Serger vs. Embroidery
 

This may end up being a silly question to ask but..What is the difference between a Serger and an Embroidery machine? And is there a big difference in the costs?

Yes, they are different machines entirely. A serger sews two pieces of fabric together and finishes the edges so that they are encased in thread and don't ravel. It also cuts the edge as it goes along. (Look at the inside seams of garments that you buy to see examples.) An embroidery machine makes a design in thread on the top of the fabric. There are different price points for both.

It is never a silly question if you do not know the answer!! dunster has already answered it - but I will add that for the most part sergers are used for construction and are especially helpful on cotton knits and items that fray. Embroidery machines are use for embellishment for the most part (though now there are designers that are creating patterns now that will embroider and quilt one block at a time. Prices do vary within each type from reasonable to pricey - the higher cost ones providing more bells and whistles.

All of this is true but you can also do decorative stitches on a serger. You can also make lace on a serger if you have the right machine. You can get both from in the hundreds to the thousands. Search both on youtube and watch videos and see what they can do. No matter how many videos you watch, there usually are lots more both machines can do, alot depending on what brand, the size, for emb machines you use hoops and the size of hoops your machines handles will depend on what it can do. My favorite thing on the emb machine is doing cutwork designs, my machine uses the cutting needles so it cuts after it lies down the design and then top stitches back over that to have it hold. Its very pretty. I can't tell you the favorite thing on my serger because I'm still learning, so far I've created lace, put zippers in, did dec stitching on a table runner all made on the serger, did gathering, etc. This week, we are making a childs dress that could all be done on a regular machine but since we are learning diff techniques, we are doing the whole thing on the serger. Fast and easy. Check out the you tubes and see what they can do.

Thank you everyone, I am totally lost on these two machines, I seen a couple of videos and couldn't really tell the two apart. I'm thinking of getting one solely for the purpose of making label for my quilts but also interested in some embroidery if the machine can do it by itself (once I program in what design I want). I will be checking out some more you tubes, don't want to spend a lot for a machine I want just for a couple of things.
Jeri

If you want to make labels, you need an embroidery machine. I have a Janome 350E and as long as the design is one color, once I push "start" and all goes well, I just watch.

I also have a Janome 12000 and the same with it only it does bigger labels. In fact, I just answered an email from a lady who makes small lap quilts for me to give away here in Poland and I give her labels. She puts the labels on the quilts. I make only 'one color" labels with my embroidery machine for that.[ATTACH=CONFIG]486428[/ATTACH]

You can see that I laid out 5 in one sheet that I can make with the Janome 12000 because I have a rather large hoop for that one. With the Janome 350E I can only do one label of this size at a time.

If all you want is quilt labels and embroidery designs smaller than 4 inches, Brother has a machine for around $250. It doesn't sew, just small embroidery. It's a cheap, get your feet wet and see what you think machine.

justflyingin, that must an awesome new machine, I just got a Janome 6600 tried the letters just once they are so small. Feathers the $250 machine sounds like a good one for what I want to do and like you said to get my feet wet to see if I want to venture further can you tell me what brand & the name of it? Thanks again all!