Thursday 6 October 2011

Any Overlocker Buying Tips?

Hi there folks. I have a favour to ask of you all today. It’s my birthday this month, and my parents have very generously offered to buy me an overlocker/serger! I am absolutely thrilled about this (especially after THIS event!), but I’m also feeling rather daunted. I don’t really know anything about overlockers and trying to search on the internet for advice has proved rather fruitless unfortunately.
I have read Karen’s posts about her new Brother 1034D and all the really useful comments from everyone, all singing the praises of the Brother 1034D, which certainly makes me very tempted to follow suit. AND I have just seen that Jane is getting one of the Brothers too!
Except Karen, being based London, has the fortune to be near overlocker classes, which I’m afraid Belfast does not offer (although, if anyone knows of any, please do share!). And because I know so little about using an overlocker I would really prefer to buy the machine from a person, rather than over the internet.
The shop which my sewing machine came from (Sewing Machines NI), also does overlockers, and the sales people are really lovely, so I would be more than happy to give them my business again. I would also be able to schedule a ‘get to know your overlocker’ session with them, which would be very helpful!. However, they only appear to have 4 within my price range (under £300!), none being the Brother 1034D.
The 4 that they have on offer are:
imageElna 664











image
Singer 14sh754





image
Bernina 700D







So my questions are:
  • Does anyone have these machines?
    • if so, how do you find it, do you have any tips?
  • Does anyone have any reviews on these machines, or heard any feedback on them?
  • If you have an overlocker, what one do you have and would you recommend it?
  • Does anyone have any tips on buying an overlocker in general?

In sewing news – I have been back on the machine…woohoo!
  • I’ve perfected the fit on my Jenny skirt (wow, the sizing was so out on that pattern for some reason!) and I’ve cut out the ‘good’ fabric and lining fabric for it. I’m making a vent as per Sunni’s tutorial, which I’m rather nervous about (more nervous about attaching the lining than anything else!), so I’m procrastinating on that a little!
  • I’ve made a muslin of my Sorbetto (pretty good fit so I think I will just make it as is!), I just need to buy some bias binding to match my fabrics (I don’t have enough to make self-bias binding)
  • I’ve been production-line sewing up bags for my shop. I hope I can have it up and running in the next month or so (EXCITING!!!)
  • I’ve finished the muslin for my Burda 8155 skirt, looks good, just need to cut out fabric now!
Hopefully I’ll have something finished soon so that I can get some photos up on here!
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