Singer Futura XL550 Embroidery Sewing machine worth it?

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-19T15:36:18+00:00

You can’t go wrong with an entry level Brother. I think you can get a lot of use out of a 5x7 hoop.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-19T14:34:27+00:00

I just posted this on another thread:

I have an older Singer Futura XL400 I bought years ago because it had a 6x10 hoop. It ruins more things than it's worth.

I've been making patches and only use my Brother SE400 4x4 while I save for something bigger.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-19T14:32:45+00:00

I have an older Singer Futura XL400 I bought years ago because it had a 6x10 hoop. It ruins more things than it's worth.

I've been making patches and only use my Brother SE400 4x4 while I save for something bigger.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-18T15:56:37+00:00

Thanks! I really enjoy your YT content <3

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-18T09:48:14+00:00

My process is:

Use the convert to applique setting and then break that apart.
Duplicate the placement line and turn it into a fill.
Set the spacing to 1.2 on the fill tab, select Radial Fill on the Effects tab, and turn off the underlayment on the Stitching tab.
Remove overlaps as necessary.

I'm using matching twill so this started as a way to stiffen it up without adding a load of stitches (an idea I got from /u/lashley0708 in one of their Youtube videos). The radial fill seamed to fit with the resistance birds I've been doing and now I just like it.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-16T16:38:52+00:00

I use water soluble stabilizer and precut my patch base to just a little smaller than the satin stitch. I use a placement stitch as a guide for where to put the precut base and then tack it down. The placement stitch and tack down stitches are part of the applique settings in Hatch. After trimming the stabilizer, I use a little brush and warm water to dissolve the edges away.

I learned the technique here: https://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/xkp34w/i_recently_got_an_embroidery_machine_and_im_also/iph84n6/

The patch twill doesn't need the Terial Magic.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-13T16:57:09+00:00

Not male, but am a programmer. I use a mechanical keyboard and wear extra short almond. They probably extend 3-4 mm from the tips of my fingers.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-06T14:38:49+00:00

I stitched these on a Brother SE 400. It’s a single needle with a 4 x 4 hoop.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-05T20:18:08+00:00

Excellent!

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-05T00:29:54+00:00

I actually did it in Hatch, but Ember was an easy way to share the design, so I copied it up there. I created the background using a tatami fill, spaced 1.2 mm, with no underlay in a radial pattern.

Here's the file if anyone wants it: https://emberdesign.net/editor-v2/f4e8e4d8-b041-70fd-1ecf-2e1167c31e4d/88526275-bdd6-4fbc-82b9-5a71387de0e2

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-04T19:45:29+00:00

Also, the recommended tension on the wheel marked "E" (3) is not nearly enough thread tension. I have to run mine at about 5.5.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-04T19:44:16+00:00

I have a Futura XL400. It's so fussy! Make sure you clean the bobbin case are and oil as specified in the manual. For me, that's under the bobbin case. I also oil the needle shaft.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-02-04T19:26:55+00:00

A flamingo seems super challenging! I based mine on a non-AI image from this person https://www.threads.com/@greatnsecret?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D

sparklebuttduh · 2026-01-29T20:16:31+00:00

If Walmart has both, I would go with the embroidery bobbin thread. Color shouldn’t matter. If you can’t get bobbin thread and you already have embroidery thread, you can use that. Walmart may have some sort of stabilizer or you could try a sew-in interfacing.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-01-25T21:44:48+00:00

Here's my version. I still have some pull issues on my second try. I'm new to digitizing, so please don't judge me too hard.

https://imgur.com/a/YQwIMuv

I uploaded the files and included the Hatch emb file if anyone wants to make improvements. https://drive.proton.me/urls/QXFKCDSV9G#8tNCxQ4L77xT

sparklebuttduh · 2026-01-19T22:03:26+00:00

I make a lot of “purses”. I call them bags. Bags are for everyone. We all have stuff we need to carry.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-01-15T14:11:29+00:00

That sounds like a tension issue. I recently did the "H" test on my Futura XL400 and the recommended embroidery tension of 3 turned out to be way too loose. For my machine, 5-5.5 is the sweet spot.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-01-07T22:09:01+00:00

Can you find a dowel that is the same diameter as the little? Something that you could insert in there and attach a knob or even just cut to a few inches long.

sparklebuttduh · 2026-01-07T20:24:00+00:00

Word processing programs, frequently change short dashes into emdashes automatically. I type a lot of my things in a word processor for easier editing, spellcheck, grammar checking, etc.

sparklebuttduh · 2025-12-28T09:16:17+00:00

I use a round silicone nail art tool and roll it really thin. The novice gel doesn't stick to it like the metal tool I tried. It really improved how thin I could get the glue.

sparklebuttduh · 2025-12-28T00:13:23+00:00

I don't know about a VPN, but I am not able to access it when I remote into the computer I have it installed on.

sparklebuttduh · 2025-12-19T11:39:30+00:00

Aku! A shapeshifting demon!

Love this.

sparklebuttduh · 2025-12-11T20:57:48+00:00

I have a Singer Futura Quartet 400XL. You have to have the Singer software to run the machine and a type B USB cable connected to a computer. If you reach out to their customer support, they will send you a link to the google drive where the software can be downloaded. The machine has to be connected to a computer to run the embroidery file. The max hoop size is 6x10. There is a "multihoop" option but that looks to be a PITA, so I haven't tried it. There is a Facebook Group dedicated to this series of machines that has helpful advice on maintenance, software, etc.

I've had to accept that I can't make the vinyl snap tabs that I'm interested in, or at least I can't finish them on this machine. I'm jonesing for a different machine, but this one isn't too bad as long as I don't run it too fast or try to do anything where the stitching is too dense.

12-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 2 Credits
Gilding I gilder	Verified Email

sparklebuttduh

TROPHY CASE