by Dave | Jan 26, 2016 | Beginner Tips, Lucy's Sewing Lab, Reviews
It’s so confusing, which should I buy? The Serger or Overlock machine, which one do I need most? It’s a hard decision, both do basically the same thing. They perform finishing stitches. A serger performs one task perfectly–overlocking, cutting and finishing seams in one step.
The real difference is with the make and model of the serger. Some have 8 spools of thread. WOW how confused can one person be? From what I have been told the number of spools increase the number of stitches the machine is capable of doing. On that note the serger handles knits superbly.
An overlock describes it’s main use, to finish edges with the overlock stitch. They have fewer spools of thread, and less decorative stitches. It does not have a cutting attachment.
here they are having a discussion about the differences and the ones they prefer most. If you don’t care about people’s opinion, I found a great blogger who explains the machines very well. Over at SergerPro they advise finding a serger easy enough for anyone to manipulate. I agree whole heartedly!! Automatic or color-coded features are recommended for threading. Of course I’m a penny pincher and I would choose the cheapest one on the market.
aking a final decision on the serger sewing machine starts with knowledge of the most important factors needed in a quality machine. The top serger machine will be easy enough for even an amateur to manipulate. It should have an acceptable differential feed for material versatility along with automatic or color-coded threading features. The serger will have the appropriate number of threads as well as various stitching styles. Along with offering helpful attachments, the machine should be reasonably priced considering how it will be used. I look for FAST machines. I love being able to sew my clothing at a rate to wear it the same day I start if I want. At the time of this blog, I found the Brother 1034D was the top seller.
With the SINGER 14CG754 ProFinish and the JUKI MO644D Portable Serger close behind. I would have to study the machines and their options a lot closer to make a decision. My heart says SINGER, that’s all I’ve ever used. That doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. You can find a great article here comparing options, price, and brand. I hope you find the serger machine of your dreams and ENJOY!
by Dave | Jan 21, 2016 | Lucy's Sewing Lab
Pantone chose two colors this year. They look pretty much like pink and blue but their names are much more complicated. Rose quartz and Serenity are the official names. The colors made use of gender blur as inspiration relating to fashion. The choice of these colors impacted other areas of design. As gender becomes less important and more equal, this generation’s concerns do not lie in judgement. The generation is not worried about being typecast and expresses themselves through color, pink and blue, if you wish to call it that are statement colors as to what is going on around us. The colors are a celebration of equality!
Whether in soft or hard surface material, the pairing of Rose Quartz and Serenity brings calm and relaxation. Appealing in all finishes, matte, metallic and glossy, the engaging combo joins easily with other mid-tones including greens and purples, rich browns, and all shades of yellow and pink. Add in silver or hot brights for more splash and sparkle. I can’t wait to use these colors! They are compatible with nearly all skin tones and have a playful nature to them.
by Dave | Jan 2, 2016 | Beginner Tips, Blog, Lucy's Sewing Lab, Tools and Technique
New Sewing Machine
Christmas was a few weeks ago. Who received a brand new sewing machine? Now what? If new sewing person or it’s been about say, 25 years or more, I may be able to help.
- Threading the needle on your new sewing machine. It seems something that should just happen, right? In reality it’s not that easy. Read the manual, if you still cannot threat it or the bobbin. YouTube has amazing tutorials.
- That’s a great accomplishment. Now, when you start sewing make sure to hold onto the bobbin thread and the top thread for a few (10) stitches. If you don’t, you get a horrible thread mess and hate yourself for wanting a machine. Trust me on this.
- Another helpful hint, make sure your first stitch onto the fabric is no on the very corner edge. Even one centimeter down is better than the corner. This sometimes causes the fabric to get stuck in the machine under the feed dogs. Yeah that is a pain for sure.
- If the fabric happens to cause a few problems for you like getting stuck and not letting your needle or machine operate, rock the wheel on the right end back and forth until you can free the needle.
- I discuss bird nesting, that horrible annoying bobbin mess, here.
- Once you get past the initial learning curve of your machine, you’ll be ready to work on some straight lines. You’ll probably need a few supplies to get started.
Important Supplies
*Pins with glass heads
*Pin cushion
*Titanium needles (you will thank me for this later
*Seam ripper (save your project tool)
*Fabric scissors (fiskars…..I made the mistake of buying singer to match
my machine) No skimping here. Good scissors will save you a lot of
trouble.
*Tape measure it’s horribly shocking to have to measure yourself, but
much needed.
![A Sewist Purchasing Guide]()
by Dave | Dec 23, 2015 | Beginner Tips, Blog, Fitting, Lucy's Sewing Lab
I wish I would have had a Guide to Sewing tools and accessories guide with me my first sewing Christmas. Christmas for a sewist is a dream come true! My sewist’s first Christmas was so fun! That was me last year, with gift card in hand and twinkle in my eye. I had an idea of what I wanted, but the things I bought were and still are, lifesavers for me.
Even though a purchasing guide would’ve been a great help, I still spent the money! The first purchase was cutting board.ds. I bought a and have never regretted it. Actually I purchased two! One extra large cardboard one like this,
I also purchased a recovering cutting mat that works perfect with my rotary rotary cutter. It’s perfect for any sewist, it cuts through several layers at once and never seems to dull.
I also purchased a roll of iron on interfacing. Good grief, we go through that like mad, don’t we? The purchase was wise, because I’m still working on that roll. I’m so glad I have no need to panic when I’m sewing and realize I don’t have the supplies I need.
Since it was Christmas, I splurged on some really nice scissors also. It changed my sewing game. They are so sharp and cut so well. I bought these but wish I had seen the gold ones, aren’t they cute? 
Of course I hit the fabric bargains and stocked up on fabric I just knew I couldn’t live without. If I had it to do over, I may have purchased a dress form. I still don’t have one of those. I really think a dress form is a must have for any sewist. The hanger just doesn’t do the garment justice. Maybe this year I’ll purchase one? I’ve been eyeing the Dritz one, 
I don’t know though. I’m pretty thrifty so I’d really have to consider all the options before making that purchase. Maybe if she came in pink? lol
Those are my suggestions for purchases if you happen to receive a gift card or some cash for Christmas. No matter what, I hope you ENJOY!
by Dave | Dec 9, 2015 | Beginner Tips, Blog, Lucy's Sewing Lab, Reviews
As sewists, are we continually researching and Right now I am enduring the Janome, Singer comparison. Are either superior machines to the one we use the most? Right now I’m smack dab in the middle of a Janome or Singer Heavy Duty comparison. I own the boastful best machine according to the best of list here. I love my Singer, really I do. But, we seem to fight a lot. She’s not enough for me. I work that poor girl to death and beyond. I need a machine that can handle the pressure I put on it. You and your machine become like an old married couple. It is very important to do a lot of research and analyze your needs prior to purchase.
- WHY? Where will I find the time and why am I really considering buying a sewing machine? Some of us came back from a sewing hiatus although many more are fresh beginners. For this very reason, learn from my mistakes. Purchase the best machine with the fewest options. Learning to sew is hard enough. Learning all the functions adds to the complications. Unless you are planning to make everything in the world, a basic machine is more than enough.
- If your plan is to make a career change, a basic machine is going to frustrate you. Most prefer an overlock machine for speed and complicated projects, otherwise go back to plan A.
- You can always upgrade later, and most sewists own more than one sewing machine to meet all their needs.
- HOW? How much can you afford to spend without feeling guilty if you are not sewing 24/7? I set my limit around $150. I really wanted that pretty black computerized anniversary edition Singer machine. It didn’t fit my budget, and it did not have the options I was looking for in a machine. A lot of machines are plastic, I am sorry about this especially when that plastic costs $100 and up. I made a list of the things I “thought” I needed in a sewing machine.
- I wanted state of the art
- New and fancy
- Pretty
- Which should I choose? Janome or a Singer
- Yes, I’m shallow and didn’t think beyond those things. The machine I balked at, was my second purchase, and I never use the fancy pretty state of the art computerized machine.
- WHO This is often more a sentimental answer than logical. Without a doubt I was only looking at Singer machines. To me, they are the only machine, lol. I learned on them and felt a certain comfort using a singer.
- Learn about the different brands prior to purchase. The Sewing Machine Wizard, found here is the most informative site I’ve found. Real people tell you what they love and hate about their choice of machine.
I did my own research and actually, sad for me, because I wanted a reason for another machine, my Heavy Duty Singer outperforms the Janome of the same class. Sewing is an art and no two people are going to have exactly the same opinion on sewing machine.
Janome, Singer Comparison
- Best Reviews– made a great comparison chart for similar Janome and Singer machines.
- Singer’s selling point is the 1,110 stitches a minute. I love sewing fast 🙂
- Janome paled in comparison, their strongest point being ease of use.
- The Singer sales currently on Amazon for $126 and the Janome for $135. Fewer options and a higher price? I’m sticking with my Singer, for now.
- Amazon– came up with completely different results via purchasers reviews. It was a Brother and Singer war. Still the Singer 4423 ranked 3 while the Janome 2212 came in eleventh.
- Everyone has their own opinion based on their needs. Today, until I have about $400 to blow, I’ll stick with my Heavy Duty Singer. At least now I know my machine is superior.
