My friend has one like you want and loves it. I thought the threading was very cool.
However, I have a Bernina that I bought with my Bernina sewing machine back in 96, I think. I love it for home sewing and I too will serge blocks together if I need a quick tie baby quilt. It is computerized, takes a couple minutes to thread but not a big deal. It broke my heart that I did not have room to bring it with me. But I remembered the old days of the zigzag method of seam finishes and have survived. Even have a foot that does a similiar edge stitch if the fabric does not over ravel??? Enjoy your purchase. I know they are costly; but, I made all my daughters clothes as she was growing up; every curtain, most of my clothes and husbands shirts and ties (before they allowed teachers to wear polo shirts with collars.) I still sing serger praises. Thanks for listening.Teresa

I;ve had one for years and maybe have used it 12 to 15 times. I'm going to sell it. My sewing machine has enough fancy stitched to overlock any seam I might want to do.

I have a Baby Lock Model BL5280E Serger that I bought way back when, before they came out with the differential feed sergers. I have made clothes with all kinds of fabrics, curtains, quilts, pillows, done all kinds of mending (including sweaters) and don't know what I would have done without it! I still don't know what all this one can do, can't always figure out the tension right and would love one that does that automatically! Oh, and for flannel, you can't go wrong. I always prepare my edges by serging before putting a flannel quilt together and I know it helps keep those seams together a lot longer even if you use a 1/2 inch seam, those flannel quilts seem to get more use and rougher handling at my home. Re-threading it is no problem by knotting the ends together and pulling as previously described.

I bought a $300 baby lock serger a few years ago. Friends said they don't use theirs and they were correct, I don't use mine very much. I still have the 4 original cones of thread on there!

RUMBOLS, I have a great project for you! At least once a year I get out the serger and make donation pillowcases out of fun kids fabric for the Conkerr Cancer group. The cases go to children's hospitals. Their website is www.conkerrcancer.org they have a pattern out there called the hot dog method. You can google and find it also called the burrito method! I buy 1-1/4 yards of 2 fabrics and get 2 pillowcases out of that yardage. I make 6 or 8 and deliver or mail to the state coordinator, also listed on the website. I sent them some recently and sent some to a group called Hugs N Stitches--the coordinator in AZ for that group said she recently delivered a couple of hundred pillowcases to the children's hospital.

You can also make those Nancy's Notions little dresses for Africa with your serger.

it makes me feel less guilty for spending all that money on a serger when I can make donation items at least once a year.

Smeone had told me to NOT buy a serger that does overlock plus cover lock because they are way too complicated. If you want to do cover stitch, buy a cover stitch only machine.

Do you need a serger? I highly recommend this 3 day seminar. Sue is a master at teaching and her seminar is not only a great learning experience but is so much fun. She teaches this 3 day event all over the country so check with your local Babylock dealer. They provide the Evolution serger and all supplies. You will know at the end of the event if a serger is for you! I personally think that the reasons that some serger owners don't use their sergers are because they are difficult to thread (not Babylock), have tension problems (not Babylock), and more importantly...they do not know ALL the things a serger can do!

If you take this seminar, you will have 3 binders of instruction that covers everything you have learned. They are priceless.

“Three Day Hands-on”
Baby Lock Evolution Serge-A-Thon Retreat!
With Sue Green-Baker...An Independent Serger Expert
Sue has been teaching serger sewing as long as Baby Lock has had a home serger on the market! She has co-authored several serger books, including Decorative Serging with Palmer/Pletsch, ABC’s Of Serging with Tammy Young, Sewing With An Overlock by Singer Sewing Reference Library, wrote the Sergers In Motion Column for Sew News Magazine and published several serger technique workbooks and booklets as well.
FULL 3 DAY HANDS-ON EVENT ONLY $150 PER PERSON!
AND a Top Of The Line Baby Lock Evolution Serger will be furnished for your use in class!
Students will complete and take home 3 fully illustrated, in color, step by step workbooks with samples! Workbooks (on CD to be printed by Student) & All fabrics included in the event price! (A $249.99 retail value!)
Join Sue for 3 “fun, filled days” to learn the Baby Lock Evolution serger in and out! You will learn how to use the Evolution serger from the “basics to advanced” techniques. You will say, “I didn’t know I could do that on a serger!”
This hands-on retreat is for everyone! If you are thinking about buying a serger, now you will say, “How did I ever get along without one!” Baby Lock sergers “thread themselves”....have no tension dials to figure out...and the easiest serger on the market to change to different stitches!
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:
DAY ONE:
WHEN TO SERGE, WHEN TO SEW
Threading 4-thread stitch Stitch width
Stitch length
Differential feed
Fine tuning option for tensions
Machine parts
Machine accessories that come with serger
DAY TWO:
How to serge elastic “The Factory Method” 4 methods How to use the elastic accessory foot
How to use the gathering accessory foot
How to use the blind hem accessory foot
Using decorative threads— from the light to heavy weights
3-thread stitch
DAY THREE:
USING THE COVERHEM AND CHAIN STITCH
Coverhem threading technique Making hems, in three widths Attaching lingerie elastic Attaching lingerie lace Coverhem shadow stitch Shirring over elastic
Attaching bias binding
Understanding the cover hem accessories

[PDF]“Three Day Hands-on” Baby Lock Evolution Serge-A-Thon Retreat!
http://www.suegbevents.com/f/serger_...students_1.pdf
“Three Day Hands-on”. Baby Lock Evolution Serge-A-Thon Retreat! With Sue Green-Baker...An Independent Serger Expert. Join Sue for 3 “fun, filled days” to ...

My previos post does not show all of the things you will learn at this 3 day event. If you go to http://www.suegbevents.com/f/serger_...students_1.pdf you will see the flyer that details this fantastic seminar.

I have the baby lock enlighten. Late husband bought in 2012 right before he passed away I've never even set it up. It does the threading if I don't use it soon I might as well sell it

I have a brother project runway, it threads very easy and I love it, the only thing right now I use it for is the finish out pillowcases I make for a childrens hospital this is my second brother and I love this one MUCH better

I have 2 sergers and wouldn't be without at least 1. Neither are fancy, in fact, my Juki is one of the first home sergers made. Everyone talks about difficulty in threading, but the Juki is easier to thread than my newer machine. I use them all the time for home dec, quilt backs, edging fabric before I wash it, and serging the edge of quilts before I bind them. I would love to have a top of the line Juki 735 with the cover stitch but I don't see it happening.

I also have a BabyLock Evolution. I upgraded from a Babylock Imagine that I had bought used many years ago. I LOVE this machine. I also am an avid sewer in addition to quilting, so I use it all time when sewing clothing, drapes, purses, etc. I have never used it for piecing. Seems to me it would be overkill in the thread use. Prior to my used Imagine I had a Riccar and it was so frustrating and so hard to thread. In my humble opinion, if one is going to buy a serger, go Babylock with the air threading. I know they are more expensive but buying a used one beats a brand new one of another brand.