The Sewing Place

Overlocker?

Renegade Sewist

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #30 on: November 10, 2021, 23:32:13 PM »
Essential for knits if you want to get the work done quickly and neatly so you can move on to other things. They stitch much faster than most sewing machines. They overlock a much prettier seam than your sewing machine will do and in a fraction of the time.

Noise is a relative thing. You aren't turning it on and having it drone away for hours on end. Sew a seam, 30 seconds, quiet. Ready the next seam, sew in 20 seconds, quiet. My Singer probably isn't super quiet but it certainly doesn't annoy me. By what I've listened to they all make more  noise than a sewing machine. Where you want quiet is an embroidery machine. Those can drone on for hours. BTW you can put any machine on a mat made from that open weave shelf liner or the under skid gard for throw rugs and it will reduce the noise considerably. Keeps it in one place too.

What you need depends on what you intend to make. Someone mentioned a particular machine wasn't so good in her experience on thin delicate fabric. If that isn't something you'd be doing then it doesn't really apply to your decision making.

I wanted to be able to get a very tiny, tight narrow rolled hem using embroidery thread on very thin silk. Not all machines can do that. I had taken a class with Kayla Kennington who uses this technique a great deal in her garments. She said one machine she had paid $1600 for couldn't do it.

Well, the Viking dealer was snotty and snooty. I went back the next day with my friend who had recently purchased the then top of the line embroidery/sewing machine. Oops! The owner turned white before she fauned all over me. The Babylock/Bernina dealership couldn't even bother to have one of the sales people chatting with each other walk over to say high. Too bad, I changed every setting on every machine. So I went to a big box multi line store, Walmart and bought a lower end Singer. I could return it within 90 days  no questions asked. The cashier told me to sew like crazy and then bring it back if I didn't like it. It was $159, a third of what my OH had spent on an awful one a few weeks before that went back immediately. Guess what?  My cheapy machine can do that tiny rolled hem. As well as anything else I throw at it.

Dealers are excellent to buy from if you have a good reliable dealer thatisconvenientlylocated. Based on my shopping experience I didn't expect any support from any of the local dealers. In my case buying from the big box made sense as I always read through manuals first and have no problem understanding them.

Last year I took a Bernina sponsored class at a newer local dealership on the overlocker from one of Bernina's instructors. Dreamy machine but for me crazy expensive.
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.

Vezelay

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #31 on: November 11, 2021, 18:38:03 PM »
I use my 6 year old €200 Brother 1034D overlocker on every garment i make. I keep waiting for it to go wrong so I can treat myself to a fancy new one, but it never has. It's a real workhorse, a little gem. A friend has asked me to leave it her in my will.

Ploshkin

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #32 on: November 14, 2021, 10:14:20 AM »
@Andymat DO NOT  touch the Necchi with a bargepole!
My neighbour bought one and called me over because she was having issues with it.  It was a nightmare to thread and I ended up having to useca long darning needle to get the thread behind a huge chunk of metal that obscured everything.  Once threaded we couldn't get a decent stitch and every time it got knotted up or broke a thread it necessitated the 20 minute threading process.
My o/l is the cheapest Elna ( recommended by the man in a little shop).  It's much used, easy to thread and hasn't caused me any issues - I dont think I've ever had to even change the tension.
Life's too short for ironing.

Andymat

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #33 on: November 14, 2021, 10:16:46 AM »
Thanks again for everybody's thoughts on this - it is really helpful to hear what other people's experiences are.

The news is that I have actually bought an overlocker! I went to one of the local dealers and I honestly wasn't expecting to buy one there and then. It was intended to be a fact finding mission, even though I had done quite a bit of research on line and had all these comments on here.

I played briefly with the Brother 2104D which did indeed sound quite noisy but it was a more tinny sort of noise that didn't inspire confidence. I also was shown the Jaguar machine which had previously caught my eye and was recommended by @Greybird (thanks). The front opens up fully for threading and I had noticed the left hand front section was made of metal. It feels solid and sounds quieter and more professional and produced a better stitch.

So in the end I went for the Jaguar 99 which does have the 2,3 and 4 thread options. I do not know whether I will use the 2 thread feature but at least it will give me that option in the future and it wasn't that much of a premium.

So far I am pleased with it although it will take a bit of time and use to get used to it. Will see how it goes.

Thanks again everybody for your thoughts and I will post an update when I have used it more.

Acorn

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #34 on: November 14, 2021, 10:59:12 AM »
Another satisfied Jaguar owner here - mine is the Frister & Rossmann Jaguar 234DF Knitlock Overlocker - other than when I was first getting to know it I haven't played with anything other than the straightforward 4 thread overlock stitch, and I rarely have to change any settings at all.

One thing I didn't anticipate when I bought it was the extent to which I would use it on wovens as well as knits.

(BTW, I was the head cheerleader for TSP's 'Overlockers are Evil' group until I bought one...)
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #35 on: November 14, 2021, 13:06:18 PM »
Good choice @Andymat

Helen M

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #36 on: November 14, 2021, 13:38:03 PM »

One thing I didn't anticipate when I bought it was the extent to which I would use it on wovens as well as knits.


I don't think I used mine on knit fabrics for quite a few years @Acorn as I bought it almost solely for shortening skirt and trouser hems for me and trousers for O/H. Back in 1989 (when I bought it) there wasn't much in the way of knit fabric around for dressmaking nor patterns IIRC. At only 5'1" most things needed shortening and the machine paid for itself doing those alone as I didn't like the zig zag finish on the regular machine.
Stash Busting 2024 - Goal: 25 metres
So far:  1.5 metres  ------ Donated : 0 metres
Items decluttered: 55

Acorn

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #37 on: November 14, 2021, 13:41:59 PM »
... I didn't like the zig zag finish on the regular machine.

Me neither @Helen M - I was doing French seams whenever possible, but, of course, they're not always the best thing to do.  When I made tiered dresses for the goddaughters this summer it was so nice to be able to neaten the gathered seams with the overlocker.  I even used four different coloured threads, because the dresses were multicoloured.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Tamnymore

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #38 on: November 14, 2021, 14:18:25 PM »
Whatever you have got @Andymat you won't regret it. I've had my fairly basic Janome overlocker for 20 years and it has been great. I use it all the time. To change threads I tie on the new thread and sew it through one at a time as it can be tricky to thread but once I got the hang of it it was fine. When and if it conks out I'll upgrade to something fancier.
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Elnnina

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #39 on: November 14, 2021, 14:26:39 PM »
Well done Andymat, now go and have fun exploring just what your overlocker can do - it will certainly enhance your sewing generally.

realale

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #40 on: November 14, 2021, 14:31:46 PM »
Well done on your purchase. I think we sometimes over research so good on you for going and getting one. I'm sure you will be well pleased with it.
So many beers, so little time.

Gernella

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #41 on: November 14, 2021, 15:42:09 PM »
Don't want to rain on your parade @Andymat but if you major in knitted fabric then next thing on your list should be a coverstitch machine.  They do make the project look finished off.
Stash extension 2024- 6.1 meters
Left at the end of 2023 - 66 meters now (includes fabric found hidden out of sight)  Lining fabric not included

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #42 on: November 14, 2021, 16:29:44 PM »
Now why am I looking at the Jaguar overlocker when really there's nothing wrong with my Brother, apart from it's noisy?  Think I need to step away from my laptop and go and hang a door  :P

realale

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #43 on: November 14, 2021, 21:42:00 PM »
  Think I need to step away from my laptop and go and hang a door  :P

Gosh, that sounds brutal. I take it the door was guilty.....
So many beers, so little time.

Ouryve

Re: Overlocker?
« Reply #44 on: November 18, 2021, 19:20:50 PM »
That's a nice looking machine, @Andymat.

Now my advice, as another newbie overlockerer, is to talk to it very nicely and tell it which bits of fabric it's allowed to eat.
Janome M50QDC - "Jane" - Small, cute and hard working. Pfaff Quilt Ambition 630 - "Pfanny" - Pfickle. Bernina L450 - "Bernie" - Very hungry. Bernina 830 Record - "Becky"