Re: Question for Sewmaster

dogsnus <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>What exactly are the differences between a serger
>and a regular sewing machine, besides the fact that
>the serger looks like a sewing machine on steriods?
>
>Are the sewing machines made for jeans good for
>all uses, or just for jeans?
        Examine the side seams or sleeve seams of dressy men's shirts,
inexpensive casual and "work" men's shirts and "most" women's shirts and
blouses, the leg seams of most slacks and trousers AWA at least one of
the seams of most jeans (the seam that is not "felled" or over-folded).
Sadly, jeans constructed with _both_ legs "flat-felled" are rare and
expensive nowadays. See the combination of straight stitch and
"triangles" that are cast-over and interlock along the "outside" edge of
the seam? _that's_ what a serger does---produces a so-called "overcast"
stitch that is significantly stronger than the most precise straight or
zig-zag and prevents fraying to boot. All sergers trim excess fabric as
they go. A well-designed serger may easily be converted to
straight-stitch only or to use 3 threads but on many, it is a PITA!
        Sergers, typically, have 3-to-5 threads, 4 threads being the most
common (and most useful). Do not be intimidated by the number of needles
to be threaded: Most sergers have a color-coded threading pattern
embossed on them. Once threaded, it almost never is necessary to
unthread a serger even to change colors---that's what a so-called
"weaver's knot" ("sheet bend" to a sailor) is for.
        "Old" (pre-chinese/korean) Singers are good. New ones are
tomorrow's landfill today. Toyota ("Toyoda Automatic Loom" has been
making industrial sewing equipment and looms for mu-u-uch longer than it
has "Toyota" cars) and New Home each make high-quality 3-and-4 thread
sergers for home use; "Baby Lock" is a high-quality, moderately-priced
(well, relatively so) entry-level professional-duty machine.
        For light-to-moderate duty home sewing, one often may simulate such
overcasting with a regular zig-zag but the integral straight stitch (an
important component for strength and long-term fit) will be missing.
        Any decent home sewing machine or serging machine should sew
through two layers of 12-to-14-ounce denim twill, even heavier duck and
maybe even so-called "canvas" with ease. Properly-felled seams, rolled
hems (like on blue jeans) and sleeve-setting seams, though, may be a
problem for most domestic machines. "Better" Japanese or European
machines, though, will handle those, too.
        If one disregards the fru-fru bells and whistles, then extended
duty cycle (all day and all night, Marianne), longevity, superior thread
tensioning (a critical component of machine performance) and increased
accuracy of stitch formation---especially over the long haul---are what
the higher prices buy. For a real education, go to a secondhand sewing
machine dealer and ask to see the "satin" stitch made by each of his/her
oldest and most-used machines. The differences  between the better (and
higher priced) Japanese and European machines and the run-of-the-mill
Korean/Chinese "home" machines will become  readily apparent. $6000 may
be overkill for you, personally, but in the long term (IMO, at least),
it always pays to buy a little better sewing machine than one can
"afford" at the time of purchase.
-- 
HTH,
Derald