Overlocker recommendations please

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I've had a look at past threads, but would love some up to date recommendations for a new overlocker - I have just told myself not to be so silly as to even think about a Baby Lock Gloria!!  I already have the Baby Lock coverstitch machine, so really don't need that!

So, what's nice and quiet and smooth and will handle things like fleece fabric as well as thin jersey?

[Greybird]

I have mentioned it before, but pleased to reiterate how happy I am with my overlocker
here. The price has come down considerably because, I think, there are later models. Have a look at the 10th picture, where the front opens right up. Threading is incredibly easy! It stitches well and is very quiet. It is very heavy but that means it  is very stable. The other thing I particularly like is the cutting width guage. Its very easy to use and you can stitch right on the edge - in most cases you don't need to disengage the blade. My daughter has the same model and she also loves it.

[Celia]

Sorry @Bodgeitandscarper bug I love my Gloria  

[SewRuthieSews]

That Novum Supa Lock 488 3 & 4 Thread Overlocker does look fab @Greybird . I've seen Greybird's machine in person and I was super impressed with it.


My more recent overlocker is more than 10 years old. Its a Bernina 800DL, quiet and sews beautifully but quite fiddly to thread, so if you can find something less annoying I'd go for it!

[Ellabella]

I bought an older Babylock  combo machine, I thinks it’s the Evolve but got fed up swapping between the modes. I bought an Imagine OL as I got a very good deal (pre covid).  My idea was to keep the Eclipse purely as a coverstitch but then I had chance of a second hand BLCS at a very good price and for me this is the best option.

If you have the room for both machines it’s the best way to go IMO.

The Imagine is a superb machine, it’s stitched everything I’ve ever thrown at it. I rarely have to make any adjustments and it gives a lovely stitch every time. I don’t know the name of the latest version, but that’s what I would go for.

I keep thinking I should sell on the Evolve which I kept as backup but am not sure how well the older models sell now.

[Kad]

I've got a Janome 634D overlocker, I've had it for years, (and think it was the top of the range at the time). So long in fact that there was no internet around on which somebody could tell me that it was difficult to thread. In those dim & distant days we looked at the instruction book and got on with it    It's sewn everything from rolled hems on silk chiffon to polar fleece and I rarely change a setting apart from stitch length,  I change the needles to suit the fabric, the knife blades when necessary and oil it after every project . It's still going strong and I would miss it dreadfully if it died.
I still have the instructional VHS tape that came with it, no use to me as we didn't have a player until much later.

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Thanks everybody for your thoughts.  I've now drifted to the Baby Lock Enlighten - anyone tried one?

@Ellabella Having googled a bit more, it would seem that the Enlighten is the new Imagine.  I'm very tempted...

[Gernella]

I started off with Janome 644D  @Bodgeitandscarper , a real little workhorse. Never had any trouble with it, easy to work with as well.  Then I saw a Bernina, the 1150MDA, which was being sold at a reduced price of £485 (I'm anal with lists) because it was a  demonstrator. It also had a needle threader which was right up my alley.

Never had a Baby Lock but you never hear people complain and I suspect if I had the cash to splash I could be tempted, trouble is I have a lot of things on that 'splash list'.

[Ohsewsimple]

@SewRuthieSews your Bernina 800 shouldn’t be tricky to thread.  The lower looper swings right out making it easy to thread.    It’s the same as the 1150 which I have and I always rethread from scratch now as it’s quicker than tying on. 

@Bodgeitandscarper cqn you get to have a demo anywhere?   It’s not easy as not many places hold a large selection of overlockers due to them not selling in great numbers. 

[Bodgeitandscarper]

@Ohsewsimple The nearest place for sewing machines is in Kings Lynn, and hour and a quarter drive.  I nearly went to see the BL Gloria, but fortunately rang  them and they didn't have it in stock.  They only have one Baby Lock in, so not a lot use going all that way.

Anyway, thank you for all your comments - I've now plumped for the BL Enlighten, it was on amazon a couple of hundred cheaper than other places, and should arrive tomorrow 

[Ellabella]

@Bodgeitandscarper if you don’t like it you can blame me but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

[HenriettaMaria]

Oooh, @Greybird - I love how that machine completely opens up at the front!  Easy threading!  No more poking around in areas you can't actually see trying to clean out the lint :-)

[Greybird]

@HenriettaMaria - absolutely! I had been happily using my old Janome overlocker when my daughter bought the Jaguar. I thought I was being really extravagant making a spur of the moment decision to change it but I haven't regretted it for one moment. It's a lovely machine and I don't understand why it isn't better known.

[Celia]

@Bodgeitandscarper
Yes I have used the Enlighten in fact I have used all of the Babylock range and you really can’t go wrong with them.  I think if I was buying again I might be tempted with 2 separate machines except for the space issue.

[So Chic]

I used a Janome 9300X ar a class recently and for a basic machine I thought it wasn’t a bad buy.  Pre-Covid I went to an overlocker class sponsored by Babylock where I learnt more about using an overlocker but I felt that my Bernina was just as capable as the Babylock.  Also the demonstrator was quite disparaging about other brands which made some of the other participants feel that their machines weren’t good enough.