Does anyone know anything of how to use one it looks kinda alien to me!!

I hate to admit my stupidity...but what does it do?
I have a sewing machine...they must be related.

Here ya go, Rita- manuals You can find and download a manual for it here...hopefully!

It is suppose do do those edge stitches.. Cut roll and finish.. like on the edge of a tablecloth...


Thanks Tonya I will check it out..

I was not even sure what is was?I go to the dry cleaner when i need repairs?good for you though Rita;-)cool,looks like a fancy thing.

I have one, but don't know how to use it. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
I was going to take lesson's but went broke before I could go...someday after kids, I'll
go take some lesson's..

Threading is the only thing that really scared the ba~geeshes out of me...
So, I would suggest **Unless you can get someone here to give you step~by~step instructions here.** to go to a sowing center, and take some lesson's...

OK weezie I read the book through you thread the right side first then the left ... took me an hour to get it right but I did it!! I practiced and I actually did it!!

it cuts the fabric and everything.. just find a bunch of scraps and give it a whirl!!

now I have to sew my mother in laws couch cover to pay for it :rolleyes:

I know that thing can work some serious fun and magic on clothes.. but it will elude me for while..*need more space around here too...*
I did some sowing when I got married, made my self 2 garters..*one for me to wear and one to throw* and my ring barriers' pillow, and something else, but I can't remember...

I hope you do lot's of projects and fill us
*ME* in on all of it... love to hear about it...

It is one frightening machine!! I can sew like a wizz on the regular machine but this is intimadating!! I am not quite sure I will be able to do anything creative with it at all.. Maybe I will show the pic to the seamstress at work ( she don't speak english well) and perhaps she can help me with this thing

SpringFever - when you put the foil on the glass did you heat the glass on a paper towel in an electric frying pan, the foil will adhere to the glass much easier and if you where to be doing a lot of piece - say in a tiffany lamp with 2,500 piece your fingers take a real beating - the heating causes the copper foil to become more malleable and less damaging to fingers. I always get the thinnest foil I can.

I use to produce a collection of 12 inch round windows of different flowers and I have a zinc bender so I could make a solid border for them making it easier to hang the panel.

I got interested in glass because of a plant terrarium I seen and decided to make one it was Buck minister Fullers icosahedron or basic solid made with 20 equilateral triangles.

P.S. When you look at a piece of Stain Glass (Stained Glass)it does not look like a dirty filthy job but you can get real black from the lead in no time...great care and understanding of the medium is imperative.

I have been getting pallets from the shipping department where I work and with a few tools they mill down to some gorgeous wood from the Orient/south east Asia.

Thank you Cliver... I use scraps at this point.. There is an artist near me that tosses BIG scraps for 2 bucks a pound.. I have never heard of heating the glass before but it is an idea that I will remember.. I do agree handeling the glass will make your fingers sore and tired!
How exactly do you do the foil? I have a little machine thing that helps me place it and then a little wooden stick thing that I use to rub the copper tight to the glass.. Of course after I clean it well..
Also I have a real tough time making the hanger stay on seems to pull off on one side all the time!!

I do not heat the glass so hot that it is uncomfortable to handle. Heat make the glue really stick. I burnish the foil after I have bent it over the glass with a sharpy black magic marker as there is always one in the studio Because of some designs containing deep concave cuts. I think the heat helps the foil take the shape of the glass with out cracking on the deep curves.

I do not use foil much anymore with the exception of the Clive-A-Scopes (play on words) I make every couple of years by a hundred or two in a mass production run. I use dried flowers in one round disk and all greenery in the second disk that make a beautiful array of colour and detail x 6.

I find the machine way to slow for me. I am good at foiling after 30 years and 100,s of thousands of pieces later. I remember trying to make extra money foiling for ten cents per piece and doing thousands of pieces.

I have made many of the tiffany lamps that are in the Worden mould kits. My favourite lamp was and still is the cheery tree lamp made in the Tiffany Studios in N.Y. with 3600 pieces and made with real polished jewels for the cherries.

Here is a good picture of the Cheery Tree

http://www.tiffany-lamps.de/TIFFANY_LAMPS/25IN_CHERRYTREE/AA.html

I use only thick copper wire and I tin it first and always connect it to where a lead line comes to the borderor at the edges on the vertical. If you want round pieces of copper then wrap it around a pencil till you have several wraps then use side cutters to snip down one side making many round pieces to hang. It looks like you used a ¼ inch lead on the borders I prefer zinc came and tin it so I can copper plate it or some other patina. A cheap and fun way to make great gifts is to take scraps and break them in to ½ inch pieces and using white welbond glue, wood glue, and glue the pieces on to some clear glass. Spread only enough glue on the clear glass that you will finish. If you can dry the glue in bright hot sun it will dry quit clear.

The finish is a plaster of Paris with lamp black in it to fill the joints around your mosaic. If you want to make a candle holder foil it together and flat solder the glue on the stained glass.

And I forgot to say stretch the copper wire to make it perfectly straight...

Hey you two..
I am seriously enjoying this conversation...
but it's under your surger question...

Anyone wanna copy and paste your info you already wrote back and forth to each other and I'll come back here *after you let me know you two went and re~did these posts'* and edit them out..

The info is tooooooooooo good to get lost under the surger conversation....

I am having trouble navigating. I thought the thread was called stained glass...I will figure this out...

Not a problem Clive..
We're on If either of you two want to start a post..
Go ahead..

If you'd like me to..
I can also..
**I just didn't want to loose any of the great info you two have been talking about...**

We'll figure something out..

I use a Serger at home all the time.
It is great for heavier cloths as well as thing.
It makes a seam that you dont have to turn up to hem...
It can be used raw.......for hems. I love them.

dodge

Rita, that is a cool looking machine. I want one, dunno what all I would do with it, but I want one especially if it can hem clothes!!

Spring Fever,
those are one of the best inventions ever! I use it for everything I make, including underwear.
Turn any piece of clothing you have inside out and you'll see what it can do. I couldn't imagine my sewing room without one. I've used it for every single piece of clothing I've made, prom dresses and all. It's an amazing machine! (can you tell I adore the darn thing? lol)

Try googling 'easy serger projects' or something like it and it should come up with tons of stuff to do with it, not just clothes. Or maybe the Joann's site, or Sewing With Nancy...there's tons. You can make some very beautiful placemats and matching napkins by using specialty threads. (Lurve the sparkly gold and red for Christmas!)

You lucky thing you! Experiment and have some fun with it!

Sewobsessed, I have been working here and there with it.. Getting the tention just right is the hard Part!
I do have a question though How do you thread it to where the right colors on the right side of the machine??

SpringFever, I'm not sure I understand exactly what you mean. You should be able to use that for either a 3 or 4 thread stitch, which would mean you have 2 loopers and 2 needles. Correct?

To use as 3 thread, just omit one of the needles (I believe it's always the outer most left one to leave out for 3 thread, though I always use 4, so can't really remember!)

There should be arrows that show you exactly where each thread goes as you thread the machine. (If you pull the front door down, there should be arrows or a picture in there, too, that shows you how to continue threading). The one farthest right should go from the cone, down into the right tensioner (give the thread a little tug after you get it in the tensioner to make sure the thread is seated properly) and then through the loopers (for that perticular thread) and across the feed bed. Same with the next one in to the left. The 2 farthest left should go from the cone, through the tensioners, around the little thread holder, then down and through each needle and out the back.

Ok, HUGE hint here: When you want to change thread colors, don't UNTHREAD the old color! Snip it way back by the thread cone, then tie on your new thread to the old in a very small knot. Run the machine on some scrap fabric (or nothing, since these babies sew on air and you can do cool things with the thread chains), and the new thread will run right through until you are sewing with it. But, just don't try to make the knot of the new thread go through the eye of the needle, cause, uh, it won't fit! lol. Just snip it when it get to the needle and rethread needle with new color. Voila!

You can't use regular thread on it like the spools you use for a regular machine - they are much too think. Serger thread comes on big cones (cause you go through LOTS) and is much, much thinner than regular spool thread. If you're using regular sewing thread, you may never get the tension right.

Ok, have I confused the heck out of you yet?
Just keep playing with it....you'll get it! No fear!

OH my That is a lot of information! But it is usefull!!

I have tried and finally got some practice in that don't look totally terrible! Pretty good now to figure out the other attachments.. So you can sew instead of having it cut the ends... And also figured out I need a lot more cones of thread.. It does use a bunch of it your right and the Idea for changing the thread is terrific! It is not tooo bad to change but my big thing was trying to get all the old thread out of the maching...
I guess the question was do you use all the same color or a bunch of different ones.?

back to Serger......

It is very easy machine to use.. Threading is the hardest part.

I made many hooded zipper jackets with mine. It binds the ends so one does not have to roll the material 2 times to hem....makes very neat seams.
Just take 2 pieces of material doubled , and run the end thru and you can see.

dodge

Well, what color thread you use will depend on what effect you'd like to achieve.

I usually have mine threaded with either all black or all white, since that is what will work with most colors of fabric for clothing, unless it will be seen on purpose somewhere (like rolled hem edge)or under a sheer fabric.

You could experiment and use 4 different colors to get a rainbow effect. Just remember that your 2 needle colors will never really do anything except make 2 rows of straight stitching, unlike the loopers, which will show most.

I guess it would depend on what you're making with it. For placemats and such, I use a pretty thread in the loopers and a contrasting thread for the needles.

Oh, you might want to keep an eye out for sales on the cone thread because although it goes a long way, it can get really expensive. Especially if you adjust the stitches close together.

I wish I had a cam so I could explain better. Ugh!

If you have any other questions...just shoot 'em at me! lol.

sewobsessed

I was a serger operator in 5 different factorys , and can tell many stories.....First one, is keeping it threaded properly..
Very nerve wracking..
However I use whatever types of threas I have here.
An colors.
You dont have the rainbow in everything.. I make a black top I use all black. Red top use red.
You can mix several shades of colors in one.. But the mixture of colors arent to good for a more serious person..

Oh well.....Have fun, if you can..
What do you make ..?
dodge

Wow Barb That is a LOT of sewing!! I don't sew many cloths.. But do lots of projects.. My Mother in Law gave it to me on account she could not figure it out... And if I could sew her slip cover for her couch!! I wanna make sure I get it just right or I will feel bad..

I have a few test materials I have used.. Looks like it is getting a bit better..I do however need to get more cones of thread..

Yes there are 2 needles I am just starting out though.. Have to figure out how I can just sew with it instead of having it chopping off the edges as well as figure out how to get the tention just right...

I may have to break it out today and just practice with it! I am sure that is the only way to get anywhere and get it figured out!

springfever

Stop chopping off.. All you have to do, is move the material to the left .....Dont let it go under the cutter.......
Hold your material anywhere you want it .

Setting tension.....You have 4 knobs to set the tension...Just the smallest movement is all you should do .....

Another thing........The tension will not be correct, if your machine isnt threaded properly.
right hand needle
left hand needle
upper looper and
lower loope .........must all be treaded exactly as they colors show.. each one has a different color on the machine and you follow the color.

Hope I can help
Tension knob....increase, and decrease.. turn right or left.

dodge

I didn't have any trouble threading it corectly I think it is just a matter of getting used to this new contraption now ... Figuring out all the extras it has!

springfever,

ok
need help .holler..

dodge

SpringFever,
the cutter on my machine will flip out of the way so it won't cut and just sew if you give the very top of the cutter a pull to the right and then twist the cutter backwards.

See if yours will do that too.

Yes it does.........I dont usually do that. My machine is a different brand .Juki.

I think yours is Brother?
They are all basically the same way..

dodge

Cool I will check it out thanks Barb and Sewobsessed... what is your name??
I am Rita..

sewobsessed


What do you make on yours
Tell me more we can share topics.......Projects.

I do many things.

Barb

OK I have Pics of how I am doing any advice will be GRAND!!!



Top stitched part...



Back stitched... I thought I did pretty good just cant figure out which tention is not quite right...

springfever,

2nd one is better.

I"d say the Looper is the problem.
The needles are the the 2 lines away from the end .

===
The thread which binds the raw end are the loopers.......
Try the lower looper..Just a tiny bit.

dodge

The left Needle and the LOwer looper form a chain
and
the right needle and the upper looper form the 2 thread overedge stitch......

dodge

On this one i just used a left needle and 3 spools and tried my best to ajust the tention to try to get the right things going on ... I will try again on thurs... Kinda still working on the tention it is a tough on for me but I am getting it!! Sort of ...

you have 3 spool Brother.........

Most of the time the Tension is set fairly close on each .........Say if one is on 5, the rest are usually 5 or close to it......

Try loosing upper tension, and tighten lower.

See if it helps?

dodge

I can use either 3 or 4 spools and 1 or 2 needles... The stitch I am going to need is with the 3 spool so I have been working on that... I will try it some more maybe later this evening!

Rita,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, been doing the winter sowing thing.

Ok, you have some issues going on, lol, but no biggie.

When I worked in a T-shirt factory, we used to get stitches like that once in a blue moon when someone loosened our tension knobs. Not funny. lol.

Anyway, your top looper tension doesn't look as bad (still off, but not as bad as the other), but the bottom loopers is much, much too loose. You see how the loop is being pulled all the way around to the top of the fabric?

Since the top doesn't seem too tight, try tightening the bottom looper a little at a time until both top and bottom threads loop at the exact side of the fabric. You see how both loopers are still so loose that the back (bottom) loop is being pulled right up to the top of the fabric? If you tighten the bottom, it might fanagle the top into position a bit more, but I'd tighten both of them a few notches right off the bat and see how it looks.

You won't know until you give it another adjustment and try, if the needle tension is too tight and pulling the bottom looper thread to much, or not. You really can't go by the #'s on the tensions, mine are set at 5,4,3,6...while my Aunt's machine is set at 2,2,5,8. All machines are different in that regard, you just have to 'feel' it out.

I did a quick 3 thread to show you...butI tightened the bottom looper a bit so you could see where the threads are. I scanned the pics, but there's no way to upload them here, apparently. If you'd like me to send them in an email, just give me a shout!

Tina

Hi Tina I will send you a pm... You can also use

www.photobucket.com it is free and pretty easy to use... if you have any questions just give me a shout..
Thanks
Rita

Hi Tina Thanks I got the E-mail and it worked out great!! Thankyou!! Now I have something to look at so I know when I am getting it right..

Barb thanks for all your help as well... I think I am going to have to put stickers on for upper and lower and such so I get a better idea of what I need to tighten or loosen.. It is a pain in the butt to look at my book all the time

Springfever,

Here is a copy of the 4 spool serger stitch.
What it looks like when it is correct.. My Serger shop gave me it..

dodge

Nice work Barb... Can you turn corners with them?? I kinda tried but it didn't seem to work so well...

Do either of you know if it sews thin leather?

Spring fever ,

Dont sew leather.....I ruined my first serger with leather......It buggered up the looper.. Mechanic said it cant be fixed......It was cheap and got knocked out of aleignment..However it is spelled.

Now for corners......If it is straight you run off the corner leaving the strings attached turn the material and go back on......

FOr round curves ......Just twerl your material with the left hand as you sew....It goes right around easily........Just takes a while to learn to twerl. I like doing it.

dodge

Is it kinda like a sewing machine in that aspect Barb? Like don't force it or stop and turn?? I know I can shut off the feeders that make it go straight..

springfever.....

What I meant about going straight,
run the material past the foot...........
At the corner just turn the material an head back.
You will have a loop of thread there.. Don't cut it off........It will unwind the end.. See the serger doesnt tie the end at all ......You must let a little string hang.

If you want to sew leather .......You need an industrial machine for that type only.. Industrial comes in different varietys also.
One for fur .One for leather....

Quite an expensive hobby.

dodge

I have those machines at work but if it was an ultra thin leather I thought it would be OK it is lighter than denim sooo I was not thinking it would damage the machine at all??

springfever,

Then you should know they require Heavy needles.

Denim.. Isn't too heavy itself...But if you hit a double seam like Jeans have, I wouldn't know for sure .....

I used to get yelled at for hemming jeans for girls at work.....They were industrial machines. Heavy duty.......

I was repairing a leather work glove when I broke my machine.

dodge

In the manual it says heavy duty materials like denim.It will sew sooo I don't know..I will try an take a picture of it tomarrow and show you OK??

sprngfever

It will sew denim.......
I do believe you.......

Just watch for heavy seams ...

What are you making with denim? I did a few jackets....But used the straight machine to hem.

I serge the ends, then turn up that and hem with the straight machine.

dodge

Gotcha Barb I will mail you tomarrow OK then you will understand what I am trying to do??