A couple of weeks ago I picked up a Singer Overlock at an estate sale. It has the directions, extra needles and thread. I even got some more thread at Joann a week ago. Here's the problem. I am so intimidated by this thing. Just looking through the manual made my head hurt. My son was kind enough to thread it for me, but now ... eeek! I'm terrified of it. Too many tension dials. Too many options. Help!

Breathe....!

Did it come with a DVD tutorial?

The bad side of this model is the threading (the yellow diagram area, you have to latch the thread behind the hidden back loop and don't cross your strings.....!)

LOL....it's not that bad, practice with your threading and let the thread break a couple of times so you can get practice threading it.

The worst part is the threading.
Keep your blade oiled/ clean this maintains your blade life

No DVD. Separately -- at another estate sale -- I did purchase a book with lots of photos. Personally, I think this is a man's machine since they are more mechanically inclined than I am so my son and husband should run it. Don't you agree?

I wish I could help you, but I'm intimidated by my serger/overlock also.
In fact I was thinking of trading it in, along with my main sewing machine, to help finance a Babylock Ellisimo. :D :D
Ahhh wishful thinking.
I hope someone here can help you.

perhaps take it in to get it "tuned up" so the tensions are right -

I really do like my serger - but threading it is a challenge and getting the tensions right can also be challenging

Once it's threaded, you won't need to thread it again. Just tie the new thread to the old and pull it through. You may have to thread the needle, but that's all.

Well, I guess I'll give it a whirl. I'm not at all sure about the different stitches and using 3 needles vs. 4, etc. but what can happen?

Best advice I can give you is to use a different color thread for each spool. And practice, practice, practice! If something isn't right, it's easy to tell which thread needs adjusting. Don't do what I did, I used a tan and a white thinking the colors were different enough but sometimes, after it's stitched, and if the lighting isn't good enough, it's hard to tell the light tan from the white.

I would recommend black, white, red, green and blue.

Oh, how about some video's?

http://www.google.com/search?q=sewin...ing+%2B+serger

don't know if this is for your model number or not:

http://www.singerco.com/pdf/14SH654_threading.pdf