I know there was talk of having the software to convert images to .pes files. The lady we used to have convert them closed up her embroidery shop. Katie and I have one of the brother embroidery machines and I would really love to get it up and kicking to try and do some nice Hive Polos as well as other non profit stuff we help with.
I am also sourcing items to be able to silk screen shirts as the price it costs to make a few shirts to help with a benefit or certain project would be WAYYYY cheaper. One of Katies friends husband does T shirt distribution to uniform companies so I got a good hookup for the shirts. Given how cheap they could be made it would be awesome to make yearly shirts for stuff that down the road are vintage awesomeness. People would be like "Hey nice shirt, I remember the learn to solder event of 2018, that event saved my life, relationship, and the kid down the street has called me dad ever since".
I have a good amount of embroidery thread to get that fired up. The silk screen supplies are mostly ordered, I am just waiting on getting back on my feet, ony about 2.5 weeks to go. Also we picked up a huge brand new heat press system with a TON of the specialty jigs for REALLY cheap and want to get it up and going to play with. If there is interest we could make it a weekend meet up to play with and try out!
Hopefully all is well with everyone and I am extremely excited that I made it through all if the surgeries and can finally start coming down a few days a week. I owe the hive A LOT of volunteer time!
One: awesome that you seem to be surgery complete and not perenently broken!
Two: I’d fully back having some silkscreening and embroidery going on at the hive. There have been a few other people talking about having textile events at the jive recently. There is talk of cross stich events and knitting events happening as well.
I want me events and support everyone doing something! So let me know what you need!
When I got our donated embroidery machine fire up a while ago, I found a lot of resources to make PES files and convert from / to pretty much any type of file with free open source software. There’s an inkscape plugin, as well as embroidermodder 2 and a bunch of file utilities.
The trick with embroiderers, however, is that a lot of them (like the one we have) have nutty proprietary firmware locks and odd CF-like cards that don’t fit anything other than those machines. As long as you’re fortunate enough to have a machine with USB and support for non-manufacturer software made files, just grab on of the above and go for it.
I will be getting the price lists for clothing when we get back from florida. The pre made multi stations are extremely cheap. I am working on sourcing the stuff and if there is interest I will put it up for a vote.
I’m def. interested. It would bring in more local makers doing fabric arts and also those with small businesses that want to make custom shirts, bags, etc. Cool.
My wife just has more of an entry level brother machine. Luckily it can have external pes files uploaded to it via usb. It is nice for small gifts or a thing here or there as it is hobby grade. The thread feed is only 1 color at a time so there can be a ton of time in re threading the machine. I would LOVE to come across a nice one through auction for her or if there is enough interest at the hive to do a group buy, etc.
I did get a heat press kit that has a whole bunch of adapters for doing shirts, mugs, hats, etc.
However the screen printing offers a huge bang for your buck value. The cost savings from our first run of hive shirts would cover most of what would be needed. One of the non profits I help out with just had stuff done and 1 color shirts ran the 7 bucks for the shirt and 7.50 to 9 bucks a shirt for the screen printing.
Even if you put the (low) opperating costs to the side. Having the ability to come out with more hive shirts for certain projects, equipment or theme of what we do at the hive, etc would be an awesome way to spread the hives name. Something such as “I survived the December 2018 hack a thon” with a funny widget outline or something. Since making the screens would be under 25 bucks to change up a run or add something we could get pretty creative. It would give the group an really good look and image for events like the power tool racing shirts. People would read them and have to ask what the hive was and how do we race power tools lol.
I will be at the meeting this Tuesday lol I will try to get there early so I can park by the door hopefully. Or if someone could let me in through the back dock it would help a ton.
My inner geek is smiling at this prospect.
I would be interested in doing 1-color silkscreen, perhaps on wood (I’m thinking 1/4-inch plywood) as well as fabric.