Long overdue introduction

Check out what's hanging out back there behind my sewing machine. Look out, world: I've got a serger now!

Ok, I've had the serger since November. But with holidays and so forth, I didn't get a chance to get to know it much. Now that I've finished my Tiramisu (pictures to come as soon as the sun comes back - Seattle is going from rain to fog and back again these days. I don't mind the rain, but the fog is really wearing.), we've logged a little time together. I'm feeling pretty confident about the threading and about serging most standard seams. When I bought the machine, I also got myself a Serger Technique book, so I'm hopeful about making good use of all the features and functions.

I bought a Bernina 1300MDC. Yep, brand loyalty. We're that kind of household, I guess. Computers come from Apple, cars come from Toyota, mixers come from Kitchen Aid, and sewing machines come from Bernina. Besides, I love my Bernina sewing machine. It's a workhorse that's served me well for years, even with international moves (yes, I took my sewing machine to Germany). We understand each other.

I visited the folks at Bernina Northwest several times while deciding what to get. Something like this, I need to play with a live version before purchasing. How else to decide if it should be another basic machine (overlock only) or something with more bells and whistles? Thanks to everyone who offered advice and recommendations, and thanks to those who listened while I rambled on about options and wishes and fears. In the end, I went for the fancy option this time so I could have a coverstitch. I want to be able to make things that look "real" (that is, RTW), and a coverstitch offers me that. Besides. there's no room on my table for a dedicated coverstitch machine. I've already taken advantage of Bernina Northwest's serger classes (included in my purchase of the machine), but I think I'll need to go back for some additional pointers on using the coverstitch on stretchy things.

I'm looking forward to a long relationship with my new serger. I'm especially excited about how much more accessible sewing with knits feels now. I know you're supposed to be able to sew knits with a "long and narrow zig-zag" or a lightning bolt stitch. But my regular machine doesn't have a lightning bolt and seams I've sewn with a long, narrow zig-zag stitch have popped most of their stitches with regular wear and washing. Serging seams should make this problem a thing of the past. Long-sleeved knit shirts, I'm looking at you next!