I have a I have a Brother 1034D serger my hubby bought when I first started sewing, because my sewing teacher said it is nice for knits. I wanted to make T-shirts with long enough sleeves, and knit nightgowns.

Since then, I got roped into quilt classes and have been doing that. lol. The serger has been sitting around, although I bet I could have used it to make the fleece booties and other projects I've done, I found out since that I have an overlock stitch on my Janome. I checked out the Brother 1034D serger and it gets five stars for ease of use and function. The price is right, it was $165 at CostCo online. I don't have an account, but hubby used his boss's account. (He surprised me, I had told him I needed to learn to sew before I learned to serge.)

I envy those who have a self-threading serger. I am now taking a class, and surprised myself by already remembering how to thread it and then learned to do curves. Next week we do rolled hems. We are going to make napkins of cotton, and a scarf of slinky fabric. My teacher said self-threaders have their own issues, some love it, some run into problems.

For me the question was "How much was I willing to pay for the self-threading feature on the serger?" not "Do I want a serger?" Here's a couple of questions I had to answer. Can I thread a regular needle without using glasses? Do I get frustrated when the thread misses the needle eye? How hard is it to get into the position needed to see the eye in the lower looper needle? How much easier or harder will these things become in the next 10 years? Bingo! I'm too old to NOT buy a self threading serger. Even my regular sewing machine is self-threading plus being computerized to do everything but cut my material for me.I'm just too old not to be part of this century's technology. Divide the price by the number of years I expect to use the machine and it's done to about $100 a year cost. A $100 serger is very cheap. Mine is the Babylock Imagine.

I had an old White serger for 20+ years and basically outfitted my children with it! Lots and lots of little pants and tshirts and sweatshirts. Nothing like a serger for knits. The old machine didn't have differential feed so I had to be very careful not to stretch things, but it still worked. When that old machine finally died I bought a new one. My requirements were that it have differential feed and be easy to convert to a rolled hem stitch. I ended up with a Bernina 1300MDC that I get along with just fine.

In addition to clothing, I have made all kinds of home-dec stuff with the serger - pillows and curtains especially. It handles heavy fabrics that fray very well. I also have made dozens and dozens and dozens of rolled hem napkins out of wonderful fabrics - one of my standard wedding shower presents. I also use a rolled hem edge on flannel receiving blankets.

As to ease of threading, a lot depends on just how handy you are. I thought about an autothreading machine, but it just didn't make the "most important" criteria for me. Most of the time I just pull the threads through when I change colors so it doesn't take long. Even if I need to rethread from scratch it only takes 3-5 minutes for a 4 thread, and half that time is doing the regular needles! I do recommend differential feed though - that is a great help on knits.

Pam

A tip I adore, every needle has a groove on top of it. If you just aim for that groove the thread will go in the eye. I used to use a portable light, the auto-thread function on my Janome, reading glasses, scrunch down, etc. Now I just push the thread above the needle and it goes in every time.

Thank you ladies for your comments.... I plan to check out the Babylock dealer....will check out the videos on tne internet...thanks again

If your budget allows it I would highly recommend a Babylock Serger. Babylock is the only serger on the market with air-jet threading. It also has auto tension.

So many people let their sergers sit idle because of threading and tension problems. With the Babylock...you will have hassle free, ready to go serging.

I love my Babylock...had it for 9 years...troublefee.

Amen. I have the same machine :) Since you have been making napkins and placemats......Have you tried this???? Cut two circles of two different fabrics. They should be bigger than a dinner plate as it will be a napkin...wanna cover that lap! Place them wrong sides together and just serge all around it using a decrative thread. (Pearl Crown Rayon, Wooly nylon, Designer 6, hummmm gold metalic would be nice. Now fold it almost in half so that you can see both fabrics, (play with this a little until you get the result you like best) fold the sides in, so it is now sorta cone shaped. Wala, it looks like a Christmas tree! Fun for the holidays. One more thing, You can take some of the same fabric and again cut it in a circle and mod podge it to the back of a clear glass plate. An emery board will clean up the edges. Looks cute with the napkins.

I bought a Janome "New Home" mechanical serger about 8-10 years ago and have used it to make every piece of clothing I have made in those 10 years. That is a lot of clothing, as that is all I used to do until about 5 years ago when I started to do more quilting than clothing. I still do clothing from time to time, and this machine gives a "finished" look to the end product. I wouldn't be without one.
John

JANOME, love them!!

I have a Baby Lock Imagine serger and really like it.

I'VE HAD MY BABYLOCK IMAGINE FOR 11 YRS. AND USE IT FOR EVERYTHING I CAN. I USE IT TO MAKE MOST OF MY QUILTS, SEWING SQUARES TOGETHER AND DEFINITELY THE BORDERS.
IT'S SO MUCH FASTER THEN MY REGULAR MACHINE AND TRIMS THE SEAMS AT THE SAME TIME.
IF YOU MAKE BOO BOO'S IT HELPS TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE THE STITCHES OUT FAST......I LOVE THIS MACHINE.

OH YES I'VE MADE HUNDREDS OF NAPKINS WITH THE ROLLED EDGE HEM AND HAVE USED THE FLAT LOCK STITCH TO MAKE SEVERAL SCRAP FLEECE BLANKETS.....ALSO USE IT WHEN I MAKE THE BURRITO ROLL PILLOW CASES.

I never knew I needed a serger before reading this thread. Thanks for all the great info.

Sergers are great for making t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. Can make the sleeves on the sweatshirts tight so they don't stretch out. At least that's part of the demo I received when looking at sewing machines.

I have this one as well and love it. Just wish I had the time to really get into it and learn it all...have done rolled stitches and 2,3 and 4 thread stitching with it...have yet to do any 5 thread stitching with it, but it's a dream and EASY to thread and to clean!

I am on my second one! The first was fine but my second one I purchased on Ebay after I saw one like it at a sew-in. It is a Babylock Imagine. It is fabulous! It has a unique self threading feature that makes it so easy to thread! I highly recommend spending the money on it. I have been very happy with how easy it is to use and to change the stitching from 3 to 4 thread or from narrow to wide etc. It is great.

I've always loved everything Viking, but the babylock threading feature is tempting. If quilting is your passion and you do little other types of sewing, a serger might not be for you. I gave my DIL my old Viking 4 thread when I upgraded awhile back. She didn't know what they were or how to use one, now she can't imagine life without one; however, she has four small children and doesn't quilt at all. It's a lifesaver for straight seems on clothing, ruffling, gathers, rolled edges etc. I wouldn't be without one either, but quilting is a small percentage of my sewing. Maybe you could borrow one from a friend and see how you like it.

When we say self threading we are usually talking about different things. What is important to me is the fact that my new Bernina serger is much easier to guide the thread through the places where each thread has to go. My first simplier machine would drive me crazy if I accidently let one of the "loopers" run out of thread. It required unthreading all four spools and starting over in a specific sequence or it wouldn't work at all. My newer machine lets you just reroute and thread the one thread that has run out or broken without having to start from scratch. I usually just tie on when I want to change colors.

I have 2 Euro Pro, one a thread and the other a 4 thread. I love them both. I bought them from Fingerhut. Very reasonably priced. They came with all the feet. The four thread has differencial feed. The only thing is you have to thread them manually but I have never had a problem doing that. I usuallyjust time new thread on to the old thread and pull threw.

I have the Viking Huskylock 910 serger. I love my machine!

Me too and I love it!!!

I use my serger for binding edges and seam finishes. Makes it look so much nicer than zigzagging the edges and it's quicker, too. I shorten many items for people at work and this makes my job much easier. Not to mention that people are impressed that I can make seams that look like store bought clothing. :-D

Mine is a Babylock that I got when my Singer died (so old that the repairman couldn't get a reverse screw for it). It was on sale for 1/2 price. :-)

Babylock Imagine I love mine.

I have a Simplicity and just got a Brother Not expensive and easy to thread. Love it.

Me too. I wouldn't have one that was difficult to thread.

Babylock...definately. mine is 20 years old, love it still. Help me make my only daughters wedding dress, and bought me pleasure and joy...GO for one. you will have NO regrets.

Me either. Good for knits if you use them.

Finish edges

I would love to see a picture of your seger edging on a quilt. I have been debating on getting a serger. If I do I will take lessons. I really wish there were more places that have lessons not many in my area.

I agree...I have this machine too....I have made quilts with it as well as some of the things listed below. You won't know until you have one and actually use it.

A few years ago at the Houston Quilt Show they demonstrated piecing a quilt with a serger. Not sure how they sewed a consistent 1/4in seam - I know I couldn't. I have a serger but don't use it too often.

Thanks for posting this question.It answered all mine about a serger.

I'm taking a serger class now, and saw ways a rolled hem could be used to join fabrics, like lace inserts for example. It could be an interesting way to add texture to your quilt top.

I don't see how it would be possible to actually piece with one unless you are steady enough to avoid the knife or have a way to lower the knife.

I have two older sergers, and I wouldn't want to be without one. While they can be frustrating at times to thread, I still am glad to have them. I would suggest that a person just learn how to thread them. again,.again..,again. eventually you won't even think about it when you do it!