lindaschipper

Been thinking of buying an inexpensive serger in the $400 range. Sewing Machine Plus has two on sale today for that price. The Baby Lock Vibrant from the Genuine Collection, and Juki's MO 6440 with a 2/3/4 thread option. I simply want to finish some seams nicely instead of having to zipgzag all the time. Would you say which is the better machine? Is it really worth the price not to have to zigzag. I should mention that this is NOT for clothing making.

QuiltBaer

I have had the same serger for years. I do use it from time to time. I use it when I want to wash my fabrics before cutting. Saves a lot of strings in the washer! I also use it when I do the occasional alteration. Recently our guild make stockings for kids for Christmas. They were not lined but quilted so I used the serger to finish the seams.

Lady Diana

You can't go wrong with the Babylock. I have several of their sergers. Love them all.

BTW morethanvacsew.com has the vibrant for 349.00. If you call kenssewingcenter.com ask for Kevin, see if he will match the price. I HAVE PURCHASED MANY MACHINES FROM THEM DURING THE LAST TEN YEARS. I DONT KNOW THE FOLKS AT MORETHANVACSEW...sorry for the caps, my tablet has a mind of its own.
I am not affiliated with either one. But I do know that kenssewing.com has excellent service and help if you need it. They also have a bonus of two months of the BABYLOCK ideas videos and other perks as a bonus.

bearisgray

I plan to make some clothing again - I have an odd shape that ready to wear does not match - and I would rather modify the pattern than my body.

(I rather doubt that Dolly Parton, Kim Kardashian, and others like them buy their clothes "off the rack"_

I use it for serging the edges before washing. I was also making bags and using the serger to ifinish the edges. Even the edges inside that did not show. I also finished the edges of some satin angel costumes that had not been finished. Some person thought that trimming the fraying threads would solve the problem. Ha!
It's also good for finishing the seams of pillowcases - if one does not do the French seam finish.

I don't use iti "all the time" - but often enough to make it worth having one around.

For finishing raw edges, I usually use the three thread combination.

I just had my ancient (probably from around 1965-1970) Baby Lock BL3-407 two or three thread serger repaired because it had the narrowest "bite" compared to the other ones I have. This one is a bit of a stink-pot to thread, but as I said, I iprefer the narrower width of stitching that it makes.

I gave my daughter a Singer 5 thread serger - which I highly doubt that she will ever use - it makes an okay stitch - but is extremely noisy when running.

Mine are all "older" - like the rest of my machines. I have learned that stiffening the ends of the threads with something fray-check before attempting to thread the machines helps.

From what I have heard - if one can afford the self-threading ones - they are worth the price.

quiltedsunshine

Those Juki machines are the best! Juki used to make Bernina's sergers.

sewingpup

I have been happily using my old Viking 905 serger that I got free with a promotion of the Viking D1. My dealer called me at home to inform I had forgotten my serger. I said what serger and went back to pick it up. It is not fancy, just 4 thread and no fancy computer board. I can do 2 or 3 thread surging with it and it has a free arm and a differential which you can use to make ruffles. I usually just use the 4 threads. Things I have done with it include surging around fabric to keep from fraying. Making two-layer fleece dog blankets just by cutting the flannel, drawing the rounded corners with a plate and flooring the pedal to metal. Yikes a dog blanket in about 10 minutes. I used it to shorten pants. Just mark the cutting line, the surging cuts off the excess fabric and finishes the edge at the same time, so just need to turn it up a bit and top stitch (work pants) oh, and you can make tubing with it by stitching a long length of surged thread and lying that inside the folded fabric to make the tube. You just pull on the surged thread to turn it right side out. I used to make simple pull over knit tops. Easy peasy with a serger, took about an hour and a half.

Gannyrosie

Love my brother 2340 I believe. It's their most popular. I've had zero issues and am on my 2 nd 1 ( first one fell and broke). I've sewed knits, thick , made napkins. It does a wonderful job and not expensive

carolaug

I just bought the Janome serger. Ann. special its 298.00 and works great!! Not bad to thread, I found a really good video on how to thread and had no problems. I believe Joanns is selling it. I bought mine at a local dealer near me.

cashs_mom

I have to agree! Since having a Juki machine, I'm very impressed with the quality.

Lady Diana

I have two Bàbylocks. Perhaps look on line for a used BABYLOCK with air threading. I found one at an estate sale for $450.