first serger attempt

in january i introduced  the serger i got for christmas (which you can read about here), and promised to share with you my first serged project-  and here i am, keeping that promise. you would think that with such a fun new toy, i would drop everything and serge everything in sight.  amazingly, i did just the opposite.  i've been so busy that i didn't touch the serger again until this month, when i finally sat down and took the time to learn how to thread the machine.  threading was only slightly frustrating, as brother has done a fairly good job with their manual and with the color coded, numbered guide right on the serger.     

i already had a throw pillow case i had sewn earlier this year that had been patiently waiting for me to serge the inside seams, so after i managed to successfully thread my machine, i zipped the edges through. 

 the pillow case is made out of marimekko lumimarja fabric in gold and white tones. it has an invisible zipper.

 eventually i will make a second or even a third one. in my dreams, i have a drawer dedicated to a plethora of beautiful, neatly folded throw pillow covers so i can change them out on a whim.  but. i digress.   

tada. a close up on a finished seam.  it makes me happy, even though no one will ever see it... unless i have guests with boundary issues who decided to dissect my pillow...  hey, it could happen.  

a new sewing toy

apparently i was an extra good girl in 2009, because look what else santa got me for christmas:  a SERGER.

notice how it came pre-threaded? how thoughtful.

i had been debating for well over a year on whether or not to get a serger. my current sewing machine (a husqvarna viking emerald 718) wasn't exactly cheap, nor exactly trouble free, so i've been hesitant to invest in another piece of machinery without a serious need for one. besides, i already have a basic overlocking stitch on my sewing machine, so i was getting by.  also, i had originally been mainly looking at husqvarna viking and pfaff sergers, and they were too expensive for me to justify buying (they began at about $600-$700, i think).

so, recently i started investigating some lower end brands, such as singer and brother. singer seems to have a pretty bad reputation these days, so i focused my attention on brother. i read a lot of great reviews about this particular model, which were affirmed by a friend of mine who also happens to own one. also, the price is amazing- the current price on amazon for a brand new model is $191.75.

at this point, i should probably mention that the most i've done is take the serger out of the box and take pictures of it to show you.   however, i would also like to mention that i am already horribly impressed by this machine. why?  well first of all, it's compact and fairly aesthetically pleasing. secondly, look at all the information it comes with: 2 cds, and two instructional pamphlets:

all my $750 husqvarna viking sewing machine came with was a tiny little booklet that has been more or less useless.  now, i've only gone through one of the instructional booklets that came with the serger, but after seeing how comprehensive it is, it has left me with high hopes for the cds and the machine itself. 

i didn't mean for this to be an anticlimatic post (you know, since i'm already raving about a product i haven't even used yet)- i just really wanted to share my joy over the new serger with everyone. unfortunately, it doesn't look like i will have any time to play with it any time soon. the past few weeks and the coming several weeks are going to be absolutely crazy busy (you may have noticed that my shop is still open but more or less stagnant). 

i will be sure to share some of my serger adventures (and list new items on etsy) once things slow down again.