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Post by Nova Darklighter on Jan 1, 2004 19:08:18 GMT -5
Well, who got a sewing machine for Christmas? ;D Well, I didn't get one for that, but I did buy a new Serger in Oct., it's a Kenmore, with a few good features and I got several optional attachments for it, that cost about anothe 2/3 what the machine did, so about $500 all told, that I still haven't had time to play with, and on Mon. I will be getting a real find, a friend must sell her sewing machine, a Bernina, it's a mega machine, and will be complete with a huge case of parts & attachments & computer cards. It's the kind of machine I'd never think of buying, (because I couldn't afford this one, new it was about $2000.) but this is too good to pass up. While it's several years old, it's in nearly mint condition, I will be getting it for a very reasonable price. I borrowed it from her once and it is a powerful machine, so I won't be looking for the industrial anytime soon, this machine will do almost everything that an industrial will do, and is as powerful, I think it also does embriodery, thus the computer cards, I think it will take even me a while to master this machine, but I'm looking forward to the task. The manual to this thing is about as big as a good sized coffee table book. I'm really sorry that she needs to sell it, I'm giving her a 6 mos. buy-back clause, but I can't believe I've gotten this lucky, I'm borrowing some of the money from, as usual, my Boss's wife, she's always really great about things like this as long as I pay her back in a timely manner. But I think I'll make her a nice pc of garb, or another sort of gift to say thanks. She and I are good friends and hang out together, She's going to the MSR Valentine's Revel with me. Well, more new garb. And of course, new Jedi stuff is in the planning. Perhaps an extravagant year for sewing machines, but I've already made since Halloween more than I spent on the cost of the one machine, and they last a really long time so it's not likely that I'll have to buy another for years. My older serger is about 16 years old and still working pretty much like new, and the Riccar is still in great shape, it was about 10 years old when I bought it last year. I'm so excited. , but I won't get to play with it until I get back from visiting my Mother, but now I know what I'll be reading on the plane, , The Machine Manual!!!!
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Schph Gochi
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"traveling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops boy"
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Post by Schph Gochi on Jan 2, 2004 6:24:08 GMT -5
no... no sewing machine....but my friend has like three machines and one serger.....one of her machines has the electronic embroidery thingy....she even recently asked me about sending our logo to be digitized so that an electronic embroidery machine can stich it....I may look into that...
I love my little machine...I recently designed and sewed some bracers out of an imitation leather with a fabric and backing and batting in between...the little machine (with a leather needle) just went right through all three layers.....my machine doesn't do too much..it is simple...but I do love it....and I am sooooooo glad I bought it.
I was thinking of getting a serger...but don't know if I will do enough sewing to warrant that purchase....
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Post by Nova Darklighter on Jan 3, 2004 0:16:58 GMT -5
Sergers are great, and better than they were when I bought my 1st one, now even the low end ones do more than mine did when new. Though because of it's power & speed I wouldn't trade it for anything. But I will tell you that I do things on a serger that save a lot of time and give a cleaner finish. Some time I cut the garment as I'm sewing with the serger blade, cut, clean & finish all in one step. I don't recommend doing that unless you really know that pattern inside out, but I do that alot with robes, skirts, and lots of medieval garb. I use it to clean the edges of things so I don't get ragged edges inside my garments, especially the unlined ones. Most people who have them won't give them up. I can finish a full robe start to finish in about 4-6 hours, depending on the amount of topstiching I do on the regular machine, I could do it faster, but I like the topstiched edges that I put on mine at the front and around the hood, most of their's seem to have a kimono border at the front closing. I think the machine that I'm getting may also do embriodery, as it has computer cards, and I think I remember my friend saying that it will do that, from the sounds of it, there isn't much that this machine won't do. I can't wait till I get it, even though I won't be able to do anything with it till I get back, I have to do some serious sewing as soon as I get home, as Coronation is that weekend, and I think I'll do an Italian Rennesiance thing for that weekend, well I finished a new chemise for the Yule that got snowwed out, so at least that is done. I just haven't found the fabric for the rest of it, as the Yule garb was all in Holly prints. It needs to be something that is period and sturdy enough to stand up to the wear & tear and rich looking and as far as I'm concerned most brocades I've seen aren't cutting it this year, I'm thinking I might look for a wool or a silk noile, I can always flat line those to get the weight or body that I want. I can always combine a couple of fabrics. I think I'll do a gown w/sleeves and a full surcote over it, I like the look, and if it gets warm I can take the surcote off. maybe I'll get to a fabric store in SC, I expect I will, probably a few, & Walmarts as well.
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Post by Nova Darklighter on Jan 3, 2004 0:23:23 GMT -5
Schph, you never did say what the machine you bought was. I meant to ask you what you got.
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Schph Gochi
Message Board Member
"traveling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops boy"
Posts: 9,278
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Post by Schph Gochi on Jan 3, 2004 7:39:33 GMT -5
My machine is a used White.....it is very simple...I got the machine and the case for $100.00....I am very happy with it...
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Post by Nova Darklighter on Jan 3, 2004 22:01:25 GMT -5
The 1st electric machine I uesd was a White that my Mother bought used, in the 1950's it was around for quite awhile, she finally bought a Kenmore table machine to replace it, but I think I liked the White portable better. I asked my friend today, and she said the machine does embroidery, but I don't know what I'd use that feature for, or when I'd get time to learn to use it. I think I'll have to go upstate to visit my friends Dale & Teri she has a Husquevarna that is similar to this but he know how to use it so they can show me how to set it up, and it's a good excuse to visit them, I'd sorta planned to go up for New Year's Eve, but got sidetracked. Maybe I'll go up to see them after I get back. I usually do better watching than reading from a manual when it comes to learning mechanical directions.
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Schph Gochi
Message Board Member
"traveling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops boy"
Posts: 9,278
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Post by Schph Gochi on Jan 4, 2004 6:56:14 GMT -5
My friend Sue is a Hueskavarna (sp?) person too...she says White is a subsidiary....anyway....her electronic embroidery machine is a Hueskavarna and you just put a floppy into the machine with a digitized design...and the machine embroiders it...I guess you have to change thread etc....but she had a photo of my GTO digitized and embroidered it on the back of a shirt...it looks really good....
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Post by Nova Darklighter on Jan 15, 2004 21:51:23 GMT -5
I think there is some kind of computer cards that can be ordered for the model that this machine is, but I'm not sure. I think that the Husquevarna your friend has is a newer model than this, and the technology is advancing by leaps & bounds over those made even a couple of years ago. If it turns out that she is unable to buy the machine back in a reasonable time I might look into a few of the cards. The machine has a pretty good reange of stuff that is programmed into it, I might try playing with that a little when I get some time or a project that it would be good to use it on, like maybe some MSR garb.
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Schph Gochi
Message Board Member
"traveling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops boy"
Posts: 9,278
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Post by Schph Gochi on Jan 16, 2004 6:23:11 GMT -5
Sue would kill me....she has a Viking...not Huskevarna....
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Post by Nova Darklighter on Apr 15, 2005 21:47:59 GMT -5
BUMP! Here it is. Also consider a used sewing machine. Sears Kenmore are pretty good for the $$$ as well.
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JediKai
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TJA Savior
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Post by JediKai on Apr 16, 2005 6:05:03 GMT -5
I recently purchased a new sewing machine and, for once, went for something higher up the complexity scale than my usual very basic machine. I spent some money and bought a new, electronic Husqvarna Viking 200. I'm even taking the classes and learned some cool stuff in the first one.
I bought it at Sew Expo Puyallup. While there I drooled over the Designer SE. A guy was demoing it on a small stage. It is a computerized embroidery machine. But at $8000, just a bit more than I wanted to spend!
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Post by DietVanillaMike on Apr 16, 2005 16:20:29 GMT -5
ok i went to sears today and they only brand in my price range was Kenmore please keep i mind that i am extremely new to this Kenmore #1 = $159.99 Features - 1 step buttonhole 12 stitch/ 30 functions easy drop feed? and something about a dog? twin needle capability Denim Capability pull-pull clutch Kenmore # 2 (the Mini Ultra) = $79.99 6 stitch/ 17 function push - pull clutch (what does this mean?) Denim Capability Full size capability Kenmore #3 = $89.99 2 stitches/ 19 functions 4 step button snap on foot system twin needle capability pull-pull clutch denim capabilty so which of these is the best for my needs, i wont be very hard on it im only planning on doing light work with it i think also can somebody tell me the difference between a sewing machine and a serger?
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Post by Nova Darklighter on Apr 16, 2005 21:40:00 GMT -5
A serger is a double needle 3,4 0r 5 thread machine that also has a blade, great thing but I think you'll do fine with a regular machine, from the ones you descibed, I'd say either the 1st or 3rd, the mini is cute, but to lt. weight. I'd also check around at sewing machine repair shops, sometimes great buys on trade ins.
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Ki-Ade Rane
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Ki-Ade is Back...
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Post by Ki-Ade Rane on Apr 19, 2005 22:56:22 GMT -5
Wow Nova you should do know a whole lot!
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Post by DietVanillaMike on Apr 21, 2005 20:29:10 GMT -5
Hey nova
well a funny thing happened, and now i own a serger but have absolutely no idea what to do, i was basically just asking some older women at my church if they could help me learn to sew, and one of them was all like, well i have a pretty new serger that you can have becasue im not going to use it any more
so should i just learn witht he serger? it looks a little complex to me but ill give it a shot
oh i dont know how old it is but the brand name is White, and it has 4 spools???
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