It’s a washed out day. I’m capable of only surfing and dreaming of my fantasy sewing room. My birthday is coming up and my boyfriend has been pestering me about what I want for my birthday.
Horn Gemini
Last year I asked for a Horn sewing cabinet when we move into a bigger place. The bigger place didn’t materise. So neither did the sewing cabinet.
Now Horn wouldn’t be my first choice – it’s rather ugly. But I was thinking more of function than form, since sewing on my desk is breaking my shoulders and neck (too high). I wanted the 3-step airlift feature so I can hide the machine away, have it level with the desk surface, or on the desk surface to sew free arm.
Koala TreasureChest Plus lV
The choices in the UK are very limited. If I were still living in America I might have considered a Koala sewing cabinet. But again, they are only marginally less ugly.
Now why can’t they make sewing cabinets that look as classy as a Pottery Barns Aris Desk?
Pottery Barn Aris small desk – sadly no longer available
Deluxe Sewing Center Wookdworking Plan
Now, of course if my boyfriend were the handy type, I’d ask for a custom built one. Like this Deluxe Sewing Center (plan and lift mechanism available for order online). But I got the urban DIY-what’s-that type. That’s boyfriend not sewing center of course.
Anyway, this year, still with no additional sewing space in sight, I’m aiming lower. Just about.
Husqvarna Designer Ruby
I was lusting after an embroidery machine. But a toe in the water later I’m thinking
(A) I don’t have the space for such a big beast; and
(B) I probably won’t do enough embroidery to justify the price tag.
Baby Lock Evolution
So next down the list of contenders is of course a home serger. Now the idea of clean-finish seams and puckerless knit sewing sound good. But what’s been stopping me is the idea of multiple spools of threads. I already have two overspilling drawers of threads of all different colors. Most I use only once for one garment. The idea of multiplying that by 3 or 4 just doesn’t bear thinking.
Do you own a serger? Do you keep a closet full of serger threads just to match the thread to the fabrics? Are there other strategies for keeping the thread pile under control?
Maybe I should just ask for a handbag instead? }:-)
I have a Brother 1034D and it’s a 4 thread serger with differential feed (HUGELY IMPORTANT FEATURE, IMO).
I followed a good bit of advice from the members of Pattern Review’s boards: buy basic colors like light grey, off white, dusty pink, black, brown, white, navy blue. I know it sounds like a lot but it’s worth it.
Here’s the best part: I chose my Brother because it can take both regular needles and regular spools of thread. Those colors I mention above pretty much “blend” with the fabric.
If I really want to match, then I only put a regular matching spool on the left-most needle(s) that do the straight stitch.
The two right ones (upper and lower loopers) typically do not show to the right side so no worries there unless you are rolling back a cuff or something.
Of course, I’ve since bought a few more shades but I took a look at my knit stash and bought accordingly.
I love my serger and I love sewing knits, it’s just soooo fast! The clean finish on some woven garments is pretty fantastic too!
I vote you ask for the serger for your birthday. And invest in half a dozen colors as I have done. You won’t regret it, trust me!
Thanks for the advice, Lakaribane.
I’ve started looking into which one to get now.
But obviously the thread pile worry hadn’t entirely gone away. I woke up this morning thinking there are expiration dates to serger threads, that they’re only good for one year, and that I need to plan carefully when I should buy which color to avoid wastage! Weird. }:-)