I hope you are not bored with the machines I describe. Without the serger with the tiny rolled hem, I would simply have to spend so much more time finishing dresses and underwear that I would have to add to the price.

I have my sergers set on the rolled hem and leave them there– for doll dresses, I never need them for anything else. I do have two of them — one has white thread always, the other I change threads on occasionally when doing dark colored clothing that the white doesn’t work well on. If I am not putting on matching thread, this serger always has off-white.

I bought the Janome serger only for the rolled hem—and it was the easiest to thread and use of all I tried, plus– the price as you can see is very reasonable. Before you buy any serger, I highly recommend  you first go to s sewing machine store that offers many brands, and try several hands on. Take with a  couple of pieces of light weight cotton to try it on. I specifically recommend this one. Read the reviews as well before you decide.

I am adding this serger as a suggestion today because I will soon be putting some things on the blog that have instructions to do some finishing with the tiny rolled hem on the serger, and want you to know what I am talking about when I mention it. The picture with this text shows the tinish on a small doll teddy. This is for a 9″ doll, and any other kind of finish would be difficult and probably bulky ( like adding lace or just a folded hem.) I know this for a fact because for more than 50 years I was left with no choice but to do it the hard way! If you will click on the picture to enlarge it you can see the neat little finish.

I also use this same serger with the rolled hem stitch to finish inside seams on the dresses.

A friend who makes reproduction dolls ( and therefore reproduction clothes) said of this finish, “but that is not authentic ( meaning it was not the way an original would have been done) so how can it be heirloom?” Here is your answer: heirloom sewing is NOT the same things as exact reproductions of antique items. Heirloom doll clothes are clothes that are expertly sewn and finished beautifully. As a matter of factual interest— much of the  underwear on antique dolls was NOT beautifully finished, in fact it was often left with unfinished raw edges. Would you really want to buy– or sell for that matter– garments cut out and left with raw edges?  What if you told your customers, “but this is AUTHENTIC, exactly like the factory ones were!  Do you think they would then want the underwear ( or even dress) with unfinished raw edges?  What we strive for here are dresses that look like the pictures of beautiful dolls new in the box— not dresses that replicate the unfinished underwear or  visible sewn hem.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have. You will NOT receive emails, all comments or questions will be answered right her on the blog.