What is a serger? What is it for? What is the difference with a conventional sewing machine? Why 3, 4 or 5 coils? Do I need it for my sewing projects? What do you need to know to choose a good serger? Which are the best?
- So many questions that we can ask ourselves when we are interested in sergers when we know nothing or not much.
Our goal is to answer these questions and to help you understand what sergers can and cannot do, what to take into account and what is of the order of the gadget (sometimes useful), whether you are a confirmed user or a beginner in the use of sergers. Now what is the best serger for beginners.
What is a serger?
An overlock machine is a versatile sewing machine that will sew by creating specific sewing stitches with 2, 3, 4 or 5 threads at the same time.
- The main interest, but not the only one, is to join pieces of fabric and give an impeccable rendering to the edges of your work so that they do not fray. An overlock machine will stitch, overcast and cut the excess fabric in a single operation.
- You may not know it, but almost everything made of fabric at home was probably made at least in part with an overlock machine.
- Take your T-shirt, dress, curtains and look at the bottom of the room. Almost all seams are made with an overlock machine. When it comes to having clean, neat finishing seams, they are second to none.
- Not only because it looks better, but also because it is much easier, faster and above all resistant with an overlock machine.
What is the point of having an overlock machine?
The answer is in the very definition of the functionality of the serger. It allows you to make complex seams with several threads to sew different pieces of fabric by cutting the excess material and making clean edges with specific stitches to obtain an impeccable finish that does not fray (overcast) .
When we sew with a sewing machine we mainly do two things: We assemble two pieces of fabric together or we overcast the edges of the fabrics (we make a zigzag seam to prevent the fabric from fraying) then a once the zigzag is done, carefully cut the fabric that protrudes. This makes three manipulations.
The 4-thread overlock machine allows you to do everything at once. You put the pieces to be assembled one on the other (face to face), slide them into the serger and it takes care of the rest. She will cut the edges with a knife, sew the pieces together and make an overlock on the edge of the fabric.
Of course you don’t have to sew pieces together with an overlock machine. You can also make clean edges with 2 or 3 thread overlock or roulottés (small hem rolled up on themselves).
Conclusion
Most overlock buyers buy it in order to make clothes themselves. While some will settle for a sewing machine, an overlock machine will also allow you to make clothes or other stitching projects with a much better level of finish and solidity. She works with both thick and fragile fabrics such as lingerie and cuts off excess material as you work.
