Posts Tagged ‘time savers’

The Right Tool, The Right Time

Friday, June 10th, 2011

A good tool is valuable; a great tool makes the job easier. A great tool always saves money in the long run because it saves time and frustration.

I bought my Brother PR 600 in 2004 and have always relied on its workhorse ethic. It has always been ready to tackle any job. In fact recently I was asked to complete an order for a shop that couldn’t complete in time to meet a deadline. The only issue occurred when the customer questioned why some hats were “cleaner and more precisely stitched” than others. The shop owner was quite distressed to find out that his customer preferred the hats that had been stitched on my machine!

Brother PR1000

The Brother PR1000

My machine has paid for itself a dozen times over. I have never seriously considered a different machine (even though I will confess to looking). New features became available, but I’ve never been seriously tempted to upgrade until now.

The new beauty that has caught my eye is the Brother PR 1000. It isn’t just the beauty of the design, the larger hoops, support table, new software integration features and new accessories that make it attractive. Isn’t that enough? Hooping an item consistently perfect is always a challenge, so I am confident the Innoveye™ camera will save me lots of rehooping time. The new hat hoop embroiders up to 14” wide – ear to ear without rehooping. This feature will also be a big time-saver for me. I can do the cap front and 2 side designs without rehooping!

Brother PE Design NEXT Software includes some amazing business features that are designed to save time:

    Brother PE Design Next Software

    Brother PE Design Next Software

  1. Link: lets one computer control up to 4 PR 1000 or PR 650 machines. Each machine can be working on a different task with up to 100 designs in queue.
  2. Name drop: names can be typed or imported from a spreadsheet. The software will place them in the proper position in the design and save them all in one quick process. I used to do this task manually and I had created a routine to be efficient – this tool has reduced my design prep time by 90%
  3. Database provides printing a catalog of designs for customer viewing and selection. (This is huge because different design color and font choices may be printed–to be viewed by group members prior to a decision.) It has a special page that can be printed with all the design and item information included for easy filing in your records.
  4. It also includes manual and auto digitizing, photo stitch, impressive resizing capabilities, editing and much more.

Time=Money. Saving time in my work process will create more income for my family. I will be taking a PR 1000 home to join its older “Brother” in my sewing room. I’m looking forward to using the exciting new features.

Stop by one of the Quality Sewing locations and see this beautiful machine in action – it truly is amazing!

Happy Stitching!
Carol


Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Machine Embroidery | No Comments »

Vacuum Survival Tips for the Holidays

Friday, December 10th, 2010

It’s that time of year that we are all scurrying around trying to clean our houses before company comes over! It’s work enough preparing to entertain, but when your vacuum doesn’t work right, it is even harder. Your vacuum cleaner is an important tool to keep your carpets and floors clean. With the holidays coming, your vacuum will be put to the test. The holidays bring an abundance of dirt, soil, food, pet hair, leaves and pine needles into your home. While we can’t prevent the mess, we can prepare our vacuum for it!

Tips on readying your vacuum:
1. Change all the filters.
Even if your filters say they can be washed, don’t…replace them instead. Dirt and water make mud and create mildew. Clean filters create better air flow and reduce particulates including the added pollen that a live Christmas tree will add to the air in your home.
2. Change the belt.
Most vacuum belts are rubber and they stretch out. When your vacuum belt is stretched it does not allow your brush roll
to agitate your carpet fibers and deep clean. The next time you are in the market for a new vacuum, be sure to ask about cleaners with lifetime belts that never stretch, and never require replacement.
3. Clean Your Brush Roll.
Take the time to turn your vacuum upside down and remove hair, ribbon, thread and other items that have become twisted around your brush roll. Try using a pair of scissors to quickly cut away the foreign fibers from your brush roll. If you do this frequently you can often remove all debris from your brush roll without having to take the faceplate off your vacuum!
4. Change the bag at least every month.
A fresh vacuum bag keeps odor and mildew from exhausting into your home. Changing the bag regularly also improves the vacuums “vacuum” and allows for the unit to perform at its maximum performance. As your Christmas tree dries out, the extra pine needles will fill your vacuum bag up quicker than normal…if your vacuum smells like a Christmas tree, it’s time to change the bag!
5. Watch out for what you vacuum up.
Vacuums are designed and built around vacuuming small debris. So if you can see it, pick it up with your hands. Also,
vacuums with hoses are more susceptible to clogging. Pine needles, leaves, wrapping paper and clothing tags can block hoses causing clogs. Pine needles are the usual culprit for clogged vacuums this time of year, while its temping to suck them all up in your vacuum, its a good idea to scoop up as many as you can with your hands and throw them in the garbage before turning your vacuum on!
6. Get your vacuum serviced.
A clean vacuum cleans better. Vacuum service centers experience more service volume the first week of every new year, the reason is clogged vacuums. Pine needles are the # 1 reason for a clog during this time of year. Have your vacuum serviced at Quality Sewing and Vacuum prior to the rush. We will replace the filters, replace the belt, clean and oil the brush roll, completely wipe down the housing and motor. So you can clean throughout the winter into the new year!


Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in How To Guides, Resources, Tips & Tricks | No Comments »

Hoop Embroidery in a (Quick) Snap!

Friday, June 25th, 2010

I love having gadgets and gizmos to make my embroidery world easier. It is so nice to take advantage of great innovations to aid with hooping and speed up the process, especially when I am working on a project for profit. So many times I find my self taking these aids for granted.

Not long ago I had a request to embroider some bags and had assured the client that bags would be no problem at all. Once the bags had been delivered, I realized that the style of the bag was awkward and was not going to be cooperative. After a time of trial, error, pondering, and some head scratching, I pulled out the Quick Snap Hoops that are made for my Brother 6 needle machine. This system allowed me to effectively embroider an area of the bag that would not otherwise have been possible with conventional hoops. The bags were returned to a very happy customer, who was none the wiser to how their complicated job turned into an easy one.

The Quick Snap Hooping System works very effectively on a multitude of different types of projects. There are 7 different frames so I have been able to find just the right size or shape for so many different items. The clear windows (at least 2 for each frame) are designed to anchor the item to the frame, but I find that they make alignment and getting things straight an easy task.

I often get questions about the Quick Snaps so I thought that I would share some “need to know” info with you:

  • It is easiest to put the Quick Snap hoop that you intend on using onto the machine before the item to be embroidered is placed on the frame.
  • Before the item is on the frame, make sure that the design is located where you want it. With the frame on and empty, it is easy to see the machine’s needle location in the frame opening.
  • When the Quick Snap attaching bracket is on the PR650 (or previous models) the machine will think that the large frame is on.
  • You need to place the design so it will stitch inside of the Quick Snap frame. Warning: The Machine will not recognize your Quick Snaps.
  • Make sure to do a trace to confirm that the placement of the design is correct.
  • The flat magnet strips can be used to hold the stabilizer in place while you put the article on the hoop.
  • Use the Quick Snap Arm Extension to help aid in the support of these robust frames and the items you are embroidering.

If you want more information on what comes with the Quick Snap System, check out the video below to see how it works:

If you have Quick Snaps, I am sure that you love them as much as I do. I cannot even begin to think about all of the business projects that have become easier for me to do and how much my production time has sped up.

If you don’t have the Quick Snap Hooping System or the Quick Snap Arm Extension, they can be found at all Quality Sewing stores—Don’t forget to use your Sew Fun discount!

-Reva Flood


Tags: ,
Posted in Machine Embroidery, New Products, Tips & Tricks | 1 Comment »

How To: Prepare a Pattern For Fitting

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Fitting a pattern prior to cutting and sewing a garment is one of the most important steps to ensuring a successful garment project.  In training to be a Palmer/Pletsch Certified Sewing Instructor, I have learned some great tips for pattern preparation.  Preparing a pattern prior to fitting takes a few steps, but makes pattern fitting much easier and more accurate.

First:
Remove the wrinkles from your pattern using a dry iron on medium heat.  I prefer to press from the wrong side of the pattern, in case the ink wants to transfer to my iron.

Second:
If you are using a multi-size pattern, mark your size line with a colored pencil. It’s easy to confuse the different size lines, and inaccurate cutting of these lines may result in unpleasant surprises during fitting and construction.  If tracing a pattern, such as from a Burda magazine, it’s especially important to make sure you can see which line is the correct one to follow.

Third:
Once the pattern is cut, mark the seam allowances and hemlines, so you can pin fit the pattern accurately.  Remember to check the seam allowances noted on the pattern – they may not be 5/8″.  For garments such as pants, you may want to increase the seam allowance on the side seams and waistline to 1″ to facilitate fitting the pattern and fabric easier.  This may seem excessive, but remember it is much easier to make something smaller than to try to make it larger after cutting!

Fourth:
Are there any curved areas, such as princess seams, crotch seams or armhole seams?  If so, you will want to reinforce these areas with small, overlapping pieces of 1/2″ tape.  Please note the 1/2″ size – it is easier to tape around curves with less bulk than a wider tape.  Reinforce the pattern “seam” for fitting by taping along the stitching line on the body side of the stitching line - not in the seam allowance! Taping the curves allows you to clip the seam allowance up to the stitching line just as you would in the sewn garment.  It also keeps the pattern from tearing in these stress areas; if taped properly, you should be able to gently pull on the curve without the paper tearing.  This means you can try on the pattern as you would a garment, allowing you to make the most necessary adjustments prior to cutting your fabric.

I’ll discuss further steps in pattern preparation, fitting and alteration in a later posting.  I have lots of projects bundled up and waiting to be sewn.  That means lots of pattern fittings and alterations, too.  Marta Alto says that pattern preparation is easily 1/3 to 1/2 of her total project time.  This may seem excessive but preparation is the key to a successful garment.

–Katrina


Tags: , , ,
Posted in How To Guides, Projects and Techniques, Sewing | No Comments »