I was looking at patterns last night and a couple said to use a serger. It was to make a burp cloth and a bib. Do any of you use sergers for much else? Are they any help in quilting? How do you use them for regular sewing?

Thanks!

Questions I would like to see answers to also. I have a surger and never have used it.

I have a serger to and it just sits there and looks pretty have never used it still not sure why I bought it. Would love to know how to put her to use!

I compress the edge of my quilted quilt to add binding with my serger, other than that is is used only for clothing. If you "only" do quilts, I dunno if you'd want one. If you make clothes however...I'd say it's a machine you can't do without!

i love down comforters and have made duvet covers for them sewing seams, then stopping to serge each seam. i just bought a 5 thread serger which seams and serges at the same time!also like the idea of serging edges of the quilt before binding.

Nancy Zeiman has a new book on making quilts with sergers.

i have a serger and i almost never use it in quilts unless maybe for lap quilts for nursing home but is great to finish seams for other sewing projects

I do alot of of other sewing as well guess I better get busy and learn how to use. Compressing the edge of quilt for binding is a great idea.

My mother has wanted a serger for YEARS and I am hoping that this mother's day her new granddaughter (arriving in March) will be able to get her one :) If anyone has one that isn't using it or would like to sell theirs (with all the instruction manuals of course), let me know LOL

You might find this thread interesting as well.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-88435-1.htm

Maybe not for a quilt, but quilted items: pot holders, bibs, quilllows, and other items that a serged edge would be helpful :D:D:D

I have made a couple of quilts with my serger.

My mom has a serger, and she uses it to make my scrub tops for work. She really loves it!

I have three sergers . I love them and don't know what I'd do without them. They are all very similar, one is a Bernina, the other two are Jukies. Bernina sergers are made by Juki and are essentially the same machine with just a few extra features but for an exorbitantly higher cost.

A car accident in August has limited my abilities immensely. I can hardly do anything at all now but here are a couple of things I made previously using one of my sergers, almost exclusively for construction. Most serger patterns call for a 1/4" seam which sounds daunting when you are not used to them but mastering the serger and its 1/4" seam produces perfect results. There will usually be some finish work on your regular machine, depending on the pattern. I use only Kwik Sew Pattern because they are simple and foolproof and almost , (but not all), of their patterns are geared for that 1/4" seam. Years ago I took a serger quilt class. At the time it was a novel idea but I was not happy with it at all and didn't want to waste my time completing the project. I love conventional quilting with all its possibilities.

I have a bernina 004D and love it... you are right you don't use them very often but... I have made a king log cabin with it..don't ever run out of bobbin thread!! and if you make a lot of bags.... they are great for finishing the seams on bags.
They are wonderful for the Kay Wood 9 hr quilt for babies all done on a serger and I've made several of those and some I have used wooley thread on the edge and no binding...
Judy

My serger used to be a very pretty nick nack in my sewing room. Then a couple of years ago they gave a class at the area Vo Tech -- Serger for Beginners -- it is one of her most popular classes. We learned to make small potholders, rolled hems, and how to make a rail fence quilt pieced entirely on the serger. It is now one of her most popular classes she gives it every year.

Sergers are great if you do a lot of apparel sewing, not so much quilting. I have an "old" serger that is a terrific machine and it's been used a LOT when I was making clothing, now that I'm quilting and not so much sewing, it doesn't get used much, but it's earned it's well deserved rest, but I won't get rid of it.