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nsarnic
BucketHead
PeaNut 430,131
July 2009
Posts: 786
Layouts: 0
 |  Posted: 12/6/2012 11:30:19 AM
for a beginner user, I need a good used serger that only sews and cuts and finishes edges. Any suggestions? | |
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candleangie
Sequin Sewer
PeaNut 140,337
April 2004
Posts: 14,616
Layouts: 104
Loc: Portland Oregon
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 11:39:12 AM
Believe it or not, I recommend the singer serger that they sell at Joanns. LOL I've had two (one before our housefire, and a second after) and several friends have them. They've all been great. It's a good little workhorse (and I'm HARD on machines) and it's simple to use.  |
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nsarnic
BucketHead
PeaNut 430,131
July 2009
Posts: 786
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 12/6/2012 11:59:06 AM
Thanks for your suggestion, but I am hearing that babylocks are hot commodities with sewers, so I am off to a nearest baby lock dealer to look into these babies... | |
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cropduster
Ancient Ancestor of Pea
PeaNut 250,388
February 2006
Posts: 5,642
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 12:08:07 PM
I have contemplated getting one, but am not confident in using one. They seem so complicated. I have a Janome dealership that I bought my sewing machine from here in town. I'll have to take a serger for a test drive sometime. |
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eebud
Doxie Pea Mom
PeaNut 52,841
October 2002
Posts: 31,003
Layouts: 25
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 12:09:35 PM
Thanks for your suggestion, but I am hearing that babylocks are hot commodities with sewers, so I am off to a nearest baby lock dealer to look into these babies...
If I were looking for a serger, I would probably take candleangie's advice and at least look at the Singer because I know how much she sews. |
 
Hans on left, Bud in middle, Gretchen on right | |
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kellybelly77
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 281,401
October 2006
Posts: 2,411
Layouts: 0
Loc: Topeka
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 12:14:17 PM
I have the Brother 1034D. Great beginner machine and runs and runs and runs! I did serge over a metal zipper tab once, so I had to have it serviced! But it's been fine since. I got it off Amazon for about $200. Babylocks are very nice, but pricy.
There is some connection between Baby Lock and Brother. They are owned by seperate companies but Brother produces the actual machines for Baby Lock or visa versa, or they share production/developmental costs or something. They have machines that are identical and can share parts even. |
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SuzastampinCTMH
PeaFixture
PeaNut 157,667
July 2004
Posts: 3,790
Layouts: 15
Loc: Upstate NY
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 12:14:56 PM
I have the Babylok Imagine and I love it! It's been a workhorse for me for more than 10 years...I can't tell you how many hundreds of hours I have of it. It's a breeze to thread, especially with the Jet Air threading. |
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perumbula
oooh, what you said!
PeaNut 27,933
January 2002
Posts: 10,107
Layouts: 97
Loc: bedlam
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 12:25:26 PM
Baby Locks are great machines. They are also quite pricey. If you have the money to spend, then sure, you won't be disappointed. But if you don't want to drop a bunch of money on something you might not like, a Baby Lock is probably not the machine for you. (I speak as an owner of a Baby Lock sewing machine.)
I've had my eye on the $200 Brother machine on Amazon for several months now. it gets great reviews. |
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momof1child
BucketHead
PeaNut 542,144
February 2012
Posts: 850
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 12/6/2012 12:51:14 PM
I have the Babylok Imagine and I love it! It's been a workhorse for me for more than 10 years...I can't tell you how many hundreds of hours I have of it. It's a breeze to thread, especially with the Jet Air threading.
In total agreement | |
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gale w
shiny farmwife
PeaNut 40,275
June 2002
Posts: 21,332
Layouts: 52
Loc: Indiana
| Posted: 12/6/2012 12:53:37 PM
I have a babylock serger and I hate it. It's been in the shop several times and it is broken again (and I am not hard on machines and have barely used this one). I'll never buy babylock anything again (I also had a babylock sewing machine that I didn't like). If I was going to buy a new serger, it would be a Janome. |
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Mimima
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
PeaNut 41,779
July 2002
Posts: 32,573
Layouts: 58
Loc: The Left Coast
| Posted: 12/6/2012 2:03:12 PM
I'm just learning to sew, and have made a few things. I took a class, and we did use a serger.
Here's my question, when do you need to use one? Is it ok to not have one? |
~Mimi
"She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain." - Louisa May Alcott | |
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Paigewh
BucketHead
PeaNut 157,311
July 2004
Posts: 618
Layouts: 6
| Posted: 12/6/2012 2:08:26 PM
I agree 100% with Kellybelly 77. When my old Janome was giving me trouble, I asked some industry friends what they would buy. They suggested the Brother 1034D and I have been so impressed! Plus the price is AMAZING! I can't say enough about it |
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gale w
shiny farmwife
PeaNut 40,275
June 2002
Posts: 21,332
Layouts: 52
Loc: Indiana
| Posted: 12/6/2012 2:14:26 PM
Here's my question, when do you need to use one? Is it ok to not have one?
I only used mine for sewing clothing. Some people will use them for making napkins for the edges. I like them for wovens because they keep the seams from unraveling. I like them for knits because the seams still stretch. A serger also makes the seams look nicer than sewing and zig-zag stitching. I have made some clothes without one and while it would have been nice to have one, I got along fine without. |
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VanC
PeaFixture
PeaNut 82,273
April 2003
Posts: 3,382
Layouts: 9
Loc: Out and About
| Posted: 12/6/2012 3:19:26 PM
I've had my 4spool Brother machine for 20 years now and still love it! I've never had a major problem with it in all that time except to have the tension adjusted once and the blade sharpened a couple of times.
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"It's ALL just paper......'til you add adhesive, a little love and some pixie dust."
LLTTF&JB
VanC
****I wish you Love, it's All you need. I wish you Laughter, and hope you find Joy in the journey. I wish you Tickles, because you can't tickle someone without touching them and forming a connection. I wish you Teases, because everyone needs a little humour to get them through the rough spots. I wish you Frogs, because there are NO Frogs just Handsome Princes & Beautiful Princesses who don't know who they are, everyone needs someone to love them in spite of themselves warts and all. Finally I wish you Jelly Beans because life's sweetest moments can come in all sorts of colours and flavours.****
**** | |
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Mimima
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
PeaNut 41,779
July 2002
Posts: 32,573
Layouts: 58
Loc: The Left Coast
| Posted: 12/6/2012 3:38:49 PM
Thanks, Gale! That helps. |
~Mimi
"She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain." - Louisa May Alcott | |
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Jillsie Pea
BucketHead
PeaNut 226,757
October 2005
Posts: 860
Layouts: 0
Loc: SouthPark
| Posted: 12/6/2012 5:12:55 PM
My Babylock is 19 years old and it's now starting to give me a little trouble. My next serger will be a Babylock. | |
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candleangie
Sequin Sewer
PeaNut 140,337
April 2004
Posts: 14,616
Layouts: 104
Loc: Portland Oregon
| Posted: 12/6/2012 5:17:40 PM
I would probably take candleangie's advice and at least look at the Singer because I know how much she sews.
You mean not everyone sews a self destructive number of hours in a day? LOL
 
.....I miss the days when sewing was a hobby. lol |
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lindaton
PeaNut
PeaNut 135,644
March 2004
Posts: 339
Layouts: 0
Loc: IL
| Posted: 12/6/2012 7:34:52 PM
My first serger was a viking. It is great. Not so easy to thread but you can figure it out. Then when I seen the babylock jet threading system, I thought I just had to have one. The threading is great but I dont care for the stitch. It has 2 widths on the serge stitch and 1 seems too wide and the other too narrow. Dont care for the look of the rolled hem either. I use my viking way more than the babylock. | |
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nonasboys
What are you looking at?
PeaNut 36,675
April 2002
Posts: 1,000
Layouts: 1
Loc: bay area, calif.
| Posted: 12/6/2012 8:23:58 PM
I am looking at the viking on sale for $400. But the one for $199 also looks good but I heard the $400 threads easier. I just want it to finish seams. micky | |
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hlsst7
BucketHead
PeaNut 114,469
November 2003
Posts: 919
Layouts: 8
Loc: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 12/6/2012 8:37:30 PM
I just finished researching this very topic and purchased a used Bernina serger off of Craigslist for $200. I love my Bernina. I took it to the dealer for a tune-up and he told me it was running so well, it didn't need it. When I told him how much I paid for it, he told me it was the deal of the century.
I highly recommend a Bernina serger if you can find a used one on Craigslist or ebay.
Heather
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carrot-top
PeaNut
PeaNut 20,922
September 2001
Posts: 365
Layouts: 19
Loc: Almost-Orange Co., CA
| Posted: 12/6/2012 8:56:18 PM
Simple...Bernina I've had mine for 25 yrs, only had to have it serviced 2 times, both for (other people) running over pins. Sewed clothes for 6 kids on it, plus costumes for high school, and money-making endevours over the years, that machine can tear thru anything.I now work in the same Sewing/Vacuum shop that I bought it from, brought it in a few weeks ago for a cleaning and service, and it didn't even need it's blades changed. A new, comparable one would cost around $800 now, and does have lots of nice features, but I can't justify a new one when I can't seem to wear this one out, lol. But I AM gonna replace my 25 yr old Bernina 1120 soon for a 750...when we finally get a shipment. Drool! Hope this helps!
Linda
ps - if you buy from a reputable dealer, you should get FREE classes to learn to use your machine, in-house service and repair, and friendly, helpful service people. You WON'T get that at JoAnn's. And I do know what I'm talking about, I used to work at JoAnn's.  | |
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Heather Marie
PeaNut
PeaNut 300,303
February 2007
Posts: 190
Layouts: 0
Loc: Defiance, OH
| Posted: 12/6/2012 9:56:39 PM
I have the brother 1034d and really like it. I only paid $179 for it a few years ago. | |
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