Couldn't do without my serger. Use it a lot on home sewing and have serged around a quilt that is ready for putting binding on. I have a New Home, Janome. and found a Brothers at a yard sale, so I keep one threaded with dark thread and one white.

Yes those Baby Lock's that thread themselves is the way to go. Mine is older and threading it can be a headache at times, but I still love to use it. I don't think sergers is for everyone!

After 30 years of sewing I bought a very inexpensive serger from Costco online - delivered straight to my house. It has an instructional DVD and is really easy to set up and use. I just made 24 pillowcases for my two granddaughters - each one got a set of 12, one for every month of the year - hearts for February, shamrocks for March, etc. The serging took less time than cutting them out! If I had used my sewing machine I would have had to zig-zag or use French seams so the serger was a snap. This is an under-used tool in my sewing room and I hope to expand my use of it; I just don't think to use it because I've never had one.

I used mine to sewing the whole quilt together, the material was kind of ravelly, And I wanted to try my serger. I really like it. and it is easy to thread. I think if I made flannel quilts ,I would use it on them. I also made a quilt ,for reuphostering a chair and I didn't want the seams to split open,, and two matching pillows.

I am on Serger #2 (unfortunately an older one and not a thread itself one). Serger #1 died from overuse. With Serger #1, I made ALL of my kids clothing, swim suits as well as many craft items.

Now that I spend my time quilting with minimum clothing construction, Serger #2 gets used often when I do construction of bags, pillows and other things made out of pieced parts. I also use it on the wide stitch width with a long stitch length on edges of quilts before binding.

If you do embroidery, you can make embroidered napkins out of any fabric, then use the rolled edge to complete the napkin.

Many more uses!! I would not be without mine. I leave it threaded - all ready to go. If I need to re-thread it - I just do the cut, tie and pull trick! (I do know a lot of gals whose serger is an expensive paper weight however mine is not :lol: )

It's important to have a place to keep the serger out. I don't use it all the time, and when it gets put away, I find other ways to do things. but when I do get it out for something, I love it and swear I'll use it more. I have one that does the cover stitch which is very cool.

Thanks to all of you. I really appreciate the information. I still don't know if I will get one, but it sounds like the babylock is the best for threading. Again, thinks for you help.

I just got mine for christmas. I have used it to serge around all new fabrics (they don't ravel!) and I go around my mug rugs to make a nice finishing edge and trim them before I put the binding on. I am going to use them to cut off my son's work pants and finish before hemming. I'm loving mine.

I have heard the serger is great to use on the Log Cabin quilts. You have to remember to disengage the cutter. I wonder about doing the 1/4" seam on the serger.

Like so many others have said.... I don't really use my serger for quilting. I do use it for other things..... made a Christmas stocking for my new puppy in about 15 minutes..... fixed a sweater that was too wide at the hips.... use it for shortening skirts and tops..... not a lot else. I love it when I need it.... just don't need it that often. If I hadn't had it given to me I wouldn't have purchased it.

also, very difficult to unsew. I use mine for clothing construction, craft items, baby receiving blankets, and they are great for the pillowcases, because I hate to french seam.

I agree. I use my serger a lot for regular sewing/hemming pants/costumes/etc. I have also used it on quilts prior to binding. Makes a very nice edge and no problems with even edges. ;-)

I'm an old time quilter. I like to quilt by hand. I love applique quilting and always do that by hand. But I noticed the new quilt patterns show you to zig zag around your applique pieces before sewing on your quilt top. Question is....what if you serge the edges of the applique instead of the zig zag stitch? I think I will try it just to see if it works.

That is a gorgeous quilt! Love the fabrics.

I have an inexpensive 4-thread serger and really like using it. Mostly I make flannel baby blankets and burpies but I would love to use it more. I don't make clothes so I've never used it for that. I just love how quickly and neatly it stitches. I also use it for potholders and Christmas stockings. The patterns I have for those are super simple and go together so fast. Bottom line, I don't use it all that often, but don't plan on getting rid of it.

Hi, i`ve had mine for quite a while and i have used it a lot...used to make a lot of knit t-shirts and sweatshirts...now i use it when i make clothes for my g/ds and niece....so the finish product is nicer. i also serge all my new fabric before i wash them.....i love mine...couldn`t do without it!

p.s. i also serge around my quilts before finishing it with the binding, that way it is much easier to finish by hand...you just follow the serge line,,,just my way of doing it

I was given one, but it's still in the case it came in. I don't know anyone locally who has a serger and it's an old one, so I've no idea how to work mine.

When I purchased my serger about 8 years ago, I was not sure I'd ever use it. Now I can't sew without my serger. Like Quilter7x, I serge the edges of fabric as soon as I get the fabric home. Serged edges make washing the fabric much easier. That's the closest I come to using my serger for quilting. I couldn't do without it when making knit clothing, e.g., turtle neck shirts for my granddaughter. When constructing garments, I use the serger to finish seams, make rolled hems, etc. Once you start using your serger, you'll find many uses for it. Congratulations on your new serger!

My White serger is set up and ready all the time. Serged edges of 10 table covers for a rehearsal dinner last year. Used it just this week to serge edges of quilt leaders. I use it for finished seams in purses and have made a rail fence quilt with it that required no additional quilting when top was completed. The top, batting and backing were joined in strips all at the same time in the flip and sew method. It was a great method. I wouldn't get rid of my serger for anything. I also have feet to make piping inserted in pillow seams all in one step and a beading attachment.

I too, use my serger for sewing fleece p.j.'s, and baby wrappers, receiving blankets etc. Never tried quilting with it. But I love it for my sewing of clothes for little ones.

Yes, I leave one serger always set up and ready to go with white thread. I really need to get my old one out and set it up to with a diffrent color of thread. I orginally bought mine because I always hemmed my dh bluejeans.He is so short legged. I got tired of fighting the raveling and bulk and said to him one day " if you want me to continue to hem yr jeans, then I am buying a serger". Makes it easier by far to hem and reduces bulk. I just can't imagine not having one!

I've always used my serger on making clothes, but this past year I put together a quilt using the serger. I used flannel - just blocks of different sizes, joined a bunch, cut them in sections, joined in different places, and it didn't take long to sew at all. I've never used mine on a cotton quilt top - I'm afraid I'd mess up the seam allowance and screw up the whole thing!

There is soooooo much a person can do with a serger that I bet 90% of the people don't use, myself included. I am trying to learn more. So if I can learn anything here, it is a plus!

Probably the best I've ever heard about the perspective on sergers is that "a serger is like the microwave of sewing machines." Just like your micro, you haven't put your regular oven out of commission; they get used for different purposes.

Personally, I don't like a visible serged seam, just looks a bit unfinished or hurried-up to me, but they are invaluable for all manner of straight seams, regular hemming, and rolled-edge hemming of finer fabrics. Log cabin blocks, strips and the like are done lightening fast!

I do quilting as well as household and apparel sewing. I thought for the longest time that I did not need a serger, but now that I have one, I wish only that I had got it years ago. I immediately forced myself to thoroughly learn how to thread and re-thread it. I purposely changed colors and did it over and over. Threading is no longer an anxiety for me any more than changing thread on my regular machines. (I have a Brother 1326.)

Just avail yourself of a lot of online freebie info for sergers and possibly invest in one book that's heavy on instruction and light on patterns. Items that are entirely serger constructed are IMO not quite up to snuff. Quite the same as that very few meals are which are prepared entirely with the microwave (start to finish; not warmed over).

I'd heartily recommend having a serger.

I use serger all the time. It sits beside my sewing machine and shares the work on most projects. I finish off the edges of my quilts with the serger before adding the binding - it also works wonderfully for "sew as you go"quilts -it does all the work on those - and of course for sewing clothes, table linens, decorative items etc. - besides my sewing machine, it is my favorite item

DeeDee

My hubby got me a Brother 4 spool serger through Wal-Mart and on-line and I have totally fallen in love with it. I also have the SE350 (older version and a Brother brand) of an embroidery sewing machine, and love it equally. I forsee being able to make lots of unique gifts by combining the use, such as monogramed towels, dishcloths, napkins, plus I have several great grands I sew for, and love the polished look for the seams. The serger and sewer were both under $200 each at the time of purchase, and I feel blessed to own them. I'd buy them all over again in a heartbeat. I'M IN LOVE!!!

I do alterations and use my serger all the time for hems. I have a Toyota brand serger that I have had for 25 years. I recently got a new Singer but I haven't taken it out of the box yet. I have a friend that made a jelly roll quilt with her serger and it turned out great. I think I'll try that soon.

I do not use it much. It is so hard to thread, that I never change colors.

love my serger Brother 5234. Easy to thread, make lots of dolls and need it for those little hems. Also make alot of purses and use it to join batting and fabric together, and I love the neat tidy seams. Also use it for heming pants etc. no more hem tape.

What exactly is a jelly roll quilt, I have heard the term but have never made one. Usually make rag quilts or pieced quilts.

Instead of threading it, just tie on to your threads above the tension disks. Alot easier. Mine is a Babylock Imagine Wave with the jet air threading, but my previous serger (which my DD now has) was a Babylock Protege. I just tied my new colors on and off we went!

forgot to mention on my brother 1034 D serger hubby got me for Christmas ($192 on line through Wal-Mart)...that it is absolutely trouble free threading. The serger before that one, was a pain in the behind with threading and I gave it to a grand daughter...so much younger and more patient than I am! gigglilng. I LOVE MY SERGER

I love my serger. I have the Babylock that almost threads itself. I use it to make rolled edges on blankets or fleece, and professional looking seams on clothing. I haven't used it on quilts (yet). I mainly sew quilts, but sometimes I like to make clothing & other things 'non' quilted.

Search Super Fast Jelly Roll Quilt. It is a great tute.

Take a serger class if you purchase one. I did years ago at Bernina. I learned alot. Made knit clothing for kids and me, rolled hem on napkins and silk garments, placemats. There are a lot of good serger books out there too with lots of ideas. But I've never used for quilting other than to sew the edge of material before throwing it in the washer to keep material from raveling.

After purchasing my serger, I took classes at the vo-tech that taught me everything I've needed to know. Now, my Juki serger is 11 yrs and never any trouble with it. Although pricey model, it's paid for itself many times over from making lingerie to mending jeans, serging fabric before washing, Project Linus quilts, and the list goes on and on.

I gave my serger away. Not sure if it is actually being used, but at least it isn't making me feel inadequate.

I bought a basic serger about 15 years ago and it drove me crazy with tension and threading probs. Then I upgraded to the self-threading, self-adjusting tension Baby Lock (maybe 6 or 7 years ago?) and love it. Of course, when you want those 2 features, the machines get pretty pricey.
I have used it to make a quilt once (turned out okay but not my favorite). But I use it for so much more. Mine has a cover stitch and my daughter is severely vertically challenged so I use it to shorten sleeves on knit shirts for her and to shorten pant legs. Have used it to make pillows, pillowcases and slipcovers for home dec. Have been called on by friends & neighbors who can't sew to shorten prom dresses (the rolled hem does a great job on slinky fabric). I take it every year to the Cinderella's Closet to shorten dresses there and it makes a quick and easy spaghetti strap for the prom dresses(start with a long thread tail, put it inside the tube as you sew the long seam and use the tail to pull the whole thing right side out). Just used it at Christmas to make 8 denim aprons. I use it for all kinds of stuff and I can't imagine not having one. Like any other piece of equipment there's a learning curve but, once you get to know your machine, you'll be pleasantly surprised at what you can do with it.

You will wonder what you ever did without one! I use mine for so many things; it is an "edge finisher" basically, but you can do decorative stitches with a serger and various types of threads, do tucks, edges on knits, rolled hems on fancy fabrics, make scarves, etc. There are books and lessons on how to use a serger for quilting, and I plan to do one of those to learn that technique. I have a well loved Bernina 1100DA .... learning how to adjust the 3 or 4 threads' tension, is like an aaah haaah moment! and it is sooo easy to use. Get a good brand used to start with from a reliable dealer who will teach you how to use it, that's all you need.