# buy a machine or hire a embroiderer?



## mlsalters77 (Nov 7, 2008)

I am considering purchasing a used embroidery machine for small accent stitching on my shirts. The issue is that I know nothing about embroidery or even what kind of machine to buy. I originally wanted to hire a embroiderer in the Georgia area because I only want small things stitched into my shirts to bring out the designs printed in DTG. So which makes more sense from a business stand point? Buy a used machine (and if so whats a good kind to start out with) or hire out?


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## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

Do you have the time to learn about embroidery? You can't just plug in an embroidery machine and start using it. There is much you need to know before you start. That doesn't mean you shouldn't buy a machine but that you need to give it much consideration before you do so.
Depending on what it is you want stitched on your shirts you might be able to accomplish this with a sewing machine rather than an embroidery machine. Most sewing machines have lots of fancy stitches built in that you can use without having embroidery capabilites.
Visit a couple of sewing machine dealers in your area and see what they think might work for you. 
I have a Bernina and highly recommend that machine. Janome, Viking, Brother are also good machines.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

I'll second what Jane added above...

If you can find someone who won't kill you on the setup fees, it makes a lot of sense to have someone else do the embroidery for you. When we bought our company, we got most of the designs and stitch files but the previous owner had a shop doing the embroidery work. Every time we wanted to order shirts, it was another setup fee. Every time we wanted to change 1 color thread in the design, it was another setup fee. It cost us more in setup fees than embroidery fees unless we ordered 10 or more shirts and then we got stuck with the leftovers. To be able to offer multiple colors, it just made sense for us to bring it in house and do it ourselves.


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## v8supersurf (Aug 14, 2006)

mlsalters77 said:


> I am considering purchasing a used embroidery machine for small accent stitching on my shirts. The issue is that I know nothing about embroidery or even what kind of machine to buy. I originally wanted to hire a embroiderer in the Georgia area because I only want small things stitched into my shirts to bring out the designs printed in DTG. So which makes more sense from a business stand point? Buy a used machine (and if so whats a good kind to start out with) or hire out?


In addition to what has already been said.
To add embellishment to a design already printed onto the shirt makes it more difficult.
You really need to understand embroidery to even contemplate this.
Using standard designs produced by digitising will mean having to line up the existing design with the embroidery to be put on and this can usually only be done 1 garment at a time even on a multihead machine. This could be very slow or add a bit more cost to the job than you would like.

There are machines out there that do freehand embroidery, but you have to be pretty good at it to operate these machines to get a good result. But this would be easier to line up with existing designs, but again can only be done 1 garment at a time.


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## Younus (Jul 28, 2009)

I would recommend, You to spare some time (if u can ) & learn a bit on how the embroidery machines are operated. If after learning the skills needed, you consider yourself of being able to run these machines.( you decide on your own )If Yes !
Then, Nothing like it ! Just go for it & have your own embroidery machine installed & have it it running. may take u some time to master it, but its worth an effort.

As for concerns regarding set up fees, digitizing, & even sew up samples, there are companies offering these services at fairly low prices, so no sweats on this.


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

I agree that you should make sure that you really need an embroidery machine when a sewing will work for a lot less money and time investment.


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