Serger Story

The night before I went to my serger class at the sewing expo I moaned to The Narrator, “I just know this class is going to make me want a new serger.” He replied, “That’s a given!!”

I got my old serger about a year and a half ago used for $50. It’s what you call a “workhorse,” which is a nice name for a sturdy old metal machine that can work hard, but not do anything other than the very, very basics. If all I ever wanted to make was pajama pants and tote bags it would be perfect.

The class had been labeled with a subtitle of “tricks that will work with any serger.” Except for mine, of course. About half the things I wouldn’t be able to replicate at home because there’s a standard feature on machines made today that mine, one of the first ever made, did not have. If it hadn’t been something so useful as easing in a sleeve cap, or making piping in a snap, or making ruffles in 1 step instead of 5 painful steps – I wouldn’t have cared. But I cared. Because I realized I could be doing 90% of my sewing on a good serger and it would look nicer, more professional and take half as much time (or less).

What I also didn’t expect in class was to discover that all the machines used in the classrooms at the expo would be for sale, sold as new with warranty and classes, but at a really really big discount – like 2/3 of the price of a new machine. I’d been looking at machines for a couple years and knew it was a brand I could trust (same brand as my sewing machine, and same as my Mom’s serger). I’d also sewn on my Mom’s machine a few times – same machine, but one step down, and I knew I liked it.

So I went home and talked to The Narrator. We slept on it. Then we talked some more. Then he cut me a deal. He told me that if I could come up with half the cash on my own he’d take care of the other half. Now lest you think we have separate money, we don’t. I just happen to have some ongoing side gigs right now. So I sat down with my calculator and realized it was a done deal. In “the bag.” He told me to go ahead.

Before I headed back to the expo I began to question. A machine like this is a big comittment. I had no doubt I’d recoup my money spent within a year not to mention all the side jobs I keep getting would probably repay the cost within a year as well. But just because you can doesn’t always mean you should. As in most cases, there are half a dozen places you can put your money, is this the right place at this time? So, I started asking and double checking with The Narrator. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being selfish and just wanting a new toy. He replied with one of the nicest compliments ever.

“I don’t want this to sound bad, because I mean it in the best way possible. I view this purchase as a household appliance. This is necessary for you to do your job and do it well. Not that I view being wife and mom as a ‘job’ but in a way it is. And you need the best tools you can get to do your job well. I love that we have this sort of 1950’s way of living in that you sew and cook and stay home with the kids. I love that you’ve put your touch all over our house with your machines, not to mention the money it saves, but also the way it personalizes our life.”

Wow. That meant the world to me. As we were standing in the living room having that conversation, out of the corner of my eye I could see the curtains in the dining room, the kitchen curtains, new curtains on the sliding doors, another curtain in the family room (we have a pretty open floor plan) and the jacket I was wearing – all things I had crafted on my machines.

So I went forth and purchased. Friday night I have the first class to learn how to use it, which is perfect timing, because I need to get cranking on this wedding dress next week. If I can find the charger to my camera I’ll post some pics in the near future of projects. I’ve done one quick thing on it already with a trick from the class. As for my old serger, a local friend that I’ve been teaching to sew over the past couple years, who only wants to make pajama pants and bags ;), is buying it from me.