Here's a question in response to nanabs's posting. What is one piece of advice that you wished you knew when you first began to do machine embroidery? My answer: I wish I had been told about the many wonderful websites related to machine embroidery (Cute is the # 1 site) It would have saved me hundreds of dollars.

Just wish I would have had the time and money to have found this wonderful hobby years ago. Also wish I could have had lessons as my machine is second hand.

I started in 1992 with a Brother Galaxy. You could only buy cards and there was no software at that time. As soon the Brother PE-scan became available I bought that - you could combine letters into words and place them in lines and arcs; combine the designs from your cards with that; and do some very elementary auto-digitising. The beginning of lots of experiments. My daughter still has some towels with a home-made embroidery of a ship with the name of her Dehler on it. And I must admit it does not look bad. But was I happy when digitising software for home embroidery became available!
I wish I had been told it would be so addictive and as far as software is concerned so expensive. But, as my husband would say, it keeps me of the street.

I wish that somebody told me..... Be careful because this is addictive, all your time and mostly all the talking is about embroidery. BUT I don't mind. Love Marie

Boy, I can second that. I thought the only designs out there came on a CD.

When I started out there were not so many websites. I wish the sales person had shown me how to hoop up properly, and which stabilizers to use, I had to figure it all out from the instruction manual. Which was not very informative.

You have hit the nail on the head. Thank goodness I was working when I first purchased my first embroidery machine and was able to buy some designs - that was some 10 years ago and they were very expensive. These designs were sewn to death. Now that I am retired, I am most greatful to Cute Embroidery fans for the links to so many beautiful designs.