classes. I understand that it is easier to teach a class if everyone has the same make machine. We only have one shop here and they only sell Bernias and I have a Brothers. I went in there one day and they just judge you by your machine. If I knew more I would give classses no matter what machine you have. Sorry just wanted to vent and praise everyone who has the opportunity for classes. Love you all.

I do not live there but where I do is worse as there are no stores in our area. We have to drive 1 1/2 hrs to get to one store that sells them. The one I have I bought in Corpus Christi, Tx. The shop is gone and when I went to have it repaired the man insulted me and told me I had bought it from a discount place instead of his shop.

I know what you mean, once the sale is over, the help is gone. My dealer was in the Joanns, she's still very nice but not very helpful. The lady that was the mgr got caught stealing fabric (dummy) and lost her job, the lady that took over knows a lot but never seems to give it up unless you want to buy something. Typical. As for the Bernina Dealers, I've never met one that didn't have a 'tude! Trust me with my small amount of splurge money I don't need to go where they have an attitude. So mostly I teach myself as I go and when I have a problem I just ask my fellow cuties and 'poof' there's the answer or something close enough to help me figure it out. Smile you've got us!

Me again!!!! I've been sewing for over 70 years (muffled voice behind hand on mouth) and you'd think I should know a thing or two by now..... But...... every day I pore over the messages here to learn new and innovative ways of doing things - important info I never, ever picked up - and great dollops of help for my new-found joy in machine embroidery. Classes are fun and I'll be among the first to tell you so but the wealth of opinions given freely here is precious, enormous and often overwhelming, and I treasure everyone's input, balance it out and work out which information is going to be useful to me and my machine. Even with classes you still have to learn your own machine's personality and capabilities.

I don't think this message is going to help your cause at all but I have to agree with the other members that the help we have here is unique and I'm so glad about that for people, like you and me, who can't attend machine classes and have to depend on the owner's manual and other people for good, solid, useful information.

I agree with you, though, that solitary sewing can be a lonely adventure and there's a whole lot of fun to be found in sharing this pastime. Age shouldn't be a factor. I now attend dressmaking classes just for the friendship; I've found a wonderful easy-going teacher who won't pressure me and she even devotes an entire corner of the room just for me every lesson. Apparently the other ladies call it my Naughty Corner. Can't think why.

AlmaG.

1 comment

by wishfulthinking 29 Mar 2011

What a lovely response. ~x~

You won't get better lessons than you can get right here in this forum! Just ask and someone will have the answer.
BTW I had a brief demo of my machine before I bought it and the rest I've found out for myself or from here.

I bought my machine used. Consequently no classes. I learned all I know by being here on Cute. Just reading questions by others and the answers they get is a wealth of info. The rest becomes trial and error. I guess I like adventure.

2 comments

by airyfairy 29 Mar 2011

I also bought my machine second hand and have taught myself. Being with Cute has helped me and given me the confidence to just go for it.

by mops 29 Mar 2011

I bought my machines new, but opted or should I say haggled for a 10% discount instead of classes. Studied the manual and managed - did not even have internet at the time.

Thank you so much. I am glad I am not the only one that is learning as she/he goes. Thats the way I have been. Sometimes I guess we just have to keep looking and find our answer. Everyone on here has been a big help not just with my questions but with other too. I even go back in the archives to look for projects. I guess I was feeling lonely and wanted a outside group. Im not quite the Senior citizens group yet. Im sure there is something there. I still need a few more years. We only have a small quilt shop here. When I got my machine she didn't offer any free classes. I had to learn on my own. Thank you so much everybody. Love the cuties all the way.

2 comments

by gerryb 28 Mar 2011

Hey! If those senior citizens are sewers, I bet they'd love to help you! Check it out!

by knitty46 28 Mar 2011

It wouldn't hurt would it. All they can say is no. Then I will cry. hehehe I am 52. I might be able to slip in the building.hehehehe

Don't be disheartened.

Kitty, call some of the smaller quilt shops in the area if there are any. I take classes at one here & the gals are good & helpful! We have different machines. Hope you find someone in the area!

Hi
I only went to a few basic classes because I had a 100 mile round trip. I learned more from going to websites that offered information. Also you could google for online informational embroidery websites. Talking to others that have embroidery machines helps,too. Hope that helps you some.

Knitty46: I'm sorry you can't get help with your Brother. I worked 8 years for a Brother dealer/repair shop and we encouraged our customers to play with our machines and demonstrated them. Then when they did purchace one they got a good hour lesson but it didn't end there. Anytime they had a question they could call or stop in and we were always willing to help. Not sure what kind of help you need but if you go to emblibrary.com and click on Projects on the left hand side then click on any of the items shown and when that page comes up go to the left side again and there are many tutorials to show you how to do different things. Also on the home page at right hand top click on Help and they have a lot of things that might help you. Wish I lived close so I could help more. I own 4 Brother machines and love them. They really are user friendly so don't let it imtimidate you. Read your book and check out this web site and hope this helps. Hugs and good luck. *4U

I brought my first embroidery on line from another state. And when I upgraded to a larger machine my dealer was over two hours away. With the help of a few yahoo groups, I am self taught on my huskystar em 10 and brother 2500d. I do know there is a brother yahoo group. But there are us here who probably can helpyou as well. So don't be afraid to ask questions, we are here to help.
Smiles
Sewinhuggs

I forgot to tell you--I live in the Smoky Mountains on the NC side. The shops I have are 18, 21 and 53 miles away. Worth the drive for the chance to sit with a group of ladies with the same interest and just have a good time talking. Look for another dealer.

It is ashame that a dealer would act like that. I have a Brother and a Bernina and I take classes at a Janome dealer. She can't help me with my machines but I have learned so much from her in just general information. How do these dealers know that someday you just may buy their product?! I know what you mean about Bernina dealers. Hang in there and just ask all of us for help. There is more knowledge in this group than you could find in any shop and we don't care what machine you use or your amount of knowledge We just want to help.

Las Cruces is not that far from El Paso. (I used to live in El Paso). Check to see if there is a Brother dealer in El Paso that would help you. It would be worth the drive to really know your machine. Check the Brother site for tutorials and maybe advertise for people who want to get together to figure out their machines.
Kathy

I haven't had much success with people being helpful either. I bought a second hand machine (Viking) Most people are only interested in selling new machines and then good luck. I have to try to teach myself.UGH

Try to find a support group for your software and machine. Questions get answered or if not pointers to where you can find info. I now belong to a software support grouup and a machine support group and they teach me all the time. I am self taught as we were 3 hours from dealers. Just had to apply myself, read manuals, test stitch and learn from that. I am now lucky enough to live about 5 miles from dealer in another state who treats me great even though my machine was given by my daughter and not bought from them. Software was and I've been to class.

Sue

knitty

Don't be disheartened. I have never had a lesson in my life. Since joining this forum I have learnt lots and am now on my way to creating. I have a brother. I bought this as I knew nothing about machines and I was told it was one of the best.

Now I learn that this is not strictly true and the model I have in comparison seem limited. Having said that Brother do make some really nice machines, as a beginner, I am quite happy with what mine can do.

I guess once I have improved (like anything) I will want a better one, but at least this one will give me the opportunity to learn.

I have only been using mine for a few weeks and have come on in leaps and bounds. I search You Tube and google for tutorials and have also learnt a lot from here.

An example, a couple of weeks ago I posted a question about a fancy edging I had seen and wanted to create. I had no idea what it was called or how to do it. I received many responses and good advice. Eventually I discovered I needed a 'wing needle' in order to do this. I ordered one from the states, it arrive a few days ago and 'whoola' yippee dippy doo, I have created my first edging with amazing results.

Another questions I posted was about 'free' software I needed. I downloaded one which was suggested and just could not use it. I was totally lost. I cried 'help' and again many responses, especially from one member in particular, who was so extremely kind and actually telephoned me and talked me through it. I now use it with confidence and have adjusted designs, added lettering, altered formats etc. All of this I have learnt in a matter of weeks. So there is hope for everyone.

Good luck

That just seems to me so grossly unfair, apart from being very poor business practice. Dare I say 'snobbish'?

If I need anything special, like classes, for my Husqvarna machine I have to travel 6 hours west to Adelaide to my dealer or 1 1/2 hours east into Victoria. I can get wonderful telephone or internet help from both but for hands-on help it's very inconvenient; however, I do have a great Pfaff dealer in town who will give me all the help she can so she is the one who gets my business for fabrics, notions and classes. She's a great person, has time for everyone and her little business is beginning to blossom into a very lively and welcoming, happy place to be.
She even invited me to join her basic 4D embroidery lessons with a couple of other ladies new to the 4D software and their new machines, one with a new Pfaff and one with a new Husqvarna Diamond. and all of us with different laptops. I have the 3D program but still picked up a lot of points which have been invaluable to me. She made this offer, just to get us going with our new toys.
She's the one who will continue to have my 'stitching dollar' and 'word of mouth' support even though she knows I will never buy any machines from her.

It just seems to me that anyone with enough machine knowledge to set him/herself up in business selling machines would have enough knowledge to also give basic advice about other machines or at least help with interpreting the owner's manuals. Are your local Bernina dealers so incredibly busy that they can't even give you basic help?? It's a good thing to offer to pay for their time, though.

It doesn't hurt to try to help people in the business world but it does hurt both parties if you don't at least try - the one needing help is left floundering and the other one has just lost potential business upon which his/her future livelihood is based.

We've been in business, selling our teaching knowledge, and we'd never have taken the first step up the ladder of success if we had judged our clients by their dress or education levels.

AlmaG.

We have a good shop here (18 miles)and they are very helpful and we can take different classes in embroidery and general sewing etc but I think you have to buy your machine there to get free classes on how to operate your machine. There is another here that won't do anything for you but sell you stuff. I wanted to take lessons on a software I got with my machine that I happened to get out of town (on a whim) and they wouldn't even take $25 per class to let me in. They would let me sign up for other classes and pay for them but not the one on the software eventhough they were teaching it. Sooooo as a result I don't go there. Don't understand why they wouldn't take my money but oh well their loss. I would think if you are the only one in the area you would want all the business you could get. I can understand if the brand of machine is different because they may not know how the others operate and of course they want to sell their brand. But general classes should be avaiable to everyone. jmho though.

1 comment

by knitty46 28 Mar 2011

I would like to take a designing class too. I guess I will have to learn on my own and give them my self.

Sorry about that. I wish you had the guy that sold my machine to my husband. He said that he would give me free lessons as many as I needed. Wish I could send him to you!!! He sell 4 kinds of machines. Does not matter which one you have.
By the way my husband wants to move to NM!!

It's funny you say that. There is a Bernina dealer here whose instructor has her nose stuck so high in the air I don't know how she sees where she is going. If you don't own one of their machines she has no time for you.
Bev

Hello, I am here in El Paso, we are pretty close ...it is nice to see someone that lives close by

1 comment

by knitty46 28 Mar 2011

Hi Lulu, How is the Sewing shop on Yandell? Is there anything there. I only have 45 mins from you.

yes i know how you feel Kitty Were i live i half to drive one and a half hours to get to ware i could/can take lessons.Then they all speck french but me .I don't care about that i just wish they would say it in both lan. so i wouldn't half to say could you say that in english please lol carolyn