I don't only use vintage sewing machines, I also use an "almost" vintage serger (they haven't been available for home use long enough to be truly "vintage" yet, they've only been around since maybe the early 1980s.)
Today's sergers come with an impressive array of features including some kind of air threading which I have literally never seen so I don't miss it. Some of them also have many more threads than the four shown here, and again having never used one of those I don't miss it.
This cost $500 new (probably thirty-odd years ago) and I paid $60 for it on Shop Goodwill. It still works just as good as new!
Kenmore 16641
It sews beautifully, and cost me about the same as a nice restaurant meal. That's a great deal for someone like me who uses a serger only for a few applications and doesn't mind threading it manually. I'm used to doing everything manually on vintage sewing machines so this doesn't faze me at all.
I threaded it up with color-coded threads, and it sewed perfect tensions right out of the gate
Mostly what I use a serger for is to finish fabric edges
It sews nicely even over the thick seams
Then I might use it occasionally to make a rolled hem edge
It sews just as nicely on this delicate Liberty Tana lawn - pretty rolled hem!
And last but not least, I might very occasionally construct a knit garment on the serger
Perfect tensions again, on this super stretchy knit seam
And that's about it! For the money I saved buying a good quality used serger, I can buy more fabric and other goodies. Win/Win.
I do love the more fabric theory! ough at this point, it’s neck and neck between which I have less room for, more fabric or more machines!
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