Quilting Forum

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Latest Forum Posts

Collapse

  • Quilting Inspiration
    Yes, there will be some discussion on how Lynn’s were quilted and some suggestions for other ideas.
  • Quilting Inspiration
    This is my first BOM with the Quilt Show and I am thoroughly enjoying the process. At the beginning of Lynn Wilder's videos,...
  • I Need Input on Unique Laurel Ridge
    I've mostly finished my Laurel Ridge version, seen in photo. I'm trying to decide what to do with the extra space in the...
  • Entering BOM in quilt show
    Sue’s company is run by her daughters:

    https://www.comequilt.com/
  • MONTH 2 — Share Your Progress HERE
    I’m behind, but I finally got month 2 done. I was so afraid of doing the appliqué that I put it off, but it wasn’t...
  • Entering BOM in quilt show
    Hi, how do I contact the Sue Garman family to get permission to enter Stars for a New Day quilt in an AQS show?...
  • Dee's New York Beauty Choose Your Own Adventure
    congratulations, your quilt is lovely, where did they make the announcement?
  • Dee's New York Beauty Choose Your Own Adventure
    Better late than never, some of the blocks worked others I'm not so sure about but I enjoyed the process
  • Question on fabric choice
    It is Parchment Blue in the Autumn Kit. The photos are exactly the same on the Fabric Requirements page and the Monthly...
  • Question on fabric choice
    I have the autumn kit I can’t find cream with blue flower I have parchment but I don’t think that is it
  • Dee's New York Beauty Choose Your Own Adventure
    congrats. when did they announce it? Where can I see it?
  • MONTH 7 Blog is UP
    I cannot find Lynn's chapter 7 of her continuing story. HELP!!
  • My Finished Top
    Barb,
    I hadn't read the above comments. That is the same thing I was saying!
    No need to comment. You got i...
  • My Finished Top
    Barb there is one more error or maybe you wanted the diagonal to be different. On the right picture above at the bottom...
  • My Finished Top
    Thanks, Pat. I saw your post first on my blog. You are correct, those are turned wonky too. More in-sewing in my future....
  • My Finished Top
    3rd try. After this I give up. (I also posted on FB) In the upper left quadrant htere are 3 half-sq triangles units appearing...
  • My Finished Top
    (Also posted on FB) Hope I can get this to work. In the upper left quadrant I see 3 half-sq triangle units made of what...
  • My Finished Top
    I almost hate to ask. (Also posted on FB) In the upper left quadrant, there are 3 half-sq trianlge blocks appearing to be...
  • Loading...
  • No more items.

Trending Forum Posts

Collapse

  • Happy Dance! I won ribbons!
    Home from the Maine Quilts show where my Color my World quilt, rename ‘Home,’ received 3 ribbons. I’m overwhelmed...
  • What I learned
    Well, here it is, the end of 2022, and I finally have finished my 2021 BOM quilt! I apologize that the photo is not centered....
  • Late at this but having difficulty
    Hi There,

    I hope you can help me. I know I'm very late in getting to this point but life is finally allowing...
  • Adding house numbers
    I'm quite behind on my BOM, but now have all the tall buildings of the outer ring done. I would like to add some house...
  • Ahhhhh.. almost done! Have a question!!
    Hi all.. I am behind in my Color My World and just starting the skyscrapers... Does anyone have the finished size (with...
  • My Colorful World With Parks by Duffy
    My quilt is finish
  • Printing for paper piecing question
    For anyone paper piecing, is your quarter inch a tiny bit larger? When I’m trimming up the finished building, I line...
  • Paper piecing color my world…anyone else?
    I decided early to do paper piecing instead of the wax…I’m more comfortable . However, I have a few questions…anyone...
  • Video Access
    Will we have access to the Color My World videos after December 31st? I can't seem to find info on this.
  • New to The Quilt Show
    I am BRAND NEW to the Quilt Show and fell in love with this pattern. I downloaded all of the instructions. My concern is......
  • How to download pattern?
    I'm a new-ish star member and would like to download the "Color My World" pattern...but I can't find where to...
  • Quilting color my world
    See how I quilted Color My World and the added surprise quilting in Wendy’s border:

    https://bbquiltmaker.b...
  • Getting outer circle to lie flat
    Hello - I know someone has solved this problem...I seem to remember a question arising when we put the inner circle together...
  • Great new way to see all the photos!
    Cap'n John showed me a new feature--you can see all the photos posted on any particular topic--at once.

    Open...
  • Color My World Pattern - Download Heads Up
    I know Barbara has reminded us to download all files prior to the end of the year. I finished my downloads today and decided...
  • Color my world — your finish here
    Please use this topic to share your FINISHED top or quilt here. This will make it easy to see all the great quilts everyone...
  • Quilt is complete. Fun!
  • One World — This is Brilliant!
    Sunday Sew and Sews met today. Pam R. came up with a brilliant way to make One World—she used striped fabric!...
  • Loading...
  • No more items.

I need advice on a serger

Collapse
X
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    I need advice on a serger

    My quilting friends have convinced me that I really should have a serger. I have resisted this purchase up until now but am finding more and more projects where having one would be a big help.
    I would like to hear from you serger owners out there - what brand do you have, what has been your experience, was it a good purchase for you, what features are must-haves (I think I want something that threads automatically - is there such a thing?), etc.
    I know this is a quilting site, but I am sure that many of you own and use your sergers and since I trust the advice I get from my TQS friends, I figured this was the first place to go to get lots of good guidance.
    Thanks to all and happy and safe New Year's to you.
    Robin

    #2
    I have a Bernette For Bernina Fun Lock 007D. I love the fact that I can use either 3 threads (for overcasting edges or creating a beautiful rolled hem) or 4 threads with an integrated safety stitch.

    When I bought mine from my Bernina dealer, I went for a guide class and the first thing the instructor did was to pull all the threads out and turn all the dials to weird numbers! PANIC!!!! No, she said, we just need to learn how to thread and oil the machine (there is a helpful diagram right on the machine) and how to set the dials to make it do what we want it to do, depending on the fabrics we are dealing with.

    After a couple of hours of hands on sewing and adjusting with her guidance, I left with my serger, confident that I could make it work for me and not be afraid of it!

    I highly recommend a guide class, no matter what brand you purchase!


    It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter
    That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived !

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks, Margo. I am a big fan of hands-on classes whenever I buy something mechanical or electronic. I like to keep my life relatively simple and so much is made these days with features that I will never use let alone understand. Glad you like your Bernina; I have several good Bernina dealers nearby.

      Comment


        #4
        For the past 5 years, I have owned a Babylock Imagine serger. My first serger was a White made in the 80s. After using that White for years and years, this one is like owning a Mercedes convertible. I can jump in the car and hit the gas and go! Never had any issues getting a perfect stitch no matter what I threw at it.

        aka ladyquilter

        Troutdale, OR
        <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.sweetpeaz.com/wordpress">http://www.sweetpeaz.com/wordpress</a><!-- m -->

        Comment


          #5
          I have a Bernette Fun Lock 004-D bought in Dec. 1990, that makes 20 years of absolutely problem free serging. I have never had an issue with this machine. And what Margo writes about hers you could have heard me say .
          I want to add one thing I find necessary, the variable fabric feeding so you can sew seams in very stretchable and not so stretchable fabric and they are still flat. Margo, please add the right word, if this is not understandable.
          Good luck in finding the perfect one.

          living in Central Denmark
          Charlie Brown: The secret is to look fantastic at a distance

          Comment


            #6
            Zarah, it is the DIFFERENTIAL. You set it for woven fabrics or knits and adjust it so that the stitches don't stretch the fabric as it is fed through the machine.


            It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter
            That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived !

            Comment


              #7
              Recommend getting one with a "cover stitch." I bought my Bernina serger just before that became standard, and I regret it.

              These new ones, tho, are the cat's meow!

              BethMI

              Comment


                #8
                I am a Bernina fan through &amp; through. Heck, even my blood pumps red! However, back in the day when I was making garments (especially for my people...when they were little...), I bought the TOL Elna. They were the top serger makers then. It is a super machine and has preset tensions for all the various stitches. It is a 5-thread. I had 2 Bernina sergers before this one.

                Get a good one... no big box store, but I know you already know that , and take the lessons. Keep us posted!
                Jules~

                @julesquilts on IG 
                working farm wife and quilter in the off-seasons
                Tired.
                Modern quilter, QOV volunteer, Improv, FPP w/o stitching on paper, freehand quilting on my long-arm.
                BERNINA 790 Pro, Elna Serger, Handi Quilter Fusion, 3 FW,  a lot of old Singers and other vintage and antique machines (25+).

                Comment


                  #9
                  I have a Kenmore, which was a gift. I've used it quite often over the years and it works well, but it's not the machine that I would have chosen for myself. It's very difficult to thread, so I would have chosen a model/brand that is self-threading. Actually, that's my only complaint. I'm guessing mine cost significantly less than a Bernina, so I'm not sure if that feature alone would make a Bernina worth the cost difference.
                  Jules~

                  @julesquilts on IG 
                  working farm wife and quilter in the off-seasons
                  Tired.
                  Modern quilter, QOV volunteer, Improv, FPP w/o stitching on paper, freehand quilting on my long-arm.
                  BERNINA 790 Pro, Elna Serger, Handi Quilter Fusion, 3 FW,  a lot of old Singers and other vintage and antique machines (25+).

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I have been intrigued by the self-threading machines because, frankly, I'm not that mechanical minded and would much rather have the machine do it for me. I will be going out on Monday afternoon to look at Bernina and Babylock sergers. I have to take my Bernina in for its annual check-up so it works out well. I still have NO IDEA how much money these things cost. I went to the Babylock website to get an idea of the various models and to find a dealer and nowhere is price mentioned. I think that may be a bad sign.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      A self-threading serger....wow never you know could get one that does that......???????? ops: ops: ops:

                      geeeee I must update my photo.........


                      Taree NSW - Australia
                      My motto in life: live by the three GGG’s - be Grateful, be Gracious, be Gorgeous to yourself

                      Comment


                        #12
                        A big thanks to all of you who gave me such good advice. I checked out both the Bernina and the Babylock machines. Both seemed to be well-made and the two places I went to both offer training for life - anytime I need help, just come on in. I decided to get the Babylock Imagine largely because of the self-threading system and the self-adjusting tension. I was able to buy an almost brand new floor sample at a good discount. Just bought it and I have yet to try it out at home but I'm excited.
                        By the way, for those of you who are in the south/central Wisconsin area, I was treated like a queen at both Pamella's Place in Genessee Depot (Bernina dealer) and Frank's Sewing Center in Waukesha (Babylock). What we would ever do without kind, helpful and knowledgeable local quilt shops.
                        P.S. It's a good thing I just won that Quilt Museum contest because the winnings enabled to me to buy a machine I really couldn't have afforded otherwise.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Congratulations again, Robin on both the win and the new serger! Have fun with it! I won a little money from AQS with "From The Heart" and also used some of it for a machine, but I already have a serger, so this is the machine I got! Makes a great momento of the year I won a big ribbon!



                          It's Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter
                          That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived !

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Congratulations to both you ladies!
                            What a sweet little machine, Margo.
                            Lyndhurst, Ohio USA - East Side Suburb of Cleveland, Ohio

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Margo
                              Congratulations again, Robin on both the win and the new serger! Have fun with it! I won a little money from AQS with "From The Heart" and also used some of it for a machine, but I already have a serger, so this is the machine I got! Makes a great momento of the year I won a big ribbon!

                              Oh Margo! It looks just like the little machine I had when I was a child that my Mom gave me and I made countless Barbie doll clothes on. Congratulations on your "big ribbon" and your little machine! Cheers

                              "Neglect not the gift that is within you..." -1 Timothy 4:14
                              Betty Jo

                              Comment

                              What's Going On

                              Collapse

                              There are currently 26410 users online. 331 members and 26079 guests.

                              Most users ever online was 89,239 at 06:38 PM on 06-08-2025.

                              Forum Stats

                              Collapse

                              Topics: 8,332   Posts: 156,530   Members: 27627   Active Members: 1,131  
                              Welcome to our newest member, [email protected].

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Trending

                              Collapse

                              There are no results that meet this criteria.

                              Working...
                              X