Serger machines

On Sat, 27 Jan 2007 09:54:24 -0600, Michele Cook wrote (in article ):

Research them the same way you would a sewing machine. There are lots of different options out there. Give some thought to what you really will do with it. You probably won't need 8 threads if what you want to do is finish seams and whip up quick tee shirts and pjs. After you narrow down your options, test drive and test thread them all.

I have a Viking Huskylock, the 940, I think with 4 threads. I love it and it was a good investment. At times, I wish I'd gotten the 5 thread model so I could do hems on knits, but then I don't really do enough garment construction any more to make it worth it probably.

Maureen

I've had a serger for several years, and just got a new one. I am making more clothing and home dec stuff again, and my 'old' Babylock (15 years old, and purchased used) didn't have many features. My newest (purchased before Christmas) is a Husqvarna Huskylock 936, which is the top of their line model.

I suggest you learn what the serger can do -- here's a good site:

You can also do a google search I'm sure you'll find more sites.

Then, decide which features you'd like and how much money you want to spend. The more features, the higher the cost, of course. Then go out and look at them, and try them out. Even if you have to drive a ways...a serger can be a pretty daunting piece of equipment; you should know first-hand what you're getting into :)

Newbies might find threading a serger to be almost overwhelming at first

- when I got my Babylock, it would take me forever to thread the dang thing correctly and I'd get frustrated to death with it! But I persevered; still, I probably didn't use it to it's fullest, so I knew when the time came to get a new one, classes and training were going to be a must! After that, the three features I wanted most in a new one were 1) ease of threading 2) 5-thread and 3) the ability to do coverstitch. I also wanted a good quality machine. The dealers locally are for Husqvarna, and Pfaff. I felt the Husqvarna models were made better, and were more 'solid' feeling (to me anyway) than the Pfaff. I tried both makes of machines out for about an hour...switched settings, etc. to get the feel for what worked best for me.=20

I had previously purchased my Viking sewing machine from the same dealer, and have been totally pleased with the service and classes. So I knew I was going to get excellent support for the serger, too. I absolutely LOVE my machine. The 4th class is tomorrow, and they've been so much fun.=20

-Irene

-------------- You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.=20

--Mae West=20

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Several... Yeah... I've used four different ones in the last year alone!

OK, so here we go:

I started with a pre-loved Toyota 3 thread one a few years back. Lovely little machine, but limited, and had no differential. Best for neatening, though it did do a decent seam an did reasonably well on stretch knits despite the lack of differential. I sold it on to my sister, and 8 teas later she's still getting good use out of it. They are tough little machines!

I upgraded to a Huskylock 910 (their TOTL serger at the time), and loved it. Very strong machine, but I eventually wore it out due to a combination of doing too many too tough things on it and a bit od stupidity. After all, it *is* still a domestic machine... I tackled a big tough job and tried to do it all in one go, and knackerd the needle bar. Expensive error! Remember, it's a DOMESTIC machine, Kate: it needs a rest, a clean, and oiling after a couple of huge circular skirts in tough poly Duchess satin, when you are rolling hems! Oops! It was a doddle to thread, and sewed everything I threw at it with gusto until I got careless. It still works, after a fashion, but really needs a new needle bar. That would have cost me almost the same as the Brother cost new! £145 for the part, £60+ for stripping the machine down and fitting the new bar... The Brother was only £219.

When the Huskylock started to get shaky, I bought a back-up machine: another Toyota. This was a very nice 4 thread one, but still without differential. Again, pre-loved. Again, a tough little cookie, but a bit slow, and no diff... But impeccable rolled hems! I'd never have finished the 16 bridesmaid skirts without it!

Last sunmmer I replaced both. I bought the Bernina 1150MDA as a main machine, and I really love it! Sooooh smooth and quiet! :) MUCH quieter than the Huskylock, even when it was new... The only thing it lacked was the free arm feature of the Huskylock, which I do use occasionally, and which I wanted still.

To give me that and another machine with differential feed, I bought a Brother 1034D. This is slower and not quite as smooth as the Bernina, but it does have the free arm and differential feed. It's half the price of the Bernina, and you can tell why when you have both side by side. BUT, that said, for a domestic machine of that price range, it's a very good buy: really easy to set up and use. And the stitch quality is excellent. I'm really pleased with it.

Neither of my machines does cover stitch. I don't need it enough to pay that much more for a machine that does it, it's always a skiddle to convert to it, and if I find I need it THAT much, I'll buy a separate cover stitch machine. I get by just fine with a twin or tripple needle in the Lily. :)

The thing to do is look at your usage: if you want to do a lot of outdoors weight fleece or decor projects, you'll need a tougher machine than the lower end ones. If you do a lot of decor things, you might need greater speed (the Bernina is faster than the Brother, so better for long boring seams and 30 miles of rolled hems... ), so again, look further up the ranges. if you are just going to do 2-3 lighter weight projects per month, something like the Brother should do fine. If you are going to have bouts of 2-3 things per day, go for something better suited to that level of work. And take wodges of the fabrics you'll want to sew often with you when you try them out! I had folk swear THEIRS was the ONLY machine that would cope with Polar Fleece when I bought the Huskylock, only to find that they choked on it, and couldn't cope with silk chiffon either! I need to be able to sew both!

Machines I hated:

Babylock lower end one I tried at college: nasty thing that was a bugger to thread and vibrated like mad. Also had a dendency to skitter away when I gave it polar fleece to chew on...

Janome: this one danced off the table into my lap! Ugh! This belongs to a friend: she had it on holiday with us back in October, and fought it every stitch. She deeply envied me the little Brother that sewed impeccably even when I got the tension wrong! It just gave me an over-edge wrapped effect rather than a standard 4 thread seam! :)

Bernette: plasticky and flimsy and horrid to thread.

I have the Huskylock 905, the same machine as Kate's 910 but without the "computer advisor". I'm sure I haven't put near the hours on it that Kate has on her sergers, but I love my machine and it's still going strong. I've sewn everything from heavy double sided fleece to rolling bridal illusion veiling hems and it does it all beautifully.

I took an all day serger class after I'd had my machine about 3 years and I was amazed at what I didn't know it could do. I've sewn on other people's sergers when at their homes and I still like mine the best.

Val

I have Bernina's 334D. It only takes me about 45 minutes to thread and set up. (groan). But - it is wonderful for very special christening gowns and fine delicate work. There's also an Elna 945 here. This one's actually quite friendly, maybe idiot-proof. My only annoyance with the Elna is the light-weight, rather flimsy foot control. If the QI decides the control is a nap spot to be tested, he and the Elna serge without adult supervision. Polly

I have a Kenmore serger from Sears and it is simply a basic machine for basic use. It is simple to thread and use and makes wonderful finishes. I haven't used it a whole lot, my mom tried it out and said the same thing, its a very nice little starter and basic serger.

I think it is personal preference and type of use that makes one purchase any kind of machine. Personally I really like the Kenmore machines. My serger and my two sewing machines are Kenmore and I haven't had a moments trouble with any of them. JM2C.

~KK in BC~ oh and my purchases of machines here does indeed have to do with price. For what I paid for the machines I am very impressed.

i have a babylock evolve that has jet-air threading & wouldn't use any other serger. it's $$$, of course. the babylock imagine also has jet- air threading, but no coverstitch.

before buy> I know this is a quilting group but does anyone have any experience to share

Sergers are wonderful for what they do, but they don't do everything. One thing to remember is that there are only a few factories that actually make the serger machines. Most of the "name" sewing machine companies have their sergers made for them by one of these companies. That is why you find "Huskylocks" not "Husqvarna" or "Viking" sergers. Babylock was the first company to make sergers for the home market. And, I believe, one of the few to actually make their own sergers. I have an older White Speedylock that is identical to one of the newer Huskylocks, and may be the same as one of one of the other brands. Just different names on them.

When looking at a serger, for a basic machine that will keep up with you for a fairly long time I would look for the following:

1. A good dealership with classes included. Preferably many classes or ones that you can take multiple times if you need to. If you have never used a serger before, the classes will be a great help and you will use the machine more. You will probably want to take the class soon after getting the machine, then repeat it a few months later when you have used it a while and have questions about certain parts and so on.

1. Differential feed. This helps in a lot of different situations. Much like a walking foot does on the sewing machine.

2. 2-3-4 thread capability. This means that you can do a 3 or 4 thread seam, the 4th thread is a "safety" stitch. And you can usually do a 2 or

3 thread rolled edge or flat lock. All this should be explained in your class.

1. Ease of converting to the rolled edge set up.

2. Ease of threading. Also changing tensions and such. (I like the fact that the machine I use most of the time, a Huskylock 560 EDT, releases the tensions when the pressure foot is up. Most sergers do not do this.)

1. Availability and cost of accessory feet. And which ones come with the machine. I have the "blind hem" foot, and there are elastic feet, piping and such available for many machines.

2. Check the price of new cutting blades and see if your shop has a sharpening service. Also how easy is it to change the blades. This is not something that has to be done often, if you are careful. But if you cut a lot of synthetics or just cut a lot you may need to change/sharpen the blades. It was a shock when I found out that the blade on mine was to replace.

1. Do sit and sew with the machine before you make a decision. Just as with any other machine, some will "feel" better than others. Don't forget to check on machines that have been traded in for newer models. That is what mine was. I took my serger in for repairs, and Ron loaned me this one that a customer had traded in because she wanted the serger that "matched" her new sewing machine. This one was the previous top of the line model and still in wonderful shape. I ended up buying it because I liked it better than the one I had.

Once you have the machine use it on something every day for a while. Do something with it, even if just finishing edges of new fabric before you wash it. Get used to the machine. Play with it. Thread it with 4 different colors, I suggest matching the colors to the colors on the threading diagram. Then play with the tensions to see what happens with each thread. This is the best way to figure out which thread is where in the finished seam. (And which threads don't have to really match if you don't have enough of the right color.) Also practice taking out the stitching. (Hint: if you pull the ending or beginning chain, the needle threads will be shorter. Pull those out and the looper threads will just fall off.)

Ask questions when you have them. And to keep this on topic.... the serger is a great way to trim the edges of your quilts before binding. Keeps the backing and all together so it doesn't creep as you sew the binding on. And provides a nice solid edge to fold the binding over. The extra thread also helps the binding feel "full".

Pati, in Phx (who sold sergers in a previous life....... and had training from Babylock and White on the sergers )

Michele Cook wrote:

That just about covers it! :)

Remember that whatever brand you go for, they will probably get their different levels of machines made for them in all three factories! Some makes buy their fancy TOTL machines from one and their cheap & cheerfuls from another, and the next company along will be the other way about! Companies like Husqvarna and Bernina take their requirements to the different factories and see who can build that machine to their build quality requirements. Others will put it out to tender and take whoever promises to do it cheapest!

Toyota still make sergers (and make for Husqvarna at present, though there are no interchangeable parts!). I think Bernina are made by Babylock, bit won't swear to it (again, lots of similarities but no interchangeable parts). Dunno who is making the Brother ones at present, but they are doing a damned fine job, which makes me think Brother must have changes suppliers in the last couple of years, because they used to be seriously awful machines, with poorly designed loopers that broke! not now: mine's a sturdy little beast, very like the Toyotas in build quality and character. Hah! Taiwan! :) Toyota factory, like the Huskylock! And guess what! At the moment, Brother and Huskylock are the only domestics on the market with the free-arm facility!