Overlocker?

[ilovetosleep]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of a decent but reasonably priced overlocker. I have no idea what features if any I am looking for. I want to be able to join/seam cut up knitwear hence thinking I need one.

Thanks in advance!

My old sewing teacher has one, and it looks fiendishly complicated to thread. Could ypu try starting with a double needle on your existing machine? It"s under a tenner for two double needles, and they fit in tge same slot as a normal needle, then the threads go up through the normal path, separating into 2 bobbins. With 2 top threads and 1 bottom thread, it handles jersey. If ypu want even more stabilisation for jersey/knitwear, you can use iron-on hemming tape/interlining and cut the "reinforced" cloth.

I have a Janome one. It cost me about £300. I went to a sewing show at Ally Pally a few years ago where all the makers demonstrate them.

What I did learn is that the more you pay for one, the easier they are to re-thread. Mine is pretty awful, but given a bit of time with the instructional DVD, and plenty of practice, I can now re thread it in about 20 mins.

Its similar to this: Overlocker

I have a basic Elna one (792D) which I bought on sale so it cost me AUD199 (about GBP120 at the time). The best thing I did was to go on a one day course on how to use it. I came away confident about threading, tensions and changing between a rolled hem and normal overlocking and with a much better idea of what I could do with it.

In terms of features I would say you want the following:

• 3/4 thread
• easy change between overlocking and rolled/narrow hem functions (no need to get a screwdriver out!)

You can often find them cheap on eBay or Gumtree but try and find one in good condition as they can be prohibitively expensive to find missing bits for - I originally got one on eBay for $1 but it turned out to be in a bad state and would have cost me $350 to put back in working order!

I've got one it wasn't cheap but it's great.
Have a look at the Jaycotts website as they sometimes have offers or have a look on eBay or gym tree as sometimes people do trade up.
Don't buy a really cheap one though as it might need expensive work or never be right.
Yes threading is a pain but there are u tube videos around. The more expensive ones have guides and the really really expensive ones have assisted threading.

It's great for stretch knits etc

Thanks all. My only local machine shop has a janone one for £299 which is about £100 more than I wanted to spend, it's the only over locker they stock but the good thing about it is that they will sit with me and go through how to use it etc. maybe I'll have a demo an then shop around - I hate doing that but sometimes I can't afford not to...

I have a Toyota. It came from Tescos a couple of years ago. It was only £120 or thereabouts. It's utterly brilliant. It does 3 or 4 thread, rolled hems, and is a doddle to thread. You just move from right to left and follow the coloured dots. Even threading from scratch is easy. It also has a differential feed. It even came with a DVD tutorial.

It's been hammered but still works like new. It's very similar to this
www.tesco.com/direct/toyota-sl3304-overlocker/213-1962.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=213-1962

Or this

www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/4590145/searchTerm/Overlocker.htm

It's just a good solid workhorse really and one of the best things I've bought. It handles knits beautifully.

Also if you do get one this is pretty good:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0935278583/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1413408982&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40

Oops wrong book! It should have been this one!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0865733309/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1413409309&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40

Sorry- this ones better!

I have this one www.sewingmachines.co.uk/frister_knitlock_info.htm

It is really good for the price, metal bodied, 5 year warranty, next day delivery. I had considered a Bernina 800 which was really expensive as I have a Bernina machine - this has all the same functions bar 1.

Look at that webpage - good supplier.

Regarding threading difficulties, you can cut the old looper threads and tie the new ones on, then just pull them through. That only leaves the needle threads which are easier.
To be honest though, after a few goes you'll get the hang of it, I can do mine in less than 5 minutes now.

Thanks for all the tips. I think I might go for the one you have lavendersun or the model down from that.

I am looking forward to Christmas now but in the meantime, is there a way of reinforcing the seam of cut up knitwear using a normal sewing machine? To stop it all coming unravelled I mean. I want to cut up an old jumper and seam the pieces together. I can't really envisage what pluCaChange is explaining. I'm not a sewing pro and don't really even know what it is I want to acheive!

ilove after I had bought mine I saw the model below in a really popular sewing shop in Cambridge for £289! Very easy to thread too.

This is a video of someone threading an older model of the one I have (the other one will be much the same

I don't think an overlocker is difficult to thread at all - can't understand why anyone would think it is tbh and I had never threaded one before I bought mine.

p.s that is another supplier who don't sell them anymore, not the place I bought from.

Re your jumper. I would sew a seam in a very slight, barely, zig zag stitch so that there is a bit of give in the seam, then cut the seam (if you have the luxury of doing that fabric wise), then I would do a proper zig zag along the cut edge.

That way you have secured your seam before you cut if that makes sense.