More questions on Sergers

**homesteadmamma** · 02-20-2004, 08:56 PM

What brand do you have and do you like that brand?

Where do you have your serger? Is it by your regular sewing machine or do you have a seperate place for it?

How costly is the thread for it and what type of thread do you use?

Where did you purchase your serger from?

I read that someone had a hard time threading theirs. Is that a common problem with them?

Are they easy to use once you catch on to them?

I may think of more questions later on, but for now these are enough.

**Sara Noel** · 02-20-2004, 09:17 PM

I'm so glad you're asking because I am curious too.

**Guest1** · 02-20-2004, 09:19 PM

What brand do you have and do you like that brand?

>>> 1 is a Toyota & 1 is a White ~ I love them both!

Where do you have your serger?

>>> under the window that seperates my living room from my dining room...

Is it by your regular sewing machine or do you have a seperate place for it?

>>> All of my machines are on a long "conference type" table - always at the ready!

How costly is the thread for it and what type of thread do you use?

>>> I usually pay a couple of bucks per cone....I usually buy Maxi-Lock from Minnesota/Hancock Fabrics, but the latest type I bought was JoAnne's brand - 100% polyester spun (or something!!)...

Where did you purchase your serger from?

>>> one I bought from a friend (the Toyota) and the White I bought refurbished from Minnesota/Hancock Fabrics....

I read that someone had a hard time threading theirs. Is that a common problem with them?

>>> once I figured it out I didn't have a problem - it looks more confusing than it is....

Are they easy to use once you catch on to them?

>>> I've loved mine from the very beginning, but then again, the gal that taught me to sew also taught me on a serger & a straight machine so I assumed that using both was the "norm"....

I may think of more questions later on, but for now these are enough.

>>> wow - I've never "known" about anything that anyone would want to ask me questions about!!

**mylittle4** · 02-20-2004, 11:31 PM

What brand do you have and do you like that brand?

Brother 1034D yes I personally like Brother machines in general

Where do you have your serger?

In my sewing room
Is it by your regular sewing machine or do you have a seperate place for it?

>>> All of my machines are on a long "conference type" table - always at the ready! LOL me too. Lately I have been serging while I have an embroidery design going so I like them being close to each other

How costly is the thread for it and what type of thread do you use?

I buy maxilock from Joanns for 2.59 and I try to get it on sale. It lasts a very long time especially if you rotate the spools as the loopers use more thread. I use wooly nylon when I am doing a rolled or decorative edge

Where did you purchase your serger from?

Walmart

I read that someone had a hard time threading theirs. Is that a common problem with them?

Mine is color coded so it is not difficult at all. You are threading it 4 times though so tyeing off makes it quicker

Are they easy to use once you catch on to them?

I have never really had trouble. It did take some practice to decide were I like the differential feed to be with certain fabrics and curves and circles took some practice.

**SewCrafty** · 02-21-2004, 08:13 AM

What brand do you have and do you like that brand?

I have a Brother 834DP Homelock and a White Speedylock.

Where do you have your serger? Is it by your regular sewing machine or do you have a seperate place for it?

I am like Debbie and Angelee, I have a separate sewing room that my dh built me a countertop along 2 walls, 1 long (8') and 1 short (5') in an 'L' shape. My machines are up all the time and ready to go.

How costly is the thread for it and what type of thread do you use?

I use the same as the other ladies. Angelee is right, by rotating your cones around (as the loopers use more) you can have a cone last a long time. I also use the cones on my regular machine. I bought a cone thread holder at JoAnn's http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?C...3&PRODID=47306 I use this thread for all sewing projects. I also have lots of wooly nylon http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?C...reground=green I use this on decorative hems too, but mainly for when I am making something out of knit material. It lasts a long time. I think in the 10+ years I've had my serger (Brother) I have only had to replace the white in wooly nylon. I use to sew a lot.

Where did you purchase your serger from?

The Brother I purchased at Wal*Mart many years ago (this is my favorite one) and the White I purchased at JoAnn's.

I read that someone had a hard time threading theirs. Is that a common problem with them?

Threading is difficult at first, but every machine comes pre threaded and with a video. You can just tie on the next color and pull it through the machine when you need to change thread.

Are they easy to use once you catch on to them?

Yep, they are a breeze to use and I wouldn't be without one. It does take some time figuring out the differential feed, but you can play with that and each type of fabric you use may need it set differently. Very easy to change. I always have a scrap of fabric from my project. I use that in the very beginning to set up my machine.

**canadian gardener** · 02-21-2004, 10:13 AM

What brand do you have and do you like that brand?
Janome MyLock 234D

Where do you have your serger? Is it by your regular sewing machine or do you have a seperate place for it? Right beside my sewing machine, in dd's former bedroom now the guest room/ sewing room. It's the first machine I use when sewing, the sewing machine is definitely secondary but you can't just go without the sewing machine either. I like to leave it threaded with neutral thread, ready to go.

How costly is the thread for it and what type of thread do you use? Thread isn't as fussy on the serger, so the cheaper brands or no name work fine (something I've learnt NOT EVER to do to my sewing machine because cheap thread will break or ruin the tension on my sew machine so it's opposite advice here for sergers vs sewing machines).

I buy it when notions are half price or they have a thread sale at the fabric store. I have a set of basic colours: White, Taupe, Grey, and Black that you can pretty much use on everything. You don't topstitch with it, so the serger thread just needs to blend, not match.

I also have some red, pink, purple, royal blue and other colours, for fun edges that show.

I agree with the rotate the cones tip, for evening out the useage so you don't run out of the 2 most used cones leaving the 2 least used almost full.

Where did you purchase your serger from? it was given to me by a friend going overseas.

I read that someone had a hard time threading theirs. Is that a common problem with them? OH YES! I have heard that some of the newer fancier machines use puffs of air to self thread, but those are way out of my league in the budget dept. I try to change threads by tying on and running a chain thru which works most of the time BUT IF THEY BREAK when you are serging away, it's reading glasses, time, patience, some very bad words, and a good pair of long skinny tweezers that came with the machine.

Are they easy to use once you catch on to them? WAY easier to learn than a sew machine, and really really fun to use.

**homesteadmamma** · 02-21-2004, 11:35 AM

Can you explain what a serger does that a sewing machine can't do? Especially the top of the line sewing machines?

I need to justify why I would spend the money on a serger when I have a top of the line sewing machine, kwim.

**Guest1** · 02-21-2004, 12:24 PM

In the crudest of forms, a serger takes about ¼ of the time to "put together" whetever I'm working on....it does all the overlocking of the seams and cuts away the excess, if any....I make tons of sleep pants for the girlies & sleep shorts for the older two ~ I can put them together in about 9 minutes - all I have to do is hem them (if I want a hem, they don't "need" one) and put in the elastic.....

Now - that said - my straight machines have *never* been top o' the line & I can't offer an objective opinion about what sergers -vs- top o' the line machines.....

which brings me to the next point ~ why did I bother to try?!

**mylittle4** · 02-21-2004, 04:54 PM

Even top of the line machines only sew with one needle, therefore their overlock stitch just is not the same. Are you considering sewing for your craft shows? If so I would definatly recommend one.
I hope this helps my machine is not top of the line by any means but the blue stitching is the overlock stitch on my sewing machine and the white is serger regular overlock it will also due a few different stitches but I only know how to do the rolled hem and that is really nice.I hope the stitching shows up ok and I dont use the overlock on my machine so with adjusting it might be little better but its just not like the serger.

**canadian gardener** · 02-21-2004, 05:07 PM

It's a little hard to explain.

Sergers do a better job of plain old seams.

Speed as Debbie said:
They move WAY faster, and even if you don't care if they finish the edges (as in, I didn't bother when I sewed on my sewing machine, but it's a nice extra with the serger) they go faster and feed the fabric thru better when seaming.

Less Bulk:
Because of that edge finish, you can keep some stuff flat that normally would need tucking under. For example hems, it eliminates folding over a tiny tuck, THEN making the hem (again a finishing detail.

When you do a facing such as the band that runs down the button fronts in a shirt and goes up into the collar, it's flat, no hemming or other finishing.

When you do table napkins or facecloths, it does a flat finish and trim all in one. With the napkins, you can fold over once more and top stitch.

If you make a terry cloth bathrobe or jeans or other bulky fabric, because you are finishing the raw edges, it reduces bulk in the seams.

Secure stretchy seams on knits and bias cut fabrics:
With knits, the seam is just right, and allows for some stretch, ditto bias cuts in fabric. You can do it with narrow zig zag which is what I did before the serger. It just takes longer and isn't as nice.

Professional looking finish from smoother seams.

You can make a more secure finish on your seams, it doesn't allow fraying.

CJ can you borrow one and try it out? I'd loan you mine if I were closer.

There is a method of strip quilting using a serger that you may like actually.

It involves making a long set of fabric ribbons, serging together so you "make" a striped fabric, then cutting across the stripes creating strips of blocks. Then carefully offsetting the blocks you serge them creating diagonal bands of colour.

Because of the way serged fabric holds, you are safe to do that as long as you don't pull or tug much on the blocks till they are in the final serged product.

**canadian gardener** · 02-21-2004, 05:13 PM

I mend the edges of my fraying old towels with the serger. I got 2 more years of wear and in some towels even more, BEYOND when I would normally throw them out because of the edge finish thingy that serger does.

I make mop head covers for my Shmop (really really big swiffer type) out of old terry handtowels by serging them to the correct size (oval cornered rectangle) and because of the lack of bulk in the edge, I'm able to apply that clear polyurethane "jelly" elastic on the edges so that my mop cover acts like a shower cap on the mop head.

**SewCrafty** · 02-21-2004, 06:03 PM

I don't have a top of the line sewing machine either, so I can't comment on that. But I do agree with every thing the ladies have said so far.

I too have salvaged old towels to last a lot longer. If they have holes in them, they become hand towels and face cloths or dish cloths.

You can also do a 'flat lock' seam. This is wonderful with piecing fleece together. You do certain adjustments to the machine (I don't exactly remember how right now) and sew your seam. Then you tug it flat and the 2 seam edges are butted together within the seam. Everything lays flat. You sometimes see this seam on sthe sleeve in sweatshirts.

I think it is a great way to piece fabric together and make your own design.

The possibilities are endless with a serger for home decorating and clothing making.

Next time you are in a sewing shop that has sergers, ask to try one out! I'm sure they will let you as they want to make a sale.

**canadian gardener** · 02-21-2004, 06:34 PM

CJ I'm going to try linking to some articles here that may help

http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa071798.htm which should take you to a short article that explains the difference between 2 3 and 4 or 5 thread models, what differential feed is

and this is a serger survey of owners link http://www.go-sewing.com/library/blresult2.htm but I didn't check as to whether they have up to date reviews.

http://www.sewingworld.com/newsw/frame_discuss.htm should come up in the sewing worlds discussions of machines, both sewing and serging.