800DL overlocker

[Quiltmaker]

After trying to learn to love my Husqvarna 936 overlocker for 10 years I have decided it is time to find an overlocker I actually love. I do mostly 3 and 4 thread overlocking and rolled hemming and just have always found the 936 difficult to deal with for any of the other features it offers like 5 thread, and chain stitch and cover stitch. ITs almost a but much for me and it seems silly to struggle to use it and often find it breaks threads or gives me overloaded message even when attempting to sew fine cotton jersey. Gutless is one word my husband has used to describe it.
I decided finally this week I would get a quote on its trade in value and see just how much it is worth, and its probably not much...but I also test drove some overlockers and fell in love with the 800DL. It does all I need but isn't overkill for my needs. I don't want to spend more than around $900 and the machine is on sale for $799 down from 1K, so I am going to layby it so I can save a few hundred dollars.
Now to decide whether I keep the 936 and just get the shop assistants to help me set it up for coverstitch, and task it only to that, or if I will just use a twin needle for hemming with my regular machine and sell the machine privately,or if I will trade it in, depending on what sort of figure I am quoted.
I was blown away by how nicely the Bernina overlocker sewed compared to my big footprint, noisy husqvarna and the Janome model I tested for comparison. It seems very easy to adjust and understand, is compact without being flimsy, and I love how the knife cuts in a downward motion. It seemed far quieter and smoother than any overlocker I've ever used so I am really looking forward to more time with this machine when I finally get it home. I can see I might actually enjoy overlocking with this machine.
Any other users of the 800DL out there?

[MochaB]

I just got an 1150 last month, but I noticed the same things you did. I looked and the Husqvarnas and the Janomes, as well as the BabyLocks. The BabyLocks were very nice, but the Bernina sergers were better price in my area. I thought the Berninas performed beautifully. I looked at the 800DL, and I thought the quality of the overlocking was very similar. I just had to make an awning and I serged a lot of it. I thought the Bernina was a lot more powerful than my old serger.

[Quiltmaker]

Isn't it interesting you think the Bernina is more powerful? I know of a couple of others that have the same model as you and they are madly in love also. I just loved how it felt, like the smoothest, quietest overlocker I've ever seen operate. If my budget was larger I would have purchased that machine for the micro control of stitch feature- but I will just change the cutting width if I have to. Funny how you just know a right fit when it comes along. The more I think on my decision the happier I am and dh feels that it would be worthwhile to keep the old machine unless I am offered a killer trade in, in order to set it up for cover stitch. Then no more tiresome reconfiguring the machine for that function and it can just sit ready for hemming action. Maybe I will dislike it less if it can be clever in that regard and not cause me stress as it always seems to manage to do for everything else I attempt with it. I will use the 800DL probably 90% of the overlocking time I do, and I will be happy if I can limit my contact with my older machine. If I were loaded I would ditch it and buy the Coverstitch Bernina model- and be done!

I am really getting into knit garments realising that the fit is more forgiving when the fabrics can stretch- and this is quite exciting. Some months ago I invested in My Label and I cannot wait for DH to decide which printer to replace our dead one with-he doesn't want me to go out and pay to have the patterns printed at the copy shop which could be expensive, but he won't hurry up and make up his mind as to which printer he wants... frustrating for me because I am eager to test sew garments from My label. I think this is going to radically cut down on pattern adjustments for me. I am really, really looking forward to sewing a tonne of clothes as a break between the seriously huge amount of quilting that I am involved in doing for work, exhibitions and personal use. I love quilting, it is what I do and who I am- but garments are nice for a change- and if I can overlock my way largely into much of my own wardrobe and some for the kids and hubby around other things, it will be great.

[RoseSews]

I think it is a good idea to keep your old serger and leave it set up for cover stitch if you plan to do knit garment sewing. I do a lot of it and many garments require the overlock for the seams and then cover stitch for hems, etc. and sometimes it's back and forth. I would hate to have to reconfigure the serger each time to go back and forth from overlock and cover stitching because it involves taking out the needles and putting them in different needle holders and rethreading everything (that's on the Evolve, but I think you have to do it on other combination serger/cover stitch machines too). I usually use my Bernina 2000DE for overlock because that's all it does and I'll do the cover stitch on one of the others (see my list of toys below).

Years ago I used to use the double needles to fake a cover stitch look on my knit hems, but a real cover stitch is much better. You probably wouldn't get what your old serger is worth anyway and I think you'd regret it if you sold it. That's just my opinion.

If your old serger is giving you trouble, breaking threads, etc., maybe it needs a tune-up.

[Quiltmaker]

Yes the rethreading the overlocker and switching stuff like stitch plates over and disengaging the blade and different threading up in a less familiar way for me is one of the reasons I haven't been using the coverstitch function, because it is such a pain. I think maybe if I set it up like that or better yet get the girls at the dealership help me do it, so it is done right, I might be able to cope with using the old beast a little longer if only for that. Will ask them to help me do it tomorrow. I had the twin needle going on before and I believe the coverstitch gives alot more with movement, so there should be less broken threads in garments with that stitch, I hope.
I find it noisy as it is and the coverstitch is even louder still, the Bernina I found shockingly quiet by comparison. It will be heaven! My overlocker has been looked after and oiled now and then, but perhaps it is due for a service. Although its been a while since the last one it hasn't had much use in that time, and was oiled before storing, and again when I started using it the other day. The technician didn't say so when I took it in for a trade though and he would usually do so out of friendly service if he felt it needed doing. I will talk with him and check when I collect it tomorrow.
I am quite excited, it looks like I have possibly sold my quilting frame- big Grace frame for machine quilting- and so some of the proceeds from this will mean I don't have long to wait at all on bringing the 800DL home- should happen far sooner than I'd anticipated. Yay!!

[Quiltmaker]

So I have the 800DL home and right out of the box it was threaded ready to go. Love that. I thought I would try to pull the thread through but was unable to and didn't want to damage my new model trying to- I had the presser foot up, the tensions to 1 (as low as they go)...so I got out the manual and threaded it from scratch. Easy!
Beautiful sewing right off the bat! Very fast and quiet (for an overlocker) and smooth.
I have since read in a serging book that to pull the thread through after tying on new thread, one should first pull through both needles, and then the lower looper, and the upper looper.
I thouught this seemed abit odd as this isn't the way to thread a Bernina overlocker nor any other brand I know of. Needles always come last when threading from scratch.
Has anyone tried it in this order and what results did you get?
How do you pull your thread through?
Just thought I'd quite like to be able to pull through after threading up for quick colour changes, as essentially I am a little lazy!

[MochaB]

I would check with your dealer--your model may be different, but I can understand why you are confused. Every serger I have ever encountered needs the needles threaded last--except for BabyLocks. I also used to get messed up threading the upper and lower looper. Since the spool for the lower looper was right there next to my right hand, it seemed only natural to do that one first, then the upper and then the needles. But as everyone knows, that won't make a chain. I always tended to make that mistake when my serger had been packed away for a while.

Glad to hear your serger is sewing so well! I hope you have fun with it.

[Quiltmaker]

Well I plucked up my courage and thought I'd see how the book's instructions go. I did pull through both needles and then the lower looper, and the upper looper, in that order.
After seperating the threads for the needles into their correct position and threading up, I thought the worst that can happen is to jam up the thing with thread to then remove or the stitching wouldn't form properly. It was perfect and I'm pleased to have learned to do this. On my previous 10 y.o. Husqvarna every time I tried to pull thread through it got caught and would break or tangle up, so I had to manually thread every time I wanted to change colour or stitch style.
I am not sure if it is faster to tie on and pull through yet as I am slow to this, but it was easier than threading from scratch.

I've been overlocking up patchwork scraps to make a cover for my new baby and getting to know her. She's a sweet overlocker!

[RoseSews]

I always pull my threads through on all of my sergers and cover stitch machines. The only time I don't is if I'm changing from one type of stitch to another (i.e. overlock to cover stitch). Even on the Evolve, which has the air sucking the thread through (I forgot their name for it), I still pull the threads through. Maybe it's habit, but it doesn't take me long to tie all the threads and pull them through. Glad you like your new serger.