IT teacher Marilyn Merrilees has combined her computer and sewing skills to create a home-based embroidery business using state-of-the-art technology.

Digitising images and downloading designs from the Internet particularly appealed to the Leyland businesswoman, whose venture is taking off with the help of Brother’s unique embroidery machine - the PR-600.

Marilyn said, ‘I love the freedom of digitising designs Ð from downloading designs for christening gowns, to creating logos for a local butcher and a Wrexham based engineering company, my machine reproduces images in a professional, high-quality format and allows me to fully utilise my best skills Ð sewing and computing.’

A self-confessed sewing fan, Marilyn used to produce garments for a local boutique before turning to computing and ICT lecturing at Leyland’s Runshaw. However, her desire to turn her hobby into a professional business was sealed when her husband, Ian, became a self-employed machine tool service engineer.

‘I wanted to dictate my hours and spend more time with my husband, but I was very aware of the costs involved in setting up a business. I knew I didn’t want an enormous, cumbersome, industrial sewing machine that took up precious space at home and cost a fortune, but I knew I did need a first-class professional machine.

‘Brother’s PR-600 has the power and advanced features of a commercial embroidery machine, but at half the price and half the size, It’s the perfect solution for home sewers like me wanting to start up their own embroidery business.’

Marilyn’s company, Embroidery Exclusives, offers customers embroidered logos and designs on a wide range of work, sport and leisure garments Ð from T-shirts and caps, to polo shirts and gym bags.

I’ve worked with fitness clubs, gyms, schools and individual, but the business is only in its infancy. Having borrowed some space from a friend on a local market stall Ð which featured my garments and allowed me to create personalised clothing there and then to the customer’s individual specifications, I’d like to start visiting local shows in the summer and expanding my reputation.’

Marilyn is also getting to grips with being her own boss. ‘I’m more cost-conscious than ever now. Brother’s PR-600 was appealing due to its price, however, it is vital for me to produce high-quality embroidery and for that I need first-class, reliable equipment - after all, the business is just me and my machine.

‘Being a small home-based business means I personally oversee all areas of the business - ensuring quality is maintained, deadlines are met and small quantities of embroidered goods are produced at the touch of a button. At the end of the day, each customer order is absolutely vital to me as my livelihood is at stake.’

The PR-600, priced at around £4,995 is a hybrid of a home embroidery machine and industrial embroidery machines, which require major investment in resources and space. Marilyn was particularly impressed by the compact size and versatility of the machine, ‘As a home-based business, space is at a premium.’

Compact and portable, the PR-600 incorporates all the user-friendly functions of a Brother home embroidery machine with the versatility, speed and professional finish of a commercial model.

Familiar Brother features include a colour LCD touch screen control panel, pre-programmability and compatibility with Brother’s embroidery cards (not compatible with Brother Disney memory cards) and PE Design software - so embroidery images can be downloaded direct from the Internet or a digital camera.

The PR-600Õs extra large screen also allows users to position, re-size, merge, mirror image, re-colour and rotate any design at the touch of a button.

With one portable head, six needles and a top speed of 1,000 stitches per minute however, it also offers many features that can only be found on top-of-the-range industrial embroidery machines.

A built-in automatic needle threaded threads all six needles eliminating time-consuming colour changes, With the PR-600, automatic colour changes can be pre-programmed for the entire design and retain the design memory after the machine has been switched off or in the event of a power failure. Thread breakage sensors will stop the machine if the thread breaks or runs out.

An optional cap frame is ideal for embroidering baseball caps while hoping for T-shirts and tubular garments is also easy with the ‘free arm’ feature. Integral design styles include 13 fonts, ten border designs and 57 floral alphabets with patterns for all ages and interests built into the machine.

To find your nearest Brother dealer please call 0870 830 4020, email sales@brother-uk.com or visit the Brother website at www.brother.co.uk.

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