If you already have a sewing machine, you may have wondered why an overlocker is worth bothering with. After all, you can do almost everything with your sewing machine that an overlocker does, can’t you? But an overlocker has so much to offer and having one in your sewing room will revolutionise your sewing!
An overlocker, known in the USA as a serger, allows you to stitch, trim and overcast in one step. You can use your overlocker from beginning to end of your project, and as it does all this at double the speed of your average sewing machine then you can complete projects in a flash. Just think, there’s no need to sit and trim all of your seam allowances by hand and then go back to the sewing machine to finish those fraying edges – with an overlocker it’s already done!
Overlockers can stitch using 4, 3 or 2 thread capabilities, allowing you to adjust the strength and bulk of your seam according to your project. They can be used on all fabric types, including knitted garments that may be tricky to sew using a standard sewing machine. They are particularly useful for sewing on stretch fabrics due to their differential feed. This means that they have two sets of feed dogs that feed the top and bottom layers of your fabric independently through the overlocker, preventing your fabric from stretching out of shape while it is stitched.
This differential feed also allows you to create decorative finishes such as gathers or ruffles, but you have even more options with additional feet, including more complex gathers/ruffles, more hem options (including, blind hem, flatlock, mock bands, rolled hem, lettuce leaf) and a variety of seam types (including French, mock French and mock flat felled seams, although some will need to be finished on your sewing machine).
On top of all this, you can embellish your projects using decorative threads, ribbons or yarns, plus you can apply lace and elastic, add tucks or pintucks, stitch narrow spaghetti straps with ease… the list of what you can do with your overlocker is enormous!
If you want a really professional finish to your knitwear and activewear, or to further embellish your projects with decorative stitching, then you need a coverstitch machine. While this can mean purchasing a separate machine, the Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S|600 also has a coverstitch function, making it two machines in one. This is a worthwhile purchase if you sew a lot of stretch garments as it produces a robust finish that is as good as anything you can get in the shops, while avoiding the puckering that can occur when stitching with a twin needle on a sewing machine.
There is so much that your overlocker can do that I can’t possibly fit it all in here, which is why I teach a variety of overlocker classes at Coles Sewing Centre. These range from classes that help you to get to grips with what your overlocker has to offer, to workshops that lead you through specific projects or advanced features, all with me on hand to answer questions and provide tips and tricks.
When you buy a new overlocker from Coles then you get a one-day owner’s class with me to help you learn how to use your machine, absolutely free. If you’re interested in buying an overlocker but you don’t know whether it’s for you then you can browse what we have on offer on our website here, give us a call in the shop for advice on 0115 9881550, or better yet, come and visit us for a demonstration!
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