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As anyone that’s into embroidery will know, it’s a fun pastime that allows you to see your beautiful creations after you’ve finished, a hugely satisfying experience.
What you will also know is that it can be time consuming. What if you want to produce more, but in less time? That’s where a sewing machine for embroidery comes in.
When you’re looking for an embroidery machine, you’ll need to consider what your needs are. What’s your skill level, how big can it be, and how much are you able to spend?
Thankfully, we’ve combined a few embroidery sewing machines in this list that are versatile enough that you’ll find something that fits exactly what you’re looking for.
In a hurry? This is our winner!
- 185 unique built-in stitches: The RSQ9185 comes with 130 built-in stitches including 8 styles of auto-size buttonholes, plus 55 alphanumeric stitches
- Automatic needle threader and drop-in top bobbin: This sewing and quilting machine includes an automatic needle threader that perfectly pushes thread through the needle and a convenient, jam resistant drop-in top bobbin
- Included accessories: Included with the rsq9185 is a wide table, 10 sewing feet, instructional DVD and more
- LCD screen: The backlite LCD display allows you to easily view your stitch selections
- At your side support: The rsq9185 quilting and sewing machine comes with brother at your side support offering free technical support via online, live chat or phone for the life of your machine
Best Sewing Machine That Embroiders – Comparison Table
Best Sewing Machine That Embroiders – Reviews
The Brother SE400 Combination Computerized Sewing and 4 x 4 Embroidery machine is a highly versatile computerized sewing machine that will allow you to create stunning designs in mere minutes.
This is ideal for quilting, embroidering and sewing, ideal if you like all three and comes at an unbelievably affordable price for such a variety.
The machine comes with a handy 4 x 4 frame and a back lit LCD touchscreen that will make it seamless to choose your design and get started quickly. It’s also ideal if you want to be able to download new designs online as it connects to the computer easily.
This will give you access to a tonne of new designs that you can just sync up with the machine and plug away in no time. You can even download a firmware update that allows you to digitize your designs easily, allowing you to work on your creativity.
It has an incredibly fast bobin system that’s meant to be jam-resistant, and the needle threader is automatic so you can have the peace of mind that you don’t need to fuss with it to properly use the machine.
It’s also pretty convenient as you can easily park the needle in either the up or down position rather than taking time to perfectly get it into place. It is a bit tricky to replace the needle properly, but otherwise it’s a good quality machine that will help you to quickly and efficiently make gorgeous designs at an affordable price.
- Big design capacity
- Low in price
- Manufacturers guarantee that lasts 25 years
- Lots of fantastic features
- Can be difficult to replace the needles
When you think sewing, you’ll probably think of Singer as one of the first brands that come to mind. The machine comes with a huge number of stitches coming at 250 in total. It also comes armed with 200 embroidery designs and 6 letter options.
It also stitches ridiculously fast, so no need to wait around for a slow machine.
The sewing machine is incredibly easy to use and comes with an LCD TouchScreen that allows you to see the pattern or stitching that you’re trying to do. It’s very handy as it allows you to quickly change stitch sizes and styles by simply touching the screen.
It comes armed with some downloadable software which allows you to add extra designs, and it can even be updated so the machine will be updated with current technologies. It has a 10-¼” x 6” hoop that will allow you to create large designs. It also comes with a bobbin winding feature that will patch up the problem itself so you don’t have to.
You can easily add new designs with the USB stick design transfer system that allows you to save a design to the USB and then transfer it to the machine.
The Singer Legacy also comes with Staybright LED lights that will keep the project well lit. t’s incredibly versatile and easy to operate, and comes at a decent price so it’s worth the purchase for a machine that will grow with you.
- Versatile
- Easy to use
- Comes with designs and allows you to add new designs
- Some people have found the initial set up confusing
The Singer 9960 Sewing Machine is a fully computerized sewing and embroidery machine that provides a fantastic experience that’s even portable! No matter how much desk space you have, this should fit quite nicely into your home.
The system is incredibly versatile, and comes with a variety of different fonts that you can add to your work. Perhaps the biggest selling point of this machine is that it has an automatic needle threader that will help to save you time and hassle of having to re-thread the needle manually.
It comes with a whopping 600 built-in stitches and has a cool mirror imaging feature. Furthermore it’s incredibly fast, so it’ll save you a lot of time. It’s an incredible machine for beginners too as all you need to do is focus on your sewing without all the extra fiddly bits and with an intuitive interface.
The machine also comes at an incredibly affordable price for so many features, making it a real bargain. So, is the Singer 9960 worth the price tag? Sew it seams!
- Portable
- Lots of stitches
- Fast
- Mirror imaging feature
- Some users have reported quality control issues
This is definitely your best option if you’re on a budget. Much like the Brother SE400, this is a fantastic choice for professionals and beginners alike. It’s an incredibly popular model that works like a treat for both sewing and embroidery.
The machine has a lot of cool features, including the ability to change and preview thread colors. It also allows you to place lettering on arcs and move designs on the screen. It’s a very advanced machine that also allows you to connect to USB to get extra designs.
It’s very durable too so it’ll last you a long time. It comes with 103 built-in stitches that will help you to add extra character to already existing items of clothing, and 80 designs built in already for the embroidery.
It also has a colored 3.7 inch LCD touch screen that will allow you to quickly select the design and stitch straight from the screen. You can even edit the design straight from the LCD screen!
The machine is incredibly easy to set up and comes at a very affordable price, and comes with LED lights that will light up the work station to allow you to see the design even in the dark (though we wouldn’t recommend it!). It’s a solid option, so why not give it a try?
- 103 built in stitch patterns
- Large embroidery area
- Additional features
- USB Connectivity
- Not the cheapest on the list
Best Sewing Machines that Embroider – Buyers Guide
What constitutes a sewing machine that embroiders?
So what’s the difference between a sewing machine and an embroidery machine, you may be thinking? Yes, both having needles that move fast and mechanical parts that help that to happen, but they differ in their purposes.
An embroidery machine makes designs on fabric that’s already been stitched together, whereas a sewing machine serves to put two pieces of fabric together to make a garment.
As a general rule, an embroidery machine is essentially like a sewing machine that allows you to transfer images onto a piece of fabric. It saves a lot of time that you would have needed to spend hand stitching normally.
It comes with a bunch of predetermined, built in stitches, such as satin and criss-cross stitches, and some more modern ones. It can come with patterns already installed or programmes that allow you to quickly put the images onto the clothing instead of manually doing it. If you’re looking to spruce up your clothing a little, then, this is probably your best option.
A sewing machine that embroiders, though, as you may have imagined is a sewing machine that also has embroidery functions.
Do I need a combination machine?
The main question to ask in response to this question, is how much are you going to use each function? If you’re hardly ever going to use one of the functions and have no use for the extra function, then you’re better off only using one.
If, however, you think you’ll use both, you’re better off buying a combination machine straight off the bat. Why? Buying a sewing machine first and then later buying an embroidery machine can get expensive.
You’ll be able to save money by getting a combination of both early on. Furthermore, having both a sewing machine and an embroidery machine will take up a lot of space and you may have to unplug one to make room for the other.
Sewing Machine Embroiderer Types
So, you have three main options when it comes to how you actually get the patterns for your sewing machine. The choice you make in this aspect can influence the kinds of patterns that you have and in some ways the amount of personalization you have.
First Type: Built In
Generally you find that the embroidery machines that are the cheapest out there are the ones that have patterns already built in. Sadly, this also means that the number of patterns you have is limited.
These types of embroidery machines tend to come with a booklet which shows you what the pattern looks like and allows you to input a code into the machine to get it to do its thing. You’re able to add extra stuff, like minor details, but you’re not able to transfer stuff from the web.
The Second Type: Enabled by the Internet
So, the next type is an embroidery machine that you can connect to the internet. This will allow you to import patterns from the web to transfer onto the fabric. They don’t usually come with patterns already loaded onto the machine, but they’ll connect to the wifi or ethernet, and your bluetooth system will connect it to a computer program hooked up to the machine.
This will allow you to download the pattern from the internet, and transfer it to the machine. It can be a difficult set up because it operates using certain file types, so you’ll need to make sure you read the instruction manual.
The Third Choice: USB Connected
The last option you have is a USB port for the machine that you can use to download patterns onto. Basically, you download it onto a computer program and then put it on the memory stick. Then you put the memory stick in the machine. Simple!
Features to Look For
So, what else should you be looking for when looking for an embroidery sewing machine? Here’s a couple of things
Hoop Capability
You’ll need to consider how big your designs are going to be. Larger hoops are usually able to hold smaller designs, but not necessarily smaller pieces of fabric.
Before buying an embroidery sewing machine you should consider this. Certain machines also come with extra hoops that can help you to have more versatility in the designs.
Built in Stitches & Designs
How many stitch options does the machine have, and realistically how many do you need? Machines can come with a low number of stitches like 25 and can range up to as many as 250 stitches.
The amount of stitches you have can help you to discern how many designs you can do. You may need to do some stitches by hand if the machine doesn’t have the capabilities to perform them.
As discussed above, it’s also important to consider how you want to get your designs. Do you want some instant designs to play around with that are built in, or do you want to hunt around for some online?
Consider whether the machine is able to connect to the computer, as this will also influence whether you can create your own designs.
Built In Memory
How many patterns can your machine remember? It can be super handy for your embroidery sewing machine to be able to learn a lot of new patterns.
A lot of patterns that you buy online can cost a decent amount of money, or if you’ve made them yourself you would have paid in time. With that in mind, you don’t really want to have to delete them later on!
Editing Ability
You may find the perfect design for your current project, but the only problem is that it’s not quite what you need in certain respects. Perhaps it’s too colorful, or too big, or you want to be able to add some extra wording to it. Some sewing and embroidery machines actually allow you to edit the patterns, but not all.
You may want to ensure that you’re able to edit on your machine, otherwise you may have gotten yourself in a bit of a stitch being unable to edit the design. The tiniest thing can make a huge difference to your design.
Multi Hoop Capability
So we’ve already discussed hoops, but another thing to consider is just how many projects do you need to take on at once? You may find that you’re just in the middle of a project and another customer or a friend comes along and commissions a design.
In the times of social media and instant gratification, people can become very impatient, so do you really want to keep them waiting? You may find that you need the capacity to do more than one project in a go, so not to interrupt your progress on another project. If this is the case, you may want to have a machine that has multiple hoops.
Other Considerations
Budget
Sewing machines and embroiderers are far from cheap. You need to carefully consider your budget, as there are some features you could arguably do without. Consider what you’re willing to give up and what’s important to you to get the best possible machine for your budget.
LCD Screens
Some sewing machines that embroider come with handy LCD screens that allow you to see the design right in front of you. The color resolution depends on what you pay, but LCD screens can really heighten your enjoyment.
Additional Features
Some extra things that are worth considering are what additional features the sewing machine embroiderer offers. Some come with things like manufacturers warranties, design CDs, bobbin-winding and needle-threading features, and free telephone technical support. These are just a few!
There are some things just to be mindful of when making your choice.
Size of the Machine
As we’ve mentioned before, some machines can be quite large. Make sure you consider how much space you have for the machine, as they can weigh a lot. It may be harder to move them too.
Stitch Speed
The faster the stitching speed the faster the machine will get the designs done. If you have a design that requires more stitching, a faster machine can be very beneficial.
Number of Needles
You’ll need to change colors as often if you have a machine with multiple needles, so it saves a lot of time and makes life a lot easier. Naturally, this can come at a price.
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