U-handblog

Overlocker / Serger machine review part 2.

Part 1 of this review can be found here.

Anyone reading this blog over the last few days will know that I am head over heels with my first overlocker.

My Babylock Imagine Wave...

I have never played with an overlocker before (I've just seen them in action) and they look scary enough to be off-putting!  To honest when I took her out of the box I was REALLY trying NOT to think "OMG what have I done? This looks nothing like my sewing machine!"  So it was with more than a little trepidation that I sat down with Baby one afternoon for a few quiet hours so we could get better acquainted. 

I needn't have gotten myself so worked up.  I found Baby terrifically easy to get to know, the manual is so well written with no nasty surprises and thankfully it assumes no prior knowledge.  I was able to thread Baby up, set up stitch width and length, and begin sewing a 4 thread Overlock stitch in under 10 minutes (and that was my first ever time) I was as happy as if I had landed safely on the moon!

So to begin threading you pop your spools/cones of thread on their holders.  Then you thread the loopers (I think Looper thread is equivalent to bobbin thread), take the thread and guide it thru the notch at the top of the machine, down the channel (all very easy so far)...

... now for the fun bit; the Babylock Instant jet-air threading.  I was told about this by quite a few of you and I can see why you love it; it makes threading sooooo much easier.  The awkward part of threading an overlocker is threading the loopers and it usually involves tweezers, but with Babylock machines you just take the end of the thread and pop it into the appropriate threading port and...

...pump on this lever a few times which activates a jet that whooshes the thread through the machine until...

...the thread pops out of the looper eye (by the tip of my finger) ready for sewing.  Blimey!  That was so much fun that I un-threaded the looper again and again just so I could re-thread it.  Surely, it isn't supposed to be this easy.

All threaded up and ready to sew.

In action.  Golly, overlockers sew pretty darn fast don't they?  The trimmings catcher (the thing with the hole in it that the machine is sitting on) is so useful.  It works brilliantly and saves an awful lot of mess.

Close up view of machine in action.

My tentative first steps in overlocking are...

...a machine cover for baby.  I made this because it wasn't going to be too tricky for a first project and the cover that came with the machine was thin and crap.  Also the original cover wasn't long enough to accommodate spools of thread when stored on the thread holders (which seemed silly because the machine will spend most of it's life threaded up and ready to go).  Fabric is Alexander H. - Alboreto Disc.

I still needed to use my beloved Janome to make the cut-out hole.  Just so you know Jan;  Baby is an enhancement not a replacement. I will love both of you in equal measure (so you can stop giving each other dirty looks...).

A few stitches (from left to right):

• 3 thread rolled edge - where the raw edge is trimmed and rolled/folded under and sealed with threads.  Good for sheer fabrics and as a decorative edge.
• 4 thread overlock - 4 threads for extra strength
• 3 thread overlock - the same, but not quite as strong
• Wave - this is a decorative overlock stitch.  I'm not too sure I would really use this (my example isn't perfect), but then it's early days...

Verdict

So far I have nothing bad to say about this machine (except for the rubbish machine cover).  It feels well-built and it's not too heavy or noisy.  After playing with it for one day and making one project with it I feel pretty comfortable with the machine. I really thought it would take a little longer to feel at ease with overlocking so I'm delighted!   I can honestly say that this Babylock machine makes overlocking feel no more complicated than normal sewing.

I think that going for a machine with auto tension and auto threading has helped make this learning experience a happy one (which means that I will end up using the overlocker far more often than if my machine was lacking those features).  It's makes all of the difference that I can change fabrics and thread up the machine very quickly and without any guess work or getting the manual out (especially for a complete novice like me).

So far the major differences between traditional sewing machines seem to be that overlockers are sooooo fast; you have to be on the ball and in control (even with pressure sensitive foot control).  Give it a few more goes and I'm sure that I will come to love that super fast speed.  Turning curves and corners is also different; there is no lifting the machine foot and pivoting on the needle like with traditional machines.   The  Babylock copes fine with gentle curves.  I haven't done tight curves yet (I'll get back to you on those).  Overlockers eat thread so be prepared for that.  I may do a part 3 of this review when I muster up the courage to sew my first item of clothing...

Nope, I didn't get paid a single bean (or spool of thread; nada) to do this review.

Oh, and if any of you folks have a better name than 'Baby' or 'Jan' for my two squabbling girls I'd love to know your suggestions :)

Overlocker / Serger machine review part 1.

**UPDATE**  You can find part 2 of this review here.

Some birthday money, some savings, a lack of restraint, and hours upon hours of poring over machine reviews and your suggestions have amounted to me obtaining my first overlocker machine.  This is the first time I've taken her out of her box so I thought I would blog about the occasion.  I'm going to do this review in 2 or 3 parts because compared to traditional sewing machines I know zip about overlockers so I'll to have learn before I blog.

First I'll tell you where I got it:  I purchased it online from Sewing Machines Direct and spoke to a very nice chap called Russell who was friendly and helpful. His shop (and I looked at LOADS of other shops and a couple where down-right unfriendly!) was offering the best price and his freebies were very generous too ...

So thrown in with the machine is a Babylock waste catcher, 50 spools of thread, needles, tape measure, stitch ripper (you can never have too  many of those), 6 pairs of scissors (which are razor sharp), and best of all; 5 Babylock brand machine feet: 2 x piping feet, 1x shirring foot, 1x blind hem foot, and an elastic foot.  This was the best freebie pack that I found in the UK.

"Hello Darling, I've been waiting for you!"  This is the Babylock Imagine Wave out of her box.  My heart was beating rather too fast as I gave Russell my card details and before during and after putting the phone down I felt immensely guilty.  So I'm going to do what I can to purge that guilt by making good use of her.  Oh well! :)

I chose this particular machine because several of you actually recommended it to me (thanks for your helpful comments) and someone I know has one so I bent her ear about it at great length.  I was told about several things that I should consider before taking the plunge:

• Threading an overlocker can be a right pain in the... Babylock machines have an auto threading system which uses air jets.  Can't wait to see that in action.
• Getting the tension right on overlocker can also be a pain in the...  The Babylock Imagine (and all models above) has auto tension, so no twiddling knobs and looking at the manual when you change different types of fabrics, you just change fabric and sew.
• I eventually want sew Coverstitch (which is the professional looking stitch that usually appears about 1" up from the bottom hem on jersey fabric t-shirts, skirts, and hoodies etc.)  You can buy overlockers which have also have Coverstitch, or you can buy a separate Coverstitch machine. After reading lots of reviews I learnt that lots of folks prefer to have 2 separate machines one for overlocking and another one for coverstitching because that way you don't have to change the needles and the threads for the 2 different stitches.  Folks who had one machine to do both stitches often reported that they actually used their machine less because they didn't like re-threading for the different jobs.  So if all goes well I'll maybe get a separate coverstitch machine much later.

Front panel pulled down.  Gosh that all looks quite scary.

Side panel pulled away. Looks even more scary!



Side spool holder pulled away to reveal a storage for tools and notions.

More notions: including screw driver, spool caps, spool nets and a soft machine dust cover (which to be honest) is flimsy and crap.  One of the first things I will be making with this machine is an oilcloth dust cover...

Easy reference guide.  I can see that I'm going to be making a LOT of use of this!

So at first glance the manual looks looks well written with a good smattering of diagrams and photos.  I haven't delved into it deeply yet so I can't comment on it too much.  I'll let you know later.  Meanwhile I can show you a few of the pages (you might have guessed by now that I'm a bit uptight about manuals...).

OK so next time I'll maybe have some sewing to show you and I'll be able to talk about about how it was to thread and sew with for the first time.  Perhaps I'll throw caution (and sanity) to the wind and attempt these pretty tops...umm maybe.

Psst..."walk before you can run". 

**UPDATE**  You can find part 2 of this review here.

The Creative Family - Book Review & Giveaway

In this post I am going to give you a sneak peek of this book - it isn't even in the shops yet! I'm also giving it away because I don't have little ones and I know that a family out there would really benefit from having this book in the house :)

I'm sure that a majority of you will know Amanda Blake Soule from her thoughtful blog Soule Mama. I'm also sure that most of you who read her blog will agree that one of the main draws of her family and craft focused blog is her sensitive and meditative style of writing.  She manages beautifully to make the make the simplest things compelling and she encourages her readers (in gentle and unpatronising tones) to stop a minute and be truly in the moment.  Anyone who enjoys a peaceful mug of tea whilst reading her posts is going to love her up and coming book...

Amanda's new book; The Creative Family. This book is full of suggestions, tutorials, and observations on how the family can better connect with each other and encourage imagination.  Amanda talks about how this can be achieved through the mediums of handmade craft, appreciation of nature, play, and thought and ritual.  I have to say it only takes a few pages of reading Amanda's warm and gentle writing before the stresses of the day begin to melt away...no really, try it for yourself.

How to turn Dad's old T-shirt into a pair of groovy trousers for kids.

How to stencil T-shirts with the kids.  Throughout these projects Amanda gives suggestions on how to involve the children in creating craft.

This is a lovely idea: turn the children's artful sketches in embroidery transfers.  How charming is that cushion?

Here's Ezra doing a spot of his own embroidery (with blunt needle in hand); he looks so engrossed in his work.

How to make your own (nicer) knitting needles.  The book has a lovely section on how to get the little ones involved with knitting from a young age.

The family's ever changing nature table is a place to exhibit and explore.

Inspiration is everywhere...

Draw Details (please read carefully)

I'll send a copy of The Creative Family to 1 lucky draw winner.  AND A BONUS!!  I will also include the packed with tutorials Handcrafted Journal too (as it didn't get claimed).

To enter all you have to do is comment on THIS PARTICULAR POST by:

• Sharing your favourite tutorial/s with us and putting a link to it/them in your comment.  It could be anything; a recipe, sewing, knitting, or whatever, the more and the varied the better.

 

Contest Official-ness :

1. I'll randomly draw the winner in a weeks time - 29th March and announce the winner the following day-ish.  Good luck! 
2. I'll need to ask the winner to make a donation for the postage.
3. Sorry I can't notify winners, so please keep an eye for the winner announcement.  This is made easier for you if you subscribe to this blog so you don't have to keep checking back, although it's always great to have you pop-in for a read :0)
4. Prizes which are not claimed within 3 weeks of the winner announcement will be carried forward to the next draw.
5. Sorry I can't reply to contest/draw comments, but I do love reading every single one :)

Sewing Machine Review

One of the things I love about making bags is that they are so newbie friendly. The idea of sewing a bag is far less scary than the idea of sewing a shirt or even a simple dress.  This must be why I get lots of emails from newbie sewists saying "I've never sewn a stitch before, but I really do want to make a bag (which is wonderful to hear!) can you recommend a user friendly machine for me?" I must get around 60 emails like this a month.  I usually recommend the make of sewing machine that I began sewing with (if you like you can email me to find out what it was), but after testing this machine I would happily recommend this one instead.

Before I start, I just wanted you to know I'm NOT being paid by Toyota or anyone else to review this machine .  I don't do paid reviews - it's not what I'm about :)

The sewing machine tested is a Toyota SPA15.  You can see the tech specs here. The machine is aimed at newbies or folks who want a decent basic machine.  This is what is included in the box:

In the box: Sewing machine, dust cover, battery, pedal, and a one of the best sewing machine manuals I've ever seen (more about that later).  Overall the build feels fine (not flimsy) and it's light too.  There are also bobbins, a stitch ripper (best friend), zipper & button hole foot, and needles.

Close-up: all the important stuff is close at hand and there is a roomy sewing base.  At first I wasn't sure how the machine was 'ergonomically designed' but it became apparent how when I started to use the machine.  The way that the arm is set back from the stitching area makes viewing your sewing much easier so you don't have to slouch or lean forward (I'm always slouch at my machine).

Machine Info Guide: Lift the flap on the top right and you are presented with handy flip guides on how to get going, trouble shooting, and sewing info.  These 3 steps to sew are helpful if you are new to sewing - I tested this on Al and he managed to thread the top thread, the bobbin, and pull the bobbin thread up (by himself) without swearing once!

Bobbin winder: Al threaded this bobbin.  One thing I really like about this machine is that you can wind bobbins without having to unthread the top thread, because the motor for the bobbin and the sewing machine are separate from each other.  There is a separate battery for the bobbin winder (which is soooo fast!).

Manual shots:  I was SO impressed by the machine's manual, there has obviously been a lot of thought put into writing it.  I mean a good manual can result in you becoming a confident sewist extraodinaire, a crap manual on the other hand could have you turning to drink!   This manual is written in good English, clear and simple terms, and there are plenty of clear diagrams - heavenly!

A crystal clear explanation of the what the heck tension is.

Clear explanation of how to insert a Zipper

"Yes all very good, but can it handle (bag making standard) layers?" I hear you ask.  The answer is definitely a yes!  In this pic I have sandwiched 2 layers of Timtex-like interlining (and you know what a cow that can be to work with) in between 2 layers of thick home dec. fabric and the sewing machine sailed though it all like melted butter - and this machine is faster than my beloved Janome :(

Flip up guide and stitching dial.  Now to test some stitches out...

Stitches sample: The stitches all work great and I even did my first machine button hole (yep it really was my 1st, have you ever seen button closures on any of my bags?  Nope?)  so I'm very happy about that.  You get this button hole machine foot guide and the instructions are (again) clear as day.

In use

Ultimate Newbie test: Al (who wasn't too keen on being photographed whilst sewing...) is a genuine sewing newbie so I made him: thread up a bobbin, the top thread, and pull up the bobbin thread and sew his choice of stitch by himself.  Didn't he do well?

My verdict of the Toyota SPA15: I was pleasantly surprised.  I tried to approach the machine as a newbie might and I found the machine to be very user friendly, predictable (which is important when you're a newbie), and simple to use.  The layout is good and the manual is fabulous.  Another thing that I like is that it sews like the wind and it sails through bulky layers! The machine is also reasonably priced - you can't go wrong!  A newbie could purchase this machine and very successfully make all manner of bags and what not on this machine.

.