Bought A Serger - Now What?

16 years ago

OK so I found a Brothers 1034D Homelock 3/4 Lay-in Serger and a Lauder Sewing Station at a yard sale for $100. The table alone brand new at Walmart is that much. I've wanted a serger for awhile with a VERY vague idea of using it on my denim quilts...only now that I actually own it I'm not sure what to do with it...

So I'm asking all you wonderful ladies for ideas on what I'd use this baby for...I don't sew clothes and I'm not sure that a serger can be used on a quilt - even a denim one.

Please tell me what you use yours for and feel free to let me know if I'm completely off my rocker in thinking I can use it on quilts. Worse case is listing the thing on Craigslist.org or selling on eBay...

Marie in Michigan

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Comments (14)

sue7972
16 years ago
I use my serger mostly to do rolled hems for cloth napkins or table cloths. There is a quilt shop in CT that teaches a quilting class using a serger, so I guess it can be done. Nancy's Notions has a book/dvd called serging with confidence. I have them, but haven't looked at them yet.
Sue
teresa_nc7
16 years ago
Good score! You can make quilts using a serger - do a google search, I don't use mine for those. I do make lots of pillowcases, tablecloths, napkins, and I serge seams on garments I make.

But the first thing to do is to learn how to thread it! This is very important and may seem daunting, but it's not and you have to learn to do this! Really! If it is already threaded, then learn to tie on a different shade of thread up where the thread comes off the spool and carefully pull the thread thru all the way to the needles.

See if any stores in your area offer beginner serging classes and look for books in your library.

Teresa
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kathi_mdgd
16 years ago
First you take it out of the box and read the manual and familiarize yourself with each part of it.After you have read the manual for the second time get some scraps and practice,practice,practice.Teresa is right,learn how to thread it and don't be intimidated by it,you're bigger than it is.LOL
Good luck and congratulations.

Oh and i use mine for everything,clothes home dec,quilts,hankies,napkins etc.There are also several books out on using them.Sewing with Nancy has one,as do several others.
HTH
Kathi
juttz
16 years ago
I agree with all of the opinions above...Im hoping that you got a manual with the serger and read it from front to back..I bought my serger and really dont use it that much other then making pillow cases..Im not a huge sewer so far but i will be using it when I make my totes...good luck and great find at a yard sale...Judy
digger
Original Author
16 years ago
OK - I shall overcome my fear and try it out. It did come with the manual and video tape so when it's raining next I have viewing material and a project to keep me out of trouble!

Thanks for the suggestions on the books - didn't even think about that - d'oh!

Marie in Michigan
bonnie-w
16 years ago
I have a babylock evole and love it. Once you start using it you will wonder why you didn't buy on a long time ago. I have not done any quilting on it, but a friend does the majority of hers on it and says it works great. Threading can be a pain but once you get it down right its easy. The trick is the order in which you do it. If you are looking at the order of the threads you have 2 needle threads then the upper looper and the lower looper. Thread the lower looper first then the upper looper second. Then the first needle thread and last the second needle thread. Then pull all of the threads to the back and do a test run on a scrap of fabric

good luck

Bonnie
maryliz
16 years ago
I'm with Teresa. You can't do anything with it until you learn to thread it. Get to work on that right away. Practice on scraps before you every try to sew anything for real. Continue to practice on scraps even after you think you know how to use the thing. You might need to adjust various aspects of the stitch, and you better fine tune that before you ever start to sew on your real project. If you think it's a chore to unsew something sewn on a regular sewing machine, wait 'til you try to rip stitches sewn on a serger!

Good luck and have fun. :-)
teresa_nc7
16 years ago
This morning I made a cute pillowcase with my Brother serger to take to work for a little birthday present. Cutting out from start to wrapping it in tissue paper took me less than 20 minutes. And I was only 5 minutes late to work - ha!
ddavisgray
16 years ago
Marie,
Here's an interesting site.
doris=^.^=

Here is a link that might be useful: Serger fireside quilt
ddavisgray
16 years ago
Here's a good summer project.

The serger is great to use on terrycloth.
I also used it when I made a patchwork with chenille.

doris

Here is a link that might be useful: Swim wrap
digger
Original Author
16 years ago
I love both patterns and can see myself using them. I called my LQS and she will actually sit down with me and show me how to use this beast - woo hoo! She is also reinforcing everything you wonderful ladies have mentioned. Guess I just need to get over the 'fear' and jump into some practice squares before I go 'Gung-ho'. Thanks for the words of wisdom!

Marie in Michigan
nanajayne
16 years ago
Lots of great advise. Just one suggestion, when you practice try different wts. of fabric and threads, then note on a card the tensions of the various dials. It can be a good reference later.
I have watched Nancy Zimmerman demonstrate some of the info. from her book and it was good as well as providing suggestions to ways to use the serger.
Jayne
ddavisgray
16 years ago
Jayne,

That is such a great tip.
I did that for along time when I was using mine alot for making clothes.

I put mine on the pattern envelope.

Great idea Jayne.

doris=^.^=
minnie_tx
16 years ago
I got rid of my serger. I bought it right after I retired why? I never could figure it out. I took one store lesson and then it sat in the box I could never get it threaded right. My advice is to take your digital camera and take closeups of exactly how it looks threaded!!!

Bought A Serger - Now What?

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