Glossary
Embroidery sewing machines offer both the services of embroidery and sewing in one appliance. Thus, these machines offer the best of both worlds, and are available at attractive prices.
The earliest embroidery was done by hand, following which the process became mechanized with the use of the mechanical embroidery machine. Sewing machine with or without built-in stitches can be used to “manually” create embroidery designs on fabric. These manual types of embroidery machines are used very little these days, and mostly for fiber art and quilting projects. This type of embroidery is used to embellish garments, though with decreasing frequency these days. Replacing it is the free machine embroidery process, often called “thread drawing or painting”, which is favored by quilters and fabric artists to embellish or to create samples of textile art.
However, it is the computerized embroidery sewing machines that have revolutionized the market. They can be used by inputting a pattern, however complicated or intricate it may be, into the machine and getting its exact replica on fabric. These embroidery sewing machines contain special software that reads digitized embroidery files. They are extremely popular among professionals, crafters, quilters, and seamstresses, owing to their precision and convenience. They are widely used even by those who enjoy embroidery as a hobby.
The best machines have facilities for both embroidery and sewing. Some of the high-end models come with an inbuilt large color touchscreen, a USB interface, design editing software on the machine, embroidery adviser software, and design file storage system. The embroidery sewing machine prices range from $400 up to the expensive ones costing $2000. Brands that sell this product are Brother, Singer, JAMAC Kenmore and Shark. Commercial embroidery machines are available in the range of 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 15, and 18 head machines. Industrial embroidery machines can be purchased from between 12 to 56 head models.
While deciding which embroidery sewing machine to buy, consider models that are long-lasting and require minimum maintenance. Other qualities to take into consideration are versatility and easy switchover from embroidery to regular stitching functions.
