Another gadget in the house

The worst thing I can do to my bank balance is to declare I’m not buying any more stuff. I have an allergic reaction or something and shop incessantly. Yesterday I went to Hobby Lobby because I was embarrassed to go into Joann’s Fabrics again this week. I wanted to buy four cones of serger thread*. Why you ask? Well, for my brand new Brother 1034D Serger** with 22 stitch functions that arrived via FedEx today.

So now I need to learn how to thread the damned thing, which is notoriously complicated on sergers. There is an instruction DVD to help learn the process. I think it is worth it to really study this, because I wouldn’t get half the enjoyment from sewing on my regular machine if I had not taken the free lesson that came with the machine. I don’t think my mom ever changed her needle, but I change those suckers all the time. I also can set my machine up to all of its stitches with relative ease using the manual. I do not think I would have ever adjusted the tension or tried anything beyond straight and zigzag if I hadn’t had a hands-on lesson. Of course I would not have broken my overlock foot then, which was close to the tipping point that decided me on buying a serger. (Said incident also led to accelerated needle changing as it took two shattered needles until I was convinced it was broken.)

I want to try to sew some of my own clothes. I’m thinking just tops and maybe some skirts. Luckily I am currently able to find jeans and work pants just fine. I’m so tired of being stuck with what some idiot buyer decides people should be buying. I’ve seen some really cute tops that I wouldn’t be caught dead in because they have little or no sleeve. I’m sure there are plenty of plus sized women with lovely arms, but I’m not one of them and would happily spend my summers in ¾ length sleeves.

So hopefully I’ll get some solid long term use out of my new serger. I’ve got way too many gadgets and supplies that I thought would be awesome that I never really use. Of course I’ve got at least nine more years of Halloween costumes to make so I’ve got that going for me.

* Sergers use big cones of thinner thread than all purpose sewing. I usually buy Gutermann thread, but it is $5.99 for a smaller cone than some of the other brands. Four cones are needed to do a four thread stitch, for each color needed. I bought a different brand (but not no name brand) at Hobby Lobby for $2.99 at 40% off ($1.80). I'll stick with white to do my practicing on. (Bored yet? No? Really?)

** For those of you who haven't been obsessively reading sewing blogs and researching sergers a brief explaination: Sergers use multiple threads and sometimes multiple needles to sew through fabric as well as over edges. It also cuts the fabric as it goes. Chances are that every piece of sewn clothing you have on has serging in it. Check out your seams. Often there is a straight stitch and sewing on the edges. This makes pants inseams stronger and makes neat stretchy seams on your t-shirts. It also keeps fabric from unraveling. Here is a great article about sergers on Sew, Mama Sew! that pushed me over the edge to ordering it. It has pictures of the different stitchs, all of which appear to be made on the same machine I bought. People seem to either have the 1034D or really expensive brands. The cheapest serger at the store I got my sewing machine from was $999, the most expensive on display was $1900. The 1034D was $200.

Comments

[Karen]

nice!

If you use it, then it's worth the $$.

You can make some gorgeous stuff sewing your own tops. I like to make my own curtains and pillows, but don't need a serger for that! I LOOOVE choosing my own fabric - so much more selection than being limited by pre-made stuff.

enjoy!

[Dodi]

I definitely enjoy picking out fabric and patterns more than the prep to get to the actual sewing part. Ironing is too sweaty and cutting the fabric is too stressful.

I started reading the instruction manual for the serger last night. I totally see why some people never take it out of the box. Scary. Hopefully the CD-ROMs will make it clearer. I have to use my work laptop because they are Windows only. (Specifically Windows 95, yikes!)

I'll try to actually sew something with it this weekend. Must put aside my perfectionism or I'm doomed.