Educational
Machines compared
For UK & European buyers
What is a serger or overlocker?
A serger (also known as an overlocker) is a machine that sews an overlock stitch. It cuts the raw edge of your fabric, making it neat, and then loops thread over the edges to stop the fabric from fraying.
“Should I buy a serger or overlocker?”
A serger is a great addition to your sewing machine if:
- You want to stop fabric edges fraying.
- You want to finish seams without using a zig-zag stitch. You want your makes to look shop-bought.
- You want to sew with knits. A serger creates a stretchy seam that’s relatively hard to break. It has a differential feed system to stop knits stretching out or puckering. You won’t need a walking foot anymore.
- You work with chiffon-type fabrics a lot and want to create really fast rolled hems.
- You want to sew seams and finish edges faster than you could on a sewing machine. Sergers tend to sew at 1300 to 1500 stitches per minute. Sewing machines normally do half that speed.