Replies

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 16, 2008 09:57am | #1

   Oh how exciting!  An early congratulations to you on your new Coverstitch machine!  Mine serger does coverstitch and I think you will love having it!  I have the "urge to serge" more than to sew or do machine embroidery.  If you need any suggestions or tips I'll be glad to help if I can.  Enjoy! Mary

1. 
   janissews | Dec 17, 2008 03:14am | #4

   Thanks Mary!

   I'll take you up on that once I put some time in on my new toy :)

   Merry Christmas!

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 17, 2008 03:34am | #5

   Merry Christmas!!!  I know you will have a Happy New Year serging along!

2. 
   Palady | Dec 17, 2008 02:34am | #2

   Congrats on your dedicated coverstitch.  I have a HV 936 & a dedicated BabyLock.  The best part of the 936 is the clear coverstich foot.  Converting to a coversttich has a learning curve.  The best of the BL is the jet air looper threading.  Both machines are gems.

   There are sewists who feel double needles do as well as a coverstitcher.  MO, it's an individual choice dictated by budget.  Having used double needle & a coverstitcher, I think the dedicated machine, or the HV which does a cover, sew a better finish.

   With my wide selection of serger thread, matching is doable.  Some have found using monofilament in the loopers, and matching in the needles the better way to go.  Caveat is tension adjustments might need to be made for the mono.

   Finishing a coverstitch can be tricky.  Browse through the following URL to check the page chocies.  The technique works well.  There are visual tutorial on the How To End pages which take some time to load, but are worth the wait. 

    http://www.cedesign.com/familyphotos/sewing/info/cs_faq/index.html

   For lurkers interested in seeing the visual tutotial for the HV 936, you'd have to "join" the group on Yahoo to open the pages.  The site is a gold mine for 936 owners.

   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Viking936users/

   And extra hugs for hubby for his excellent thought for your holiday gift.

   me

   ETA - the last URL   me

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/16/2008 6:37 pm ET by Palady

1. 
   janissews | Dec 17, 2008 03:11am | #3

   Thanks so much for feedback.  Lucky you with the BL.  Some day I want that jet air threading feature.  Nothing tries your patience more than messing with threading those loopers on the other sergers.

   I'll check out the thread you passed along...THANKS!

    

1. 
   Palady | Dec 18, 2008 01:00am | #8

   Your very welcome.  Do want your experience with your dedicated cover stitcher to be as pelasant as possible.  As with you original serger, there is a learning curve.  it may be less steep for you since you've worked with a serger.

   I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to buy the BL.  A treat for me really because I seem to miss out in these types of events.  Maybe you'll find yourself realizing the same and getting a jet threader when you least expect it.

   Feel it matters to mention there being one negative.  The throat is shallow, so if I use it for something other than a hem, I need to fiddle.

   me

    

1. 
   janissews | Dec 18, 2008 06:38pm | #9

   I did pick the Janome because of the shallow throat problem.  I had read about that.  The Janome has 5 or 6 inches, more like a sewing machine so you can sew the coverstitch other than just on an edge.  I sew a lot of baby clothes so that few inches should work out for me.

   Maybe next Christmas I can get a new serger.  I use my old one as much or more than my sewing machine.  The big high end machines that do embrodiery make me drool but I can't justify spending thousands for one. 

   Happy Sewing!

    

    

2. 
   fabricholic | Dec 31, 2008 09:40pm | #15

   I have a 936. Thanks for the information.

3. 
   miatamomma | Dec 17, 2008 04:39am | #6

   I bought a BabyLock Coverstitch machine and a BabyLock Serger a little over a year ago.  I haven't used the Coverstitch much but it does a wonderful job on hems in knits.  I also bought an attachment to make belt loops with the Coverstitch and it works wonderfully.  I may have the best-looking belt loops in town.  I really could not justify buying both machines except that my fingers don't always work real well (RA) and I didn't want to have to change out parts on a serger that coverted to a coverstitch.

   Sue

1. 
   janissews | Dec 17, 2008 06:29am | #7

   I had read that most sergers require a fussy changeover to do a coverstitch if they did one at all.  My serger is a low end one and once it's threaded (which is a chore), and working, you don't want to have to mess with it.  That was my reasoning for getting the separate machine for coverstitch.  I also sew knits more than wovens.  Some day I'd like to have a babylock serger with the jet air threading.  I haven't even seen one or how it works but it has to be light years ahead of what I go through with my serger.  I don't have RA but the older I get, the shakier my hands get.  I seem to be losing whatever patience I used to have as well. 

4. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 30, 2008 09:40pm | #10

   Have you had a chance to try out your new machine yet?  How do you like it?  Mary

1. 
   janissews | Dec 31, 2008 09:01am | #11

   I unboxed it but haven't tried it yet.  I am in the process of packing up my sewing room to move to a room upstairs that is currently an exercise room.  There's a nice size balcony off that room and a lot more natural light, plus it's a bigger space with a high ceiling that makes it feel even bigger. It also has a pergo floor rather than the carpet I was on in my downstairs sewing room.  You're message reminds me that I need to be sure my new machine is operational at the very least, even though I can't get into a project right now.  This machine was sort of the last straw for my current sewing room.  The room was already feeling cramped and overly cluttered.  I can't wait to get moved to a bigger space and have everything in it's place ready to go!

1. 
   Ceeayche | Dec 31, 2008 06:11pm | #12

   Your new studio sounds yummy!  Post pictures when you get it all set up!  It will inspire the rest of us who have been "setting up" our rooms for months now!

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 31, 2008 07:24pm | #14

   You said it lady!  I have one pink batiste curtain still hanging up and the new blue sheer on the other larger window....it looks so silly.  I'm not happy with the new one so am  procrastinating about what to do about it.   With the holidays, I've been sidetracked and need to get back to my projects before the WIPs become UFO's! 

2. 
   MaryinColorado | Dec 31, 2008 07:20pm | #13

   Oooooooooo, you're new sewing studio sounds absolutely perfect from top to bottom!  I'd love to rip out the carpet in mine and see what the hardwood floors look like underneath, maybe "someday".  You lucky gal, you are going to love it!  The balcony sounds like the perfect place to sit and daydream future creations too. 

   Yes, do take your new "friend" out of the box and run it through some test drives to be sure all is in good working order.  Don't forget the surge protector!  I never plug in my machines without them, we have to protect our investments!  (Funny thing though, we bought a new tv and it never occcurred to me to put a serge protector on that!)  Guess it's a matter of priorities, ha ha  Mary