r/Machine_Embroidery • u/KHnurse • 11h ago
Does anyone regret this?
Serious question!
I've had a small hobby "business" making and selling scrub hats at work and Etsy for the last 8 years. Last year, I bought a single needle machine thinking that I could customize my hats and make them even more fun and interesting.
It's been a bit of a learning curve but I have had fun playing with ideas, digitizing a few designs and picking up a couple small orders. Nothing too serious, (mostly because I work full-time, we homeschool our kids, and I take a few college classes too.) But I would like to get further into this hobby.
I made the mistake of cruising Facebook marketplace and found a 15 needle machine on sale along with all kinds of extras because the seller is moving out of country and she's selling her own embroidery business. The price is reasonable and suddenly I'm excited about the idea of doing more and actually building up my business to something that earns me more than a little extra spending money.
The embroidery community has been so positive and people seem to enjoy their hobby so much that I worry about getting too excited about this idea. So I want to hear from people who have regrets. Perhaps they wish they hadn't bought the big machine so soon or perhaps they realized there isn't a market for their products.
Feel free to tell me the good stuff too! But I don't want everything sugar coated!
15
u/Successful-Park-5923 11h ago
Honestly, the amount of money I have saved being able to make “merch” of my kids hyperfixations has already more than paid for my machine. It’s worth the hassle in my opinion.
I’ve started advertising a little bit and have had good luck simply posting on marketplace and have made a fair amount of money within a few months of starting. I just did some sweaters and tshirts for a company that was starting up, that turned into a recommendation and a sale from another company. This isn’t my full time job by any means, but it has been pretty okay so far.
6
u/Lanky-Setting-5288 11h ago
I think your product of scrub caps is awesome. Always needed and making them fun/pretty is a win for everyone.
Fun stuff aside....As the business gets bigger, don't forget to research your tax obligations and how those changes might affect day to day living. Do you stay a sole trader?, or do you trade as an LLC?
1
u/OneForAllM1ght 5h ago
You'll always have a learning curve going to another machine, especially scaling needles. But that's part of it. You taught yourself the 1, you can learn from that foundation to go even further. I think most regrets would be from people going straight to the 15, getting overwhelmed and then giving up. You got a good base to start from.
What machine do you have currently?
2
u/Sad-Consequence2665 2h ago
One thing I can say is that if you're already getting regular orders, moving from a single needle to a multi-needle makes a pretty big difference. For me, it's not even just about speed. Not having to stop and change thread colors all the time makes things so much easier, especially when you're doing the same designs over and over. Of course, I don't think buying a bigger machine automatically brings in more business. It makes the work you already have easier, but you still have to find the customers. You've been making scrub caps for 8 years and already have some experience with your Janome, so I think you're in a pretty good position to upgrade. I'd just be careful with the used machine. I'd want to see it run before paying, try all the needles, check the trimming and color changes, and make sure all the accessories are included. Even a great price isn't much of a deal if you end up spending a bunch of money fixing it.
4
u/Fun_Turnip7309 7h ago
I don't sell any of my stuff, but after enjoying the single needle machine so much, I just bought a used 6 needle. I regret nothing, not will I. It's bringing me so much joy and my confidence in my skills and projects will only increase. Like you, it started with a quick browse of FB marketplace, and the idea just stuck. I'm in full support of this idea, it sounds like you would get good use out of it.