The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Overlockers & Coverstitchers => Topic started by: Sewbusy on May 03, 2019, 08:54:24 AM
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Following the debacle and demise of 'The Old One' I visited Franklins Salisbury and following much discussion re the benefits, advantages and disadvantages of various makes and examination of the available options at their store I opted for a smaller financial outlay.
I'm just getting back into sewing and could not really justify the cost of what could be a 'white elephant'
This is what I bought. https://www.franklinsgroup.com/product/britannia-cs4000-coverstitch/
I purchased the Accessories Kit, will need to practise using them later.
Played around with the machine last night and will do more today. Initial thoughts are that it's excellent value for the money, a relatively small sum compared to the big name machines.
Easier and more straight forward to thread, particularly the looper! and less noisy than "The Old One' , perfect stitch quality using various fabrics
Will update this thread later as I do more.
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That looks good. I wanted a belt loop for my machine. My accessories are very expensive. Hope it works well for you.
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Wow Sewbusy, that sounds like a win! Well wear :)
And thanks for posting. I'd done some coverstitch lusting and had more or less decided on one but just couldn't bring myself to make the commitment. I'm just back to sewing as a hobby and guess I was worried it could become a 'white elephant' too ... This looks like a great buy, but I'd never even heard of it until your post. Please do keep us updated on how you're getting along with it.
I found this review - sounds excellent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2pug89SMFc
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@aprilla It was my friend who went with me yesterday who first saw this machine advertised and demonstrated on here. https://www.sewingquarter.com/products/britannia-cs4000-cover-stitch-machine/DSKF38/?fbclid=IwAR1Txa5gHPpgO8UBbUOlgbuip-b4GJItpK--iZstdELOSAV7NJtU_Po-arc
In Franklins the sales person who showed me the machine and discussed other overstitch machines was the same person that was on the programme. My friend said "I thought I'd seen you somewhere before!"
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@Sewbusy LOL sounds like it was fun shopping.
Thanks, I've found the programme at
https://www.sewingquarter.com/catchup-details/?from=2019-04-28T08:00:00&to=2019-04-28T09:00:00
... going to watch it now. For anyone who doesn't want to watch the whole thing, coverstitch info begins around 54 minutes :)
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@Sewbusy I've been wondering how you're getting on with the Britannia CS4000? Are you happy with it?
My urge to purchase has returned 0_0
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I ordered the Britannia CS4000 last night. They had a couple of ex-display models available with £50 off too - although I decided to go for new and shiny. ('They' being the Britannia website (https://britanniasewing.com/product/britannia-cs4000-coverstitch/).)
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@Acorn Yippee for you!! Hope you love it <3
They are out of stock at the Franklins shop when I was looking last night or I would have bought there and then. There must have been something in the air!
I had to go searching for other availability. I've written to both the Britannia website and Six Penny Memories about it, asking about delivery. I'm in Ireland so generally take this step as P&P varies a lot, from free to crazy. Whoever has the better P&P rate (or answers first), I'm going to get it and the accessories.
Update: I've had a reply from Six Penny Memories and their accessories pack is discounted 50% .... they are calculating P&P for me, things are looking good :)
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Well done Acorn, now you will be really set up for all stitching requirements in the future. How long do you have to wait for the Coverstitch to arrive?
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I have just emailed Britannia to find out - it may be that they are accepting advance orders (although I would hope that they would have said this was the case). They were expecting stock in late July though, and this is definitely late July! It does seem a little odd that Franklins are still out of stock though, since they are the same company.
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Ooh - I have just had an automated email saying that they have finished processing my order. That's usually shop-speak for 'it's packed and ready to go'! :D
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The Franklins website says out of stock, and another site I can't remember the name of also said out of stock, and I just took it as they were sold out. And I thought it a good sign, a popular machine (or price) but I didn't ask about actual availability.
I would have shopped Franklins as I was on a roll and would like to say how I came to them from here (this thread) but I was happy to mention the YouTube video when making enquiries from Six Penny Memories.
I'm checking my emails every 5 minutes, like a kid LOL
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@Acorn :) :) :)
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Apparently they had a big run on them from selling on the Sewing Quarter, and had to get more made.
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Kim at Six Penny Memories has been very helpful today and I've bought the Britannia CS4000 Coverstitch and foot set from her/them - Yippee!!
Now, I think I need :toast: :gin:
(no reply from the query I sent to britanniasewing.com yet)
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@aprilla I haven't had a great deal of time to use it, having work done in the house/garden including revamping the sewing room, old sewing desk gone and two new(to me) ones in so a complete rearrangement.Loads of fabric to sort and put in boxes etc. but now I have one very long surface which can accommodate at least three machines with good space between and another desk where I have the overlocker.
I have used the Brittania Coverstitch for hemming and attaching transparent elastic and what I have done I'm pleased with the machine. Compare to the Babylock Evolve I did have, the Brittania is not quite so refined shall we say, a little like driving an Audi Quattro and then replacing it with a Skoda albeit a very efficient one lol. However, for the price in comparison it's a very good buy.
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Thanks @Sewbusy it's good to know you've done a bit with it without any issues. Your car comparison makes perfect sense and I think - thanks to your original posting about it - I've made the right choice for me. I'm a Skoda kind of sewer 0_0
Now I'm looking at my room and rearranging it all in my head, but I'll wait to do anything until after it gets here.
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Oooh! "Your order Britannia Sewing is due for delivery by DHL Parcel UK. Your parcel is expected to be delivered on Tuesday."
:D
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@Acorn Great, get you different fabric scraps ready for practising.
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It's lovely! I don't have anything to compare it to, but it seems smooth and solid, the bits I've tried have stitched beautifully and it has that lovely new machine smell (Mr Acorn say it's the smell of plastic with just a hint of oil... >< ).
I now have my embrodiery machine, overlocker and coverstitcher on the dining table, and my old faithful Pfaff and Featherweight with buttonholer in my study/sewing room. I'm set up for anything!
My only criticism would be that it doesn't have any sort of cover - not even a floppy plastic one, although it came in a pretty tough plastic bag which will work well as a dust cover.
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There you are @Acorn, your next project - a cover for your new friend, enjoy.
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I know how you feel @Acorn Mine arrived a couple of hours ago and has just been unpacked. I love shiny new toys and this one is really shiny. 0_0
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Is yours a Britannia as well @sleepingwolf? Because it really is shiny, isn't it!!
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Yes it is! I've been stalking the Britannia website for weeks waiting for them to come back in stock. I'm so impressed with it, even the foot pedal feels nice and sturdy.
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I'm still waiting for mine, don't expect it until Thursday/Friday. So glad to hear you are enjoying your machines Acorn and sleepingwolf ... though it's making me quite impatient!
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It was beautifully packaged too - but I warn you that if you have ordered the accessories as well they'll be in a separate box on top of the machine's box, and they may well rattle - fear not, it isn't the machine!!
Shiny... :loveit:
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@Acorn Ooh another happy buyer enjoy the practising.
Must admit I haven't had time to try any of the accessories yet, but considering the relatively cheap cost of the machine and accessories I don't mind them sitting there for a while. I have Babylock feet and accessories which cost £300+ and have never been used (don't have the machine now). I promised myself and Mikerb1972 that I would eta. NOT do any sewing until the sewing room(and other areas) were completely sorted!
I thought there was a plastic cover, but if there was it's hidden under one pile or another-somewhere. However if you want to make one I have some lightweight PUL which is ideal for the purpose. Let me know and I'll post a piece.
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oh wow @Acorn ... hearing a rattle must have given you the heebie jeebies! Thanks for the heads up
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For those with this machine
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a2pug89SMFc
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@Ohsewsimple That's the Six-Penny Memories video. After I watched that I went looking for availability and sent off a few emails about availability etc. The only reply I had was from Kim at Six-Penny Memories who produced that video. Well, I did have one from Britannica but it was an automated response and I've heard nothing since.... bad business, but I don't mind as I've since bought one from Six-Penny Memories, I'm hoping it'll arrive tomorrow.
If you find more videos I hope you'll post them
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My Britannia arrived nice and early today, a surprise as I wasn't expecting it until evening, the usual delivery time for us. Nicely wrapped and not a rattle to be heard (I shook it!)
I've had a few goes with it. It was all loaded up with 3 needles and looper threaded, so that's what I've used and it seems to work very nicely with the assortment of knit and woven fabrics I've tried. One of the tension dials was different to the others so already I've had a small play with the tensions and have seen the visible difference, nice. I'll try rethreading it later today.
I look forward to watching some coverstitch videos now as I've totally forgotten just why I thought I needed it. :loveit:
One of the questions I asked Six Penny Memories before ordering was if it needed special needles or would use any needle and the response was any needle. The manual states to use EL X 705 CF - I'm wondering a bit about this. I don't have much needle experience as my serger uses the same needles as my sewing machine. I hope I won't have much trouble getting those EL X 705 CF needles
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I normally order these needles from Barnyarn or Janome as none of the shops near me seem to stock them. I don't have this problem with my overlocker as that takes the same needles as my sewing machine.
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If you can get the CF (chrome finish) needles get them!
I've probably said on another thread that my Janome makes a much better job on lightweight (think camisoles from M&S) than the EL X 705 ones do. I got my needles a couple of years ago from a US company sewingparts online as I couldn't find them elsewhere at the time. They still have them but I think you can get them on Amazon. I got 2 packs of the the 80/12 and 90/14 but the exchange rate was good, maybe still for you in Ireland. You don't really need to change the needles that frequently (hems are short compared to sewing a whole garment!) so they will last a while but to save on postage and you find a good deal get more than one pack.
Again it's probably been said before but for some reason 90/14 work better, even on a fine fabric, something which for normal sewing goes against all logic! I use them most of the time whatever the thickness of fabric.
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@aprilla Glad to hear your machine arrived safely and you've had a chance to try it out. I found a few useful sources of information over the last couple of days.
Britannia (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSZaqaiMw-lOww4BBdlepXg)
Stitches and Seams (http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com/2001/01/coverstitch-all-stuff.html)
Coverstitching.com (http://www.coverstitching.com/doku.php#dokuwiki__top) This isn't the best website design ever but there is some really good information in here.
The Last Stitch (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYLu6Y2YN78UfP-3zsUI9yJZQ4mCgSw4M) I like Johanna Lundstrom so much I've just ordered her book, Mastering the Coverstitch.
Have fun with your new machine :)
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Thanks @Helen M and @So Chic, I'll have a look about for these needles and keep my sewing needles for the sm and serger. I know I got a packet of them with the machine but I'll be happier having spares to hand, and knowing where to get more... just in case. Delivery is the issue for me, smaller things that get posted can take weeks and weeks to get here. Seems the bigger it is the faster I get it LOL
@sleepingwolf Thanks for the links :)
I'm looking at surefitdesigns coverstitch videos on YouTube at the moment and it's great to have more to follow with. Yes, a lot of the videos just repeat the same info, but I do like getting all the different opinions and methods, gathering ideas again as in all the excitement I have forgotten my own plans for it :P
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I went to my 'local shop' - eBay - and was able to find a seller with both 80/12 and 90/14 EL X 705 CF needles so bought a couple of packs of both. I'll feel more confident now, with those on their way. I know they aren't the same but I broke the knife on my serger during the first day (yes, I knew better) and looking at it for the next 10ish days and not being able to use it was just awful!
So far the Britannica is going well, rethreading isn't a nightmare. It likes my assortment of serger threads just fine but when I had a go with metallic sewing threads I had to do some tension adjusting, as you'd expect. I think it's going to be both useful and fun.
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How to remove a coverstitch seam the easy way (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-luK1aavfg)
... in case anyone needs to remove their coverstitching. My leftmost needle was being lazy about sewing so I had to do a bit of ripping... the first attempt wasn't so pretty
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I had to do that yesterday on a neck, went nearly all round then got to the front and got tunnelling. In the past I just cut through all the stitches on the wrong side, but this time I went for the top side and just cut the stitches here and there, one you got a decent length you could pull out. Took a bit but less mess.