Reflections 2009-Future of Machine Embroidery

2009 simply sped past faster than I could blink. There were a lot of life changes and events…but they seem to have passed by in a blur! No kidding…seems like it was just January and now it is December! Time flew indeed.

After finishing off this year’s to do list, I’ve finally been able to pay visits to many of my fave machine embroidery websites. Several things are a pleasant surprise while others pulled at my heart. Lots of new digitizers in the field gladdened me and it is a joy to see their visions and creativities, knowing that the art of machine embroidery is being carried on. The one thing that I cringed at was seeing single digit prices for quality designs.  So many machine embroidery stores are offering sewing/quilting classes instead of embroidery technique classes, while several have closed shop.  Embroidery machine prices, which were soaring sky high last year have dropped considerably, making it an ideal time for many to afford top of the line machines.

What is the future of machine embroidery and was it a fad?  There isn’t a crystal ball to tell us about the future, but I do hope that the past two  years of economic stress has brought about a sincere understanding of the market and real “wants” and “don’t wants”. Machine embroidery had become an expensive hobby and sadly so. For years I have been talking about the “re-marketing” of already existing products, which were re-packaged, over priced and misleading. Why does one brand of thread costs $1.50, whereas the same type of thread, and in the same quantity should cost $5.00? Why does the same stabilizer costs $5.00 a yard at one place and $25.00 a yard at another? To my simple way of understanding, it is nothing but outright “fleecing”. Folks, as they say it in the land of “Show Me”…”this jus’ ain’t right”.

I really hope and wish that the machine embroidery manufacturers would pay a bit more attention to setting prices that are realistic….(I paid $1200 for a machine five years ago, which can be purchased today at Wal-mart for $400!) Bells and whistles are great but let’s be realistic. No, I don’t think surfing the net on my embroidery machine, while embroidering on it is a necessity! No, I don’t think I should pay “beaucoup” dollars for a zoom lens camera (telescope lens!!) on my embroidery machine and no, I definitely don’t think I should pay top dollar for my machine today, when two years later, the price would be half of what I paid for it. Where is the integrity and honor?  I wish and hope that the sellers of machine embroidery products, thread, stabilizers etc. would come to realise that they have “milked” enough and sell the products at realistic prices.

Did I forget designs? Unlike the machines and other necessary products to create machine embroidery, the designs are a different item altogether. No two designs are alike, therefore there can’t be a set price on them. However, a word of caution to digitizer friends. Please don’t under sell yourself. Another word…please stick to one price code.

The future of machine embroidery lies in our own hands and how we shape it. It is truly an art form which will carry on for years in our future and tell a tale of our creativity and culture. My one wish for the future of machine embroidery….create a product that will last.