I know that some are very stubborn and I want it to be fun to use.

Mine is a Janome. I love it. It gives a nice look to finished seams. I use it quite often. Hubby bought it a couple of years ago for Christmas gift. My dealer taught me how to thread it and how to use it. I would recommend buying from a dealer so if you have problems you have somewhere to turn to.

1 comment

by americangirl 10 Oct 2009

Thanks for answering my question. I don't live where there are any dealers, I would enjoy taking classes.

Sometimes you can find them in pawn shops. I have seen them at showing shops at good prices where someone traded theirs in. I don't use mine like I thought I would.

Mine is a Simplicity Easy Lock, 3 spools of thread.

2 comments

by fontmomma 09 Oct 2009

I have a Singer Simplicity I bought at Walmart and my sister's Bernette (from Bernina). Needs a new foot control, I hope to get it fixed so I can use it, too. Love my Singer and use it a lot.

by americangirl 10 Oct 2009

Thank you both for taking time to add your comments. I appreciate that! It is nice to know that you can get the help that you are looking for on this site.

I love my serger!!!! I have a Babylock Evolve Wave with 8 threads. Probably a bit overkill but it was a birthday present from my dear hubby. It was easy to learn and a breeze to thread, even when I am using a 5 thread overlock with a safety stitch. It uses the jet air to thread the loopers, just stick the thread in the hole and press the button, whooosh and your done! Gotta love that for certain.

I had NEVER owned a serger, didn't take any lessons and picked it up in a heartbeat. The other advantage to the Babylock is I don't have to rethread in sequence if I break a thread. Just rethread the broken one and away we go!

I use it all the time, it's fast and efficient to sew with. I sew clothes, curtains, upholstery and even leather without a glitch or hiccup. I know that there are many less expensive models, but I will tell you, I would buy it again in a heartbeat! Mine is not a doorstop or a dust collector, everytime I use it I thank my dear hubby for the blessing it is to me!

Good luck and many blessings to you! Be sure and let us know which is your pick!

2 comments

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

This sounds like a really nice one. I'm glad you are happy with it. I hope to get one that I'm pleased with too.
Thanks for taking time to answer my question.

by cinderoak 01 Oct 2009

I know that there are smaller units from Babylock with the jet air, I probably would go for that. The advantage to mine is it does decorative stitches, coverstitch and overlock all in one machine but really who needs 8 threads???? I usually use the 3 or 4 with the combined safetystitch. blessings judy

I love my serger, actually have 2, my latest I bought at Walmart, it's a brother. It does take some getting used to, but I wouldn't do a project without it cause it's great for finishing projects.

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

This is the results I want! I'm glad you are happy with it.
Thanks.

I have had the same serger for 30 years. I love the way it finishes my seams. It may be old but it still works great! I do sew my own clothes and sew for grandchildren so it gets lots of use. Threading is okay after you get use to it, But, there are those days you think NOT! :) I even used it to sew quilt squares together when I was making my son a jean quilt and it worked great! Would love to have a new one but mine works just fine.

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

This is awesome!! You bought a good one, and it sounds like you are very talented too.
Thanks for taking time for me.
:o)

I have a Baby Loc and have had it for many years. I use to make pillows and curtains used it a lot then not so much now. But I don't sew as much as I use to either. I would check with my dealer and see if he has a use one and try it out or if you have a friend that has one see if they will let you come over and try it before you buy one. My firend just bought one at Wal Mart and it is a simplicity she seems to like it just fine. $300.00 give or take a little. I paid $600 + for mine years ago. Good luck with your choice. They are really nice to finish seams and to roll hem items. Sara

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

I think they could come in handy on a lot of projects. I do really like the finished seams, and the rolled hem could be handy too.
Thanks.

JANOME-my serger.

Hi I use mine quite a lot & love it, It gives a much neater finish & cuts surplus fabric as u go along.
I will agree it is very fiddly threading it but once you master it then its ok.
One good TIP: when u want 2 change thread colour, just knot the new colour 2 the old & press the foot to run it through.
My 1st item I made was a cover for it so when I finished using, I covered 2 protect it.
Hope this helps *4U
Yvonne x

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

Love the time. I had heard that but I don't know how long it would take to remember it.
Thanks for your help.
:o)

I do use mine because I like the look of the finished edges. Use the rolled hem a lot because I make a lot of napkins for myself & others. BUT user friendly isn't in the same sentence with serger! They are not hard to actually sew on, BUT that threading is a bugger! I'd love to have one of the Baby Locks that threads itself with air..but we are talking BIG money here! I have a Viking 905 and can thread it. BUT sometimes I have to try over & over to get it to do right! It's that last step where they pull under the presser foot! I get the threads of the loopers all out of line, I guess. I take the lazy way if possible & tie the next thread to the current threads & just pull them through! Been told it's not too good for your tension...but it's either MY tension or the machine tension that has to go!! But I have had good results with the actually sewing of this serger. It's not a computer machine, you have to set your settings but after the one lesson at the dealers & making notes on my instruction book, I've been fine. Good luck!

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

I agree with you on the tenion, you have to choose your battles. I'm with you! Thanks for taking time to answer me, I appreciate it.

Debbie is right, I'm one of the people she knows who have a serger and don't use it. I saw my girlfriend use hers, and was suffering machine envy. I got the thing and couldn't thread it to save my soul, so it sat in the box in the closet for 13 years. Then I got it out, took it to my dealer, who threaded it, now it sits in my sewing room gathering dust. I tried making cat toys with it, and found the thing has 2 speeds, fast and faster!! So, after I made some really strangely shaped cat toys while managing NOT to cut any body parts off, back it went to gathering dust. I wanted it so I could make the lettuce-edging on nighties, etc. I could have had a lot of custom-made nighties for what I paid for my serger. It's a nice machine, a Simplicity, with differential feed, and a lovely video showing how to thread it, how to use all the different types of stitching. That woman in the video makes it look soooo easy, hee hee hee. If shipping were not so much, I could make you such a deal on a serger.... Hugs, Marji

5 comments

by asterixsew 30 Sep 2009

Marji I have laughed sooooo much while reading this so thanks... and have a flower back

by dkjack 30 Sep 2009

Marji you are soooooooooooooo funny! :)

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

This is what worries me. . .I'm not the most patient person at things that try your nerves. It is funny how they do make things look easy like anyone can do it.
Thanks for answering and sharing a bit of humor as well.

by sandynavas 30 Sep 2009

I'm like Marji - I thought, when I bought mine, that more was better (NOT). I bought the most expensive I could get with 5 threads. Umph! I lived overseas (out of the USA that is) at the time and walked blindly down the street. Got an Elna (good machine, right???) I have never been able to successfully use it. Tried many times and the 4th and 5th thread just won't stay threaded. I've threaded and re-threaded, and then given up so many times. My sister, who is quite an accomplished seamstress (which I will NEVER proclaim to be) told me I should have just got a three-thread machine. I don't think they even make one with five threads any more, do they? Anyone want a Serger complete with gathering dust capabilities??????

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

Oh no! This is not good. It looks like there is a love hate relationship with sergers. Sorry to hear that yours is not fun for you.
Thanks for taking time to comment.

I have the husqvarna serger, the 910, it's great but to be honest I don't use it that much. Made hubby some equipment covers and used the serger for seams and hems, then all my quilts get serged before the binding goes on and that's pretty much it. I probably shouldn't have spent the money but am glad I have it anyway..............

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

I hadn't thought about serging quilts before adding the bind. Great idea.
Thanks!

A debleerl says do you want one because you think it would be nice to use one or are you really going to use it?
I too have one and have had it for about 20 years, so yes it has been well used but not recently. (The past 5 years). So unless you are going to use it regularly (and get your moneys worth) dont bother unless you have surplus cash to spend or look on ebay or somewhere similar. Perhaps you have a sewing machine dealer locally who has a excellent secondhand one... Look forward to reading your answer

3 comments

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

Surplus cash. . .is there really such a thing? LOL
I spend a lot of time and home and enjoy sewing, just thinking it would be fun to learn and useful on the things I enjoy doing.
Thanks for your help.
:o)

by asterixsew 30 Sep 2009

Yes the finished edge is good. I have never had a lesson on how to use but I do have a basic one. When I got it my young - under 10m daughters were banned from using it untill one day while off school sick under Dads care. I came home to find a happy daughter who had made every dolly the pair of them owned bedding, each had sheets, pillows, blankets. My daughter looked and was so happy, she still had all her fingers and was obviously competent so the ban was lifted. Happy sewing

by asterixsew 30 Sep 2009

for 10m read 10 years, they were not that competent

I don't think there is any such thing as a user friendly serger. Do you do a lot of garment sewing? If so, it's a must have. Get one from a dealer that does one-on-one training and has classes. You will probably pay more, but it's worth it. There are a lot of people out there who bought sergers and don't use them because they never learned how. I love mine, but I don't use it as much as I would have when my kids were young and I made all their clothes. I think I bought it just because I always wanted one.

1 comment

by americangirl 30 Sep 2009

I am a quilter, I don't really sew clothing. I like the look of the finished edge and am thinking it would be handy for some the things I like to make.
Thanks for taking time to answer me.