| Brother offers many different models of both | | | | exactly that. If you also want to create your own |
| dedicated embroidery machines and combination | | | | designs, you need more advanced software such as |
| embroidery and sewing machines. And each model | | | | Brother PE-Design. Other companies also offer |
| can have different ways of getting additional | | | | compatible software and card readers. |
| embroidery designs into the machine. If you're looking | | | | 2. USB Port That Connects To A Computer |
| to buy an embroidery machine, you need to carefully | | | | This type of USB port is like a small square cord |
| consider the options for additional embroidery designs, | | | | opening. You connect the embroidery machine directly |
| so you can decide which model is right for you. Once | | | | to your computer to transfer embroidery designs |
| you discover all the beautiful things you can make with | | | | stored on your computer. No need for a card reader |
| an embroidery machine, you will want to expand your | | | | writer. |
| creative design choices beyond the built-in designs. | | | | 3. USB Port With Memory-Stick Compatibility |
| There are three basic ways to get additional | | | | This type of USB port is a long and narrow slot that |
| embroidery designs into a Brother embroidery machine: | | | | takes a USB memory stick (thumb drive or finder |
| 1. Brother Proprietary Memory Card Slot | | | | drive) or any USB hard drive. This is even more |
| This slot takes little memory cards that look like the | | | | convenient and easier because there is no need for a |
| flash cards for some cameras, but are in a Brother | | | | card reader/writer or to connect to your computer at |
| proprietary format. The memory cards contain | | | | all. |
| embroidery designs that the machine can read and | | | | You just copy stored embroidery designs from any |
| sew. | | | | computer onto a USB stick or thumb drive, and load |
| You can buy compatible memory cards from Brother | | | | them into the embroidery machine to stitch out. |
| or third-party companies. But the cards are expensive | | | | So which models have which capabilities? Here are |
| and a better long-term solution is to buy a card writer | | | | the ones I've looked at: |
| reader and software that writes the designs onto the | | | | The Brother SE350 Computerized Embroidery and |
| card. With this software, you can download many | | | | Sewing Machine and the Brother LB6770PRW Project |
| thousands of free and purchased designs from the | | | | Runway Sewing and Embroidery Machine are |
| Internet, write them to a card, and load them into your | | | | combination sewing and embroidery machines. They |
| embroidery machine. | | | | only have the memory card slot. This means that if |
| Brother offers several software packages with | | | | you really get into embellishing your projects, you will |
| different capabilities. If you only want to download | | | | need software such as the Brother PED-Basic and a |
| designs from the Internet in PES format and use them | | | | card writer/reader to take advantage of all the |
| as they are, the Brother PED-Basic software does | | | | designs available on the Internet. |