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| What a messy stitch! |
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| Easy instructions! |
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| Fixed! |
Showing posts with label Machine madness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Machine madness. Show all posts
Not So Merry Merrylock...
I don't sew for myself very much but I thought I'd make the effort using the Merrylock overlocker....It was a case of 'dumber and dumber'. Two hours later I emerged from trying to fix my stitches. I hate changing thread on my overlocker because nine times out of ten I'll stuff up my stitches...
What was wrong? The owner of course, all I needed to do was shift the switch from rolled hem to normal which I finally figured out once I got the manual after a couple of hours....
It goes very well now. Moral of the story: It's always important for you to actually remember you have a manual to your overlocker. Duh...could my brain be any foggier!
When you have no Needle Threader...
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| Anything white I kept a white card by the sewing machine until I lost it .......Now I just rip any bit of white paper to put behind the sewing machine needle....... |
Can you fix it yes I can.......
I've sort of managed to fix my straight stitches on my Bernina 801. I cleaned out the bobbin race (that was oily and dirty), oiled the machine in the right places and changed my cotton and needle. I cleaned out under the sewing plate (yes there was a little bit of fluff)....I put in an old needle ( I keep my old needles) put the thread through the left side of the tension disk and now it's sewing straight stitch again! I don't think it likes my other German brand of sewing machine needles or the right side of the tension disk........I think the Bernina prefers Schmetz, better yet Bernina brand needles. My one problem there is I don't know where the Bernina shop is anymore.......The city is not quite the same anymore!
Anyway for know it is sewing okay........but I think the machine is on it's last legs, my ruffler refuses to work with it. There seems to be no power in the sewing machine to make it go....It just whines and clacks now....my ruffling days are over for now.
Anyway for know it is sewing okay........but I think the machine is on it's last legs, my ruffler refuses to work with it. There seems to be no power in the sewing machine to make it go....It just whines and clacks now....my ruffling days are over for now.
Wonky Stitches
Oh no my Bernina 801 is sewing wonky stitches.......She never sews wonky straight stitches! Must be the three major earthquakes she survived, she just sat on the table rocking away....... Now I'll have to take her in to be fixed.......what will I do if they say she's stuffed? I couldn't live without a mechanical machine.....just like I have to have a manual car, I like the control.....I know I have the Juki but I'm still learning to use it!
I've sewn a whole skirt for my daughter skirt with wonky stitches (and she'll notice!).......I need not have worried though because all she said was, "It reminds her of an apron" (now it reminds me of an apron too). The fabric I used was an inexpensive striped black/blue denim with no stretch.......The pattern I used was New Look 6789, a great pattern I have used many times.......I changed it slightly and just added some length to the hem and I also made a waistband and patch pockets. The fabric is fairly stiff so washing the skirt a few times will hopefully soften it........
I've sewn a whole skirt for my daughter skirt with wonky stitches (and she'll notice!).......I need not have worried though because all she said was, "It reminds her of an apron" (now it reminds me of an apron too). The fabric I used was an inexpensive striped black/blue denim with no stretch.......The pattern I used was New Look 6789, a great pattern I have used many times.......I changed it slightly and just added some length to the hem and I also made a waistband and patch pockets. The fabric is fairly stiff so washing the skirt a few times will hopefully soften it........
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| The wonky Bernina 801straight stitch.....Grrrrrrr! |
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| The apron like skirt....dark/black blue and cream fabric.... I'm not sure about those pockets...too late to unpick now! |
Merrylock 4-Thread Overlocker
I've had the chance to use a Merrylock 4- thread 740DSA domestic overlocker. It is made by the Tsang Yu Industrial Co. Ltd. The company produces other well known brands such as Singer, Elna and Babylock.
There's not a lot of information out there about Merrylock overlockers/sergers........So I'll tell you a wee bit about this machine........The overlocker is made in Taiwan and it it can do a 4 thread stitch and 3 thread stitch and you can do a rolled hem. It's a built in rolled hem, no change of plate is required (just flick a switch). The Merrylock has differential feed too.......but the tension is manual. To change the overlocker form 4-thread to 3-thread you just take out one needle.
The price of the overlocker is around NZ $350.00.......It comes with an instruction book written in English, fairly easy to follow if you've owned an overlocker before. I still got stuck with the lower lopper but got there in the end (it has a auto-lopper threader, took me awhile to figure this out). The Merrylock 4-thread overlocker comes with the usual basic accessories and a waste tray. The accessory box is built-in, you just pull out to open and everything is there you need.
The Merrylock looks very similar to The Babylock (I think this overlocker is a Babylock Prestige with out the brand name), though some say it is similar to the Elna.......The overlocker comes with a basic plastic cover also, just the same as my Tru-Lock one from all those years ago........
Click here to read about the Merrylock 007 (a Merrylock cover stitch machine not the 4-thread I'm reviewing ). The cover stitch machine looks very good for it's price.......This is a good website to browse and learn about different sewing overlocking machines.......wished I'd found it earlier.
Do I like using it? At first I found it a bit tinny, different from the the heavy Tru-lock. Once I got my threading organized (took me a wee while for first go) and then set the tension it has been very enjoyable overlocker to use. Certainly a good buy for an entry level machine. A good overlocker to use for hobby classes or just as a spare......and it's light to carry about too!
There's not a lot of information out there about Merrylock overlockers/sergers........So I'll tell you a wee bit about this machine........The overlocker is made in Taiwan and it it can do a 4 thread stitch and 3 thread stitch and you can do a rolled hem. It's a built in rolled hem, no change of plate is required (just flick a switch). The Merrylock has differential feed too.......but the tension is manual. To change the overlocker form 4-thread to 3-thread you just take out one needle.
The price of the overlocker is around NZ $350.00.......It comes with an instruction book written in English, fairly easy to follow if you've owned an overlocker before. I still got stuck with the lower lopper but got there in the end (it has a auto-lopper threader, took me awhile to figure this out). The Merrylock 4-thread overlocker comes with the usual basic accessories and a waste tray. The accessory box is built-in, you just pull out to open and everything is there you need.
The Merrylock looks very similar to The Babylock (I think this overlocker is a Babylock Prestige with out the brand name), though some say it is similar to the Elna.......The overlocker comes with a basic plastic cover also, just the same as my Tru-Lock one from all those years ago........
Click here to read about the Merrylock 007 (a Merrylock cover stitch machine not the 4-thread I'm reviewing ). The cover stitch machine looks very good for it's price.......This is a good website to browse and learn about different sewing overlocking machines.......wished I'd found it earlier.
Do I like using it? At first I found it a bit tinny, different from the the heavy Tru-lock. Once I got my threading organized (took me a wee while for first go) and then set the tension it has been very enjoyable overlocker to use. Certainly a good buy for an entry level machine. A good overlocker to use for hobby classes or just as a spare......and it's light to carry about too!
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| Merrylock 4-thread The heart stickers are my instructions on how to work the machine & regulate tensions Merrylock uses HAx1 needles...... |
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| Colour co-ordinated hearts.......I go this idea for instruction sticker from a fellow blogger. Great for learning how your overlocker works! |
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| Not a bad stitch I quite like it.....(my Elna stitch doesn't look like this Hmmm!) |
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| Baby Lock Prestige 750DS looks exactly the same as the Merrylock except for the cotton guide hooks There is also no inch centimetre markings on the front of the Babylock like the Merrlyock......... |
Elna 745 Stitches
With my favourite overlocker not working I have been using my Elna 745.....We didn't get off to a very good start...... it looks like the knife needs sharpening....The Elna 745 was very temperamental when I tried to do a four thread stitch (it looks more like a three thread to me). Is that anything new, we have a love hate relationship! I finally figured out how to get an acceptable stitch I altered the blade width and the she started to behave herself...Here is a pic of the stitch.
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| This just doesn't look like a 4 thread to me.... But all 4 threads were moving, so it's got to be??? Anyway it was the best she would do on the day.... I think she needs a service.... better wait till the other one is back |
Juki F600
Yes that's my new sewing machine, she's very impressive.....In fact so impressive that I was rather scared of her and thought I may have a made a mistake? My mind kept screaming 'you should have bought a mechanical machine' But I wanted a sewing machine that could do more....I was thinking of the future......
To start with I threaded the Juki up wrong, my daughter to fixed that wee problem (her eyes are better than mine). For now though the needle threader is out of bounds. When I owned a Janome 6260QC I broke the needle threader straight away. I'm sure I'll break the JukiF600 needle threader too and best I don't use it for now........
Well it didn't take long I soon got used to the sewing machine to be able to sew a nice straight line... Then I used the stretch stitches and zig zag. The Juki F600 just purrs along quietly I love her already and of course I can see I will have to look after her better than my Bernina 801, after all she's computerised......You can leave the Bernina 801 gathering dust sitting on the table and she still goes fine....
To start with I threaded the Juki up wrong, my daughter to fixed that wee problem (her eyes are better than mine). For now though the needle threader is out of bounds. When I owned a Janome 6260QC I broke the needle threader straight away. I'm sure I'll break the JukiF600 needle threader too and best I don't use it for now........
Well it didn't take long I soon got used to the sewing machine to be able to sew a nice straight line... Then I used the stretch stitches and zig zag. The Juki F600 just purrs along quietly I love her already and of course I can see I will have to look after her better than my Bernina 801, after all she's computerised......You can leave the Bernina 801 gathering dust sitting on the table and she still goes fine....
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| So cute the turtle and the rabbit...... I think it's a Turtle or is it a Tortoise? |
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| Juki ZigZag |
Sew Sister
I'm waiting and waiting for my new sewing machine....Can you guess what brand I bought? It's not mechanical, it's computerised. Guess.......
Elna 745
My over locker I love her, I hate her, what a relationship we have....Now the Elna 745 is meant to be a great machine......a real workhorse. I have never put her through her full paces as I hate changing anything I want everything to done fast... I can never see the threads to thread the looper and I always break the chain on the 5 thread. But I've solved the re threading problem......Last week I went and bought one of these, the Trendy Timms overlocker threaders and this little gadget should fix the looper problem.
Perhaps I'm a creature of habit because I really love my old heavy red and cream metal Tru-lock serger best, she's only 3 thread (so old). I love my mechanical Bernina so much that I leave my Bernina Activa 220 sitting on a shelf......Would I purchase the Elna 745 again? I'm not really sure I think I would have liked to have tried more brands first (I didn't I just bought it). The problem with this machine there is very little back up for it here......I use the Internet for information mostly. I just wish there were Elna 745 specific classes here so I could run her through her paces and know I was doing it right. Really all I needed was a 5 thread overlocker I didn't need the cover hem feature as I have the Janome 1000CP for that. It was the 5 thread and the blanket stitch that sold me (I stiil haven't used the blanket stitch).
You can find reviews from other sewers on the Elna 745 Overlocker here. The international Elna site here also gives you a lot of information on Elna, Overlockers and accessories .
Perhaps I'm a creature of habit because I really love my old heavy red and cream metal Tru-lock serger best, she's only 3 thread (so old). I love my mechanical Bernina so much that I leave my Bernina Activa 220 sitting on a shelf......Would I purchase the Elna 745 again? I'm not really sure I think I would have liked to have tried more brands first (I didn't I just bought it). The problem with this machine there is very little back up for it here......I use the Internet for information mostly. I just wish there were Elna 745 specific classes here so I could run her through her paces and know I was doing it right. Really all I needed was a 5 thread overlocker I didn't need the cover hem feature as I have the Janome 1000CP for that. It was the 5 thread and the blanket stitch that sold me (I stiil haven't used the blanket stitch).
You can find reviews from other sewers on the Elna 745 Overlocker here. The international Elna site here also gives you a lot of information on Elna, Overlockers and accessories .
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| A robust heavy machine...not a light weight Not easy to lift and carry about.... Where you put your hands is akward you get tangled up in the cotton... Not a segrer you would take to classes easily |
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| Great feature tilting needle clamp... |
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| Easy visual instruction on machine for different stitches |
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| Instruction booklet a bit confusing Photos very soft not so clear and crisp Hard to see if you are looking for the visual |
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| Why didn't I think of this before... How come I've never seen them are they new? |
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