Almost a year ago I bought an Overlocker after trying one out at a friend’s house. Since then I have been collecting jumpers from charity shops, friends and relatives which I can cut up and upcycle into something new.
It’s great fun using an overlocker as:
1 it sews extremely fast (scary at first)
2 it neatly finishes the seam on ordinary garments whilst sewing the seam
3 the seams can be sewn so that they show on the right side of a woolly garment as a style feature.
These arm warmers were one of my first makes overlocking.
I have had great fun cutting up and creating new items from my jumper stash and so I was heartbroken when my lovely machine stopped working. However, to cut a long story short, it turned out to be the old cheapo threads I had used when the original cones ran out. I was advised that Coats Moon thread is one of the best for overlockers (and great for standard sewing machines) and so I was delighted to find a whole range of them at Calico Laine in Neston! They sell the small ones for 99p – £1.30 or the same colours on a cone for £3.49. If you can’t get to the shop you can order by from the website http://www.calicolaine.co.uk
These threads are lovely and do work well in both my machines. A good tip I have found is, as soon as I open new coloured threads I make bobbin spools one too, and store them together in little plastic boxes. This ensures that if I want to use any threads on my ordinary Janome sewing machine I alway have matching needle and spool threads ready to go. Little things like this make me happy! So get a bargain box of 20 spools for £4.99 and you’re all set up!