Let's talk SERGERS! <3 (and then give me advice.) LOL

[Trethowan]

Okay, so I've got this serger, the Singer 14SH654. The tension is all screwed up and according to all the reviews I'm reading it's just not a very good model and ends up needing repair after a few months. I'd hit the "months" mark two years ago and haven't been able to get it working since. /sigh.

I did get some birthday money, I was going to buy a doll but I really need a serger.

Anyway.... let's talk sergers!

Who has experience, suggestions, and/or warnings of what brands/models I should avoid? I'm doing some research and I'd really like to get something more "industrial grade" this time but still keep it in the lower $500 range. That might not exist. So far I'm finding that people like Husqvarna and a Brother model that's on the lower end.


EDIT: I'll make a list of resources as I find them. It might be helpful down the road.

Links for Machine Choices:

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2009/06/all-about-sergers/

http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-serger

http://www.sewforum.com/viewforum.php?f=5 (this one, wow. Just found an entire forum dedicated to sewing. I'm going to lurk to my heart's content.)

[knittnkitten]

we got a bernina that didn't work out so well. right now we have an insanely expensive one, but it self threads practically and comes with a giant notebook of differnt things it can do.
brother sewing machines have always worked well for me, but I've never tried their sergers.

[Trethowan]

Thanks for the tip. I've read reviews of the folks that really didn't like the cheapest scale of Singers and they've mentioned they preferred the Brother. I have a Brother sewing machine as a back up but I've not had a chance to use it yet.


The Singer 14J250 Stylist II has gotten mostly good reviews PLUS it's a pretty decent price on Amazon.

[Jany]

If Singer's sergers are anything like their sewing machines, stay away from them. My mom has a Singer machine and it's no end of trouble - granted, it still "works" after 45 years, but "working" includes garbled seams (as in, ALL of them), broken threads, and wonky transport. My first machine was a newer model Singer and it was bitchy from the start, then broke down completely a few years later (with tons of garbled seams and broken threads in the meantime - I ended up giving it away to a friend as backup machine, it was good enough for inner seams, but never EVER for anything visible like hemming).
Basically, from what I've seen of Singer works okay if you merely want things to stay together. As soon as looks or precision begin to count, Singer is not your friend. (Again, this is their sewing machines, I don't know the first thing about sergers.)

I've heard good things about Brother, both in sewing and embroidery machines. Husqvarna, same thing. I've had good experiences with Pfaff machines but I don't even know if they do sergers.

[Trethowan]

Guh, the Singer serger I have is absolute rubbish. I'm hearing a lot of good things about Husqvarna, Janome, and oddly enough the entry-level Brother serger has gotten a lot of love. So far everyone says to stay away from Singer sergers.

I'm actually tempted to get my old serger serviced and just buy a cover stitch machine instead. I've been thinking about what I use most. I don't mind the bulk when sewing normal seams, I just iron it and go. But the whole reason I wanted the serger was so I didn't have to spend so much time pinning and hemming. Instead of doing that too-thick double-fold hem I'd been serging THEN flipping and stitching the seam down. If that's my main use, I'd just as soon buy a cover stitch and do it in one step. That's pretty sweet!

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

I have an entry level Janome serger and it's fine. The only problems I've had with it were when I first got it and hadn't really realised the tension might not need to be the same on all 4 threads. My local sewing machine shop was recommending either that or the Brother equivalent - I can't remember why I picked the Janome one now (other than partly because my sewing machine is also Janome and whilst it's probably not bomb proof it's a basic but pretty capable little machine).

[Chrystal]

Hello. So which one did you finally get? I have a Bernina Nina overlocker and haven't had any problems with it. I've also got a Bernina Nina sewing machine which works very well. I've heard that the cheap singer sewing machines break down after a couple of months. I've discovered that with my overlocker I must use the slightly more expensive cotton - it doesn't like the cheap stuff -the cotton keeps breaking. But with my sewing machine I can use the cheap cotton to sew with. Strange but true.

[Trethowan]

Hello. So which one did you finally get? I have a Bernina Nina overlocker and haven't had any problems with it. I've also got a Bernina Nina sewing machine which works very well. I've heard that the cheap singer sewing machines break down after a couple of months. I've discovered that with my overlocker I must use the slightly more expensive cotton - it doesn't like the cheap stuff -the cotton keeps breaking. But with my sewing machine I can use the cheap cotton to sew with. Strange but true.

Decided against another serger. I am saving funds for a Babylock Coverstitch machine. It's going to be quite expensive but after this Christmas I should be closer to the goal. I think this machine with be the most efficient choice since it saves so many steps and gives me the professional hem I've always wanted.

[Chrystal]

Well I am glad that you have decided and can save toward it.

[Trethowan]

Well I am glad that you have decided and can save toward it.

Well, by now I think everyone knows I blew all my money on that big Granado Titan I keep going on about. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....

But, happy news is that I've switched brands. I was close to my $600 goal (that's what I thought the Babylock retailed for) and I called the Babylock retailer here in town to see what they had in stock. They have test machines and I wanted to play around with them. I'd made plans to buy the coverstitch machine for Christmas. They didn't have any in stock but said they'd check. So the lady calls me back and tells me the one I wanted was discontinued, but the NEW one was going for $1999 bucks. Whaaaa? Of course on the phone I pretended like that was no big deal, for some lame reason I was embarrassed to be shocked at the price tag, and just said I'd check back later. ha. I'm not dropping 2k on a hemming machine! And how did it go from 600 to nearly 2000? I am thinking that I got bad information the first go 'round? I felt really sad and dejected after that, because I'd been saving for it for what felt like forever. But then on Facebook Iwa Hoshi tagged me in a link on Granado's newest release, a big honkin' 75cm Conan sized doll, I flailed around the house for three days in glee that I finally found the perfect doll to shell out Jim, then bought the doll instead.

Anyway, enough of THAT. I did some digging on Amazon and read a bunch of reviews, I found the Janome for $400 and it got good enough reviews to pass muster. Boom. I'm going to buy it instead. Maybe in May, for my birthday.