I think I NEED an AirThreader Overlocker
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| 1 | I've sewen since I was 7 first on a treadle singer then my mother's Bernina 830 - I still use this machine its all good. About 15 years ago I bought an overlocker a Bernina 700 - LOVE over lockers and what they can do -particular with knits. HATE threading them! Seriously last time I needed to thread it took at least 30 minutes of swearing. Apart from the damage to my blood pressure there is nothing wrong with the machine And then I discovered Air Threaders - I so didn't believe this was real I went and saw the Bearnette b64 https://www.bernette.com/en-NZ/models/bernette-64-airlock at a dealer and it really does seem that easy. A couple of things are giving me pause I would use the Overlocker more if I could easily thread it - in fact I've got several things I want to make but... the threading is a big issue. Edited by lissie at 2:41 pm, Mon 28 Jun lissie - 2021-06-28 14:39:00 |
| 2 | When you use an overlocker & wish to change to another colour, don't unthread the machine Tie the thread you want to use to the 'old' thread & sew it through on a piece of scrap material. starseeker - 2021-06-28 16:11:00 |
| 3 | Babylock Imagine good reliable machine a few of my sewing friends own these. Babylock had a patent and have had air thread machines for a few years the patent recentlyexpired so now Bernina, Juki and Janome have air threading overlockers. All four are good brands so I would compare prices and look at a few you tubes to see what they all look . Check for reviews on patternreview.com. iv you can go try before you buy. Fun trying out new machines :) mica3 - 2021-06-28 16:20:00 |
| 4 | Have you ever tried threading by simply knotting the new cottons together. Not removing any before starting a new reel. The knots will go through the needle as well. Do not rush anything! My sister is a dressmaker, does not own an overlocker and refuses to spend this much. Every thing gets zigzagged. Including all her Tshirts. She hates mass produced clothes. lilyfield - 2021-06-28 16:31:00 |
| 5 | The owner of our local bernina store didn't seem impressed at all with the bernette overlockers. She 'almost' stopped short of saying 'buy a different brand' even though Bernina sewing machines are top notch. lyl_guy - 2021-06-28 17:55:00 |
| 6 | starseeker wrote:
Yes I have a 50/50 rate on the pull through with knotting the threads together - sometimes they jam though and then its back to the start because the lower must be done before the upper - so if the lower one breaks you have to rethread both grrr.. lissie - 2021-06-28 23:41:00 |
| 7 | mica3 wrote:
Interesting - the babylock is the same price so I'll look up some reviews lissie - 2021-06-28 23:42:00 |
| 8 | lilyfield wrote:
I used to make everything - than I made nothing because cheap fashion is so cheap. But I'm now spending more on clothes on decent fabrics - and I'm like why spend that much for something quality and I can get them to fit properly. This is partly the fault of cruising BTW! Snart casual I find very hard LOL I've actually learnt a lot on youtube - so I am planning having another good go with the 700d before I convince myself to spend this sort of money. lissie - 2021-06-28 23:49:00 |
| 9 | lissie wrote:
I must admit I take mine to the dealer to thread, they didnt charge but now they do. its about $20, I have not patience at all. slimgym - 2021-06-30 00:08:00 |
| 10 | Ive been sewing about the same length of time OP.. I used Mums green Huskvana,, until it caught fire when I was doing some piece work on it, she got the job but couldnt stand the boredom lol. Ive worked in several clothing factories learning the shortcuts. As others have said tie the new cotton on and draw through.....BUT Thread your overlocker back to front. Its way easier to do it that way. If you do buy a new one, get them to show you how to do it and then you can take it home already threaded... I got mine in Spotlight and they were very good that way popeye333 - 2021-06-30 08:42:00 |
| 11 | starseeker wrote:
Works great until you break a thread and have to go through the process again, oh where has that manual gone?? voyager4 - 2021-06-30 09:37:00 |
| 12 | I have a Janome air threader and it is wonderful, so easy to thread. Highly recommended artkat - 2021-06-30 21:04:00 |
| 13 | Mine has different coloured marks on it to show you where to thread. I never thread it from scratch though - I just make a knot with new thread and pull it through. I don't think it matters in which order I pull the new thread through either. Here's a map for a four thread overlocker - you could just draw it on your existing machine with different coloured markers. Also, put on your reading glasses if your eyes are getting a bit worse for wear. Edited by mazalinas at 9:18 pm, Wed 30 Jun mazalinas - 2021-06-30 21:17:00 |
| 14 | voyager4 wrote:
Years ago, before I bought an overlocker, I heard people say how hard they were to thread. So I thought to myself: I AM NOT GOING TO BE SCARED OF A DUMB MACHINE! So when I change colours I don't faff around with the knotting trick. I just cut and pull the old thread out, and rethread completely every time. I know the 'where' and 'why' of the threads, but the overlooper 'how' on different machines can take a minute to work out! lol Have helped several unconfident people with threading their machines too. Edited by hazelnut2 at 9:48 pm, Wed 30 Jun hazelnut2 - 2021-06-30 21:45:00 |
| 15 | have the 800dl & I do tend to leave a generic colour in - tan & navy blue are my basic go to colours.. and yes I have found that on the rare occasion I have changed the colour or need to rethread & it doesn't do it, it's something I'm doing, try one more time & unthread - go have a coffee & try after.. yes my eyesight is starting to be tricky to thread needles & I make sure I use a light behind going across so it doesn't shine in my eyes [torch] urbanrefugee54 - 2021-07-01 10:41:00 |
| 16 | hazelnut2 wrote:
I'm not scared of the machine or unconfient - but I'm bloody tired of wasting 30min everytime I need to rethread. I have extensive notes in the manual as what to do where. Basically its bloody hard to a) find the hole in the lower looper and b) even harder to get a thread through it lissie - 2021-07-01 17:24:00 |
| 17 | artkat wrote:
Which model? lissie - 2021-07-01 17:25:00 |
| 18 | lissie wrote:
Have you tried cutting the thread on the diagonal to create a tiny point and wetting it with spit? (helps a lot! lol) Also flicking the lower looper with a fine brush would knock away any dusty tiny fibres which could be blocking the hole. My lower looper thread is only able to just get past the hole enough (5mm) for me to grab with the tweezers. I do have the machine lights on and the overlocker sits in front of a window too. Edited by hazelnut2 at 5:47 pm, Thu 1 Jul hazelnut2 - 2021-07-01 17:43:00 |
| 19 | I concur with the Baby Lock Imagine. My partner has an upholstery business and bought the Baby Lock 3 years ago. He runs all sorts of upholstery and fabrics through it. Easy to thread saving time and money. Bloomn Hardy machines. reelingmaze - 2021-07-02 12:44:00 |
| 20 | I'm left handed which normally doesn't worry me, but threading overlockers has always been an issue. I also knot the new threads to the old, and also find the tweezers that come with the overlocker very useful. I was a Fabrics teacher for several years, and overlockers were my bugbear. You'd be surprised how many students can mess them up. The biggest fault was sewing with the pressure foot up which causes a huge mess!! I used to wait until my breaks to rethread the overlockers as it takes me ages. mak47 - 2021-07-03 09:09:00 |
| 21 | Got a small bright TORCH & TWEEZERS handy .. VERY HANDY when rethreading.. .. the BIG stitches ///// .. I knot the new thread onto the the "old thread" .. and stich away till the old thread is "gone". greatdeals999 - 2021-07-03 14:02:00 |
| 22 | I ended up going to a dealer and trying to thread both the Babylock Imagine and the Janome 2000D - for both the air thraders for the looper worked amazingly well . In the end it was a very tight race - but I went with the Janome - mainly because the babylock had auto tensioning which the Janome did not - which I thought was more flexible (and tensioning has never been an issue for me). LOVE the Janome - I just made a shrug from some cheap polyester sari material which frays when you look at it - was magic. The rolled hem was magic. Its very easy to thread and sew with. The only issue I have is rethreading the left needle once I'd replaced it - took some fiddling to get it positioned correctly and still cant het the threader to work so will talk to the dealer about that when I go back for my lesson. But overall very happy lissie - 2021-07-12 17:47:00 |
| 23 | starseeker wrote:
Yup, daughter told me to do that. I wasn't convinced till I tried it. Perfectly simple! brightlights60 - 2021-07-13 15:40:00 |
