A Tale of Two Sergers
"Should I get a serger?"
That's the question I periodically asked myself for about the past 2 or 3 years. Perhaps it's a question you also ask yourself, or maybe you've already decided on an answer. I admit, I usually asked it around the time I was trying to overcast an edge on some project and was having trouble with it, or when a fabric seemed particularly fray-prone. Or when a fabric was stretchy and stitches were either breaking or I was worried they would break soon, like the time I tried to fix a hem on a T-shirt with my regular sewing machine (the last time I was brave enough to mess with a very stretchy knit). The answer was always no, because the added cost and time to learn it seemed to outweigh the benefits.
There are a lot of articles and blog posts on whether one should get a serger/overlocker, features to consider, what you can use them for, and some general questions to ask yourself to help decide. There are also video tutorials on how to thread, operate, and clean sergers. I'm not going to be talking about that; I'm just going to tell y'all how I decided to answer that first question and another important question I came across: new or used.
In July, I found myself thinking about it again. It came up partly because I saw this beautiful knit fabric at Joann's (and it was on sale!) that I just had to get, and mostly because I was finishing up a couple of projects that simply would have been easier with a serger. "Should I get a serger?", I asked myself. This time I found myself answering yes.
Deciding to get a serger is far easier than deciding which serger to get. There are a lot of different models on Amazon, and even more if you start looking at brands that are only sold by dealers. Ultimately, I decided to skip getting an 'introductory' serger, and go straight to mid-range. That way there would be more features available once I got the hang of operating it, and it would save some cash in the long run, even though it would be harder to learn how to use it at first. I classified 'introductory' machines as those that only used 3-4 threads, and 'intermediate' as those that could do 2/3/4 thread stitches. My favorite was the Juki MO-654DE. It has great reviews on both its durability and user-friendliness.
But then somehow I stumbled onto some forums discussions on Sewing Pattern Review of used machines, and read about people finding great deals on used Baby Lock machines. I'd already read about Baby Lock machines (and later tested one out at a sewing shop) and they really are beautiful machines. However, a new Baby Lock is far outside my budget, so the idea of a used one was very appealing. I'm not sure I really expected to find a used Baby Lock in good condition for around $400, but I decided to try anyway.
Dealers sometimes offer used machines when they get them through trade-ins, and the machines are usually inspected, cleaned, and have type of warranty on them, so I started there. I came up with some questions to ask all the local dealers I could find:
After many calls, I finally found a shop that was offering a used serger that was actually more advanced than I'd been looking for, but was about $50more than I'd planned to spend. It was also not a Baby Lock; it was a Pfaff Coverlock 4.0. The decision became new vs used.
It was a tough decision. I finally decided on the Pfaff, because it could do coverstitching in addition to overlocking and had automatic tension. The dealer also included a 2 year service warranty.
The ladies at the shop were super helpful. They made sure I knew how to thread it before I left with it. Any serger with manual threading looks scary to thread, and it does take longer than a regular sewing machine, but with practice it gets easier. I'm still practicing, but it's definitely easier than when I first brought it home.
I'm still learning how to work it. In general, the machine itself is pretty easy to operate. I'm more familiar with computerized machines than I am with mechanical ones, so perhaps that's partly why. But never touch the option in settings that says it will calibrate the touchscreen. I tried it, and it made the screen totally unresponsive. Fortunately, the shop was able to reset it when I took it back in.
I'm still determining what to use it on. It's new and it's fun to play with, so I want to use it on everything, but there are just some seams that are better suited to a regular sewing machine. While I haven't actually sewn any seams on knit fabric with it yet, I have been using it to overcast edges on other projects. It definitely goes so much faster than an overcast stitch on a regular sewing machine, and produces a much neater edge.
However, I have yet to learn how to get the proper seam allowances on it. Or how to really secure the ends of the seams it produces. So far I've been using a tapestry needle from my knitting bag to thread the loose ends back through the seam, and it seems to work, but I'm not sure how well it will stay there after several washings. Over time I hope to find a better method.
But overall, I'm glad I got a serger, and I'm very happy with the Pfaff. It's super handy, and I have no doubt it will be even more helpful as I learn more about how/when to use it.
Until next time, when we can talk a bit about trying to add details to patterns, happy sewing (and/or serging)!
That's the question I periodically asked myself for about the past 2 or 3 years. Perhaps it's a question you also ask yourself, or maybe you've already decided on an answer. I admit, I usually asked it around the time I was trying to overcast an edge on some project and was having trouble with it, or when a fabric seemed particularly fray-prone. Or when a fabric was stretchy and stitches were either breaking or I was worried they would break soon, like the time I tried to fix a hem on a T-shirt with my regular sewing machine (the last time I was brave enough to mess with a very stretchy knit). The answer was always no, because the added cost and time to learn it seemed to outweigh the benefits.
There are a lot of articles and blog posts on whether one should get a serger/overlocker, features to consider, what you can use them for, and some general questions to ask yourself to help decide. There are also video tutorials on how to thread, operate, and clean sergers. I'm not going to be talking about that; I'm just going to tell y'all how I decided to answer that first question and another important question I came across: new or used.
In July, I found myself thinking about it again. It came up partly because I saw this beautiful knit fabric at Joann's (and it was on sale!) that I just had to get, and mostly because I was finishing up a couple of projects that simply would have been easier with a serger. "Should I get a serger?", I asked myself. This time I found myself answering yes.
Deciding to get a serger is far easier than deciding which serger to get. There are a lot of different models on Amazon, and even more if you start looking at brands that are only sold by dealers. Ultimately, I decided to skip getting an 'introductory' serger, and go straight to mid-range. That way there would be more features available once I got the hang of operating it, and it would save some cash in the long run, even though it would be harder to learn how to use it at first. I classified 'introductory' machines as those that only used 3-4 threads, and 'intermediate' as those that could do 2/3/4 thread stitches. My favorite was the Juki MO-654DE. It has great reviews on both its durability and user-friendliness.
But then somehow I stumbled onto some forums discussions on Sewing Pattern Review of used machines, and read about people finding great deals on used Baby Lock machines. I'd already read about Baby Lock machines (and later tested one out at a sewing shop) and they really are beautiful machines. However, a new Baby Lock is far outside my budget, so the idea of a used one was very appealing. I'm not sure I really expected to find a used Baby Lock in good condition for around $400, but I decided to try anyway.
Dealers sometimes offer used machines when they get them through trade-ins, and the machines are usually inspected, cleaned, and have type of warranty on them, so I started there. I came up with some questions to ask all the local dealers I could find:
- Did they offer used sergers for sale?
- If so, what type/brand/model?
- Approximately how old was the machine? (7-8 years was the oldest I was looking for)
- What type of warranty did they offer on it, if any?
- And finally, how much were they asking for it?
After many calls, I finally found a shop that was offering a used serger that was actually more advanced than I'd been looking for, but was about $50more than I'd planned to spend. It was also not a Baby Lock; it was a Pfaff Coverlock 4.0. The decision became new vs used.
The ladies at the shop were super helpful. They made sure I knew how to thread it before I left with it. Any serger with manual threading looks scary to thread, and it does take longer than a regular sewing machine, but with practice it gets easier. I'm still practicing, but it's definitely easier than when I first brought it home.
I'm still learning how to work it. In general, the machine itself is pretty easy to operate. I'm more familiar with computerized machines than I am with mechanical ones, so perhaps that's partly why. But never touch the option in settings that says it will calibrate the touchscreen. I tried it, and it made the screen totally unresponsive. Fortunately, the shop was able to reset it when I took it back in.
I'm still determining what to use it on. It's new and it's fun to play with, so I want to use it on everything, but there are just some seams that are better suited to a regular sewing machine. While I haven't actually sewn any seams on knit fabric with it yet, I have been using it to overcast edges on other projects. It definitely goes so much faster than an overcast stitch on a regular sewing machine, and produces a much neater edge.
However, I have yet to learn how to get the proper seam allowances on it. Or how to really secure the ends of the seams it produces. So far I've been using a tapestry needle from my knitting bag to thread the loose ends back through the seam, and it seems to work, but I'm not sure how well it will stay there after several washings. Over time I hope to find a better method.
But overall, I'm glad I got a serger, and I'm very happy with the Pfaff. It's super handy, and I have no doubt it will be even more helpful as I learn more about how/when to use it.
Until next time, when we can talk a bit about trying to add details to patterns, happy sewing (and/or serging)!
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