Thursday 21 August 2014

Is it Time for a New Serger?

My Janome serger (overlock machine) has been giving me a bit of trouble of late. So much trouble that I don't want to sew on this machine anymore! I can't believe I just said that.  


This keeps happening, the thread jumps out of it proper loop and ends up in the other thread loop. It does this while I'm serging.


It should look and stay like this while I'm serging but it does not. Instead, it jumps out of its proper position (green loop) and ends up the the blue loop.


And it makes my finished edges look like this. Not only is it ugly it is as if it is eating my fabric edge.  It is not the tension, and it does it even after it has been cleaned. 


It doesn't matter how slow I sew, eventually the threads above lock and when I investigate what happened below, I'm re-threading it again and again to correct the same problem. I could take it in to the shop for a tune-up and see if they can find the problem. But will that solve the problem? Could it be time to invest in a new serger? I can't afford it right now (summer lay-off) but I could start saving my pennies. One thing is for sure, it is time to sharpen my non-serger seam finishing techniques. 

Happy Sewing!



6 comments:

  1. I had a Janome that did that (in its defence it was 25 years old). I just got myself a Bernina 1150mda which is so easy to thread and is a breeze to use. I looked at Janomes, Berninas and Brothers before I made a decision. I'm sorry I haven't got an easy solution/quick fix for you. I am so glad I was able to get a new machine. Life is too short to spend an hour or so trying to get your serger to work (I speak from experience). I saved for months for my new machine and during this time researched what I wanted in a serger. Have a look at the Brother 1034???, it has good reviews, its easy to thread and its not too expensive. Good luck with your decision. Katherine

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  2. Very frustrating. Perhaps a service may provide an easy less expensive answer.

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  3. Maybe you need to take a pair of pliers to the green loop and tighten it up a little?

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  4. I would never ever consider giving up my jet air threading and I know that the babylock patent on it has run out so lots of machines are offering it now, save up your pennies, it took me a while to save up for my babylock eclipse but I'm so happy I did.

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  5. I think the suggestion for tightening the green loop might help. I want a Babylock Serger for the jet air threading. Someday, meanwhile my Elna keeps chugging along and it is a good work horse of a serger.

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  6. Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to try to see if I can tighten that green loop and if it will work. I'll let you know how it works out. But I think it is time to start saving up for a new serger with that jet air threading sounds very nice and sharpening my other seam finishing techniques in the meantime. Looks like there will be some more french and/or bound seams in my sewing future.

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