Little-Used Things

[sakon76]

Pulled out my little-used serger this evening. I was supposed to be taking a Wednesday night class this summer on serging knits, but the Monday before the class was supposed to start, the college called and let me know the class was cancelled due to low enrollment. :/

In two and a half weeks I'm teaching a basic hand embroidery class (seven students!), so I measured the transfer I'm planning to use, cut 17" squares from a length of washed and ironed muslin, and set to serging the edges. Fortunately I still remembered where I'd put the manual. I'd forgotten, however, how quickly the serger eats up thread! I finished two spools while edging the eight squares.

Good practice for later this summer; linen sheets and a comforter cover or two are on my to-sew list. But that's after College is done. Until then, the prep work continues.

Comments

[flybystardancer.livejournal.com]

Whoo! Serger! I kinda want one myself... I just haven't found on at a cheap price... But it would make seam finishing and working with knits much easier.

[sakon76.livejournal.com]

I got mine a couple years ago from my local sewing machine shop. It was a trade-in and cost about a hundred dollars, IIRC. The one that did the nifty topstitching ala t-shirt finishes was twice that, but I decided it was a feature I didn't really need.

[flybystardancer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if I get one, I likely wouldn't get the coverstitch feature. It's supposed to be a pain to switch between the coverstitch and the standard serger, and a twin needle on a normal sewing machine does a passable enough version. I think my next major purchase sewing-wise would be a dressform... (I'm seriously considering the Uniquely You line) But I'm probably going to need to get one or more machine serviced first. I have two that aren't working (and I think the foot pedal is missing for my grandmother's Singer. I've looked all over the house and haven't found it), and I'm starting to get tension issues on my mother's...

[sakon76.livejournal.com]

I have a Uniquely You and can recommend them. It's a bit of a pain to get sized to yourself, but wonderful after that initial hassle.

[flybystardancer.livejournal.com]

That's what I'm hearing about them, and with them running about the same price as the other adjustable home dressforms, it's certainly reasonable. Probably not much more of a hassle than a duct tape dummy! (And probably will last a lot longer than one too...)

[sakon76.livejournal.com]

Meh. Tried making a duct tape dummy once. I would highly recommend to anyone planning to do so that they do a paper tape dummy instead. Paper tape dries stiff. Duct tape ends up squooshy and rounded.

[flybystardancer.livejournal.com]

I tried making one once too. I had wanted to do paper tape, but couldn't find the correct kind. It seems that stores around here no longer carry the kind that you wet with a sponge. :/ So duct tape it was... and the t-shirt I used under it was all wrong, and we were having trouble getting the tape on there correctly, so it was scrapped. Either way, I'd be hesitant to make either again, especially for sewing. Applying them to the outside of your body means that they'll be slightly larger than you actually are. It's not such a bit problem if you're using it for knitting, but if you're making clothes with very little ease...