What Is a Memory Card for Embroidery Machines?

Embroidery machines harness modern technology to make an old decorating art into something any crafter can accomplish quickly. Purchasing memory cards for these machines allows you to expand upon your machine's embroidering capabilities and choose the patterns you want to make. With a little guidance, the machine stitches it for you.

Embroidery

Embroidery is the art of decorating textiles with colored thread patterns. Embroidery includes crewel work, needlepoint and cross stitch. It has traditionally been done by hand and can take many hours to complete even a small piece. In hand embroidery, a pattern may be sketched or printed on fabric or canvas, then filled in by the artist using a variety of stitches.

Machines

Embroidery machines make the work faster and less tedious by doing the stitching for you. You are then free to use your creativity or memory cards to produce the images or patterns on the textiles that you desire.

Technology

Embroidery machine technology has become advanced. Many machines have computer access, built-in patterns or a slot for a memory card. Some machines have slots for an SD card, like the one you use in your digital camera. Others have slots for slightly different, commercial memory cards that have the patterns pre-loaded on them. The machine can read the pattern information and reproduce the images on clothes or other textiles that you are embroidering.

Pattern Storage

A memory card stores patterns that the embroidery machine can use to create certain images. For example, Disney offers embroidery memory cards. After purchasing the card, you would insert it into the machine and be able to create thread images of the Disney images and characters that are stored on the card. The memory card usually stores about 20 patterns, and can cost $100 or more.

Limited Use

Embroidery memory cards offer limited use options. The images are often copywrited, so you cannot use the machine to create anything you plan to sell. You also cannot share your pattern with anyone else, in most cases. The information on the memory card is limited to personal use.

Creating Your Own Memory Cards

A card writer, a device that attaches to your computer's USB port and allows users to save data to the removable card, will save crafters money in the long run, advises ArtisticThreadWorks.com. The card writer lets you save designs you create on your computer to the card, then plug the card into the machine to use the design for the project. "After you sew that design out you can erase it and write another design to the card," they say in "Buying Your First Embroidery Machine."

References

• Embroidery Machines.us: Embroidery Machines
• ArtisticThreadWorks.com: Buying Your First Embroidery Machine