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Saturday 17 February 2018

Extras for the Overlocker (serger)

I recently bought some inexpensive items for the overlocker (serger) and was pleased that I did.
I thought I would share them with you. (Just pictures, not links, please buy from your preferred supplier!)
Double Cone thread holder. I now have three of these and use two on the Coverhem machine instead of the original spool holder which got very badly damaged after I dropped things on it. I use the other one with the overlocker where the cones are too large to all be on the machine. (Cost £5-6)

Cheap thread nets, only work with large cones of overlocker thread, good at keeping the tension and stopping the thread tangling everywhere (Cost £2-3). Solved a problem I had using a very fine slippery thread in cones.

Great for when the overlocker comes unthreaded and its difficult to rethread the lower loopers.
Simpler than the old tweezer approach. (£3-4). Wish I'd bought these years ago.

Brush for cleaning all the fluff out of the overlocker (not quite sure what the bottle brush end is for. (£1). Could use a little painbrush instead but I like having a dedicated tool. Much better than blowing the fluff which puts moisture inside the machine (bad) and makes you sneeze (also bad).

The last one I've had for about 7 years and think is fabulous, this is a serger pad with trim catcher. (£20). It is a mat with some padding underneath which stops the overlocker being quite so noisy, and a bag which catches the bits that get cut off by the blades. A very clever thing which keeps the floor a bit cleaner!
People do make their own with quilting fabric etc, but I'm quite happy with my purchased one.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks, Ruthie, a very useful post, must get myself one of those looper threaders as my Imagine is fussy about threading.

A tip I picked up from a recent Bernina day; a roll of that rubberised mat stuff used to stop cups etc from sliding on a tray - about £3 from Wilkos but I think some pound shops have similar stuff too - absolutely brilliant for cutting chunks off and putting under the overlocker - mine has spent years sliding about on my sewing desk and now doesn't move an inch.

SewRuthie said...

Great tip Sue I have seen that stuff about.

bbarna said...

I use the Lock Threader (long threader with the blue handle) to thread through the last inch or so of sergine and pull the thread tail back through to keep it from unraveling. As well, I put a dab of Fray Check on the end to seal it.
Barb

Catherine said...

What a useful group of tools! I could really use some of those; especially the thread nets.