# Small scale embroidery



## grafikal (Jan 29, 2008)

*I would like to do embroidery on a very small scale. About 10 shirts the most in terms of design. could someone tell me a machine to get? Singer, Brother? ...*


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

How many total shirts are you planning on embroidering? Buying a machine, even a home based one like Singer or Brother, may not be the way to go if you are talking about limited numbers. 

You can get an embroidery shop to do your designs for as little as a couple of dollars each, depending upon the size of your design. Compare that to even a home machine which will cost you $500-1,000+ when you are all done with all the items you need to purchase to sew out your own designs (software, storage cards, thread, etc.).

That being said, I use to use a Brother PE180 that I loved. Not sure if they make them anymore. Machine was about $500, transfer software a couple of hundred, storage card about 100, etc.


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## grafikal (Jan 29, 2008)

Thanks for the info Splat. I was planning to get my own because I'm from Barbados and these jobs ain't the cheapest. Especially digitizing.


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

You can contract your digitizing over the internet. That part doesn't have to be expensive at least.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

grafikal said:


> Thanks for the info Splat. I was planning to get my own because I'm from Barbados and these jobs ain't the cheapest. Especially digitizing.


Yeah, I didn't include digitizing software in the prices I mentioned earlier. It's not cheap, even on the home based machines.

I agree with Tim, you can get topnotched digitizing done online cheap and fast. That's what I use to do with my Brother. Many digitizers will even give you your first design free in the hopes you will come back.


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## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

splathead said:


> Yeah, I didn't include digitizing software in the prices I mentioned earlier. It's not cheap, even on the home based machines.
> 
> I agree with Tim, you can get topnotched digitizing done online cheap and fast. That's what I use to do with my Brother. Many digitizers will even give you your first design free in the hopes you will come back.


I started using butler digitizing after I was less than impressed on a couple of jobs from my first digitizer. A friend recommended them to me and my next job was a full back jacket. They have a "first one free" policy and gave me a $250 job for free!! I couldn't believe it. You can bet they've got me for a while.


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## Buechee (Dec 22, 2005)

I am also looking to buy a home based machine. I looked at a viking, the platinum royal 955E. I need something to do patches with and maybe some shirts too. Not looking for a big machine at this time. But I do need something that I can sew patches on with too. Is the viking good to start with?


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