embroidered blocks to the lady in charge of that group and then she sends them to others in the group to make up into quilts for charity...different charities each month..this month we are working on quilts for Alabama and Crisis center for pregnant moms here in Albertville...and next month it will be for the Veterans ...next month we are also having a get together and mini conference in Kansas City KS...and I get to go and meet with some of my internet family...and I would love to meet with any of you sometime...God Bless.....Norma

Welcome aboard Norma, you learn fast. We may have a few rivals out there, but I love blue and orange, don't you/

Hey again Norma, I surfed ATW and it is great, I can't join just now, but will later.
Mary ALA.

I am in Alabama and just learned of the group.  I live in Killen, AL near Florence. 

 

Kathy, Do you use Ken's Sewing Center?  If you are in the Brother Club introduce yourself when we meet next.

 

I have been sewing and doing EM for about 18 months.  I am totally hooked.  I have a BabyLock Esante but am looking to trade up to the Brother Innovis 2500D at the first opportunity.  I sew clothes for my daughter and nieces.

 

Glad to meet all of you.

 

Lisa

I live in Linden - two traffic lights - one grocery store - in west central Alabama.  I'd tell you what it's close to, but it's not.  I'm about midway between Birmingham and Mobile.  After wishing for about 20 years, I bought a Brother innov-'is in January.  When I checked last, I already had over a million stitches on it.  I work full time or I'd have more. This is so fun.  I don't usually post.  I just read.  It is amazing what great information and quick tips people post.  Keep it up.

 Ellen Wallace

Hey Nancy, I'm Jeri and I live in Cottondale. I've been sewing for a long time and embroidering for about 10 years too. I had a Pfaff that had an emb. unit about15 yrs ago but was so afraid of it it never was used. I'm learning to digitize, will trying to learn. I just got this program about 3 weeks ago ( for some reason I have to have a week or 2 of self doubt before starting) and now it's going good but slow. Would love to hear from you. I saw where someone was from Lindin, I have a friend there. It's great to see so many from Alabama. Jeri

Rita,

I'm Judy and I live in Robertsdale, Al. That's down between Mobile AL and Pensacola, Fl.  I have sewn since I learned on my mothers treddle machine back in Indiana.  I worked for Hartz Schaffner and Marx in Indiana, making mens dress pants then I worked for several sail makers, making sails for sailboats.  I have a commerical Pfaff that just sews.  I have made clothes, stuffed animals and quilts.

 

Rita,

This is Judy in Robertsdale, AL I did something wrong and it sent my message before I was done.  I was saying that I have lots of sewing experence and several months ago I bought a Singer Futura 350.  I love to machine embroidery.  I have downloaded lots of free designs and bought several.  Those designs work well on the machine.  However, I am having difficulty with some of the features of the software.  The manual that I have printed out is very vage and leave a lot to be desired.  I have tried contacting the company and going back where I bought it and was supposed to get lessons, but they only wanted to cover the sewing prat and didn't know much about the embroidery prograns.  I have learned a lot on line and am still working on learning to digitize with the autopunch program.  Perhaps some of your readers have a Futura and can help me.

Thanks Judy

HI my name is Shirley and I live in Silverhill, about half way between P'cola and Mobile. I just saw that Judy lives in Robertsdale which is just down the road from us. I have a Bernina Artista 200 which I recently had up graded. I have had this machine about 4 years now, but I had a Bernina Deco before this. I don't sew as much as I should due to health issues but I spent over 20 years doing mending and alterations for the laundry in R'dale. I love the embroidery part of my machine and usually make baby quilts, and do some work on them. I do Heirloom sewing too, so I sometimes use my embroidery features to make inserts for the little gowns I make. One of the problems I have is that I have 3 grandsons and 3 greatgrand sons. I didn't have a girl baby to sew for until recently when my Daughter's step daughter had a little girl. I really think my "bunch" lost the recipe for girl children. LOL. I want to say Hi to everyone and hope we can share tips and hints to make things easier. One tip I would like to pass along is about "sticky stuff". I use the peel and stick stablizer and the Temporary Spray On Adhesive which is great for hard to hoop projects. The residue they leave behind can be "yukky" at times. I found that if you go to a drug store and ask for the surgical  tape remover pads they work like a dream. I had used Goo-gone previously and it does work, but the Uni-solve pads are better. A long post I know but I am excited to join up with you all. Roll Tide. From a Displaced Limey.

Pam,

When I place designs into my folders and close out of catalog express then go back into catalog express my designs are in the folders but now they say "Not Found".  What am I doing wrong? 

Please Help,

Coleen

 

 

Hello Shirley,

I read your suggestion regarding the Surgical Tape Remover Pad.  I am currently working on nylon where I was forced to use adhesive spray (slippery fabric).  Because of the weight of the nylon, it was a tad tacky after washing.  Will certainly keep this in mind. 

Yeah, boys are difficult to sew for and they certainly outgrow embroidery items quickly!!!!  I have two daughters, one granddaughter and FINALLY, a little boy!  But, he is through with embroidery certainly at age 7; still accepts quilts, but that's it.

No such thing as being displaced.  You have a place here!

Joan/NJ