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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: ~Amy~
Date: 09-09-2006, 04:13 PM (1 of 15)
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I love it! This thing is so smooth and fast!!! I cant believe it stiches so much more then a sewing machine but so much faster!! I re threaded it all black so I will do the inside of my tote bags inside of lining them. I did one a little while ago with white and it looks so sharp! I also cant believe how it cuts fabric, it slices like butter! oh, my "new" machine is a Simplicity SL4360D. |
User: ~Amy~
Member since: 08-30-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: esrun3
Date: 09-09-2006, 07:59 PM (2 of 15)
Amy sounds like you are having fun with your new serger! Good for you! I sewed for over 40 years without one, then I got one and thought this is nice, it works great. Didn't really think anything about how much easier it made my sewing life until I went on vacation! Took my sewing machine but not my serger and had to actually trim and zig zag seams to finish them -Boy! Did I MISS my serger! LOL. Enjoy!!
Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: ~Amy~
Date: 09-09-2006, 10:44 PM (3 of 15)
| I do love it. I wish it was so darn hard to thread! It will take some practice, thats for sure! |
User: ~Amy~
Member since: 08-30-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: MartySews
Date: 09-10-2006, 03:04 PM (4 of 15)
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Amy, Congratulations on your new serger. All new machines have a learning curve and the old adage "practice makes perfect" is certainly true in sewing. Some books to help you get started are the "ABC's of Serging", "The Complete Serger Handbook" and "The Ultimate Serger Answer and Troubleshooting Guide". These can usually be found at your local library. Just be patient and have a lot of fun with your new machine. Happy Stitching! Marty 
It takes one moment to change a life.
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User: MartySews
Member since: 02-23-2003 Total posts: 504 
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 09-10-2006, 03:33 PM (5 of 15)
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Amy, Just be very careful if you use pins!!! I ruined my first serger that way. I missed taking out 1 pin & it bent the shaft. The repair was going to cost more than the serger origanally cost.
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 09-11-2006, 05:33 PM (6 of 15)
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I advise everyone to do what I read in my manual for my serger.. Do not feel the need to change thread color for each item you serge.. use a light and a darker color.. These will blend with all the items you sew, unless you are doing decorative stitching.. I used ivory and a med-to dk gray for a long time on all pj's and t-shirts that I made.. Works well, and nobody sees those seams anyway..I did the hems on my reg machine..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 09-11-2006, 06:04 PM (7 of 15)
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My serger is usually threaded in black or white. I will do as much as I can with those colors then start on projects of another color until I get tired of it.
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115
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From: DorothyL
Date: 09-11-2006, 06:53 PM (8 of 15)
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I like to use matching or close to matching threads. It takes about three minutes to thread my serger. Usually, though I thread white or black in the needles because it costs a lot to buy all those colors I don't use very often. But in the loopers I like colors that match the fabric. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 09-11-2006, 07:08 PM (9 of 15)
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Thats interesting Dorothy. I ussually do just the opposite. I Use similair colors in the loopers and right hand needle (off white , navy black, etc.) using serger cones. Then use a close match in my left hand needle ... sometimes a regular spool of thread if I don't have the right color cone.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: kmccrea
Date: 09-11-2006, 09:57 PM (10 of 15)
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I usually have the needle threads a matching color and the loopers either dark or light depending on the fabric. If something is really dark (navy, charcoal) I just use black. If something is very light or predominately white then I use white in the needles and loopers. It doesn't really matter to me what the looper thread color is since no one will see it. There is more of a chance of the needle thread being seen. Kate Katherine McCrea
Designer At Large |
User: kmccrea
Member since: 05-07-2006 Total posts: 173 
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From: Bekka
Date: 09-11-2006, 10:14 PM (11 of 15)
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When it comes time to rethread just cut the threads close to the cones leaving loopers and needles still threaded. Tie new thread to existing thread, loosen tension discs and pull thread out of JUST the eye of the needle. Pull old thread out while new thread "threads" itself. Retighten tension discs and rethread eye of needle. You are off to the races again in seconds!! CONGRATS on your new serger!!! Bekka Bekka
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User: Bekka
Member since: 07-28-2006 Total posts: 79 |
From: ~Amy~
Date: 09-12-2006, 08:37 AM (12 of 15)
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The 1st thing I did was get all black & all white thread. I went ahead and re threaded it. Then I used it and emiled the lady who sold it to me tell her I love it. She then told me the re threading trick. LOL UGH!! Well, at least now I know how to do it. My serge does look a bit loose though, how to I tighten it up a bit? |
User: ~Amy~
Member since: 08-30-2006 Total posts: 29 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 09-12-2006, 08:51 AM (13 of 15)
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The reason I don't worry so much about the needle color is that I machine baste the seams first with my sewing machine and serge to finish the seams. My concern, then, is how the serged edges look on the inside. I know, I know, it defeats the purpose of the serger if you are trying to save time. I'm not trying to save time. I like to sew and am not in a hurry when I sew. And I think it looks better. Besides, the serger still saves me time since I would be doing French or flat fell seams without it. I hate pressed open seams. I still do a lot of finer finishes. Sergers are fast and good for a lot of things -- but sometimes I still think they look tacky. Ouch -- stop throwing things at me!!! Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 09-12-2006, 07:41 PM (14 of 15)
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Like I said, over and over, I am talking about knitwear and only knitwear.. PJ's, T-shirts and shorts only... I am not talking about garment sewing for nice RTW clothing..And I'm not talking about when I use wooly nylon and do decorative serging on baby blankets, washcloths, etc...
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022
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From: acadienne
Date: 10-03-2006, 10:26 AM (15 of 15)
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Do you have the manual for your serger? If you do, check the trouble shooting section in it. Sounds like your tension is off on one of the settings. Also it will depend on the material you are using. Knit or stretch material will have a different tension than your cotton. My first serger was a Singer and litterally sewed it in the ground. Bought it 2nd hand and I use mine so much that it was unrepairable. My dealer is a Huskavarna and love my sewing machine as well as my serger. I now have 2 of the serger as when I sew my dance costumes, if my main one breaks down, and it has, have my backup. I might add that I sew all of my spandex material on the serger but am very careful that the knife does not cut to much of the material as it will dull it. Spandex has some kind of metalic in the material and it will dull your knife super quickly. Gis NS A bientot mes amies
"Don't take your organs to Heaven........Heaven knows we need them here" please check out my online photos of my family, crafting, etc. http://community.webshots.com/user/mlleg http://photos.yahoo.com/acadienne_1999 ASC hug pillow for the IWK http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/acshugpillow[/SIGPIC] |
User: acadienne
Member since: 10-02-2006 Total posts: 13 |
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