I hesitated to enroll in an online class, sewing or nonsewing related. It wasn’t because I doubted the virtual system, it was more because I am a creature of habit (aren’t we all?) and didn’t want to change the way I learned. When the iPad first came out, I was an early adopter along with the rest of my generation. My dad’s generation though wasn’t so accepting of the new technology and my grandma, well, she was freaking scared of that thing. Fast forward to now, and my dad’s de rigueur mode of reading is his tablet and my grandma Facebook messages me from hers. It just takes time to adapt to new things, right? My time to change my routine came when Amy Alan offered me free enrollment in her Craftsy class, Beginner Serging. To sum up my experience – you know how I said that my dad’s de rigueur mode of reading is his tablet? Well, I think my new de rigueur for learning, especially when it comes to sewing, is online classes. You guys, Craftsy and Amy rock!
My goal for taking the class was to get an understanding of today’s home sergers. For the past seven years of my sewing life, I have worked mostly on industrial machines and I have sporadically used a home machine that Mishka, the tailor I used to work for, gave to me. My home serger is started to give up on me and I’m taking it as an opportunity to invest in a new one. Plus, the possibility that I could use an elasticator foot for my lingerie sewing is so intriguing. Oh, the thought of perfectly sewn elastic is a dream! Puckers and skipped stitches begone!
I got way more than I bargained for. Way more. The class is broken down into nine session and the topics discussed include parts of the machine, basic stitches, decorative stitches, troubleshooting, special presser feet, and three simple tutorials. Now, I knew the basics of serging, like what a 3 thread overlock, a 2 thread overlock, and a 2 thread wrap stitch was prior to taking the class, but my level of understanding for each was taken to a new level. With each stitch, Amy tells you the suggested stitch length, suggested presser foot presser, whether the stitch finger or blade should be disengaged, and whether the right of left needles should be used. She also tells you the mechanics of each stitch – like the fact that the looper threads on a 2 thread wrap stitch are meant to wrap around the edge of a fabric but not roll the fabric under (because that would make it a 2 thread rolled hem). What cranked up the class’s level of coolness even more was the fact that Amy compared and contrasted the serging capabilities of a Janome, a Brother, and a Bernina machine, which will help me when I actually start hunting for me new serger. Last, my overall knowledge of sewing increased. In one of her tutorials, Amy talks about knowing your sewing machine, knowing it to the point of being able to hear when the bobbin is low. Now that’s something I haven’t heard of! How neat!
Like a mother rants and raves and hoots and hollers about her children, I’m going to do the same for Amy, her Beginner Serging class, and Craftsy. Not only did I learn about serging, I also saw how the concepts were put into practice. Walking away, I feel comfortable and confident that I know what to look for when I begin serger shopping.
And don’t forget that all of you receive a 50% discount on Amy’s class, Beginner Serging, but clicking here.
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