Thanks Fred!

[WildWestDesigns]

Just wanted to say thanks to Fred for adding the Embroidery sub-Forum to our wonderful selection here.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Thanks for requesting it Evan.

 

[binki]

Oh my, something I might know more about than most here.

Thanks for the opportunity.

BTW, Our Merrow machine arrives sometime this week so we will be a 'made in the USA' emblem (patch) source, something those we sourced to have shipped outside the US long ago. Now I only need to find is a source for twill that is made here.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

BTW, Our Merrow machine arrives sometime this week so we will be a 'made in the USA' emblem (patch) source, something those we sourced to have shipped outside the US long ago. Now I only need to find is a source for twill that is made here.

Oh, you'll like that. Gotta loves the Merrow machine and how it does the overlocking stitch.

 

[Suz]

Yes, thank you Fred! Thank you Evan!

 

[Suz]

Binki,

I'm jealous, I'm always looking for a merrow. Is the the mg3u? If so, can I borrow it?
LOL
Really, Congrats!

Oh my, something I might know more about than most here.

Thanks for the opportunity.

BTW, Our Merrow machine arrives sometime this week so we will be a 'made in the USA' emblem (patch) source, something those we sourced to have shipped outside the US long ago. Now I only need to find is a source for twill that is made here.

 

[wedosigns]

WOW, Thanks Fred!
Now I can really look green in an open forum, lol!
I have been getting a bit of coaching from Evan, who is great and really know his stuff. Thanks Evan!
I am looking forward to all the reads about embroidery and how it works.
Bruce:signs101:

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have been getting a bit of coaching from Evan, who is great and really know his stuff. Thanks Evan!
I am looking forward to all the reads about embroidery and how it works.
Bruce:signs101:

It was my pleasure. Glad I could help.

Looking forward to an active sub-forum here. Like Binki, this is what a really know and hopefully be able to contribute more on here.

 

[binki]

Yes, it is the mg3u. Can't wait, training on Monday and take it back to the shop. Talked to the MFG before we purchased and they said most are shipped out of the US. All are made to order, been waiting over 2 months for it. Our patch/emblem biz has grown quite a bit in the last 6 months. This will really help us out. Capacity on this machine is 1000/day so it will fit the bill for us.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Our patch/emblem biz has grown quite a bit in the last 6 months.

Ours has too, even though we've had a Merrow machine for a long time, for some reason, there has just been a boom on it. It can be tough at times as far as the type of clients it brings in, but for some reason that market has grown.

It still doesn't outweigh shirt and hat orders, but I have seen an increase lately with the orders. However, here we had to put a min. if we use a the Merrow Machine, if we don't we have another process that we can use for the really low quantity orders.

 

[binki]

We have a lot of car and motorcycle clubs and they like patches. We also have a lot of school accounts so we will start going after that patch business as well.

 

[Gino]

I have a cousin [actually a few cousins] that do this stuff. They've been in it for a great number of years, but my Uncle's Father started the business in 1885 and they're still going strong after over 125 years. There have been a few changes along the way... but it's still moving along.

I'll ask him if he would like to join the place for this feature alone......... not to mention all the other advantages. ​

 

[WildWestDesigns]

We have a lot of car and motorcycle clubs and they like patches. We also have a lot of school accounts so we will start going after that patch business as well.

We have quite a few of the car and bike clubs around here. Which does help out when they want those jacket back patches.

School accounts I don't go after a whole lot. I'll do the digitizing, but that's about it. I had a couple of school accounts, but the ones around here were too much of a pain and not worth it.

I have a cousin [actually a few cousins] that do this stuff. They've been in it for a great number of years, but my Uncle's Father started the business in 1885 and they're still going strong after over 125 years. There have been a few changes along the way... but it's still moving along.

Yea, I would say that there have been a few changes along the way in 125 yrs. I know I've seen one or two changes in just the years I've been doing this.

 

[Gino]

We have quite a few of the car and bike clubs around here. Which does help out when they want those jacket back patches.

School accounts I don't go after a whole lot. I'll do the digitizing, but that's about it. I had a couple of school accounts, but the ones around here were too much of a pain and not worth it.


Yea, I would say that there have been a few changes along the way in 125 yrs. I know I've seen one or two changes in just the years I've been doing this.

When they started it was a bunch of mostly men sitting at a type of sewing machine. It was that way until right before WWII. Then they got machines where they were in rows with each stationed manned utilizing about 75 people in the whole plant, plus supervisors and the office staff. After the war, my Uncle started to take over the business and he just went full throttle on just about everything. He had one of the first computerized setups where a single person sat at the end of a row and the other ten units did the same work as that person. He eventually got more and more of those machines and while investing in equipment and technology, he found jobs around the plant for everyone. He never fired a single sole.... anyway, not for technology, only if they deserved it for other reasons. Back in the 60's and 70's he just took off and became a multimillionaire in no time. They continued to grow and had accounts all around the world and some top-notch clients here in the US. In the 90's everyone started into this field and as he got too old.... my cousins who were basically born into wealth, didn't have the ability to see into the future and keep it growing as their ancestors did. They eventually began bickering with each other and they had to make name changes and other stoopid changes to keep the business going. It's still going, but sadly to say..... not with the flare it once had.

Yep, all kinds of changes happening today in that market.
​

 

[WildWestDesigns]

my cousins who were basically born into wealth, didn't have the ability to see into the future and keep it growing as their ancestors did. They eventually began bickering with each other and they had to make name changes and other stoopid changes to keep the business going. It's still going, but sadly to say..... not with the flare it once had.

That's too bad. You can still do very well in this field, but you do have to be smarter about it, particularly in today's market place. It's not easy, but it can be done.

 

[Suz]

Hey Gino, very interesting! I have lots of military clients. I don't take on every patch request, but once in a while. Like Evan says, they are not always worth it. Hey, old military patches (especially Shifflie) are very collectible. Not sure I spelled Shifflie right, but it is a type of commercial embroidery machine that was used so much back in the day you are talking about, 40's and beyond. I'm sure you know all about it.

Wow! What a history your family has in the embroidery business. Are they on the west coast? I'd love to know more. Thanks for posting!

 

[Suz]

Binki, that is great! Won't it be fabulous to be able to pump out so many merrowed patches in a day! But can your embroidery machines keep up? Geesh!

Yes, it is the mg3u. Can't wait, training on Monday and take it back to the shop. Talked to the MFG before we purchased and they said most are shipped out of the US. All are made to order, been waiting over 2 months for it. Our patch/emblem biz has grown quite a bit in the last 6 months. This will really help us out. Capacity on this machine is 1000/day so it will fit the bill for us.

 

[binki]

I don't think I will be doing 1K patches a day but our orders are getting larger. We have gone from a few at a time to dozens at a time. Getting rid of that ugly satin stitch and doing the merrow will cut down on sewing time as well as trimming time. I am making up blanks to take down to our distributor to practice on.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I don't think I will be doing 1K patches a day but our orders are getting larger. We have gone from a few at a time to dozens at a time. Getting rid of that ugly satin stitch and doing the merrow will cut down on sewing time as well as trimming time. I am making up blanks to take down to our distributor to practice on.

I never really thought of the satin stitch as an ugly stitch rather versatile depending on the underlay you put on it. Now the split satin stitch can be ugly in spots, but in some spots it can add a nice bit of texture.

I did the attached on an apron and I used a split satin stitch for the mustache. I think it worked well in that instance, but I wouldn't want to use it for an applique cover stitch or a patch stitch that's for sure.

 

[binki]

by ugly satin stitch i meant doing it in place of the merrow around the edge, not as a design element. I like the satin stich and use it a lot and even split in place of fill stitching at times.

we pick up the merrow tomorrow.