One Hundred Dollars a Month

For my birthday, I splurged and bought myself a serger.  I’ve always wanted one, but never really wanted to spend the money.  They are pretty much awesome for getting a professional, store-bought finish though, so I decided it was time.  Sergers sew, cut, and finish seams all in one step–it also wraps the thread around the front and the back of the fabric, which allows to to hold up much better through repeated washes.  It kind of takes the human error out of sewing.

If you’ve never used one before, here are a couple of tips and a great video to get you started:

1. Read the manual and watch the video {if it came with one}.  I know, I know, it’s not a profound tip, but seriously, when is the last time you read the manual of something you bought from front to back?  This is one of those things you really need to read the manual on.  Get to know your serger.  Take it to dinner and movie if you have to–just really get to know it individually.
2. Thread the machine over and over.  Unless you have a “self-threading” model, practice threading your machine over and over.  Threading a serger can take forever at first, getting proficient at it will help you actually get to the sewing a lot faster.
3. You cannot sew on pins.  Because a serger sews and cuts, you will need to either learn to pin much, much higher than where you were actually sewing or sew without them.
4. Go slow.  This is hard at first, if you are used to zipping through something with a sewing machine, but if you get going too fast, remember a serger cuts too, so you can’t just go back and rip out the seam and start over.  You have to be slow and calculated.
5. Clean the lint out of the serger frequently.  Keep your investment {both the serger and the fabric  you’re sewing} in great shape by making sure the serger runs tip top.
6. Practice on scrap fabric.  Pay attention how you line up your scrap fabric, how fast you are moving, how to accurately you’re sewing.  If you make a mistake with scrap fabric during the learning process, you won’t be out anything.
7. Buy good quality thread.  It will sew soooo much better if you just suck it up and buy the higher quality thread.  No catching, no breaking–just happy, happy serging.
8. Watch the blade, and not the needle as you sew.  The blade is doing the most permanent damage, so guide your fabric based on that.
9. If you are in the market for a serger, make sure to choose one that is easy to thread.  Historically, people have dreaded getting a serger for that reason.  Technology has come a long way, though, and they are much, much easier now {especially if you do a little research}.  Once you have found a serger, make sure to do step #2.
10. Sergers don’t backstitch, so remember to knot off your thread when you finish.

There’s been a learning curve for sure, but now that I am getting the hang of the different types of stitches, I think this serger thing is going to rock.

~Mavis

Brother 1034D 3 or 4 Thread Serger with Easy Lay In Threading with Differential Feed