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Member since 2/13/12
Posts: 4
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Posted on: 2/14/12 6:51 PM ET
I am in the market for a serger. It will be my first experience with a serger, but I really want to start making my own clothes and my daughter's. I mistakenly thought all sergers had a coverstitch. Obviously they do not!

My budget is around $600. For this price I can get the Singer 14T968DC (which is a 5-thread and can do coverstitch & chainstitch). Alternatively, I could get the Brother 1034D (3/4 serger) and a Brother 2340 CV (coverstitch & chainstitch). With the Singer I could do a 2 thread stitch, while the Brothers do not have that option. But with the Brothers I wouldn't have to change over the machine in the middle of a project.

I am interested in doing fleece projects, so I guess the ability of the machine(s) to take bulky fabric is another consideration.

I want to have an idea before I go to a dealer. What does everyone think?

Thanks for any help!
  
Member since 12/3/06
Posts: 10072
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Posted on: 2/14/12 7:59 PM ET
In reply to mindyandbelle
It is always best to visit as many dealers as you can with your wish list. You never know what they may have that will meet your need.
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 8/24/02
Posts: 5885
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Posted on: 2/14/12 9:56 PM ET
I had a serger and a coverstitch only machine. I ended up selling the coverstitch and buying a serger that does a coverstitch. That way I can have a machine doing each function, or 2 sergers. As for the brands you're looking at, I haven't tried them.
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My grandmother taught me to sew when I was 10, and I've been sewing ever since.
  
Member since 7/12/09
Posts: 1041
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Posted on: 2/14/12 11:19 PM ET
I have heard the Brother serger you are looking at is a great value for that price point. I almost bought one myself, but my mother gave me hers for a nominal price.

I have separate serger and coverstitch machines and I prefer that setup. If you can afford both, I would get both.
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Erin in Dallas
http://amateursewist.blogspot.com/
  
Member since 4/2/05
Posts: 461
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Posted on: 2/14/12 11:54 PM ET
If you can afford it get both. I have a combined Pfaff machine and I wish I had gotten separate ones. It is such a pain to set up for the coverstitch. When you go to the dealer make sure they show you how to set up for the cover stitch.
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"You never see a stamp collector lick a stamp"

I'm a fabriciholic on the road to recovery.

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I'm on the road to the fabric store!!

Collection Measured as of 2007: 550 yards
2008 - 2012 : sewn 244.33 yards ; garments made 108; fabric bought 329.875+ yards
2017 - 2019: Sewn 88.6 yds; Garments made 42; Fabric Bought 361.425 yd
2020 - 2022: Sewn 112.29; Garments Made 51 + Home Dec; Fabric Bought 234

2023: Sewn 36.625; Garments Made 25; Fabric Bought 29.25
  
Member since 1/4/11
Posts: 828
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Posted on: 2/15/12 2:07 AM ET
I have the brother 2340cv and a kenmore serger. My vote is for both. I use the serger for sewing. It gets a lot of usage. The coverstitch I usually use near the end of the project for hemming. I only have one more machine, a sewing machine so I have room for all three.
  
Member since 6/3/09
Posts: 366
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Posted on: 2/15/12 5:50 AM ET
In November 2011 I set out to purchase a machine which could both coverstitch and overlock, to replace my 24-year-old serger which was becoming quite finicky. I test drove both the Pfaff and Janome TOL machines. (Disclaimer: the nearest shop selling machines is a quilt shop and the owner and sales clerks are not garment makers.) My aim was to figure out the switch from overlock to coverstitch; after 3 hours I gave up and purchased a Janome serger and ordered a coverstitch machine. I am fairly patient and mechanically inclined, yet I was not able to successfully make the conversion. I know that there are people who can, and I believe that the notion of combining the two into one could be viable. Just not for me. I would purchase the best overlock machine you can afford, and save your money until you can afford the coverstitch. Be sure you are comfortable with the workings of any machine you purchase, and happy sewing!!
  
Member since 11/8/05
Posts: 629
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Posted on: 2/15/12 6:34 AM ET
I had the Singer serger and really liked it. It did very well cutting two layers of fleece and had a nice coverstitch. That being said, I found it a little finicky as to whether stitches would form after I set it up. I ended up trading it for a Janome 1200D, and eventually got a separate coverstitch just because I do things like swimsuits, and with those there's a lot of back and forth between seaming and finishing the edge before joining it to another seam etc.

With clothing you can usually just seam and finish everything at the end, so you'd likely only have to convert once. I'd get the Singer but see if you can test it first to tell whether you like how it converts.
  
Member since 5/17/05
Posts: 3011
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Posted on: 2/15/12 7:11 AM ET
I started with a Bernina combo machine and then added the 1034D and a CoverPro to the collection. I prefer having two machines because of the flexibility and less of a waiting period between sewing.
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Member since 4/22/04
Posts: 7282
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Posted on: 2/15/12 3:35 PM ET
If I was buying machines today, I might get 2 separate machines because some combo machines take too many steps to convert to cover hem but I really love my Elna 744 combo which is now a discontinued model. I have been really tough on it and it has done everything well.

Some combos require a needle plate change and a lot of switching around etc. Two machines require more thread cones or switching the sergers cones to the CS machine.
My 744 is only a 4 thread serger but does a 4 thread safety stitch and something like 17 other stitches and 3 cover hems and chain stitch. No need to switch the plate for CS, no switching the thread cones around and auto tensions are set after dialing the stitch preferred. Tensions can still be adjusted however if needed. My 744 has a larger area than most sergers do and it has 3 loopers with the chain looper in front and not on the side as some models have. There are 5 needle positions and a tilt needle bar that makes it easy to remove the back needles from regular over lock stitching to the 3 front needle positions for either chain stitch, 2 needle CS narrow or wide or 3 needle seam CS.

If anything ever happened to my Elna, I would try to find another 744. If I could not then I would probably get 2 separate machines. I do have another basic serger that has a free arm that I use for sewing a lot for the dgk's. The free arm on it is smaller than the free arm on some sergers.
  
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