A New Cover Stitch in the Power Tool Arsenal
I couldn’t resist the Black Friday price offered by Sewing Machines Plus on cover stitch machines, so I ponied up the $$$ and jumped. When I initially called Sewing Machines Plus, I wanted the Brother Cover Stitch machine. However, Nedra, my SMP personal shopper (love her) told me she personally owns the Janome 900 Cover Stitch Pro and highly recommended I consider this model. The price was the same as the Brother, and she promised me I’d love the Janome. She’s been right on other purchases so I trusted her. And I’m SO glad I did! Right out of the box? Totally impressed! It arrived pre-threaded with three spools of thread so I grabbed some material and within seconds I was cover hemming, well – like a pro!
A cover stitch machine is a specialized machine that only performs one stitch. You see this stitch all the time on t-shirt hems and sleeves, the waistband and leg holes on ladies underwear, swimsuits, and active wear. It will have 2-3 rows of stitching on the right side of the fabric and the backside is finished with what looks like a serged stitch.
Front
Back
While I was waiting for the machine to arrive, I found a couple of videos on YouTube to get some pointers and I’m glad I did. Within an hour of the machine’s arrival, I finished a pair of what I call “house pants”. They are super comfy and look like something I’d pick up at Target or Old Navy – only better quality of course! Love them!
I can’t wait to start sewing all kinds of knit shorts and tanks, jammies, and swimsuits!
Wow…now that’s a neat power tool 🙂 Thanks for this post – I’d always wondered just what a cover stitch machine actually did…you’ve finally answered that so clearly for me! That really makes a difference in how the garment looks, too! So, I take it you have a serger (I’m still a big chicken when it comes to that machine!) and use your cover stitch for the hems? If you had to just buy one machine to add to your arsenal, would you recommend the cover stitch or a serger?
PS….Love that knit on your pants, too 🙂 Also, what a great idea to keep your fabric in clear plastic! Mine is in cabinets and drawers…out of sight…out of mind…sigh. Great idea to keep them visible!
I have the Brother 1034D Lock for a serger and it’s a beauty (see write up on my Arsenal page). I’ve had that serger for years and I highly recommend you get one. Don’t be afraid – they are so simple and Craftsy offers some great classes with Angela Wolf for instruction or there’s freebies on YouTube. Once you use it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one. As far as one or the other – that’s like deciding if you should get a stove or a microwave. They both cook and you don’t NEED a microwave but it sure makes life easier; and the stove will do the entire job only it takes longer with more dishes. If you can only spring for one, I’d do the serger because you can use it for so many more things than a cover stitch. I wash all of my fabric before I use it so I serge all the cut ends before washing of so it doesn’t fray to something unrecognizable, create roll or lettuce hems on flimsy organza and silky fabrics, basic sewing and simultaneously finishing seams, and most recently, sewing zippers into lingerie bags (learned from Angela on Craftsy). To get the same look as a cover hem machine on t-shirts, you can serge the bottom of a hem, fold it under and top stitch with a double needle. However, that method is really difficult on anything you want to sew elastic into without a casing like a swimsuit. Can it be done? Yes. Do I want to (anymore)? No. PITA
Oh sister, there’s PLENTY of fabric out of sight in my stash! 🙂 You’re seeing quilting fabric precuts that come in plastic from the mfg. I think they look so pretty so in addition to being in my stash they are part of the décor.