OT: Sergers?

After creating a dance costume for my daughter's competition solo I have decided to try my hand again at clothing sewing.

My Bernina is lovely, and does handle knits, but I am thinking I would like to have a nice, professional look and be able to fashion tunics and everyday t-shirts and sportswear (I'm heavy AND tall, and simply fed up with shirts that are too short to cover my posterior when I sit. My son has a phrase, 'crack kills' that I think is entirely unrelated to drug abuse).

I know the sewing groups will be helpful, but I know you ladies, and I am sure some of you sew other than quilts.

So, what do I look for in a Serger? What is a good 'base' cost. Should I invest in one with a coverstitch? or perhaps buy a seperate machine for that purpose?

Tell me your likes and dislikes, please.

Reply to
Lisa C
Loading thread data ...

I got one a few months ago. I got a Janome, but chose a model that was being discontinued, so I got a good deal. It was about $350. The dealer is really great, and the machine has done what I want it to do. I haven't played with some of the advanced abilities yet, but for basic kids' pajamas and Halloween costumes, so far it has been great.

I made sure I could thread it myself before taking it home, and I refer to the manual when I need to. It is a 4-thread model - it does not do the cover stitch - those were out of my price range.

Reply to
frood

I have two. One is the Huskylock 910: the older version with the separate widget for two-thread sewing that is now built in. It's been a very good machine, but because I sew professionally and it *is* a domestic, and I have hammered it, it's wearing out and I need to replace it. I shall do so with the 905, which does exactly the same but doesn't have the memory - a feature I have used only once or twice in the almost

8 years I have hammered that machine! The really useful features of this machine for me are:

Easy conversion to 2/3/4 thread sewing Brilliant 2 and 3 thread rolled hems Differential feed Excellent stitch quality The free-arm! Speed: easily three times the speed of my fastest 'ordinary' machine

My other is a Toyota SL3404E. This lacks the free-arm and differential feed, and I cannot do 2 thread sewing with it, but other than that the quality of work it does is much the same. The down side of this machine is the speed: it's top speed is about half the top speed of the Huskylock. It would make a great first serger, and I'm selling it on for exactly that as soon as I replace it with the Bernina 1100D.

The Bernina is just as good as the Huskylock in every way, but lacks the free-arm. It makes up for it by being smoother and quieter in use! Brilliant for my manic late-night catch-up sessions...

I need two machines: as a professional dressmaker with no space or floors for an industrial machine, I need the versatility and quietness of the domestic, and I also need a second one so that I'm not left stranded when a machine is in the dock for repairs or the annual service.

Personally I wouldn't bother with a machine that did cover stitch: you get much the same effect by using a double needle on an ordinary machine, and the learning curve for perfect stitching is much smaller and shallower - a molehill rather than K2! ;)

My pre-loved Toyota cost me £170 a couple of years ago, and came with a two-year guarantee. I'll pass it on freshly serviced for about £120. A friend just bought this one on ebay:

formatting link
(at my prompting! :) . She done good! It arrived yesterday and she's busy playing with it...

I strongly suggest looking for something similar.

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Kate, what is the 2 thread used for, aside from rolled hems? My overlocker is a basic Singer, so I don't think that it does any 2 thread work. I did buy a rolled hem plate ( or was it for blind hemming, I don't remember) but have never used it. I have certainly got my monies worth out of it any way as I made all of DD and DS clothing when they were younger. Now that they are 12 and 16 most 'mum mades' aren't 'in'.

Dee in Oz

Kate Dicey wrote:

Reply to
Dee in Oz

Very stretchy stuff, very fine fabrics, and clean finishing edges: it's lighter than a three thread stitch, and therefore you get less show though on light or smooth finish fabrics.

It'll be for rolled hems: sergers don't do a blind hem. You can do a mock blind hem, but that's done with tension settings and not cutting the fabric... You get a visible dent on the right side...

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Thanks Kate. I really should play with it but that cuts into quilting time.....LOL

Dee in Oz

Kate Dicey wrote:

Reply to
Dee in Oz

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.