Hello everyone. I am trying something new and I hope to keep it up for a long time to come.

My name is Amanda Young. I have been working for Shawn at Knit & Sew World since April 2004.

I have a daughter born in 1987 (from a previous marriage). I am re-married since May 1994. I graduated Community College in 1993 with an AAS degree in Computer Programming. I met Kevin while in college.

Now how did I get started at Knit & Sew World?

Kevin decided to try a new possible hobby and he bought a Brother embroidery machine. Then he decided that he could take pictures of people's pets and embroider them as portraits. So a buddy of his sent him a picture of a logo that was taken from outside into a plate glass window. Kevin was given an opportunity to go back to school and he took it. He told me that I now needed to work on the project for his buddy. Back then there wasn't much on the internet about machine embroidery. So I got to learn with trial and error. Lots of errors. It took me 6 months to create 2 patches and earn $10.00.

So now I am hooked and Kevin had invested in the software and a bigger machine for me. My machine broke down and I took it into the dealer that I bought the machine from (Knit & Sew World). I told Shawn (owner/technician) I was looking for a job and when I picked up my repaired machine he offered me a job. Shawn then told me I needed to learn all of the machines he sold so I could teach others how to use them.

As they say the rest is history.

I recently found this in a consignment that was received here at Knit & Sew World

Eleven Commandments for Machine Knitters

1. Thou shalt use good quality yarn
2. Thou shalt always make a swatch
3. Thou shalt not knit when tired
4. Thou shalt study thy machine & accessories
5. Thou shalt keep thy machine clean, oiled, and out of the reach of small children
6. Thou shalt love they dealer as thyself
7. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors machine
8. Thou shalt keep learning something new
9. Thou shalt share with other through seminars, workshops, classes, clubs, magazines & letters
10. Thou shalt be proud of thy handiwork
11. Thou shalt not swear nor cry when thy knitting drops off thy machine

I thought this was so cute and truthful I just had to share it with all of you. I know that I personally have broken almost every commandment here.

Thank you for reading this.

Shawn has ordered the NEW AirFlow 3000 serger. It is due to be in the store before the end of November. I cannot wait. I hope I get to try it out. I am so excited about the NEW serger. I realize that other brands already have the air threading system. I have seen it on other sergers but there is usually a problem with the air hoses getting clogged up and Brother says that will not happen with their serger. That is why I am so excited. I might have to work things out with my boss about getting this one purchased before it arrives.

I now have the 1st project that I want to do for the vlogging. I am working on getting the correct editing software so that if I say an naughty word it can be removed from the video. I am still very excited about this. I do have several ideas for the projects I want to do. Let me know if there is a project that you would like to see done so I can learn how and show you.

Shawn has said that I can start VLOGging. I have a lot to learn but I am anxious to start. I have a small project to show for my first VLOG. I will send out an email about it once it is on the internet.

I am very excited about the NEW lineup from Brother this year.

They brought a new serger Airflow 3000 with Air Threading and needle threader. OMG! I am so eager to work with it. It is not just the threading that I am excited about though. It comes with the 3 most needed or used feet for a serger (gathering, blind stitch (hem) and piping). I love a piping foot for the serger. It can create the wrapped cording for putting around pillows and it can also be used to put in a zipper.

The Luminaire 3 also got some new features that can be added onto a Luminaire 1 or 2 that will make it a Luminaire 3 and you don't have to have a Luminaire 2 to be able to add the upgrade package. There is a new embroidery category called Long Stitch Technique. It looks like string art. Gorgeous! And they now have Stitch Tapering as a sewing category. Looks like so much fun. I cannot wait to work with these 2 machines.

I hope you can come into the store so I can show these to you.

If you cannot make it here please go to Facebook and watch the Brother Sews live shows with Angela Wolf and the rest of the Brother Ambassadors and Educators.

Here is a list of some of my favorite websites to get my embroidery designs from if I don't make them myself. I am always looking around on the internet for machine embroidery. I am not an artist but I love taking someone's artwork and creating embroidery from it. I do not know every site but I have been to many of them. These are the places I trust to get designs from that appeal to me. I have designs that I have purchased from places like Anita Goodesign, Criswell, OESD and many others.

Websites for machine embroidery designs

Brother - iBroidery.com

Embroidery Library - emblibrary.com

Dakota Collectibles - gonutsgocreative.com

Urban Threads - urbanthreads.com

Websites for Scan N Cut machines

Craft Genesis - craftgenesis.com

Canvas Workspace - canvasworkspace.brother.com

When I am creating my own designs I currently use Brother PE-Design 10. If I am doing just lettering then I will use Brother BES Lettering 4 (no power packs).

It is my intention to post something here at least once a week.

My enjoyment of machine embroidery got me started. I had no idea that it could be so much fun and so frustrating. But I have found it to be a way for me to express my creativity. My Brother sewing/embroidery machine is pictured here.

I have made a Bobbin Work purse for my daughter that she still uses after 8 years.

I have knitted some items and then embroidered on them. Love doing that.

I embroidered all of the squares for a quilt my Mom put together and sent to my Grandma. She loved elephants with their trunk up. It is a sign of good luck.