Afraid to try my serger!

[SoggyGranolaMomma]

I know I'm a goober, but I bought it for $125, paid $300 to get it serviced and cleaned and now it sits because I'm so freakin' intimidated by it.

I have the manual and a Singer serger guide, loads of scraps etc. I just don't know where to start!

The machine is threaded but I have to tie spools to them and pull them through to thread it with my thread.

The guy who serviced it said it was timed for cotton thread, that poly *should* be ok and that the wooly was useless to me. Is he FOS?

I'm just really nervous for some stupid reason. :

[wiredupweb]

Well this won't help you because I'm certainly no expert but it might make you feel a little better...just jump in! I am struggling to figure out how to use my new serger...have already broken 2 needles...but love it! Even if I've only been able to successfully serger *half* a soaker pad so far.
I love the potential it has for me, so I'm perservering - just jump in and practice on your scraps...that's what I've been doing.

[*~Danielle~*]

I hear ya. I just got the book and did it though. I think JoAnn's has a serger class you can take and learn about it and what it can do. You take your own machine and learn on it...I'd call them.

[courtenay_e]

Don't forget to oil it! I ended up paying $200 to get my serger serviced after it sat UNUSED for a year, because the parts seized...nobody told me that they need to be oiled once a month, used or not. So, before you tie on that thread, LUBE 'er up!

[SoggyGranolaMomma]

It just got back from being serviced. I bought it used and she said it needed to be adjusted and cleaned.

Just got it lubed. She's ready to go!

[Siana]

I'm a wanna-be-serger-owner

I got to try using a serger for the first time today. It wasn't easy, but considering it was my first try, I did pretty good (if I can say so myself ).

Curves were a killer for me. The lady whose serger I used told me to go faster on curves since that's the best way to ensure they come out well. She said I did a great job however, and all I would need when I got my own serger was persiverance and practice.

Now to go serger shopping. That's going to be interesting considering I have one very attached munchkin and I suspect I'm going to want to take my time trying out different machines before spending ~$600!... That's going to be interesting experience to say the least!

[tippytoes26]

Okay, NEVER heard of a serger timed for different threads.. that's just weird. I use cotton, poly, woolly.. whatever I want in mine without problems. What I do suggest is this... take out one of the needles and that thread. If you work with an upper and lower looper and only one needle thread, it'll be easier to figure out how to make adjustments to your tension.

Start with cheap cheap fabric scraps to play on (two together will feed through better and feel nicer to sew on than a single layer so double up the fabric if you can). Use three different colors of threads. That way, you'll easily be able to tell what to adjust and see what thread ends up where. Then, play with your tension. Turn it up and down and see what that does to the thread .. but only one at a time (don't adjust all at once) This is very helpful for learning. Then, when you feel like you have a good handle on that, add that second needle thread back in if you want (I rarely do.. usually only do a three thread serge).

Don't be afraid of it.. sergers are a lot of fun once you make friends with them.

have fun!

[mmskids]

If you can take a class, I'd suggest it. I finally took one after 2 years of using mine and I was amazed how much easier it was afterwards..

I started using mine by making pillowcases. Straight lines and always can be used..