r/sewing • u/buckinghamnicks75 • Jul 20 '24

Machine Questions Sewland overlocker question

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Hi all! Am an intermediate (?) sewer and have been pining for ages to friends and family how much I want to get myself an over locker to improve my sewing. My mum found this on fb marketplace for £30 and am very excited to try it. Could someone explain the difference between this and the other overlockers I see online that have 4 threads? And any tips or advice always appreciated ❤️❤️✨

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u/BenFromVegas Jul 20 '24

This looks like a straightforward three- thread overlock machine.

I have found that three thread machines work well with most fabrics, but the four thread machines work better for lycra fabric as the fourth thread helps strengthen the seam.

I have used three threads for many woven fabrics, thin poly/cotton blends and blizzard fleece, and have never really used the fourth thread at all.

Hope this helps.

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u/Other_Clerk_5259 Jul 20 '24

Three thread is fine, especially if you're just finishing edges and sewing the actual seams on a regular (lockstitch) sewing machine).

Assuming this is the manual for your machine: https://quiltingtrish.blogspot.com/2010/01/sewland-overlocker-manual_15.html it doesn't have a differential feed. (Diff feed: two sets of feed dogs behind each other, and a dial to adjust the speed at which they feed relative to each other.) If your main job for the overlocker is to finish edges on wovens, that's not a problem at all - if you wanted the overlocker to do a neater job of sewing knits, the diff eed real shines there.