I have the opportunity to purchase a Janome Serger 204D machine for $200.00. A friend I've known for over 40 years received it last Christmas from her husband. She told me she just hasn't been able to bond with it and wants to sell it. It is still in the box. She has offered to let me take it home and use it to see if I like it before purchasing.

Now my DH is willing to get if for me for Christmas if I want it. The problem is I don't know enough about quilting to know if I might need this machine. I am working on my first quilt top, I've just had so many family issues that I haven't had time to do any sewing.

I have Singer sewing machines now that I am using. And whenever I do get my quilt tops finished I want to machine quilt them myself.

So for those of you who have the knowledge, should I seriously consider this machine? If my life slows down enough for me to get serious about quilting like I hope, would I use it? (In case you cant' tell, I'm not even sure what a serger is used for.)

Your thoughts and suggestions please.

I have one For about 3 years now. Only used it a couple times.

I don't have one. and not sure what they could be used for. But I do know that if you are sewing clothes they are a ton of help and good for that. anything past that is beyond me. sorry cant be of more help. If you have the opportunity and the money you might just want to do it. It could never hert to have one.

I used mine for clothing, mainly, it gives you a finished seam like commercial clothing has.Now that I quilt more, I hardly ever use it.It is nice to serge costumes , pot holders. Haven't tried to finish a quilt edge yet. It seems like it would make it easier to apply your binding on a quilt, well, on a potholder it does, something I will have to try! Good luck with your decision. Seems like a fair price.

Serger - I use mine for finishing raw edges before washing fabric

Also - if one makes bags/purses/totes - serged edges really look nicer and wear better than raw edges.

The only time I used my serger in quilting was when I serged the edges of my flannel chenille quilts.

Other than that I use it almost exclusively for garment sewing.

I have a serger & they are great for sewing otherwise, but I don't use it for quilting. So, if you are just quilting, you may not want it. But, if you sew things otherwise also, then that's a great deal on a serger!...

I've had my serger for over 20 years and absolutely love it and used it heavily until I began quilting, since then it's rarely used. A serger is mainly for clothing and such, although I have read of quilters using it for their quilting.

I have a serger and it is the least used of any of my machines. I rarely use it in quilting , and then it is only because I happen to have it handy.. not that it is really needed. There is nothing in the quilting world that I am aware of that you can not do with a regular machine, that would require a serger. It would be the last thing on my list of additions to my quilting gear.
I'm a tools kinda gal ... so if it me I would spent the money on tools that would be more use to you on an everyday basis.