Level Up Your Sewing with a Serger
If you’re sewing your own clothes, curtains, or even doing regular mending (am I the only one constantly repairing the center seam on shorts?), it’s time to add a serger machine to your craft room. If you’re not familiar with sergers, they essentially replicate a commercial style stitch that uses 3 or 4 threads simultaneously instead of 2. The downside is that you need 4 of each color thread you plan to use to really be effective with it but the advantages far outweigh that inconvenience since everything you sew is going to be faster, stronger, and cleaner with a serger.
A couple notes before I give you my recommendation…a serger is best as an addition to your sewing machine, not a replacement. If you’re trying to decide whether to start with a traditional machine or a serger, in most cases I would recommend a traditional machine first. It’s hard to beat the ability to sew buttonholes, topstitch, and install zippers. You also may see mentions online about coverstitch machines which are ideal if you work specifically with knits more than other fabrics but I haven’t found one to be necessary personally.
I got my Brother 1034D a few years ago after reading approximately 4 million reviews comparing different brands and models and it’s still the top-rate machine today. While I’d encourage you to look up reviews for yourself for any sergers you’re interested in, I can only speak to mine, which is the only one I’ve ever tried. That said, I still believe it was the right choice, and would recommend it to anyone. There are many bigger, shinier models with price tags to match, but none of them are going to beat this intro-level workhorse.
It’s complex enough to do everything you expect a serger to do - trim edges while you sew, finish off edges to prevent fraying, create ruffles using the differential feed, and do rolled hems as an easy way to finish off garments. It’s simple enough that every issue I’ve run in to has been solvable either by looking in the manual or doing a quick Google search. After all, this is supposed to make your life easier, not harder. I’m not interested in a machine that requires a technician or a class to understand.
Do you have a serger or are you considering expanding your sewing tools?
I used my serger to do the rolled hem at the bottom of the grey dress here, as well as the ribbons on both dresses. I also used it for all the interior seams but I sewed the ditch stitching and button holes with my traditional machine.
