Overlocker - do you use it?

[frazzled101]

I'm currently working my way through a lot of ponte fabric in a weekly sewing class where I've had access to an overlocker for finishing seams. The teacher encourages everyone to overlock seams.

Given I only have 3 classes left, I'm thinking of buying one as part of a Black Friday deal.

If you have one do you use it a lot? Just for finishing seams or for sewing as well?

It's a big purchase when funds should be going on other things!

I wish I had one. I used to use my mum's overlocker. We used it for seaming as well as finishing. It's very useful for seaming when you have a small seam allowance.

If you are planning to make a lot of clothes from knit or jersey, you will need it.

I bought one back in April and have never used it. I am a bit scared to if I'm honest. I have never used on in any kind of class so don't want to make a mess of whatever I am making!

An ordinary machine with a zig zag stitch will be fine - you don't NEED an overlocker. I've sewn jersey for decades without one. I have one now and hardly ever use it I prefer my sewing machine that does a passable overlocker stitch.

But it's far easier to get beautiful, flat seams and hems when sewing jersey using an overlocker.

I use it for making french seams - its a lovely finish

& hems are lovely

Lycra is great with an overlocker

I often tack on the machine, check fit, overlock then run stitching down the overlocking too

I sew mainly stretch fabrics. My overlocker is used more than my sewing machine. It’s not a necessity but it is great.

@IamSmarticus just have a go with it. Not on a piece you are working on but on some scraps of fabric which you must have, don't we all? Old clothes are good practise pieces if they are not good enough for charity. There are plenty of YouTube videos talking through getting the tension right and how to correct it rather than relying on the instruction booklet. Just find one specific to your machine.

Mine is a Brother 1034D and there are so many videos on it from threading with zoomed in bits to make it easy, walking you through the entire machine and what does what which is why I bought it.

Thanks, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get using it! Maybe at Christmas when I have some time off work, I will get it out and actually use it rather than just look at it

I got one a few months ago, and so far it's all about finishing seams, and going round the tops of fabric gift bags. I did take in some jersey dresses for one of my DDs though, which was great.

If you use it for seams is that it? no other sewing at all?

I have been sewing just less than a year, with no previous experience. I took the plunge and bought and overlocker last summer. I had heard so many tails of people having one, but leaving them in the cupboard because they were intimidated by (threading) them, that I decided to spend more and get a Babylock with air threading. It’s a pleasure to use and to thread!

I have been dressmaking for years and couldn't be without my overlocker, it neatens seams, great with Jersey and does so many things, stitches in elastic etc. Mine is a coverlock machine, so it does cover stitch too (babylock ovation) but tbh I don't use that side of it as often.
I would get a brother basic overlocker, it will do all you need it too.

You could wait til it's on sale in Lidl again? They sell them every few months. Much much cheaper

I had heard so many tails of people having one, but leaving them in the cupboard because they were intimidated by (threading) them

i wish i could have afforded a coverlock machine with this function. But my work-around was suggested by the woman in the shop was to use a really nondescript grey coloured thread, it doesn't look bad on anything, so i leave it threaded. When I'm more used to using it, i may start to change the colours, but up to now it's fine. (incidentally, great local shop who insisted that i either come back for instruction on threading and basic functions or did that before i left with the machine - that is the real advantage of buying from a local shop)

How much are the air-threading ones? I have a Janome that is an absolute monster to thread, requiring tweezers, magnifier and contortionism. When it works it's great, but it goes through phases of doing a great job and going wrong all the time... It's snapped both its needles twice so is sitting there useless and I'm happily working on other -projects.

i think you're looking at well over a grand for a good brand.

I have a (non-air-threading) Juki which was EUR 450, it's pretty robust and i like it. No problems so far, but i really haven't used it much. I have a new year's "resolution" to address that though.

But i think threading them is something that you need to practice (unless you do what i do). And like most things sewing related (well, for me, anyway) anything that doesn't directly lead to something actually being made is seen as "wasted time" although it isn't really.

Once you have it threaded once it's all set up though.
Plus there's YouTube videos, much easier than figuring out the manual.

My singer overlocker from Lidl was under £200, an amazing bargain. It works perfectly.

My was £1900, but it won’t end up being avoided stuck in a cupboard, so cost per use, good value for me.

i looked at a YouTube video of the Juki1000 with air threading, it's only 2 of the 4 threads, if i understood it correctly?

I can only comment on Babylock. Their airthread machine automatically thread all threads, including the needles.

oh that's brilliant. I'll definitely get a much more spiffy one next time.

For now I'm eying up a coverlock machine. But probably 2nd hand

I used to use mine but the threads tangled so much, it was a real faff to keep rethreading it, so I have stopped using it now.

That's a shame @Mybonnielad; where were they tangling?

I was pottering around YouTube and i found this video with "the top 5 serger tips" and the first tip made me thing of those having problems threading them.

You need to have threaded it at least once, but after that - boom! (I've actually seen this on long-arm quilting machines, but am happy to see it used here, I'm definitely going to give it a go.

if you don't want to watch the video, or can't, or don't have time:

you snip the threads at the point where they are hanging from the thread holder (so the spools are on their holders, the thread goes up and over through the space on the wire thread thing) then you tie the new threads on to the ends and put those spools on the spool holders. Set tension to 0, pull the threads through at the needle end, and then reset the tension.

Description not brilliant, but i'm guessing it works since I've heard about this before