A Small Detail

Anyone who has placed a custom order with me knows I am a speedy worker. I'll usually have the finished product mailed the next day. I've always been this way. I remember being in grade school and finishing my tests a full twenty minutes before anyone else. In high school I used to double check, triple check, and fidget around before finally standing up from my seat. Of course, the class would be staring at me with that "how the heck did you do that so quickly?" look, while I started having doubts that I somehow missed a few pages. So when I get e-mails from my much appreciated blog readers asking when the next shop update is, I find myself in an unusual position. You see, I could have updated it long ago if it weren't for a small detail:

My serger. It's been giving me issues from, well, the beginning. Oh, there's that usual serger temperament going on. You know, the one where even if the room is too humid it seems to stop working. But it's gotten to the point where I serge an inch, have to re-thread everything, serge another inch, re-thread, and repeat. It takes me forever to finish something and usually the end result is not that pretty.

So when I sat down to work Friday night feeling mighty good about getting some things done (along with some DMB, G&B, and a good glass of merlot) and found out my serger would not cooperate, I realized that something is going to have to give. I spent an hour re-threading it over and over. I finally gave up. See those tissues next to my serger in the picture above? Yea, those were definitely needed. I had a little meltdown.

So my serger is no longer in use. This means my planned next shop update is either heavily modified or postponed until I figure something out. Remember my sewing machine giving me trouble a while back? That put a large dent in my savings and a new serger is not even in the picture. One step at a time though, right?

I've managed to come up with some other things that will be finished soon for the shop. I worked on them a bit yesterday and felt that old feeling of satisfaction and productivity return. I dipped into my wool felt stash.

Took a look through my vintage buttons.

And am close to finishing a few (okay, more than a few...) accessories for the little ones which will hopefully make an appearance next Monday, the 21st at 11 a.m. EST.

Thank you for your patience. If anyone has suggestions on a good, not-so-pricey serger, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

Comments

[Lizz]

I thank the heavens all the time that I live with a sewing machine repair tech (amoung other things)!

[QALBALLAH]

Mine is doing the same damn thing.

[blair]

oh the sergers! i dont have any huge insight, other than i learned the "cheap serger" lesson myself. bad idea apparently. i have been using the serging stitch on my new sewing machine in the meantime though and it's working beautifully. is there a stitch that would work for you in the meantime?

[Bluebirdbaby]

blair-A serging stitch on a sewing machine? You mean like a zigzag stitch? I had no idea one existed...

[Dawn]

How frustrating for you. I'm sorry this happened. Merlot and G&B are a great help in times like this. :)

[M]

I don't have any idea what a new serger might cost, but I thought I'd let you know that there's one up for sale on the TP at MDC.

[Emilie]

Ugh, what a bother! Perhaps taking it in for a tune-up would revitalize it?

[Dawn]

There's something for you at my blog :)

[Grace]

I know our sewing machines are different models, but mine has a few stitches that are called "overlock" stitches. I have never tried any of them, but I think the idea is you'd trim the fabric right at the edge of the stitch you've done, or maybe you actually stitch right at the edge. There is also an "overlock foot" that Bernina makes, which would be a whole lot cheaper than a new serger. Oh, and, if you like, you can mail me stuff and I'll finish it for you on my machine. I would really do that for you.

[QALBALLAH]

I have an overlock stitch on my machine too but it doesn't compare to a serger - one: I have only one needle; two: my machine is light years slower than my serger; three: it doesn't cut whilst it sews.

But then on the upside my machine actually *work* masha'allah whereas my serger is like a teenager with selective work days....

[blair]

hey erin-- no it's an actual serging stitch (whether it's an "overlock" or something i have no idea). but it serges and the compant calls it a serging stitch. i trim it if i need to but so far it's worked great and is very realiable. i dunno, but it works. i have a janome 6260 if that helps. good luck!!

blair