Embroidery Machine to Sew on Letters

APhi Sailorgirl · #1 05-31-2005, 03:31 PM

I hope this is a good place for this thread.

Anyway, my alma mater's chapter is trying to go to all sewn letters. Yes, I come from a campus of former puffy painters (it's ok, you can laugh).

Myself and another alum were thinking that it might be easier to buy a secondhand embroidery machine and help the ladies get more nicer looking shirts w/o paying to have them sewn. And it's expensive around campus since only one shop really does it now. Plus ordering online can be expensive too.

If anyone knows anything about the machines I would appreciate it. Things such as good models, etc. Also, I was told that if I get a decent machine, it will do the letters, since we will just be using an embroidery stitch along the outline.

Thanks!

Rio_Kohitsuji · #2 05-31-2005, 03:50 PM

I know that the embroidery shop here on campus their machine cost a cool grand. But then again, theirs can scan the image and then sew it on whatever you want.

DGMarie · #3 05-31-2005, 03:52 PM

Do you mean the block letter shirts? all you need for those is a plain sewing machine that has a satin stitch (which they've had for a long, long time). you don't need a $$$$ embroidery machine for that.

Xylochick216 · #4 05-31-2005, 03:59 PM

For what I've paid in the past in supplies and time to make a letter shirt look decent, I could've just bought one on the internet or from our local Greek store.

But if you want to do it yourself, DGMarie is right. All you need is Satin Stitch. I think if you search around you can find the right instructions.

NinjaPoodle · #5 05-31-2005, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DGMarie
Do you mean the block letter shirts? all you need for those is a plain sewing machine that has a satin stitch (which they've had for a long, long time). you don't need a $$$$ embroidery machine for that.

Agreed. Also, my soror who owns the local greek shop in Berkeley Ca, just finished paying off her machine which was $20,000.00.

APhi Sailorgirl · #6 05-31-2005, 04:09 PM

I'm talking about the shirts where you use the light heat n bond to place fabric letters onto a shirt.

I do realize that my normal machine has satin stitch; however, the end products go from bad to ok to worse. And I'm not a bad sewer, I've made dresses and shirts no problem.

This is why I am looking for an embroidery machine. From what I'm told I can guide the machine around the letters, it remembers the path, and then it sews it.

I'm not talking about a professional grade one, i'm looking at machines under $500, preferably lower than that. That's what the woman who used to sew our shirts used, she just unfortunately moved away senior year.

33girl · #7 05-31-2005, 04:22 PM

I asked my little, she works at a fabric/craft store. I'll let you know what she says.

DGMarie · #8 05-31-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by APhi Sailorgirl

This is why I am looking for an embroidery machine. From what I'm told I can guide the machine around the letters, it remembers the path, and then it sews it.

I would think this would have to be a large machine to be able to go around large block letters. A typical home embroidery machine has a small (about 8 x 8) frame that you embroider within. If it is meant to "learn" and go around the larger letters, I don't know of one to do it. Of course as you mentioned, it can be done free hand with varying results. Can you ask your former seamstress what model she had?

APhi Sailorgirl · #9 05-31-2005, 04:57 PM

I don't have the info for the seamstress we used when i was down in school; however, I have already asked my mom to ask a woman at work who belongs to a sewing guild for some more techincal information.

I was just hoping to see if possibly there were some other serious, yet not professional sewers on the board who could offer some help.

I guess if worse comes to worse, it's plan B, practicing the free hand sewing, but that will have to wait until grad school is over in august.

Thanks for the input!

SurfinDBeach · #10 05-31-2005, 04:59 PM

i really feel like im in overdeveloped region of the country... hehehe

all the greeks around here go to the greek store and pay insane amounts of money to get their stuff embroidered...

DeltAlum · #11 05-31-2005, 11:17 PM

Check with a nearby trophy/awards store. Many of them do shirts for companies, etc. They could probably give you a line on how much a machine costs and where to get them.

a CA in CA · #12 06-01-2005, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by APhi Sailorgirl
I can guide the machine around the letters, it remembers the path, and then it sews it.

Mmmmmmm.....kinda, sorta, not really. (I have home embroidery machines) You also need to either seperately purchase the designs to stitch out (decent looking greek letters are a pain in the butt to find on the retail market) or you need to digitize them yourself which requries specialized software and isn't really a beginner project.

PM me, I'll trade contact info with you and can explain it to you better. And I can tell you how to get decent looking homemade letters on a plain ol' $150 sewing machine.

roqueemae · #13 06-01-2005, 01:09 PM

How much do people pay for these shirts normally? At my Greek Store it is $15 for 2 double layer letters (a solid backing with a pattern on top) on a baby tee. If you get a jersey it is about $20.
I got a sweatshirt with letters and ALUMNA embroideried on it for $30. Also if more than 12 shirts are ordered, there is a 15% discount.

TxGirl · #14 06-01-2005, 08:05 PM

I worked at the book/greek store when I was in school all we had were two plain sewing machines. I did the painting not the stiching, but they made tons of shirts using those machines. I can't imagine they were too expensive either b/c our boss was notriously cheap.

They use two or three-ply letters. The first was always the heavy heat adhesive back. They would either put another layer on that in the same fabric (reminded me of a plasticy twill or they would put fabric on it. The most expensive thing we had was the dye machine we used to cut out the block letters.

I always thought they used a zig-zag stitch on them - but I don't know what a satin stitch is.

Of course the store I worked for was sold to a chain of book stores and they no longer carry greek stuff, much less do stitched letters. But, I do know of another store that does it and they do orders from all over the country.

PM if you want the info.

DGMarie · #15 06-01-2005, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TxGirl

I always thought they used a zig-zag stitch on them - but I don't know what a satin stitch is.

A satin stitch is a zig zag stitch. You just reduce the stitch length until all the stitches are very tight together and it looks like a satin sheen to the stitching. Hence the name.

satin stitch (shown by hand but is done on machine)

zig zag