Want to teach yourself how to sew?
Here I wanted to mention some information about a basic sewing kit, basic necessities, as well as some good "how to sew books"
to get you headed off in the right direction if you are like I was in the beginning of this project- totally lost without a clue as to
what I needed to have on hand, and what I needed to learn.
The first thing you need OBVIOUSLY is a good quality sewing machine. Now, when I say, "good quality" I am not going off the
snobby deep end here. I mean, any good brand name sewing machine, with a warranty, for a good value in price. =0) My husband
bought me a sewing machine years ago, and I am ashamed to say it hadn't been touched until I started this project. I was lucky
this year and received a NEW sewing machine with lots of options for Christmas, but I still haven't figured out how they work
yet-LOL. I had sewn in junior high school, in home economics and that is all I remember. Making a pillow. LOL.
I felt kind of lost and out of control about this "huge insurmountable task" I had placed before myself, but then I remembered, or
reminded myself that I had made my own wedding dress, with no pattern. So you might be saying to yourself "so what's your
problem-you're talented!" But sometimes we forget we are, I think- or at least I did.
My advice to you is: buy the best that you can afford. If that is $500.00 USD, so be it, if it is only $99.00 USD- so be it. You do get
what you pay for. I suggest comparison-shopping. One place I look to for advice is AMAZON.COM. You might be thinking to
yourself- don't they just sell music and books?!? No.
What I do, when considering a purchase, I go to the Amazon.com web site and type in the search box "sewing machine". I get the
results. What you are able to do here is look at some of the most currently available items, product descriptions, photos, plus (the
most important to me) other customer's opinions and experiences with said product. You can get an idea of the quality of the item
if everyone posts there, "this item stinks". And why. Something you don't get when you walk into a department store- unless there
happens to be over 25+ customers standing next to the item you're considering buying who just so happen to have that item and
are willing to talk to you about it!! So take advantage of this. The web site is linked below.
Now that you've got your machine, you need tools and accessories. The #1 item I bought was a few "how to sew" books, for when I
was lost. Again, I turned to Amazon.com. I found the best book ever. It is titled: "The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing" and it is
used as a textbook in sewing courses. It is awesome. It shows you in full detail, full color blown up pictures, how to do what you
want to do. How to prepare fabric, details on fabric type needles and techniques, alterations, darts, hem, I mean EVERYTHING. I
couldn't have done my project without it. If you are a beginner like me, you need this book! I also suggest buying a couple more
books, as a sort of "second opinion" for when you get confused. Some other titles you could check out are:
-Simplicity's Simply The Best Sewing Book
-Schiffer's Fabric Sewing Guide
After you've read up on basic sewing needs inside the books, you will get an idea on what you need to stock your kit with. You may
already have on hand several items. I didn't. I had the machine, and nothing else. Oh, I did have an Iron and Ironing board =0).
A note on that- my books state that you need a good quality Iron for sewing. It is true. The basic must have is an Iron that can
produce a good steam, and not just "drip" water on your fabric. If your iron is well out of date, you might want to consider getting
a new one. I got lucky, and just cleaned up our old Iron, and it does the job just fine. I cleaned my Iron before I ever used it on a
piece of fabric. I had the old user's guide on hand, so I followed the instructions in the pamphlet on how to clean the Iron. I
won't give suggestions, because what I did to my Iron may not be safe for your Iron- consult your user's guide. I did notice at the
fabric stores, they sell a chemical product called "Whink" Steam Cleaner. I just used common household items. If you do this step,
and read through the info in your user's guide you will get better use out of your Iron I am sure. Or at least you won't worry about
pressing delicate fabrics or staining things with your iron.
The same goes for sewing machines. Since my old machine I made this costume with had been in the closet collecting dust for
years, I went back to my user's guide on how to clean it, dust it out, change the needle (man was it dull!)oil it, etc. It instantly
started running smoother. I think I will be adopting this routine on each new project I start, because I got such good results from
doing the extra steps. Try searching on Amazon.com for some steam irons if you are in the market for a new one. I also purchased
a new ironing board cover, as ours was dilapidated and wouldn't stay in place. I found a good one at Wal-Mart for under $10
USD. Find yourself some of those "sheet garters" often found in the bedding sections, these are a strip of expandable elastic with
two metal clips on either end, these can be used to hold the ironing board cover snugly in place. I then purchased necessities.
My list of basic necessities for sewing includes:
*Sewing machine.
Sewing Machine Buying Guide from The Bovine Illuminati
Sewing Machine Buzz Words from The Bovine Illuminati
*Steam Iron, ironing board with cover, press cloth, pressing ham (the first time you try to press a curved seam you'll wish you had
this) sheet garters for holding the cover taught.
*Dressmaker's shears, pinking shears, seam ripper, embroidery scissors or snips, rotary cutter with cutting mat is nice if you want
to use it.
*Seam gauge, yardstick, tape measures.
*Fray-Check (liquid fray preventer), a box of sew-in Velcro comes in handy, as well as some 3/4" black or white elastic.
*Pins, and pin cushion machine needles of various sizes for different fabrics and hand sewing needles, threads, extra bobbins, and
thimble.
*An extra sewing machine light bulb, duster and tool kit for opening up the machine (screw drivers), machine oil and clean rag.
*Marking pens, or pencils or marker with transfer paper (your choice), pencil sharpener.
*Pattern, fabric, notions for said pattern (see pattern envelope). Tape for manipulating pieces and putting them back together.
** A note on patterns:
-Each season the pattern companies discontinue patterns that aren't making enough money or aren't selling well (not enough
interest). When this happens (as it was explained to me by a sales clerk at the local Jo-Ann Fabrics store) each new catalog has an
index in the back. If the index shows that a certain pattern is no longer listed or discontinued, they have to go in and THROW
AWAY these patterns! What a tremendous waste. Shipping them back to the pattern companies for recycling would be nice. I
couldn't believe my ears, but she said not even the store employees can have them or buy them, they can't even put them on
clearance. This is what's going on in my neck of the woods; it may not be the case at every store. So the point I am making to you
here is: When you find a pattern you really like, buy it.
-Get yourself on your local fabric store's mailing list for preferred customers. Every time they have a sale on patterns and fabric
you'll get a flyer from them. Can you believe that on one day you could pay $6.99 USD , and the day they are on sale, $1.99 USD
for the same pattern! My advice is: make yourself a list of all the patterns you want in a particular season's book, then when you
find out the patterns are on sale stock up before they are gone. The same thing goes for fabric. The longer I've been sewing, and
more time I spend in the fabric and craft stores the more I learn. The wiles and ways of the wild craft store LOL =0). There is a
method to it. Get in the "swing" at your local store and you'll save yourself money.
-If you lose out on a particular pattern, you can always look online at sewing groups and pattern retailers or people who buy like
every pattern ever made and see if someone has a back stock discontinued pattern. If anyone knows of another place on the web
besides eBay for finding out of stock discontinued patterns, email me and I'll post it here too. If you head over to eBay and type in
the search engine the name of the pattern you're looking for "Simplicity ----" you'll probably find it there.
**A Dress Form.
This isn't a requirement for sewing, rather a REALLLLLLLLY NICE thing to have if you can afford to get one. It is a "dummy" or
model of yourself, or the person you are making the clothing for, with the exact measurements you dial in to specify. This can
help you see what you are doing so much better, when pinning, and trying to figure out what goes where. It was a blessing for me
when I got mine as a gift for Christmas. I used to have to ask my husband to try things on for me so I could figure things out
sometimes LOL! But don't tell him I told you that! ;0)
I got mine from Hancock Fabrics online store and the cost was only $99.00 USD, plus $7.00 USD for shipping. Not too bad. I
did have to buy it online from the catalog because they do not carry the large model (Large size ranges are: bust 44" - 50", waist
37"-43", hips 46"-52", and Full Figure size ranges are: bust 48"-54",waist 41"-47",hips 51"-57") They only carry the standard sizes in
store. Just so all of you know, they do make the Dress Forms in larger sizes! Mine is a Large Twin Fit Dress form. See the web site,
and look under the category "sewing accessories-dress forms".
Once you have all this in hand, you can go forward without having to make multiple trips to the fabric store. I didn't know what I
would need so I just bought the patterns, and then the books, then the fabric, then the extras. Bottom line is, if you have at least
some of these items on hand before you pick your pattern, you won't have to stop and start when you realize you don't have the
right tool for the task. =0)
I suggest you take a look at your local Wal-Mart (if you have one near you) because they have sewing items, and can be sometimes
less expensive than the fabric stores. Also try local sewing machine retailers if you need special parts, such as a zipper foot, etc.
When in doubt, consult your user's guide, your "how to sew" books, the staff at the fabric store will help you (that's what they're
there for) or a friend or relative who knows how to sew. You can do this...it's not that difficult. =0)
Here I wanted to mention some information about a basic sewing kit, basic necessities, as well as some good "how to sew books"
to get you headed off in the right direction if you are like I was in the beginning of this project- totally lost without a clue as to
what I needed to have on hand, and what I needed to learn.
The first thing you need OBVIOUSLY is a good quality sewing machine. Now, when I say, "good quality" I am not going off the
snobby deep end here. I mean, any good brand name sewing machine, with a warranty, for a good value in price. =0) My husband
bought me a sewing machine years ago, and I am ashamed to say it hadn't been touched until I started this project. I was lucky
this year and received a NEW sewing machine with lots of options for Christmas, but I still haven't figured out how they work
yet-LOL. I had sewn in junior high school, in home economics and that is all I remember. Making a pillow. LOL.
I felt kind of lost and out of control about this "huge insurmountable task" I had placed before myself, but then I remembered, or
reminded myself that I had made my own wedding dress, with no pattern. So you might be saying to yourself "so what's your
problem-you're talented!" But sometimes we forget we are, I think- or at least I did.
My advice to you is: buy the best that you can afford. If that is $500.00 USD, so be it, if it is only $99.00 USD- so be it. You do get
what you pay for. I suggest comparison-shopping. One place I look to for advice is AMAZON.COM. You might be thinking to
yourself- don't they just sell music and books?!? No.
What I do, when considering a purchase, I go to the Amazon.com web site and type in the search box "sewing machine". I get the
results. What you are able to do here is look at some of the most currently available items, product descriptions, photos, plus (the
most important to me) other customer's opinions and experiences with said product. You can get an idea of the quality of the item
if everyone posts there, "this item stinks". And why. Something you don't get when you walk into a department store- unless there
happens to be over 25+ customers standing next to the item you're considering buying who just so happen to have that item and
are willing to talk to you about it!! So take advantage of this. The web site is linked below.
Now that you've got your machine, you need tools and accessories. The #1 item I bought was a few "how to sew" books, for when I
was lost. Again, I turned to Amazon.com. I found the best book ever. It is titled: "The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing" and it is
used as a textbook in sewing courses. It is awesome. It shows you in full detail, full color blown up pictures, how to do what you
want to do. How to prepare fabric, details on fabric type needles and techniques, alterations, darts, hem, I mean EVERYTHING. I
couldn't have done my project without it. If you are a beginner like me, you need this book! I also suggest buying a couple more
books, as a sort of "second opinion" for when you get confused. Some other titles you could check out are:
-Simplicity's Simply The Best Sewing Book
-Schiffer's Fabric Sewing Guide
After you've read up on basic sewing needs inside the books, you will get an idea on what you need to stock your kit with. You may
already have on hand several items. I didn't. I had the machine, and nothing else. Oh, I did have an Iron and Ironing board =0).
A note on that- my books state that you need a good quality Iron for sewing. It is true. The basic must have is an Iron that can
produce a good steam, and not just "drip" water on your fabric. If your iron is well out of date, you might want to consider getting
a new one. I got lucky, and just cleaned up our old Iron, and it does the job just fine. I cleaned my Iron before I ever used it on a
piece of fabric. I had the old user's guide on hand, so I followed the instructions in the pamphlet on how to clean the Iron. I
won't give suggestions, because what I did to my Iron may not be safe for your Iron- consult your user's guide. I did notice at the
fabric stores, they sell a chemical product called "Whink" Steam Cleaner. I just used common household items. If you do this step,
and read through the info in your user's guide you will get better use out of your Iron I am sure. Or at least you won't worry about
pressing delicate fabrics or staining things with your iron.
The same goes for sewing machines. Since my old machine I made this costume with had been in the closet collecting dust for
years, I went back to my user's guide on how to clean it, dust it out, change the needle (man was it dull!)oil it, etc. It instantly
started running smoother. I think I will be adopting this routine on each new project I start, because I got such good results from
doing the extra steps. Try searching on Amazon.com for some steam irons if you are in the market for a new one. I also purchased
a new ironing board cover, as ours was dilapidated and wouldn't stay in place. I found a good one at Wal-Mart for under $10
USD. Find yourself some of those "sheet garters" often found in the bedding sections, these are a strip of expandable elastic with
two metal clips on either end, these can be used to hold the ironing board cover snugly in place. I then purchased necessities.
My list of basic necessities for sewing includes:
*Sewing machine.
Sewing Machine Buying Guide from The Bovine Illuminati
Sewing Machine Buzz Words from The Bovine Illuminati
*Steam Iron, ironing board with cover, press cloth, pressing ham (the first time you try to press a curved seam you'll wish you had
this) sheet garters for holding the cover taught.
*Dressmaker's shears, pinking shears, seam ripper, embroidery scissors or snips, rotary cutter with cutting mat is nice if you want
to use it.
*Seam gauge, yardstick, tape measures.
*Fray-Check (liquid fray preventer), a box of sew-in Velcro comes in handy, as well as some 3/4" black or white elastic.
*Pins, and pin cushion machine needles of various sizes for different fabrics and hand sewing needles, threads, extra bobbins, and
thimble.
*An extra sewing machine light bulb, duster and tool kit for opening up the machine (screw drivers), machine oil and clean rag.
*Marking pens, or pencils or marker with transfer paper (your choice), pencil sharpener.
*Pattern, fabric, notions for said pattern (see pattern envelope). Tape for manipulating pieces and putting them back together.
** A note on patterns:
-Each season the pattern companies discontinue patterns that aren't making enough money or aren't selling well (not enough
interest). When this happens (as it was explained to me by a sales clerk at the local Jo-Ann Fabrics store) each new catalog has an
index in the back. If the index shows that a certain pattern is no longer listed or discontinued, they have to go in and THROW
AWAY these patterns! What a tremendous waste. Shipping them back to the pattern companies for recycling would be nice. I
couldn't believe my ears, but she said not even the store employees can have them or buy them, they can't even put them on
clearance. This is what's going on in my neck of the woods; it may not be the case at every store. So the point I am making to you
here is: When you find a pattern you really like, buy it.
-Get yourself on your local fabric store's mailing list for preferred customers. Every time they have a sale on patterns and fabric
you'll get a flyer from them. Can you believe that on one day you could pay $6.99 USD , and the day they are on sale, $1.99 USD
for the same pattern! My advice is: make yourself a list of all the patterns you want in a particular season's book, then when you
find out the patterns are on sale stock up before they are gone. The same thing goes for fabric. The longer I've been sewing, and
more time I spend in the fabric and craft stores the more I learn. The wiles and ways of the wild craft store LOL =0). There is a
method to it. Get in the "swing" at your local store and you'll save yourself money.
-If you lose out on a particular pattern, you can always look online at sewing groups and pattern retailers or people who buy like
every pattern ever made and see if someone has a back stock discontinued pattern. If anyone knows of another place on the web
besides eBay for finding out of stock discontinued patterns, email me and I'll post it here too. If you head over to eBay and type in
the search engine the name of the pattern you're looking for "Simplicity ----" you'll probably find it there.
**A Dress Form.
This isn't a requirement for sewing, rather a REALLLLLLLLY NICE thing to have if you can afford to get one. It is a "dummy" or
model of yourself, or the person you are making the clothing for, with the exact measurements you dial in to specify. This can
help you see what you are doing so much better, when pinning, and trying to figure out what goes where. It was a blessing for me
when I got mine as a gift for Christmas. I used to have to ask my husband to try things on for me so I could figure things out
sometimes LOL! But don't tell him I told you that! ;0)
I got mine from Hancock Fabrics online store and the cost was only $99.00 USD, plus $7.00 USD for shipping. Not too bad. I
did have to buy it online from the catalog because they do not carry the large model (Large size ranges are: bust 44" - 50", waist
37"-43", hips 46"-52", and Full Figure size ranges are: bust 48"-54",waist 41"-47",hips 51"-57") They only carry the standard sizes in
store. Just so all of you know, they do make the Dress Forms in larger sizes! Mine is a Large Twin Fit Dress form. See the web site,
and look under the category "sewing accessories-dress forms".
Once you have all this in hand, you can go forward without having to make multiple trips to the fabric store. I didn't know what I
would need so I just bought the patterns, and then the books, then the fabric, then the extras. Bottom line is, if you have at least
some of these items on hand before you pick your pattern, you won't have to stop and start when you realize you don't have the
right tool for the task. =0)
I suggest you take a look at your local Wal-Mart (if you have one near you) because they have sewing items, and can be sometimes
less expensive than the fabric stores. Also try local sewing machine retailers if you need special parts, such as a zipper foot, etc.
When in doubt, consult your user's guide, your "how to sew" books, the staff at the fabric store will help you (that's what they're
there for) or a friend or relative who knows how to sew. You can do this...it's not that difficult. =0)
Craft & Fabric Store Opinions
If you are in California, this info will be very helpful to you! Here are some personal opinions of local fabric stores. Each shop I
have a chance to visit, I will come back here and post a review on that shop. I know it can be hard to find a shop with the
product you want locally, and shopping online for fabric is a two step process of first having to buy a sample to be sure it is
going to be what you want, and then a purchase. Sometimes taking weeks! Hope this spot helps you all. ;0)
Vacaville, California
Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts Store, Vacaville:
This fabric store has alot to offer. The main problem I see with this store is over emphasis on selling home decor and seasonal
items. In my opinion, they should focus more on selling fabrics and sewing items and devote less space to seasonal merchandise.
The store can be VERY cluttered almost littered with junk. It can be hard to navigate isles due to the fact they let everything lay on
floors and pile up. Great selection of fabrics for the quilter. Fabrics are seriously seasonal here, don't expect to find that shiny lycra
swimsuit material in Winter and don't expect to find wool in Summer. Basically they move fabrics in and out based on the season,
and if you missed it when it was "in" you'll have to wait and see if it comes back next year! Staff is not always knowledgeable.
Patterns for the big 4 go on sale almost monthly so wait until then so you can get them for $0.99 USD or close to that. Best value
on Vogue is when they are on sale for $3.99 ea. USD. Sometimes there can be a painfully long wait at the cutting table as this area
is often understaffed. They do not often ask if you need help finding something, most times you need to seek help (if you can find
someone available that is). Price wise, it is close to Hancock. They also carry paints, craft projects, floral, trims, ribbons, notions,
beading, rental or borrowing of home decor fabric swatches, foams and pillow forms, sewing machine classes and machine
embroidery inside the center of store by a separate entity. I think if they had more staffing and more people there to help you the
store could really improve. They could also improve the area around the registers. They have it set up so that you have to go around
candy and junk to get in line, the stuff is piled so high at times it causes conflict between people because you cannot see people
standing beyond the wall of candy and junk, and people accidentally "Cut" in line. If they could do away with this, it would be great.
If the pattern table was given more space that would be good too, if people are sitting at the tables it is often necessary to ask them
to move so you can pull the drawers all the way out to get to a pattern at the back of the drawer. If you are on their mailing list, you
have to bring in the flyer each time you shop and have your address label scanned other wise they drop you! That stinks. At least
that is what they told me. Bring in your 40% off coupon from the flyer for extra savings off regular prices, not sale prices.
Sometimes sale prices are better. Store has a web site for purchasing online.
Wal-Mart Sewing Section, Vacaville:
This place is tiny and tucked away at the back of the store. small selection of fabrics, whole wall of seasonal floral. Many seasonal
fabrics in cotton. Patterns as far as I can tell are just the usual 50% off regular prices, not on sale like at Jo-Ann or Hancock. Small
selection of patterns. Lots of bead craft/jewelery making. Small selection of art supplies. Small is basically the word here. Not the
stores main objective. Low prices, but limited. Always someone there to help you.
ABS Sew & Vac, Vacaville:
This place sells, services (the models they sell only), and teaches classes (the models they sell only) sergers, sewing machines,
quilting machines, embroidery machines. They also sell quilting notions, fabrics, needles, and the like. They are friendly service
wise, but the store is mainly geared toward the quilter, not the clothing or costumer. I sat down with an agent there as she patiently
explained the workings of a serger they sell. Only minimal sales pressure towards the higher end models, and although they will
order just about any model that the brand Babylock sells, they do not carry them in store and the basic jist I got from the clerk was
the manager/owner doesn't sell the less than $600+ models period.
Dixon, CA.
Wal-Mart Supercenter Fabrics & Crafts Department:
Wow! This supercenter ROCKS! The fabric area is much larger and nicer than the Vacaville store. Lots of craft supplies,
scrapbooking, art supplies like paints, beading, hobby. The only problem I see is that if you want an entire bolt of fabric from them,
you need to be there on a week day when the manager is present. The sales clerk told me she couldn't order any for me.? So I
would visit during the week if possible. Not as much selection as a fabric store, but allot nicer than the average Wal-Mart.
Sacramento, CA.
US Fabrics:
This is a very small "mom and pop" storefront filled to the gills with imported fabrics from India and Asia. fabrics for Indian
clothing and Saris. Not a wide selection by any means, but a typical selection of sheer dyed items and solids. Fabrics with jewels and
decorations. They also have some ready made (unsure if new or used) clothing for sale as well as Indian jewelery. If you're not
wanting to travel to the city (SFO) for Indian fabrics come here. Very very small and crowded though. Very helpful and nice.
Hancock Fabrics (El Camino Ave.):
This fabric store is larger than the Vacaville location by far. Fabric selection is about the same however. Main emphasis is on
quilters fabrics. Home decorator selection is about the same as the Vacaville location. No experience with the cutting table, can't
judge that. Can't judge customer service as well, because I just cruised through. Easy location near Arden Fair Mall. When you are
in this area, head over to U Bead It nearby on Yorktown Ave. for a huge selection of beading items. They also have a selection of
tiny beads for smaller scale projects like dolls too.
Meissner's:
This is a great place to come to if you are shopping for a sewing machine or serger or embroidery machine. Huge place. They have
allot of fabric but only for the quilters in mind. Small area with cutting table. No patterns for sale that I could see. Classes in a real
classroom held here. It looks like they do custom embroidery for business too. Huge selection of sewing and embroidery supplies
sewing feet all kind of accessories for your machines.
San Francisco:
Britex Fabrics
There are no words to describe the huge selection of items available at the Britex Fabrics Store in San Francisco. It will make you
swoon and your eyes glaze over. It helps to take someone with you who is not into needle arts and sewing to pull you away from
this place. =0) There are 4 floors to wade through. As you can see by looking at the picture to the left, they have everything. What I
found hard was that other than a very general directory of what you'll find on that floor, the headers or flags you'll find in a local
Jo-Ann store are not there so if you cannot spot a fabric by site from ten paces away, let alone by feel you need to ask for assistance
to find what you're looking for. The fabrics are organized by type and color range, but until someone tells you where that certain
type of fabric is, you may be lost in the mean time. Maybe it was just because I was overwhelmed by the quantity. The back of the
receipt tells you, "No refunds or Exchanges on Merchandise." So make sure to check your fabrics before purchase and after you get
home for flaws BEFORE cutting or washing, etc. I am sure they would accommodate you if there was a major problem with a fabric
not caused by the buyer such as a factory flaw that they did not notice, but ask just in case. Another problem for you if you are not
in the California area is, I do not think they want to send you the sales flyer, because the store clerk questioned me as I was filling
mine out as to where I lived to qualify that I am local or not. The staff is good and bad. Some are snotty and abrupt, and some
seem to go out of the way for you. It depends I guess.
They offer a lay-away program, they will hold items for you for 30 days. If you leave something with them longer than that it says
you forfeit your deposit and merchandise. I was also told that they prefer that if you're purchasing notions and trim from the 4th
floor that you pay for that on the 4th floor. I had brought everything with me to the front exit/entrance like a normal store. ..Silly
me.. I found some of the most exquisite laces, stunning shot silks and iridescent fabrics ever. Appliques to die for. .Another
drawback: no online ordering, no via email, or phone ordering. I am not sure why they wouldn't want to go this direction in this
day and age, but I am sure it must be a good one. If you want something and you cannot visit the store this is what you have to do:
Scenario A):Visit location and browse for what you want. Buy it then, but if you can't ask for a sample on a card, see above picture.
The sales clerk will put some samples on a card with their name on it. The price too. Then, send them that very same card via
snail mail with the yardage requirements. Ask them to contact you via telephone to discuss it if you want to do a credit card, or if
they no longer have the item etc. From what I gathered from the sales clerk they prefer to do business this way either right there in
person on site, or via snail mail with samples. Because of the amount of stock they have. Once you have your yardage always keep a
sample or two around from your scraps to mail back to them to re-order, with the name and price written down as before. Ask
BEFORE purchasing if the item you want is "no stock" which I found several times in the store and this means that once it is gone
they are not re-ordering it.
Scenario B): You've never been to the store and you live far away, can't visit the store. Take a sample of the fabric from your local
store that you can't find anymore(you bought it years ago but still have been holding onto the scraps), or a magazine clipping or
paint chips from the hardware store, something to give them an idea of what you are looking for. Put in the letter what you are
going to be using it for (formal, linens) and about how much you will need. They will then clip you some samples and mail that to
you. I would check up on them if you don't see anything for a month and I would keep copies of things sent to them in case it gets
lost in the the shuffle. Once you have the samples from the store and find the perfect match to what you need, then you send
THEIR sample back to them with your yardage requirements. Is this making sense? LOL. I don't know why it can't be easier to
order from them, but if you could see what I saw, if you are looking for an elusive extremely beautiful fabric or piece, then it is
worth the drive or wait or hassle.
If you are in California, this info will be very helpful to you! Here are some personal opinions of local fabric stores. Each shop I
have a chance to visit, I will come back here and post a review on that shop. I know it can be hard to find a shop with the
product you want locally, and shopping online for fabric is a two step process of first having to buy a sample to be sure it is
going to be what you want, and then a purchase. Sometimes taking weeks! Hope this spot helps you all. ;0)
Vacaville, California
Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts Store, Vacaville:
This fabric store has alot to offer. The main problem I see with this store is over emphasis on selling home decor and seasonal
items. In my opinion, they should focus more on selling fabrics and sewing items and devote less space to seasonal merchandise.
The store can be VERY cluttered almost littered with junk. It can be hard to navigate isles due to the fact they let everything lay on
floors and pile up. Great selection of fabrics for the quilter. Fabrics are seriously seasonal here, don't expect to find that shiny lycra
swimsuit material in Winter and don't expect to find wool in Summer. Basically they move fabrics in and out based on the season,
and if you missed it when it was "in" you'll have to wait and see if it comes back next year! Staff is not always knowledgeable.
Patterns for the big 4 go on sale almost monthly so wait until then so you can get them for $0.99 USD or close to that. Best value
on Vogue is when they are on sale for $3.99 ea. USD. Sometimes there can be a painfully long wait at the cutting table as this area
is often understaffed. They do not often ask if you need help finding something, most times you need to seek help (if you can find
someone available that is). Price wise, it is close to Hancock. They also carry paints, craft projects, floral, trims, ribbons, notions,
beading, rental or borrowing of home decor fabric swatches, foams and pillow forms, sewing machine classes and machine
embroidery inside the center of store by a separate entity. I think if they had more staffing and more people there to help you the
store could really improve. They could also improve the area around the registers. They have it set up so that you have to go around
candy and junk to get in line, the stuff is piled so high at times it causes conflict between people because you cannot see people
standing beyond the wall of candy and junk, and people accidentally "Cut" in line. If they could do away with this, it would be great.
If the pattern table was given more space that would be good too, if people are sitting at the tables it is often necessary to ask them
to move so you can pull the drawers all the way out to get to a pattern at the back of the drawer. If you are on their mailing list, you
have to bring in the flyer each time you shop and have your address label scanned other wise they drop you! That stinks. At least
that is what they told me. Bring in your 40% off coupon from the flyer for extra savings off regular prices, not sale prices.
Sometimes sale prices are better. Store has a web site for purchasing online.
Wal-Mart Sewing Section, Vacaville:
This place is tiny and tucked away at the back of the store. small selection of fabrics, whole wall of seasonal floral. Many seasonal
fabrics in cotton. Patterns as far as I can tell are just the usual 50% off regular prices, not on sale like at Jo-Ann or Hancock. Small
selection of patterns. Lots of bead craft/jewelery making. Small selection of art supplies. Small is basically the word here. Not the
stores main objective. Low prices, but limited. Always someone there to help you.
ABS Sew & Vac, Vacaville:
This place sells, services (the models they sell only), and teaches classes (the models they sell only) sergers, sewing machines,
quilting machines, embroidery machines. They also sell quilting notions, fabrics, needles, and the like. They are friendly service
wise, but the store is mainly geared toward the quilter, not the clothing or costumer. I sat down with an agent there as she patiently
explained the workings of a serger they sell. Only minimal sales pressure towards the higher end models, and although they will
order just about any model that the brand Babylock sells, they do not carry them in store and the basic jist I got from the clerk was
the manager/owner doesn't sell the less than $600+ models period.
Dixon, CA.
Wal-Mart Supercenter Fabrics & Crafts Department:
Wow! This supercenter ROCKS! The fabric area is much larger and nicer than the Vacaville store. Lots of craft supplies,
scrapbooking, art supplies like paints, beading, hobby. The only problem I see is that if you want an entire bolt of fabric from them,
you need to be there on a week day when the manager is present. The sales clerk told me she couldn't order any for me.? So I
would visit during the week if possible. Not as much selection as a fabric store, but allot nicer than the average Wal-Mart.
Sacramento, CA.
US Fabrics:
This is a very small "mom and pop" storefront filled to the gills with imported fabrics from India and Asia. fabrics for Indian
clothing and Saris. Not a wide selection by any means, but a typical selection of sheer dyed items and solids. Fabrics with jewels and
decorations. They also have some ready made (unsure if new or used) clothing for sale as well as Indian jewelery. If you're not
wanting to travel to the city (SFO) for Indian fabrics come here. Very very small and crowded though. Very helpful and nice.
Hancock Fabrics (El Camino Ave.):
This fabric store is larger than the Vacaville location by far. Fabric selection is about the same however. Main emphasis is on
quilters fabrics. Home decorator selection is about the same as the Vacaville location. No experience with the cutting table, can't
judge that. Can't judge customer service as well, because I just cruised through. Easy location near Arden Fair Mall. When you are
in this area, head over to U Bead It nearby on Yorktown Ave. for a huge selection of beading items. They also have a selection of
tiny beads for smaller scale projects like dolls too.
Meissner's:
This is a great place to come to if you are shopping for a sewing machine or serger or embroidery machine. Huge place. They have
allot of fabric but only for the quilters in mind. Small area with cutting table. No patterns for sale that I could see. Classes in a real
classroom held here. It looks like they do custom embroidery for business too. Huge selection of sewing and embroidery supplies
sewing feet all kind of accessories for your machines.
San Francisco:
Britex Fabrics
There are no words to describe the huge selection of items available at the Britex Fabrics Store in San Francisco. It will make you
swoon and your eyes glaze over. It helps to take someone with you who is not into needle arts and sewing to pull you away from
this place. =0) There are 4 floors to wade through. As you can see by looking at the picture to the left, they have everything. What I
found hard was that other than a very general directory of what you'll find on that floor, the headers or flags you'll find in a local
Jo-Ann store are not there so if you cannot spot a fabric by site from ten paces away, let alone by feel you need to ask for assistance
to find what you're looking for. The fabrics are organized by type and color range, but until someone tells you where that certain
type of fabric is, you may be lost in the mean time. Maybe it was just because I was overwhelmed by the quantity. The back of the
receipt tells you, "No refunds or Exchanges on Merchandise." So make sure to check your fabrics before purchase and after you get
home for flaws BEFORE cutting or washing, etc. I am sure they would accommodate you if there was a major problem with a fabric
not caused by the buyer such as a factory flaw that they did not notice, but ask just in case. Another problem for you if you are not
in the California area is, I do not think they want to send you the sales flyer, because the store clerk questioned me as I was filling
mine out as to where I lived to qualify that I am local or not. The staff is good and bad. Some are snotty and abrupt, and some
seem to go out of the way for you. It depends I guess.
They offer a lay-away program, they will hold items for you for 30 days. If you leave something with them longer than that it says
you forfeit your deposit and merchandise. I was also told that they prefer that if you're purchasing notions and trim from the 4th
floor that you pay for that on the 4th floor. I had brought everything with me to the front exit/entrance like a normal store. ..Silly
me.. I found some of the most exquisite laces, stunning shot silks and iridescent fabrics ever. Appliques to die for. .Another
drawback: no online ordering, no via email, or phone ordering. I am not sure why they wouldn't want to go this direction in this
day and age, but I am sure it must be a good one. If you want something and you cannot visit the store this is what you have to do:
Scenario A):Visit location and browse for what you want. Buy it then, but if you can't ask for a sample on a card, see above picture.
The sales clerk will put some samples on a card with their name on it. The price too. Then, send them that very same card via
snail mail with the yardage requirements. Ask them to contact you via telephone to discuss it if you want to do a credit card, or if
they no longer have the item etc. From what I gathered from the sales clerk they prefer to do business this way either right there in
person on site, or via snail mail with samples. Because of the amount of stock they have. Once you have your yardage always keep a
sample or two around from your scraps to mail back to them to re-order, with the name and price written down as before. Ask
BEFORE purchasing if the item you want is "no stock" which I found several times in the store and this means that once it is gone
they are not re-ordering it.
Scenario B): You've never been to the store and you live far away, can't visit the store. Take a sample of the fabric from your local
store that you can't find anymore(you bought it years ago but still have been holding onto the scraps), or a magazine clipping or
paint chips from the hardware store, something to give them an idea of what you are looking for. Put in the letter what you are
going to be using it for (formal, linens) and about how much you will need. They will then clip you some samples and mail that to
you. I would check up on them if you don't see anything for a month and I would keep copies of things sent to them in case it gets
lost in the the shuffle. Once you have the samples from the store and find the perfect match to what you need, then you send
THEIR sample back to them with your yardage requirements. Is this making sense? LOL. I don't know why it can't be easier to
order from them, but if you could see what I saw, if you are looking for an elusive extremely beautiful fabric or piece, then it is
worth the drive or wait or hassle.
I Think I Need A Serger...
If you've been sewing for a while you'll get to a point where you really want a serger. A serger is not a replacement for your sewing
machine, it's a buddy or companion to it. I got to that point, and here is my serger buying experience. I thought to post a story
about it here for all of you because I know that allot of people wonder the very same things when considering buying a serger. I
am not the only person who felt lost and alone wondering where to start. So hopefully this story will help!
Where do I start? That's a good question. Which one should I buy? That's right in the front of your mind. And no one is going to
tell you. Mostly because they do not feel comfortable steering you towards any one machine, after all- this is a semi large ticket
purchase and no one wants to influence you buy something you'd end up not liking even though they like it. So be prepared for
the fact that no one will tell you what serger to buy. Just put that out of your mind right now. The very first thing you need to do is
sit down and think about what you want to do with the machine. What do you usually make? Home decorating only? Costumes
only? Bridal and formals? All of the above? What do you want to use it for? Do I really need a cover stitch machine? Start making
some lists for yourself. This will come in handy when you are out shopping, as the sales clerk will want to know as well. The next
thing I did was do some question asking and some researching online. If you belong to some online discussion groups like a
Yahoo group, ask around there if anyone has opinions on machines. Ask around at your local fabric stores, as many of the clerks
there sew as well and have sergers. After asking around for some opinions I went researching on web sites.
Here are some good places to start:
An article in two parts on the Bella Online web site
How to buy a serger at EHow
Linda Lee Originals :Which Serger Should I Buy?
Home Sewing Association: What to look for in a Serger(pdf)
Serger Q&A at Sergerplace.com
Serger Shopper's Guide from The Bovine Illuminati
Once you have talked to a few people, asked yourself some questions, read some online articles and made some lists, you should be
ready to go shopping. You need to ask yourself a big, important question: How much machine can I afford? How much do I want
to spend? What does my budget allow? This is a really important issue. Here is what I discovered when I went out shopping: Most
of the places that I went to, the average price for an entry level serger was about $299-$400 USD. The average price for the next
step up from that was about $650-$700+ USD. The average price for the machines with all the bells and whistles: $1200+++ USD.
Yes, you can find a serger for less than $299, and we will get to that in a minute. =0) That's just the average price of a good brand
name beginner machine. So now that you know what to expect, ask yourself again: How much do I want to spend on this? This
might just depend on how much you intend to use it. If you're going into business for yourself and plan to sew with it every day,
making garments for customers and you can use the purchase of your serger as a business "write-of", you may want to go with the
work horse machines and the higher priced machines not the starter machines. If you are like me: using the machine as a learner
while you're learning everything else along the way you may not need the bells and whistles..just yet. So now that you've got your
price budget in mind you're ready to go out and test drive a few of them. This is the most (in my case) frustrating part.I had written
down on paper the names, make/model of the machines I wanted to try. They were in my price range and had some good reviews.
Good reviews?!
Sewing Pattern Review web site: Serger Reviews by Brand
The paper I had written the model numbers down on was a serger check list:
Serger Checklist available from the Sewing Pattern Review web site
Shopper's Check List Available from Indian Creek Quilt Designs web site (pdf)
When I got to each store what I found out was that they did not have the machines I wanted to try out in the store. They only had
the next higher price range up from those machines in the store. I wanted to spend about $300 USD for this. I quickly discovered
that the stores didn't carry anything lower than about $650 USD. And so, all the machines I had researched were down the drain.
The most common response from the sales person was, "No, we do not have that machine in the store, but we have this machine
here"... (insert name of $600+ USD model here). So- I did what anyone would do, I rolled with it. All hem puns intended. =0P
And here is another good point to talk about. Where do I buy a serger? First off, you want to buy your machine from a place that
will either offer you classes with the purchase of your machine, or offers servicing and repairs or preferably both. This is the point
where I get to the less than $299 serger comment. Just like anywhere else, with anything else you get what you pay for here. If you
decide that you want to order a serger online from eBay or from a fabric store or outlet store for let's say $199 +/- USD don't
expect to get servicing, or support, or perhaps a really sturdy machine. The exception to this might be: you are looking for a
specific model and brand because you've used it and you know exactly what you want, and someone is selling the machine for half
it's value on eBay-- but still you've got to consider the fact that you're buying it after market now, and there will be no warranty for
you. Warranties are usually non-transferable. But that might just be the chance you're willing to take to get a higher priced
machine for a lower cost. Hoping the seller or previous owner doesn't sell you a lemon. I would suggest a better thing to do would
be to head to a place like Meissner's of Sacramento which sells used machines that have been inspected, serviced, and carry a
limited warranty to the new buyer. That's my two cents on that. This said..you still get what you pay for. There's no getting around
it. I tried to explain to my husband (after receiving numerous phone calls and e-mails about cheap deals on sergers he found) that
buying a serger wasn't the time for deep discount shopping, tried to equate it to buying a car..well not that intense-but definitely
not the time for bargain bin shopping. So, to answer you again- yes, there are machines for less than $299 but do not expect allot
from them. Enough said.
So, where do you want to buy a serger? Here are some choices if you are in my local area
Meissener's of Sacramento
Viking Sewing Gallery inside each Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts Stores
Napa Sew and Vac
ABS Sew and Vac (Vacaville)
The general idea here is to go with a place that backs it's products. A place that can repair or service your machine. A Place that
can teach you how to use that machine better than the instruction video that comes with it. A place that has knowledgeable
service. A place like those mentioned above. Find some in your area. That's where you want to go. So now you know where you
want to buy it, and maybe a few you want to try out. So now you should be ready to go out and experience the machines and
different sales tactics. When you are level headed about it, stick firm to what you want, and kind of go into this with an observer's
point of view this can actually be a learning experience and a fun one.
What do I take with me? I took: a pen, a pad of paper, my business cards from Cinema-Fantasy along with my portfolio I am
building, some scraps of fabric I am used to working on (because I didn't know if I was supposed to bring in the fabric or not, and
boy was I glad that I did that! They all had the same soft light weight knits to sew on and maybe some tight woven cottons like
muslin. That's it. I wanted to know what the machine could do on some of the fabrics I am used to or like working with. So bring
some small squares of fabrics like chiffon, or satin, or the like-- whatever you're into. I brought the gold poly crinkle fabric, the
poly brocade, some muslin, some poly dupion like fabric, and some chiffon. Darn tootin' I wanted to see that tiny rolled hem on
the chiffon..my nemesis..chiffon..LOL--NOT for long!) I also brought the serger check lists. I also noticed that they do not expect
you to take the samples home with you, and so when you bring your own in there's nothing they can say about it.
So here are my experiences with the above mentioned stores:
1.)ABS Sew and Vac (Vacaville). This store is a dealer of the brand name "Baby Lock". This is the first store I went to. You can tell
they really cater to the home quilter. What place doesn't these days? Very friendly, but more friendly to the regulars. While I was
sitting down for a demo on a machine, the sales woman left me to help someone who just came in and literally took over my sales
clerk! How rude! The worst part was that the sales clerk didn't stand up to her and tell her she was with me. Now- I'm not saying
you're supposed to judge the machine by the sales person, I'm saying if you're out there and the words, "I'm in the market for a
serger..." come out of your mouth they better believe that they are being graded, not just the machine. What they do after those
words pass your lips does influence your purchase decision. That's just the way it is I think. If they drop the ball when you bounce
it towards them, you might want to go elsewhere. I found out that the machines I wanted to try were not there. I asked for three
different models. First, the woman said, "oh, I have never heard of those." Then it was "oh those must be really old machines." I
came back with "No-- because the reviews I read on pattern review dot com (blank look of never heard of that web site) has the
date they bought it and they are all recently (within the last few years) written reviews"..So then we went onto the baby lock web
site and low and behold there they were! So she says that maybe they could order it for me. She goes and gets on the phone to her
boss. I hear a one sided conversation in which she asks the boss if they can get me some of these machines in which the boss
basically says no because I do not want to sell less than a $650 machine. No real reason behind it. Just no. She doesn't come back
with a true reason why they wouldn't. So I say what the heck- and try out the $600 machine. I am here already. The machine was a
Baby lock Eclipse SX model for $649.00 USD. The main goal for me (for my own business needs) was to find a machine which
works well, is in my price range and has the ability to make real small hems and seams. I usually work with a 1/8- 1/4 seam
allowance on the doll costumes. So I wanted a machine that could do that. The narrowest seam on this one was slightly larger
than a 1/4 but honestly I do not know if this was true, the specs show a smaller capability than what I was shown. I didn't like
the way the stitches looked, rather messy. Later, I came to realize that the machine must not have been properly tensioned. Not a
very good sales pitch with a messy machine. You might want to ask about the proper tensions and point this out if it looks really
sloppy to you. This machine was moderately noisy, had adequate lighting, no trim catcher, was not a cover stitch machine, free
one on one or group style classes to orient you to your machine with purchase, a video for the machine, and came with a dust
cover not a case. When I got up to leave she did a sales pitch at me, to look at the $1200+ model.. "now, THIS machine can do
this.." Overall it was a good experience. But I knew that I wasn't going to buy there. I didn't want to spend that much, and I didn't
like the fact that they didn't want to sell me the one I could afford either. So I went on.
2.)Viking Sewing Gallery inside the Jo-Ann Super Center Concord, Ca. This store is a new Jo-Ann super center. I thought it
would be bigger and better than the local Jo-Ann's, and it turned out to be just bigger. There was only one sales clerk available in
the center when I got there and I had to wait for her to get off the phone. I noticed again that the machines I had written down
were not present. They had the models for $399 USD and up. The machine I sat down at was the Viking Huskylock 901 for $399
USD. The machine was less noisy than the Baby Lock machine, it came with a cover but no case, did come with a trim catcher, a
video and they do offer classes with the purchase of the machine, although I am not sure on what level- one on one or in groups,
it is not a cover stitch machine, it did not have a thread cutter on the machine, a 10 year warranty. The clerk made the machine
seem much worse than it actually was. Her tactic was to really downplay the machine as we went along. So much so that after I
left, I wasn't sure if I didn't like the machine because of the way she presented it or if I truly didn't like it. She was not very
familiar with the machine and so when I asked to see the narrowest rolled hem performed she first made comments about it like
it was a hassle, then she couldn't find the manual for the machine. She needed it so she could figure out how to do the rolled
hem? LOL But true. I think she wanted me to give in, but when I pressed for it, she had to make a phone call to her boss to ask
how to do it. She found out what to do from the boss (after she finished discussing other things with her boss) and came back
with the words, "My boss says that it can't be done on the machine." I Laughed out loud at that. She then quickly started to mess
around with the machine. After changing the plate out on the machine and removing a needle, we saw the hem. I can say at this
point I already knew I would never buy from this store. Maybe buy a Viking, but not from here. When I asked about the models I
had written down, she went and got one of them but it was in the box and of course she was not going to open it. When we were
through looking at the 901, she wanted me to look at the higher priced model as well. I did, and still wasn't impressed with the
whole experience. Overall it was a poor experience. As I got up to leave these words actually came out of her mouth, "What's it
going to take for you to buy a serger today?!" LOL! I came back with, "Nothing- because I am NOT buying one!" And I left. I went
into the local Viking Gallery to give Viking another chance. They did not even have the Huskylock 901 on the floor to try! They
only had the higher priced models. An interesting thing occurred at both Viking Galleries: When you come in they want to
collect your information from you. I didn't expect that. I was asked to fill out a questionnaire by the woman in Concord and when
I told her that I didn't give out my personal information she was put off by this. That's just me though, I strive HARD to cut back
on sales calls, solicitors, and junk mail. It's just how I am. If that doesn't bother you then by all means fill out the card. I just didn't
understand why they would need it other than to solicit me in the future. So when I went inside the Vacaville location I was
already familiar with the form, the woman there tried to hand it to me as I stepped inside the gallery and I handed it back to her
and she was miffed by this. I said, "Oh, I'm sorry I do not give out my information." And then she tried to tell me that what she
was handing me wasn't for that- even though I knew that it was..so I thought that was interesting as well. I had a feeling that I
would not find what I was looking for inside the Viking Gallery, and I was proven right. On to the next.
3.)A phone call to Meissner's of Sacramento, and the final result, Napa Sew &Vac:
I could not get a chance to drive to Sac to go to Meissener's. So I called them. I talked with a nice man there who was a sales
clerk. He told me that they did not have the models I had researched there in the store (surprise, surprise!), but that they had
another brand of serger a Janome 204D Mylock machine. It was a used machine for $299 USD. I had not looked at that machine
yet. I found out from the man that they would buy my old sewing machine, if it was at least $100+ USD blue book value at the
time. I found out that they do offer classes but not for free- they are $35 each, this doesn't matter if you had purchased the
machine there or not. The machine did come with a video, supposedly a dust cover ( this is NOT true), a manual, no trim catcher,
a 90 day warranty, it had been tested and cleaned. I went online again to check the reviews on this machine at the Sewing
Reviews web site. I found out the 204D Mylock machine has some pretty happy reviews. At the same time that I was reading the
reviews online I found out about Napa Sew & Vac. I gave them a call too. I found out they have the Janome 204D Mylock
machine as well, and that they are a Janome dealer. I have been using a Janome Harmony 4052 sewing machine for several years
now, and so I already felt good about the brand. They had the machine new, not used for $289 USD. They offer servicing on
sewing machines for $99.95 aprox. USD, this depends on if your machine is computerized or not, with a turn around of about 3
days. Mine isn't. They did not have too much info for me over the phone, they told me that there is an employee that works the
sewing department who might be better able to help me with test driving the machines, and so I found out when she was going to
be in. The next chance I got I took a drive to Napa.
The place had allot of old machines. Cool industrial machines, vintage giants, antiques, new machines, a quilters area, and a wall
of machines to try out. The 204D Mylock was there to try. The owner of the store happened to be there and he was the one who
sat down with me with the machine. He did his best to show me the features of the machine, what I particularly liked about his
model was the built in rolled hemmer feature. On the Huskylock 901 you have to set up the machine by changing a plate first,
this takes some time to do. On this machine however, all you have to do is remove a needle, and thread- open it up ( another
great feature about this machine is that the front side cover opens wide so you can get right in there) and disengage the cutter
blade, push a knob to R, turn the dial to R and serge. It's pretty easy! I liked that. The store has tons of accessories for the Janome
line. I ended up buying it on the spot. I pretty much knew what I was looking for at that point.I spent a total of $325.84 USD that
included tax and the extra thread spools I bought.I brought it home that day and watched the video. The video apart from being a
little silly to me- was not very well made as far as the quality of the tape, rather jumpy. They should make a DVD for it. I was able
to thread the machine right then. That was the scariest part to me for some reason I was worried about being able to thread the
machine. I just don't know what all the fuss was about threading the machine. If you've threaded a sewing machine you'll have no
problem threading a serger. Just takes some fine tweezers! Because your fingers are too big to get into some of the spots. I figured
out the tension knobs soon after-- I had my sewing books on hand which mention a few tips on using a serger, so when I found a
problem with the stitches I was able to correct it right away, the tensions were off. I serged for about one hour messing around
with the different stitches and rolling different fabrics. It was fun
What influenced my decision? Well, basically the fact that I stuck to my price range, I just knew I could hang on and find a
machine in my range. I didn't fold to any sales tactics. I already used and trusted the Janome line. You might find that you feel this
way about the brand you're used to- even if other's do not like the brand. I hope that this has helped others like me venture into
the daunting world of buying a serger!
If you've been sewing for a while you'll get to a point where you really want a serger. A serger is not a replacement for your sewing
machine, it's a buddy or companion to it. I got to that point, and here is my serger buying experience. I thought to post a story
about it here for all of you because I know that allot of people wonder the very same things when considering buying a serger. I
am not the only person who felt lost and alone wondering where to start. So hopefully this story will help!
Where do I start? That's a good question. Which one should I buy? That's right in the front of your mind. And no one is going to
tell you. Mostly because they do not feel comfortable steering you towards any one machine, after all- this is a semi large ticket
purchase and no one wants to influence you buy something you'd end up not liking even though they like it. So be prepared for
the fact that no one will tell you what serger to buy. Just put that out of your mind right now. The very first thing you need to do is
sit down and think about what you want to do with the machine. What do you usually make? Home decorating only? Costumes
only? Bridal and formals? All of the above? What do you want to use it for? Do I really need a cover stitch machine? Start making
some lists for yourself. This will come in handy when you are out shopping, as the sales clerk will want to know as well. The next
thing I did was do some question asking and some researching online. If you belong to some online discussion groups like a
Yahoo group, ask around there if anyone has opinions on machines. Ask around at your local fabric stores, as many of the clerks
there sew as well and have sergers. After asking around for some opinions I went researching on web sites.
Here are some good places to start:
An article in two parts on the Bella Online web site
How to buy a serger at EHow
Linda Lee Originals :Which Serger Should I Buy?
Home Sewing Association: What to look for in a Serger(pdf)
Serger Q&A at Sergerplace.com
Serger Shopper's Guide from The Bovine Illuminati
Once you have talked to a few people, asked yourself some questions, read some online articles and made some lists, you should be
ready to go shopping. You need to ask yourself a big, important question: How much machine can I afford? How much do I want
to spend? What does my budget allow? This is a really important issue. Here is what I discovered when I went out shopping: Most
of the places that I went to, the average price for an entry level serger was about $299-$400 USD. The average price for the next
step up from that was about $650-$700+ USD. The average price for the machines with all the bells and whistles: $1200+++ USD.
Yes, you can find a serger for less than $299, and we will get to that in a minute. =0) That's just the average price of a good brand
name beginner machine. So now that you know what to expect, ask yourself again: How much do I want to spend on this? This
might just depend on how much you intend to use it. If you're going into business for yourself and plan to sew with it every day,
making garments for customers and you can use the purchase of your serger as a business "write-of", you may want to go with the
work horse machines and the higher priced machines not the starter machines. If you are like me: using the machine as a learner
while you're learning everything else along the way you may not need the bells and whistles..just yet. So now that you've got your
price budget in mind you're ready to go out and test drive a few of them. This is the most (in my case) frustrating part.I had written
down on paper the names, make/model of the machines I wanted to try. They were in my price range and had some good reviews.
Good reviews?!
Sewing Pattern Review web site: Serger Reviews by Brand
The paper I had written the model numbers down on was a serger check list:
Serger Checklist available from the Sewing Pattern Review web site
Shopper's Check List Available from Indian Creek Quilt Designs web site (pdf)
When I got to each store what I found out was that they did not have the machines I wanted to try out in the store. They only had
the next higher price range up from those machines in the store. I wanted to spend about $300 USD for this. I quickly discovered
that the stores didn't carry anything lower than about $650 USD. And so, all the machines I had researched were down the drain.
The most common response from the sales person was, "No, we do not have that machine in the store, but we have this machine
here"... (insert name of $600+ USD model here). So- I did what anyone would do, I rolled with it. All hem puns intended. =0P
And here is another good point to talk about. Where do I buy a serger? First off, you want to buy your machine from a place that
will either offer you classes with the purchase of your machine, or offers servicing and repairs or preferably both. This is the point
where I get to the less than $299 serger comment. Just like anywhere else, with anything else you get what you pay for here. If you
decide that you want to order a serger online from eBay or from a fabric store or outlet store for let's say $199 +/- USD don't
expect to get servicing, or support, or perhaps a really sturdy machine. The exception to this might be: you are looking for a
specific model and brand because you've used it and you know exactly what you want, and someone is selling the machine for half
it's value on eBay-- but still you've got to consider the fact that you're buying it after market now, and there will be no warranty for
you. Warranties are usually non-transferable. But that might just be the chance you're willing to take to get a higher priced
machine for a lower cost. Hoping the seller or previous owner doesn't sell you a lemon. I would suggest a better thing to do would
be to head to a place like Meissner's of Sacramento which sells used machines that have been inspected, serviced, and carry a
limited warranty to the new buyer. That's my two cents on that. This said..you still get what you pay for. There's no getting around
it. I tried to explain to my husband (after receiving numerous phone calls and e-mails about cheap deals on sergers he found) that
buying a serger wasn't the time for deep discount shopping, tried to equate it to buying a car..well not that intense-but definitely
not the time for bargain bin shopping. So, to answer you again- yes, there are machines for less than $299 but do not expect allot
from them. Enough said.
So, where do you want to buy a serger? Here are some choices if you are in my local area
Meissener's of Sacramento
Viking Sewing Gallery inside each Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts Stores
Napa Sew and Vac
ABS Sew and Vac (Vacaville)
The general idea here is to go with a place that backs it's products. A place that can repair or service your machine. A Place that
can teach you how to use that machine better than the instruction video that comes with it. A place that has knowledgeable
service. A place like those mentioned above. Find some in your area. That's where you want to go. So now you know where you
want to buy it, and maybe a few you want to try out. So now you should be ready to go out and experience the machines and
different sales tactics. When you are level headed about it, stick firm to what you want, and kind of go into this with an observer's
point of view this can actually be a learning experience and a fun one.
What do I take with me? I took: a pen, a pad of paper, my business cards from Cinema-Fantasy along with my portfolio I am
building, some scraps of fabric I am used to working on (because I didn't know if I was supposed to bring in the fabric or not, and
boy was I glad that I did that! They all had the same soft light weight knits to sew on and maybe some tight woven cottons like
muslin. That's it. I wanted to know what the machine could do on some of the fabrics I am used to or like working with. So bring
some small squares of fabrics like chiffon, or satin, or the like-- whatever you're into. I brought the gold poly crinkle fabric, the
poly brocade, some muslin, some poly dupion like fabric, and some chiffon. Darn tootin' I wanted to see that tiny rolled hem on
the chiffon..my nemesis..chiffon..LOL--NOT for long!) I also brought the serger check lists. I also noticed that they do not expect
you to take the samples home with you, and so when you bring your own in there's nothing they can say about it.
So here are my experiences with the above mentioned stores:
1.)ABS Sew and Vac (Vacaville). This store is a dealer of the brand name "Baby Lock". This is the first store I went to. You can tell
they really cater to the home quilter. What place doesn't these days? Very friendly, but more friendly to the regulars. While I was
sitting down for a demo on a machine, the sales woman left me to help someone who just came in and literally took over my sales
clerk! How rude! The worst part was that the sales clerk didn't stand up to her and tell her she was with me. Now- I'm not saying
you're supposed to judge the machine by the sales person, I'm saying if you're out there and the words, "I'm in the market for a
serger..." come out of your mouth they better believe that they are being graded, not just the machine. What they do after those
words pass your lips does influence your purchase decision. That's just the way it is I think. If they drop the ball when you bounce
it towards them, you might want to go elsewhere. I found out that the machines I wanted to try were not there. I asked for three
different models. First, the woman said, "oh, I have never heard of those." Then it was "oh those must be really old machines." I
came back with "No-- because the reviews I read on pattern review dot com (blank look of never heard of that web site) has the
date they bought it and they are all recently (within the last few years) written reviews"..So then we went onto the baby lock web
site and low and behold there they were! So she says that maybe they could order it for me. She goes and gets on the phone to her
boss. I hear a one sided conversation in which she asks the boss if they can get me some of these machines in which the boss
basically says no because I do not want to sell less than a $650 machine. No real reason behind it. Just no. She doesn't come back
with a true reason why they wouldn't. So I say what the heck- and try out the $600 machine. I am here already. The machine was a
Baby lock Eclipse SX model for $649.00 USD. The main goal for me (for my own business needs) was to find a machine which
works well, is in my price range and has the ability to make real small hems and seams. I usually work with a 1/8- 1/4 seam
allowance on the doll costumes. So I wanted a machine that could do that. The narrowest seam on this one was slightly larger
than a 1/4 but honestly I do not know if this was true, the specs show a smaller capability than what I was shown. I didn't like
the way the stitches looked, rather messy. Later, I came to realize that the machine must not have been properly tensioned. Not a
very good sales pitch with a messy machine. You might want to ask about the proper tensions and point this out if it looks really
sloppy to you. This machine was moderately noisy, had adequate lighting, no trim catcher, was not a cover stitch machine, free
one on one or group style classes to orient you to your machine with purchase, a video for the machine, and came with a dust
cover not a case. When I got up to leave she did a sales pitch at me, to look at the $1200+ model.. "now, THIS machine can do
this.." Overall it was a good experience. But I knew that I wasn't going to buy there. I didn't want to spend that much, and I didn't
like the fact that they didn't want to sell me the one I could afford either. So I went on.
2.)Viking Sewing Gallery inside the Jo-Ann Super Center Concord, Ca. This store is a new Jo-Ann super center. I thought it
would be bigger and better than the local Jo-Ann's, and it turned out to be just bigger. There was only one sales clerk available in
the center when I got there and I had to wait for her to get off the phone. I noticed again that the machines I had written down
were not present. They had the models for $399 USD and up. The machine I sat down at was the Viking Huskylock 901 for $399
USD. The machine was less noisy than the Baby Lock machine, it came with a cover but no case, did come with a trim catcher, a
video and they do offer classes with the purchase of the machine, although I am not sure on what level- one on one or in groups,
it is not a cover stitch machine, it did not have a thread cutter on the machine, a 10 year warranty. The clerk made the machine
seem much worse than it actually was. Her tactic was to really downplay the machine as we went along. So much so that after I
left, I wasn't sure if I didn't like the machine because of the way she presented it or if I truly didn't like it. She was not very
familiar with the machine and so when I asked to see the narrowest rolled hem performed she first made comments about it like
it was a hassle, then she couldn't find the manual for the machine. She needed it so she could figure out how to do the rolled
hem? LOL But true. I think she wanted me to give in, but when I pressed for it, she had to make a phone call to her boss to ask
how to do it. She found out what to do from the boss (after she finished discussing other things with her boss) and came back
with the words, "My boss says that it can't be done on the machine." I Laughed out loud at that. She then quickly started to mess
around with the machine. After changing the plate out on the machine and removing a needle, we saw the hem. I can say at this
point I already knew I would never buy from this store. Maybe buy a Viking, but not from here. When I asked about the models I
had written down, she went and got one of them but it was in the box and of course she was not going to open it. When we were
through looking at the 901, she wanted me to look at the higher priced model as well. I did, and still wasn't impressed with the
whole experience. Overall it was a poor experience. As I got up to leave these words actually came out of her mouth, "What's it
going to take for you to buy a serger today?!" LOL! I came back with, "Nothing- because I am NOT buying one!" And I left. I went
into the local Viking Gallery to give Viking another chance. They did not even have the Huskylock 901 on the floor to try! They
only had the higher priced models. An interesting thing occurred at both Viking Galleries: When you come in they want to
collect your information from you. I didn't expect that. I was asked to fill out a questionnaire by the woman in Concord and when
I told her that I didn't give out my personal information she was put off by this. That's just me though, I strive HARD to cut back
on sales calls, solicitors, and junk mail. It's just how I am. If that doesn't bother you then by all means fill out the card. I just didn't
understand why they would need it other than to solicit me in the future. So when I went inside the Vacaville location I was
already familiar with the form, the woman there tried to hand it to me as I stepped inside the gallery and I handed it back to her
and she was miffed by this. I said, "Oh, I'm sorry I do not give out my information." And then she tried to tell me that what she
was handing me wasn't for that- even though I knew that it was..so I thought that was interesting as well. I had a feeling that I
would not find what I was looking for inside the Viking Gallery, and I was proven right. On to the next.
3.)A phone call to Meissner's of Sacramento, and the final result, Napa Sew &Vac:
I could not get a chance to drive to Sac to go to Meissener's. So I called them. I talked with a nice man there who was a sales
clerk. He told me that they did not have the models I had researched there in the store (surprise, surprise!), but that they had
another brand of serger a Janome 204D Mylock machine. It was a used machine for $299 USD. I had not looked at that machine
yet. I found out from the man that they would buy my old sewing machine, if it was at least $100+ USD blue book value at the
time. I found out that they do offer classes but not for free- they are $35 each, this doesn't matter if you had purchased the
machine there or not. The machine did come with a video, supposedly a dust cover ( this is NOT true), a manual, no trim catcher,
a 90 day warranty, it had been tested and cleaned. I went online again to check the reviews on this machine at the Sewing
Reviews web site. I found out the 204D Mylock machine has some pretty happy reviews. At the same time that I was reading the
reviews online I found out about Napa Sew & Vac. I gave them a call too. I found out they have the Janome 204D Mylock
machine as well, and that they are a Janome dealer. I have been using a Janome Harmony 4052 sewing machine for several years
now, and so I already felt good about the brand. They had the machine new, not used for $289 USD. They offer servicing on
sewing machines for $99.95 aprox. USD, this depends on if your machine is computerized or not, with a turn around of about 3
days. Mine isn't. They did not have too much info for me over the phone, they told me that there is an employee that works the
sewing department who might be better able to help me with test driving the machines, and so I found out when she was going to
be in. The next chance I got I took a drive to Napa.
The place had allot of old machines. Cool industrial machines, vintage giants, antiques, new machines, a quilters area, and a wall
of machines to try out. The 204D Mylock was there to try. The owner of the store happened to be there and he was the one who
sat down with me with the machine. He did his best to show me the features of the machine, what I particularly liked about his
model was the built in rolled hemmer feature. On the Huskylock 901 you have to set up the machine by changing a plate first,
this takes some time to do. On this machine however, all you have to do is remove a needle, and thread- open it up ( another
great feature about this machine is that the front side cover opens wide so you can get right in there) and disengage the cutter
blade, push a knob to R, turn the dial to R and serge. It's pretty easy! I liked that. The store has tons of accessories for the Janome
line. I ended up buying it on the spot. I pretty much knew what I was looking for at that point.I spent a total of $325.84 USD that
included tax and the extra thread spools I bought.I brought it home that day and watched the video. The video apart from being a
little silly to me- was not very well made as far as the quality of the tape, rather jumpy. They should make a DVD for it. I was able
to thread the machine right then. That was the scariest part to me for some reason I was worried about being able to thread the
machine. I just don't know what all the fuss was about threading the machine. If you've threaded a sewing machine you'll have no
problem threading a serger. Just takes some fine tweezers! Because your fingers are too big to get into some of the spots. I figured
out the tension knobs soon after-- I had my sewing books on hand which mention a few tips on using a serger, so when I found a
problem with the stitches I was able to correct it right away, the tensions were off. I serged for about one hour messing around
with the different stitches and rolling different fabrics. It was fun
What influenced my decision? Well, basically the fact that I stuck to my price range, I just knew I could hang on and find a
machine in my range. I didn't fold to any sales tactics. I already used and trusted the Janome line. You might find that you feel this
way about the brand you're used to- even if other's do not like the brand. I hope that this has helped others like me venture into
the daunting world of buying a serger!
