How much to get into embroidery?

[mrs maggot]

i outscource all my stitch work and get back vinyl work from the other business, we are both small businesses so it is good for both of us - i would find someone local to pal up with

[WorthDoingRight]

Well I bought a Brother 750e single head single needle embroidery machine earlier this year that can embroider up to 5" x 7" and it came with both 12 months Interest Free Credit and Brother's own basic software (which is infact better than I would have thought it would be). It is fairly easy to thread and use and I love it. Have embroidered a few items for myself and a few guest towels as examples for friends and family. I cannot say that it plays any role in my business as it currently does not but if someone wanted a name or logo then I would give it a go.

[Paul]

How many colors you can do pal?

[WorthDoingRight]

How many colors you can do pal?

It only embroiders one colour at a time but the swap over time is minimal and the machine will embroider quite complex designs.

[Earl Smith]

If you have a one needle machine you can only do one colour at a time. Then change the thread and move onto the next col. In theory , thousands and thousands of colours. My 15 needle machines will automatically change needle to another colour but if I need more than 15 colours I put in a stop and keep changing threads. Never had to do this as it doesnt pay.
A friend has a one colour machine. He does a design that a 15 needle will do in an hour but it takes him twice as long. Strange thing is that he has to get his wife to lay the colours out as he is colour blind. Hes made some amazing mistakes , pink seas, yellow sky..etc.

[logobear]

if there is one thing i struggle with, it is giving concentration to more than one thing at once ......
With a multi htread machine, you program it once, then just hoop up garments as you go, idiot proof, and fits in nicely with other jobs about the shop.
If I had to re-thread several times per job, and get it right time after time it would do my head in.
But names on towels etc in single colour would be fine

[WorthDoingRight]

I agree, it is not the machine I would like to ultimately own - however the multihead machines were well out of my hobby related reach. However if you want a single colour logo or name on a shirt then it copes with that in a few minutes.