I just bought a serger (overlock machine, that does that stretchy sewing and seam-finishing you see on tee-shirts) about a month ago. I have never used a serger, so was hesitant; I handled my nerves by doing lots of online research. Then I did the exact opposite of the unanimous and excellent advice I was given by going through e-bay instead of a “reliable dealer.” My reasons are long and various, but the short story is that I couldn’t find anyone in my area who met my criteria for reliable dealership. (The long story is in several chapters over the course of the summer and culminates in vomiting into a garbage can in a mall. The short story is enough.)
I am now the proud owner of a used Elna 925DCX in (probably) perfect working order. I paid about $800CAD (about $610USD) total, including shipping and I feel as though I got a good deal. People who know about these things tell me I got a very good deal. I couldn’t say: I haven’t had time to even sit down and thread it yet.
Ever since it arrived in the mail my weekends have been taken up with partying. They tend to be multi-day, friends-and-family, communal-bonding sorts of events that take up the entire weekend. There was that party I was at while the Dog Lady was sneaking around spraying my dogs with Febreze. Then Labour Day weekend we went to the Cherry Valley Harvest Party in upstate New York where my ten year old cousin Addy brought down the house with her rendition of The Band’s “The Weight” (last year was Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” and the year before that, when she was eight, it was Loretta Lynn’s “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ With Lovin’ On Your Mind”) and then came back to sing the party’s theme song, “Mustang Sally,” at, oh, I don’t know, one in the morning? Anyway I was in bed by that time, but by all accounts she nailed it. Just like she nailed all the other ones. (Addy Schneider: watch for that name.) Anyway, next weekend is just one local, very normal single-evening party, then the weekend after I’m off to Ottawa to fête a 20/40/60 birthday. (My brother Matthew is 20, I’m 40 and my mother is 60. My nephew Simon — age 0 — will be there, but my mother-in-law — age 80 in October — will not.) The following weekend we’re back to the Laurentians for another cottage party.
So I have joined a bunch of Internet serger mailing lists, but haven’t even plugged the actual machine in.
The serger lists are interesting. One is fairly active, generating about 20 e-mails a day… all on the phenomenon of husbands needing to restack the dishwasher after their wives have loaded it.
[originally transmitted by e-mail September 8, 2004]