Anyone have one of those Serger machines?

[BiggJawn]

Or "Overlock" machines, whatever...
I know my way around a 15 and a 66 and I'm a pretty fair locksticher, but I've got a yen to build some stuff that I think a serger would give less headache doing.

Are they easier to operate?

[China_cat]

1. Sergers are marvelous

but they aren't for everything. You have to remember that they trim as they overlock so there are lots of places they aren't appropriate

Best uses for sergers; heavy materials like canvas, materials that tend to ravel badly, rolled hems, overlocking seam edges.

The major drawback is the threading. Unlike a regular machine, if a thread breaks or you want to change colors, you can't just do one. You have to completely unthread it and rethread in the proper order for it to work right. (Which can be a pain in the butt)

I just finished the serging on a bathrobe for my husband. By serging the bottom edge I don't have a bulky hem, but I do have to do the turnup and stitch with my flat machine. And all the serged seams went twice as fast as doing them on the flat.

Find a sewing center that will let you try one before you decide to put down the money.

[BiggJawn]

3. Ever sew spandex?

What I'm thinking is building my own bike clothes, shorts, jerseys, etc.
I was looking at my factory-built stuff, and it is almost all overlock stitching.

[China_cat]

4. Never done spandex

I'm really not a person who should be seen in spandex. :)

But a serger is the perfect thing for double stretch knits.

[BiggJawn]

8. LOL!

That's prolly why I never get any crap from cage drivers.
They figger a guy who looks like me who has the balls to wear Lycra ain't to be messed with......

[IdaBriggs]

9. Also, some places will let you "rent" time on one for trying it out!

Excellent description, by the way! :)

[Malva Zebrina]

2. I've got one of the first ones to come on to the market--Baby Lock

It is only a three thread overlock, but I find it useful in many ways --trim edges etc. It is a bitch to thread though. It works just fine after all these years, but I take care to oil it and keep it in good condition.

[China_cat]

5. Mine is

a 4 thread White. And I don't think any of them are easy to thread.

For rolled hems, you take off 2 threads on mine and change the plate.

[tilsammans]

6. I have a Kenmore serger

It came with an excellent video with step-by-step instructions.

[BiggJawn]

7. Video! Cool!

My other machines were built when photography was new, so a video would be a help....:-)

[China_cat]

10. Yes, so did mine. I had forgotten that.

Good manual, too.