Serger learning curve

[Diana Curtis]

Hi, its me again.. sometimes lurker, occasional poster, with a new serger. I
chose the White 1600 because of the price and a friend was very happy with a
similar model. I figured its a place to start, to see if I enjoy and will
use a serger. So far I like using it. Threading it was interesting, a real
test of the old eyeballs. Working with it now on several different types of
fabrics has shown me that there is a learning curve here, not unexpected.
What I would really appreciate is some cheerleading.. someone to tell me
that I will catch on to getting the tensions set up just right for each
fabric without consulting the manual each time! (I think I will but I want
to hear it from someone else!)
I do not have access to a class at this time, so I am on my own, except
for an online friend, you just met her in the thread where she was looking
for a dress form...shes my class and teacher. :-)
Thanks everyone.
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44

[Diana Curtis]

What a cool idea! That would be really helpful, to have a reference guide in
swatches. Thanks for passing that along.
One thing I have going for me is I am not afraid to turn the knobs and
mess the tension up. I figure Im learning by the bits that turn out horribly
as well as the ones that turn out well.
Thanks IMS
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"IMS" > wrote in message
...
Ok I'll jump in! My serger is a 10+ year old Babylock, a real
workhorse, and very heavy-duty. I had a panic attack the first time I
tried to thread it. It did take quite some time (months) to really feel
comfortable with it. The one thing I did to help was put different
colored thread on each spool. Then I worked the tensions, and the
different threads helped me see what a turn here or a turn there would
do.

Once I got a feel for it, I started making a little library of swatches
for different fabrics, when I got the tensions right on a particular
fabric, I'd run a swatch and actually mark the tension settings right on
the fabric with a magic marker. Then I could compare new fabrics to
similar swatches and start out with similar tensions. That really
helped, too. Now I have a nice stack of serged swatches for reference.

It DOES take a learning curve but it is SO cool when you've got the hang
of it. You start serging all kinds of things.

[Kate Dicey]

Diana Curtis wrote:
>
> What a cool idea! That would be really helpful, to have a reference guide in
> swatches. Thanks for passing that along.
> One thing I have going for me is I am not afraid to turn the knobs and
> mess the tension up. I figure Im learning by the bits that turn out horribly
> as well as the ones that turn out well.
> Thanks IMS
> Diana

That's the most important lesson of all!

There are some excellent books out there for helping you on your journey
from newbie to expert. Pop over to my web site and look for the book
list (in the Sewing Room section), and that will get you started. I'm
in the middle of an upgrade on that page - new books added! - so it
might change over the next day or two.

Re views only - I don't sell the books! they are mine! MINE, I tell
you! (Sell books I bought! I'd sooner sell the kids! Hehehehehe!
Most of *them* are not mine, and books are usually better behaved... )

--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

[Emily]

Diana, If you are looking for the book Kate recommends as the best one on
serging, Sewing with Sergers by Gail Brown & Pati Palmer, it is in the
Palmer-Pletsch series and available at: www.palmerpletsch.com and there is a
video that goes with it, too.
Emily

[Diana Curtis]

I came.. I looked.. but couldnt find the basic book you recommended anywhere
online! It must be out of print or something..and to valuable to re-sell on
Ebay!
Ill look again when you have the new ones up. It is good to have
recommendations.
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"Kate Dicey" > wrote in message
...
> Diana Curtis wrote:
> >
> > What a cool idea! That would be really helpful, to have a reference
guide in
> > swatches. Thanks for passing that along.
> > One thing I have going for me is I am not afraid to turn the knobs and
> > mess the tension up. I figure Im learning by the bits that turn out
horribly
> > as well as the ones that turn out well.
> > Thanks IMS
> > Diana
>
> That's the most important lesson of all!
>
> There are some excellent books out there for helping you on your journey
> from newbie to expert. Pop over to my web site and look for the book
> list (in the Sewing Room section), and that will get you started. I'm
> in the middle of an upgrade on that page - new books added! - so it
> might change over the next day or two.
>
> Re views only - I don't sell the books! they are mine! MINE, I tell
> you! (Sell books I bought! I'd sooner sell the kids! Hehehehehe!
> Most of *them* are not mine, and books are usually better behaved... )
>
> --
> Kate XXXXXX
> Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
> http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
> Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

[Kate Dicey]

Emily wrote:
>
> Diana, If you are looking for the book Kate recommends as the best one on
> serging, Sewing with Sergers by Gail Brown & Pati Palmer, it is in the
> Palmer-Pletsch series and available at: www.palmerpletsch.com and there is a
> video that goes with it, too.
> Emily

Just republished the page: you should find it under the 'Serger'
heading.
--
Kate XXXXXX
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

[Diana Curtis]

Thank you Emily! I did pick up their New Creative Serging book and its a
help even tho its not intended to cover basics... but I like the format so I
think I will dive in and buy the book you and Kate like. Ill think of it as
an investment so the serger doesnt sit and collect dust.
Thanks again, both Kate and Emily
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"Emily" > wrote in message
...
> Diana, If you are looking for the book Kate recommends as the best one on
> serging, Sewing with Sergers by Gail Brown & Pati Palmer, it is in the
> Palmer-Pletsch series and available at: www.palmerpletsch.com and there is
a
> video that goes with it, too.
> Emily
>
>

[melinda]

Diana Curtis > wrote:
> Hi, its me again.. sometimes lurker, occasional poster, with a new serger. I
> chose the White 1600 because of the price and a friend was very happy with a
> similar model. I figured its a place to start, to see if I enjoy and will
> use a serger. So far I like using it. Threading it was interesting, a real
> test of the old eyeballs. Working with it now on several different types of
> fabrics has shown me that there is a learning curve here, not unexpected.
> What I would really appreciate is some cheerleading.. someone to tell me
> that I will catch on to getting the tensions set up just right for each
> fabric without consulting the manual each time! (I think I will but I want
> to hear it from someone else!)
> I do not have access to a class at this time, so I am on my own, except
> for an online friend, you just met her in the thread where she was looking
> for a dress form...shes my class and teacher. :-)
> Thanks everyone.
> Diana

I_always_check the manual for tension settings, then play around with test
bits to tweak the tensions to get them right, THEN I write down*everything*
so I've got record of what worked for next time!

--
Melinda
<http://cust.idl.com.au/athol>

[Emily]

Congratulations on your serger purchase. I bought my first one 10-11 years
ago & it was 3 months before
I had the nerve to try it. The dealer had given me one short lesson,
primarily on threading it, and told me when using it I should keep a record
of the stitching and tensions. I got some 3x5 index cards, serged every
type of fabric I had in my stash, and when I had the tensions, length &
width correct, I stapled a sample on a card with the settings written next
to it. That was a big help and now DS gave me a 5-thread w/cover stitch, I
repeated the procedure. The older one is kept set up with either light gray
or black thread for just overlocking while the latest one is used for
decorative stitching. There are many books on the market to give a person
more ideas on the use of sergers. I really enjoy using mine and know you
will, too.
Emily

[susan chen]

You'll learn to aaappreciate serging. No, there's no short cut
to getting it right. The stitches are based on the thread, the
fabric and length/width you've selcted.

I'd make it a "rule" to save samples of work with notes attached.
i.e. med wt cotton, standard cones, 3-4-4-4
heavy cotton t.cloth cones + woolly nylon both loopers X-1-1 6
Then when you are working on a similar project, you can start
your test runs from those settings and fine tune from that.

I do an average amt of sewing. My orig serger started doing
naughty things so I just replaced it. That's testimony to how
I value having a serger.
Relax. You'll feel more at ease with your new baby.

melinda wrote:
> Diana Curtis > wrote:
>
>>Hi, its me again.. sometimes lurker, occasional poster, with a new serger. I
>>chose the White 1600 because of the price and a friend was very happy with a
>>similar model. I figured its a place to start, to see if I enjoy and will
>>use a serger. So far I like using it. Threading it was interesting, a real
>>test of the old eyeballs. Working with it now on several different types of
>>fabrics has shown me that there is a learning curve here, not unexpected.
>>What I would really appreciate is some cheerleading.. someone to tell me
>>that I will catch on to getting the tensions set up just right for each
>>fabric without consulting the manual each time! (I think I will but I want
>>to hear it from someone else!)
>> I do not have access to a class at this time, so I am on my own, except
>>for an online friend, you just met her in the thread where she was looking
>>for a dress form...shes my class and teacher. :-)
>>Thanks everyone.
>>Diana
>
>
> I_always_check the manual for tension settings, then play around with test
> bits to tweak the tensions to get them right, THEN I write down*everything*
> so I've got record of what worked for next time!
>