Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger
Customer Review: I'm new, but I love it so far!
Summary: 4 Stars
Last night at 8pm, right at the start of Glee, I opened the huge square box that my Brother serger machine came in. It was nicely packed and the machine was much bigger than I had imagined. It came prethreaded with corresponding threads to the 4 color coded thread passages. It came with a CD to view on my PC. I paged thru the book for 10 minutes to familiarize myself with things and then popped the CD in my computer. I only watched the first 5 lessons as I didn't want to go into overload trying to process things I didn't need to get started. I will go back to watch those videos when I need those features. I watched the threading lesson 3 times. Then I set the machine up on my kitchen table. It was 9pm. It took me 15 minutes to thread the machine with my own new white large spools. I purchased 4 white and 4 black. Even though it takes regular spools of thread, I figured I would stock up on the 2 colors that I would use the most. And @ $2.99 each, they were a bargain and ensured I would not run out of thread for a while. I used the tie on method that is explained in part on the enclosed video. Finally satisfied and confident that I was ready to start, I gently pushed the accelerator to stitch on some scrap fabric. I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth the machine ran and the speed and ease of mobility. The default tensions settings worked for me so I didn't touch them, but I did experiment a bit with the stitch length and width settings. So here's the good news. By 9:25, (one hour and 25 minutes total) I had begun to sew the bodice and belt ties of DGD's christening gown. I really like the machine and encourage those of you who have one, but like me were overwhelmed to get started, to do just that. Open it up and see what it can do. To those who have always thought of buying a serger, I say do it.
There are a couple things that I feel need improvement though.
1. The video and the manual contradict each other regarding the How To Thread process. This is the most important thing on a serger - getting it threaded correctly - and it's not 100% clear. The manual says to ALWAYS thread the Upper Looper, Lower Looper, Right Needle and Left Needle IN THAT ORDER. In the video, the instructor starts with the left needle. I think it would be helpful to remember the following sequence (using the color code) that occurred to me last night. GBPY - GaBippy! Green, Blue, Pink, Yellow is the threading order.
2. The seam allowance guide is not explained anywhere that I could see. Being an experienced sewer, I kinda figured it out, but I could see how it could be a problem for beginners. The raised bolded line to the right of the needle is the standard 5/8" seam allowance. The line to the left is either 3/8" or 1/2" and then the one closest to the needle is either 3/8" or 1/4". I will have to measure the stitching with the knife blade recessed in order to get a more accurate definition of the seam allowance guide.
3. The manual says to oil your machine, but then does not include the oil.
4. The machine gets filled with lint from the fabric very quickly. I recommend getting a can of compressed air (available @ office supply stores) and give it a good blow out after you're done sewing.
Customer Review: AMAZING and FUN
Summary: 5 Stars
I first bought a used unheard of name brand serger to practice with before I bought a good one, not being sure I'd like serging, BIG mistake HUGE! I had the other serger less than a week before reselling it on eBay. I had nothing but problems with it and it almost scared me out of buying another one. After much research and reading every review I could find on every brand of serger ever made. The Brother 1034D had only 3 bad reviews (under 3 stars) on the 30 sites I checked. 2 were because they had a UK plug, which had nothing to do with the machine itself being bad. The other one was from a woman who was a self proclaimed "sewing goddess" who had a thousand dollar machine and this one didn't compare to it (DUH!).
This serger (Brother 1034D) is so much fun. I have been playing with it for days and still get excited with every stitch I make. The instruction manual is very detailed and easy to follow with illistrations, plus there is a seperate manual that shows you all the different stitches and how to set your machine to the exact tension for each stitch! 22 different ones! Plus gives you ideas on how to make your own unique stitches. It also came with some C.D's that I have not even watched yet.
The machine comes prethreaded with colored thread to match the threading guides. It is not as difficult as some people make it out to be nor as complicated as it looks to be. If you can follow directions and you can thread a conventional machine this is a piece of cake. There are color coded numbers for each thread, just follow the numbers. You also get 3 feet, foots whatever you'd like to call them :) One is all purpose which is great! A blind hem foot AWESOME! and a gathering foot that I have not tried yet.
Believe me when I say this machine is AWESOME! and worth it to spend a little extra money on qualtity. Believe me I know there are cheaper ones and I have already been there, done that, don't make that mistake. Amazon is the cheapest website to buy it, I also took advantage of the super saver shipping and it was here in 3 days! talk about fast! Amazon also has great customer service and return policy just in case!
I HOPE that this review scares you away from other machines and makes you pick this one. I am confident that you will be extremely happy with the purchase as I was, unless you are a self proclaimed "sewing goddess" with a thousand dollar serger already :P. This machine is great for the first time sewer to the sewer looking to upgrade. I have already done all the research for you! Now all you have to do is buy it and start SERGING!
-LostInSerenity
Customer Review: awesome for a first-timer
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been sewing since I was 6 years old. I make fashions for myself and others. However, I've secretly feared "the serger" for years. I've quietly been hiding my fear by avoiding wearing any of the knitwear I've made. My conventional machine is a top of the line Viking with many features yet I've never been happy with finished look of knits made on any conventional machine. They just can't match yet alone exceed the look of RTW knits. The purpose of my lengthy introduction is to support my high rating of this entry-level serger. I had no problem dropping $1500 for a conventional machine but was not prepared to make such a big investment for something I might hate. I'm an experienced seamstress who's obviously missed the boat on the necessity of a serger. Before choosing this serger I did my research. I've read reviews here on Amazon and several other sites about it taking into consideration everything users had to say. Many people wrote about the user's manual and software and were disappointed it them. I was so excited when it arrived that I didn't even look at the software. I read the manual, removed the sample thread, re-threaded it, and was serging in 30 minutes!! Everything on the machine is marked by color and number. Try to forget every frightening thing you've ever hear about it and jump in. I think the fear factor has made many seamstresses look for monsters in the loopers and needs. My ONLY problem has been that I'm used to the presser foot lifter being on the left not the right..big deal. Biggest thing to remember is to thread it in order no matter what. Few people want to change thread but if you take your time and literally follow the numbers, you'll be serging a sample in 5 minutes. I've tested scraps of every type of fabric I could think of and made the adjustments as the book describes and everything's been perfect. Yes, it's a bit loud but putting a rubber mat underneath it helps a lot. I was lucky enough to get a new one on Amazon for approximately $180 delivered. It's worth every penny and more. I'm only mad at myself for waiting so long to enter the world of serging. It's cut my construction time in half. I won't be buying any RTW knits anymore. I've had it for a week and I've completed 3 projects though I work full-time. I've gushed enough, gotta sew.Customer Review: OH BROTHER! Serger 1034D
Summary: 5 Stars
Like some, I bought this serger based on many positive reviews. Having never used one before I had no idea what to expect.
I approached the machine with timidity; afraid that I would mess it up or that I had just wasted money on something I would not be able to use.
You have to understand that I was a (shhhh) Singer-user for a number of years, and although my dh says it's statistically impossible, I say that I tore out more stitches than I sewed in! (If anyone is looking for a machine with a self-minded tension, I have one. CHEAP.)
All of those latent fears came back when, NOT ONE, but FOUR thread tensions stared back at me. I put the machine in a chair in a corner of my sewing room with a blanket tossed over it. Just to keep it safe. ;)
However, several weeks later, I was "forced" into using it when a designer/friend asked me to help her out with some draperies for a client that were overdue. I took a deep breath, peeked under the blanket (darn, still there) and got out my box of scrap material. I decided it was Now or Never. I had to run through the video a few times and read and re-read the booklet. (BTW, If you've misplaced your DVD, Joannaglass has put the series on YouTube.) By trial and error I got the machine threaded right! I began serging my scraps. Then I looked for more scraps. lol. I became a believer, hallelujah!
I was a serging maniac. I did such a good job on the draperies, my friend offered me a seamstress job. I won't say that that was due to the serger because I have been sewing for a few years, but my confidence is built up.
So, ladies (and gentlemen), dust off those shiny new machines (dig it out of the closet, first) and allow yourself to learn an awesome technique that you will be proud of.
P.S. For those of you still reading my 'short story'; I unthreaded the machine, once I got it right, and rethreaded, several times. The directions make so much sense. I got it now! My therapist can take the week off.
...Just One More Thing...
Will consider delivering one FREE Singer, with self-adjusting tension, to anywhere in the world. :)
Customer Review: I give Brother 1034D Serger 5 stars
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been looking for a dependable serger at a price I could afford for some time to replace an old one, and have spent a lot of time doing online research. This model seemed to have better online reviews than other brands so I ordered one from Amazon. This serger can't be beat for the price (and Amazon has the best price), it out-sews my new Singer Commercial Grade serger like nobody's business. The motor is quieter and the machine has a precision feel and sound like a high quality sewing machine - sergers are notoriously noisy but this one isn't. It doesn't vibrate and shake even at full speed - I had to keep a rubber mat under my old one to keep it from becoming airborne (LOL). The tension is consistent and easy to adjust for different fabrics and stitch widths. It takes a little extra time to change it over to rolled hem and back by removing/replacing the stitch finger, but is still very easy to do if you read the instructions. I will seldom have a need for it anyway so it isn't an issue with me - the narrowest overedge setting will serve my purpose. It easily converts to free-arm by sliding off the side plate, a feature usually found only on higher-priced models. You can do decorative flatlock with the 3-thread setting, you don't have to buy an expensive 2-3-4 thread model to get that capability. It has a couple of instructional CDs in addition to the book, which would be very helpful to beginners. If you are a beginner, just take time to go through the book page by page until you understand what it does and what each stitch is supposed to look like and don't be afraid to practice each one. I couldn't be happier with my purchase and highly recommend it for anyone just starting out and experienced seamstresses too. It was also recommended to me by a friend who's had hers for several years - she sews full time without any problems from her 1034D and calls it her workhorse. It's a mechanical model so you don't have to worry about expensive computer repairs. Don't let the price scare you off thinking it's cheap quality - I've had three higher-priced models and this is by far my favorite - high price doesn't always insure quality performance.