Title: sergers-msg
Subject: Use of sergers in the SCA. Advantages.
Author: Edited by Mark Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: sergers, sewing machines, sewing, SCA, modern

sergers-msg – 9/24/06

Use of sergers in the SCA. Advantages of using them.

NOTE: See also the files: sewng-machnes-msg, sewing-msg, sewing-tables-msg, washing-msg, textiles-msg, color-a-fab-bib, fabric-ident-msg, sewing-tools-msg, Fnd-Tme-2-Sew-art.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 13:02:45 -0500 (CDT)
From: cmccraw at comp.uark.edu
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Serger query

My husband just bought his umpteenth Craftsman tool (a table saw, in case
you are wondering) and has suggested that I should buy some "tools for
fabric." My trusty sewing machine is 20 years old, but still goes forward,
backward and zigzag, so I don't see the need to replace it -- but what about
a serger?

Does anyone use a serger for SCA use? How useful is it? What do you do with
it? Is it hard to learn to use and/or maintain? Will it make me a costuming
goddess? (Just a trick question to see if you're still reading!)

Frankly a sewing machine that comes with an instructional video is a little
intimidating to me.  :)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Fionna nic Alisdair
Grimfells, Calontir

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 15:19:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kreuzhaus at aol.com
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Serger query

I JUST bought my serger and in the ten days or so that I've had it, it has
really turned my costuming around !  (Can you tell I'm still jazzed?)  In my
case I think it is an attitude adjustment because new toys, er, I mean, tools
are so much fun.  But I have finished three projects that had been hanging
around  and started a few more.  For SCA use, a serger can help you manage
the many layers of lining and interlining that structured and/or heavyweight
 garb requires or you can use that "fine edge" setting to put a bit of
contrasting color along the edges of your chemise ruffles.  Those are just
two examples, the list goes on.  The Downside is that sergers are pricey and
of course, inappropriate for truly authentic projects.     Good Luck !
  Adriana

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 12:20:43 -0700
From: Brett and Karen Williams <brettwi at ix.netcom.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Serger query

cmccraw at comp.uark.edu wrote:
> Does anyone use a serger for SCA use? How useful is it? What do you do with
> it? Is it hard to learn to use and/or maintain? Will it make me a costuming
> goddess? (Just a trick question to see if you're still reading!)
> 
> Fionna nic Alisdair

I personally don't have a serger, but I've lusted after one for a long
time. I can give you a series of my observations, but remember that
opinions are subjective... :)

Sewing machines and sergers are similar in their objective (stitching
two or more layers of fabric together), but differ in the methods used
for accomplishing the task. Whereas a sewing machine will perform some
variation of a two thread locking stitch, a serger will use two to as
many as five separate threads to stitch, trim and finish a seam. If you
look at a commercially sewn garment, generally speaking what you're
seeing is a serger-type stitch and seam finish.

I personally don't think that a serger is for the new seamster. It is 
unforgiving in that by its nature, a serger is a stitch-only-once-and
better-get-it-right-the-first-time tool. Inside that machine is a knife
blade that trims the fabric as the seam is stitched and overcast. On the
plus side, a serger is *extremely* efficient and *FAST!!* for what I'd
term 'plain sewing': basic garment construction, seam finishing,
straight seams (like on an awning cover or pavilion). It doesn't have
the ability to topstitch, set in piping or perform buttonholes. Used in
conjunction with a sewing machine(and an iron for pressing...[grin]), a
serger is ideal for an individual who sews a lot. For example, I can
knock out a t-tunic and sideless surcote for my young daughter (starting
with flat fabric-- seams finished, no trim, with a hand-rolled hem
around the armsceyes of the surcote and handstitched buttonhole loop on
the shoulder of the tunic) in about four to five hours. With a serger
I'd cut that time even shorter since the serger would zip through the
construction seams much faster than my sewing machine-- plus I'd not
have to run each fabric piece through the overcast before stitching the
seams. And for non-SCA applications, a serger is ideal for making things
like mundane sweatpants and t-shirts-- no hand finishing is necessary at
all.

I'd check into issues of Sew News and/or Threads for articles within the
last three years on comparing serger models, and hit the local big
bookstore to leaf through some of the more detailed sewing instruction
books. There are also serger-specific books out there, too. There are a
lot of considerations as to how many threads machines use (minimum two,
some take only three-, four- or five-threads, some can handle any kind
of combination thereof...), their manufacturer's reputation for quality,
warranty, etc. Then, once you're determined what you're going to get,
then check out the store(s) around you for things like service, lessons,
support, etc. A good serger, well-maintained, should be a serious tool
that will last for a very long time-- what my husband calls a
twenty-year applicance.

Hope this helps, despite its general nature.

ciorstan

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 16:20:12 -0400 (EDT)
From: Luiseach at aol.com
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Serger query

Sergers are great for SCA sewing, but, unfortunately, they won't make you a
sewing goddess <G>

Seriously, if you are sewing on anything that has a tendency to ravel,
serging the edges of pieces right after you cut them out will save a lot of
finishing time later.  Depending on how you set the serger, this edge finish
can be purely functional or a bit decorative (like for inside a flared sleeve
that you aren't lining.  If you routinely prewash pieces of fabric before you
cut, serge the edges to prevent ravelling in the washer.  You can also use
the serger and some of the pretty threads that are available for it to make
your own trim.  

I don't use my serger much for actually sewing parts of SCA garments
together--this technique works fine for T-shirts, but most of what we make is
just too heavy and the serged seams don't hold up.

I have a Pfaff Hobbylock 788, didn't need a video to learn how to use it.
 The manual is good, but I highly recommend _Sewing with Sergers_ by Gail
Brown and Pati Palmer and/or _Innovative Serging_ by Gail Brown and Tammy
Young to get you beyond the basics.
Can you tell that I LOVE my serger??

Luighseach nic Lochlainn

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 97 17:53:11 -0500
From: Irene leNoir <irene at ici.net>
To: "sca-arts" <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Re: Serger query

>Does anyone use a serger for SCA use? How useful is it? What do you do with
>it?

I use my serger for anything that it can be used for, whether it is
garb or mundane sewing.  For SCAdian sewing I have found that it is
most useful when sewing with loosely woven fabrics or other fabrics
that fray easily.  I know that there are people that say, "But serged
seams aren't period!"  My attitude has always been that I'm not
sewing my garb entirely by hand anyway, so a serged seam isn't any
more un-period than a sewing machine seam.  Also, if you are going to
put the time and effort into making garb, it is nice to have it be as
durable as possible.  I am going to have to do a large chunk of garb
sewing sometime soon because almost all of my simple field garb,
which I made before I had my serger, is starting to fray apart at the
seams.  It is such a shame, because otherwise, the garments aren't
anywhere near worn out.  When I redo all of my field garb I am going
to do it on my serger.  Then the garments won't wear out until they
become threadbare.

>Is it hard to learn to use and/or maintain?
Curved seams can take a bit of practice to master, as a different
technique is required to feed a curve through a serger than through a
sewing machine.  You could practice on some scraps, or just do what I
did.  The first time I had to sew a curved seam on the serger I
pre-sewed the seam on my sewing machine and then ran it through the
serger to finish the seam allowances.  By the time I finished the
project (a tunic) I was confident enough to do it for real the next
time.

As to maintenance...  The best thing that you can do for your serger
is to keep a can of compressed air on your sewing table.  Develop the
habit of regularly blowing away all the loose lint and dust.  Don't
forget to blow between the tension disks.  I blow the lint away after
each project, or even sometimes in the middle of a project if it is a
big one, or the fabric produces a lot of lint.

If you decide to get a serger I recommend the following:
- Try to find a friend who has a serger who will let you try theirs
out.  It can help a lot when you go to look at them in the stores if
you are even just a little familiar with them.
- Get one with differential feed.  If you buy one without
differential feed you are throwing your money away.
- I personally like the brand Babylock.  They were the first company
to manufacture a home serger and they know what they are doing.  This
is just my personal prefernce though, and I admit that there are
brands out there that I don't have experience with.
- Whereas a built-in needle threader on a sewing machine is, in my
opinion, completely frivolous, a built-in needle threader on a serger
is a truly useful tool.
- Take your time in deciding what you want.  A good serger will cost
in the range of $300 to $500 dollars and you want to make sure that
you get the best one for you.  There are a lot of different features
on different models.  Be sure that you understand what those features
are used for so that you can decide whether or not you want to pay
for them.

I hope that this helps.
________________________________
Jessica I. Clark
SCA: Baroness Irene leNoir
jessica at ici.net or irene at ici.net

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 18:26:52 -0700
From: ladymari at GILA.NET (Mary Hysong)
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Serger query

I absolutely adore my 4 thread serger, an older model with a few
quircks, but it's great.  I can make entire garment with it-imagine
whipping out an ordinary chemise in less than two hours, from fabric
layout to finished product [of course that doesn't include fancy do-dads
or embroidery]  I also use it with my regular sewingmachine stitch the
seams on the regular machine, try on, fit, ect. then serge to trim the
seam allowance and over lock the edges.  Use it with metallic threads in
the loopers for hems on anything from clothes to table cloths.
Clotilde's a mail order sewing supplier also carries special feet for
sergers so you can use clear thread and stich down braids and strings of
beads at the same time [she also carries scads of other goodies]

I'm not up on features of differeny brands, but try out different ones
at a local sewing machine dealer.  Especially look for ease of seeing
and threading the loopers and the needles [the knife on mine is always
in the way of threading the right hand needle]

Hope this helps, Mairi

PS, don't let the video scare you off--some people learn better that
way and some things are easier to demonstrate than to write about.

Mary Hysong <Lady Mairi Broder, Atenveldt Kingdom Scribe> and  Curtis
Edenfield <The C-Man>

Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 10:46:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: sclark at chass.utoronto.ca (Susan Carroll-Clark)
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: serger query

I've had my serger for about a year and a half now.  It's a very basic model--
a Janome (called New Home in the States) 134D with four threads and changeable
throat plates.  I do a lot of commission work for others, and it helps make
my seams look nice and professional, as well as cutting down on my
sewing time.  I also love the rolled hem feature for my fine silk and cotton
veils (as someone said earlier, you have to get the knack for going around
corners, especially on this one)

A few hints:
--use the finer gauge needles on fine fabrics (else the force of the machine
will be too much for them) and use the dial to space your stitching closer
together.  On heavier fabrics, open up the spacing.

--If you want to be able to take in or let out a garment, serge the edges
of your pieces, then sew them together on a conventional machine.

--For loose weaves or really ravelly material, you might want to add a line
of standard stitches to reinforce the serged seam.

--Serger shreddies make great stuffing!  (Shreddies are the little pieces
cut off by the knife)

As I've said, this machine is very basic--the kind that people look at
initially and say "how the H*ll do you thread that thing?" I sat down
and threaded it repeatedly until I got it, and I usually cheat anyway
when I put on new colours by tying them to the old thread and simply
pulling that through.  Oh--and I've found the really long beading needles
are as good, or better, than those "serger threaders" that are sold.

Cheers--
Nicolaa de Bracton
Ealdormere

Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 11:22:54 -0700
From: "Rebecca Mikkelsen" <RMikkelsen at mail.lhs.logan.k12.ut.us>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Serger questions [Re: More Sewing Questions]

> I got a serger for Christmas (my mom got pictures of my face when I opened
> the box-- they had to take it away from me so I'd eat breakfast)...
>
> But I don't quite know what to do with it. I almost-finished a project
> that I had lying around (including inserting gores-- it was MAHHHVELOUS!),
> but I'm still not quite sure what it's best used for when making garb
> (other than edge finishing, which is a miracle in itself; no more french
> seams!)

The best way to learn how to use your serger is to take a workshop
offered by your local fabric or sewing machine store.  Around here
these workshops are offered every few months and cost $10-25
depending on how in-depth the class is.

Rebecca

From: Lisa W <lawiserdontspam at nospamatt.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: HELP!!! - Surger Manuals Needed
Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2003 23:25:42 GMT

CHRISTOP RAMOS wrote:
>Greetings onto one in all, including the Taylors and Seamstress of the Known
>Worlde.
>
>My Wife has just acquired a 5 thread industrial surger last owned by a
>retiring drape maker.  Still looking for his industrial machine, but we at
>least have the surger.
>
>Anyhow, it does need cleaning and service as it was not stored in the best
>conditions following his retirement, and did not come with either an
>user/owners or a repair manual.  If anyone has a hardcopy to loan or an
>electronic copy of these manuals, we would greatly appreciate a copy to get
>it up and running.
>
>Make: Rimoldi
>Model:  329-00-2CD-10
>The newer 529-00-2CD-10 is supposedly the same.
>
>Marcus & Kaylyn mac Phárlain
>ClanLaird at hotmail.com
>ClanLaird at optonline.net

My Lord, have you checked with http://www.ucanprint.com/index.htm

They have different sewing machine models available in Adobe format.  
Rimoldi came up as a search but did not seem to have an entry.  However, 
they did state they would take special orders.

Lia de Langley

From: vintagesinger at hotmail.com (Ed Lamoureux)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: HELP!!! - Surger Manuals Needed
Date: 9 Jul 2003 08:25:36 -0700

"CHRISTOP RAMOS" <cm4ramos at optonline.net> wrote
> My Wife has just acquired a 5 thread industrial surger last owned by a
> retiring drape maker...user/owners or a repair manual.  If anyone has a hardcopy to loan or an
> electronic copy of these manuals, we would greatly appreciate a copy to get
> it up and running.

Try SewUSA at http://www.sewusa.com/ManualPages/rimoldi_sewing_machine_manuals.htm

Ed

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	sergers-msg	Page  of