Brother Serger, 1034D, Heavy-Duty Metal Frame Overlock Machine, 1,300 Stitches Per Minute, Removeable Trim Trap, 3 Included Accessory Feet, White

Have owned this serger for two years and have had no major issues with it. At first, I was intimidated by the idea of buying a serger, but I promise it's really pretty simple to use and even changing out the thread is easier than I expected. For the price, you can't beat the value! Before purchasing a serger, I used a very expensive Baby Lock Ovation at a sewing workshop. Was it good? Of course, but it also retailed for around $6,000. For under $200, I've used the Brother 1034D several times a week, and have not experienced any repair issues or malfunctions. Don't be afraid to purchase a serger online. I know lots of seamstresses will suggest buying one from a local dealer to get customer service and repairs, but for such a low price - you really can't go wrong. None of the Brother sewing machines I've owned have ever needed to be serviced or have broken. While I know the serger has many functions, I have solely used it as a 4-thread overlocker - which is why I bought it in the first place. I find it to be a bit of a hassle to constantly convert and change a sewing machine. Brother products are so affordable and I personally have found the quality to be great - especially when considering the price. Adding the Brother 1034D Serger to my sewing machine arsenal has been one of my most useful purchases. Some tips I can offer to help avoid frustration: -Always test out scrap fabrics that are the same as the project you're working on -The different settings including differential feed, stitch length, and stitch width - play around with them using scraps and keep a notebook handy to record which settings worked best with various fabrics as a reference guide -Make sure the presser foot is down before you start to serge - this may seem kind of common sense, but I've accidentally serged with the presser foot up more times than I'd like to admit!

For being such an affordable serger, I have very few complaints. I searched for a long time to find a serger that was both in my price range and also well-reviewed. I settled on this one and have no regrets. It is excellent quality and hardly ever has problems. When it first arrived, I found it difficult to learn to thread (which is common for people new to sergers), but I quickly found an in-depth tutorial on Youtube. That is one of the best things about this machine: it is so common that there are many videos on how to fix any feasible problem. I have found that to be one of the best qualities of my past machines, and this is no exception. After about 1 hour, I could thread the machine in five minutes or under. Although I still have to really study and understand the effects of alteration of certain threads on the tension, I do think this machine is very easy to get to know. Before purchasing, I had read reviews saying that having sewing machine oil was a necessity for this machine. I use it multiple times a day and lubricate it about once a week. I started doing this from pretty much the third day I had the machine. I haven't noticed a major difference between pre lubrication and post lubrication, but it is recommended. Occasionally, my machine will come unthreaded, which happens probably once every 3 days, but seeing as I have pretty much mastered threading the machine, I do not mind much. I did dock it a point for Easy to Use for that reason. I have to add that I do not work with very lightweight or heavyweight fabrics. I typically use midweight cotton, linens, and, on occasion, french terry or other knits. The lightest weight I have used on this serger is poplin and has faced no issues. For that reason, I cannot speak on whether or not this machine is adaptable to all fabric types because I sew on so few. Finally, this machine comes with a regular foot with 2 other feet. I do not often use them, however, it is really handy to have them for when I do need them. Overall, this serger is of great quality and very beginner-friendly.

This overlocker model stands out as the top choice for beginners in the world of overlockers. The machine is straightforward to use, especially when it comes to threading, a common challenge for many users. It includes a comprehensive manual and a helpful instructional DVD, making it easy to grasp all the essential functions. Despite my limited expertise, I have already accomplished basic sewing tasks and rethreaded the machine effortlessly. While I have yet to explore all its features, I can see its potential for more advanced projects as I progress. Any limitations in maximizing its capabilities lie with my skills, not the machine itself. Overall, I highly recommend this overlocker for anyone seeking a reliable and user-friendly option for their sewing needs.

I've been sewing less than a year and this is the 1st serger I have had success with. I was able to start serging right out of the box because it came threaded but when my threads ran low I was able to successfully rethread my machine without an issue. My advise to anyone new to serging is to get this machine and take photos and video of everything when you get it so if you get at all confused about how to thread it you can check your photos. Everything is color-coded and the thread paths are printed right on the machine but having the photos of all my original settings and threadings has helped me. I am so happy with this purchase. In many ways it is easier to use than my regular sewing machine which is also a brother. Having the two machines makes me really excited about what I can create now.

I am a novice to the serger but I have sewn for a very long time tho in no way an expert, moderately skilled I’d say and I often don’t understand many parts of sewing machines and most certainly before I purchased, nothing about serving except that I am short and always have to hem and slim bottoms of pants and like a nice finished look on seams. And let it be known that I have not attempted threading yet except for the needles but have watched many videos...not the one included as I read it’s old and not very good!....and am confident I’ll not have too much trouble. Tho that’s yet to be determined! I’m working on learning tensions and settings for different materials and writing them down so as not to have to trial and error them again. I find that the most confusing part of any machine. My reg machine is auto set which I love. I also found some helpful online Videos regarding this. I love that it came already threaded with different color threads and a practice piece done so you can see what it’s supposed to look like. The cutter works fabulously and love that. One thing missing is how to remove the threads to put new ones on but I also found something good about that from a person who went to a serger class. I did oil the machine first tho found the diagram of what to oil confusing as as beginner to those parts, again online video helped. Loved the blind hem stitching tho initially had a little trouble with it as it’s a little different from a reg machine but once I realized that from a video it was easy and looks awesome! Tho still need some practice with. If you’re a beginner I think practice is key first. I’ve spent a week researching watching videos and has helped tremendously. I also got my handy labeled out and labeled all the parts, also helpful. This is a perfect serger for me and I love it! Update...I have threaded this machine quite a few times now, most successfully and it’s really not hard at all, all color coded. I’m finding the hardest part is getting the right tensions for different fabricsI. finally after working on that all day, am happy with the ones I managed to get for most fabrics I’d be using. My advise when you do find them if you’re able is to snap a picture of it, I printed these out but if no printer can just keep on your phone and use the markup feature to label. I have a printer and I taped a piece of the fabric onto each of the pic of those settings, adding the other settings like diff feed etc to it.

OVERALL COMMENTS: 1. The machine runs smoothly, without too much noise. 2. The guts of the machine all appear sturdy/solid; some of the superficial plastic parts scare me a little because they look like they could break easily. In particular, the extendable thread guide (thread tree) on top of the machine. 3. The machine arrived, ready to use. This was a nice benefit because it allows you to try it out instantly. Everything was well packed. 4. The fact that it uses regular sewing machine needles and thread is a plus in my mind; save money in not having to stock up on multiple sets of accessories. Note, however, that due to the differences between a serger and a regular sewing machine, there will probably be instances where you want to buy different threads for each machines, depending on the specifics of your project. 5. The machine comes with a number of nice accessories, manuals, and instructional videos. I found the manuals and videos are OK, but not great. More about that below. NOTE: The videos DO NOT work on my MacBook Pro, but I was able to view them on someone else's PC. The rest of this review is for those, like me, who have never used a serger before. Like many other reviewers, I've thought about getting one for years, but was intimidated by them (they looked so complicated). Also, they were quite expensive. I would classify my sewing skill level as just beyond beginner. On top of that, I've only recently taken it up again after not doing any sewing in maybe 10 years. The biggest frustrations I've had with my 10-15 year old Singer clunker are a) finishing hems easily and with a professional look b) sewing knits. So, I decided to check out the serger market, and was surprised to find one in this price point, and with encouraging reviews from other novices. So I decided to give it a try. I've had mine for about a month now, and other than experimenting with it, I've completed one garment. I love the ease of use as well as the results. This did not happen without some pain, however. But I believe you learn more from your mistakes than from anything else, so I feel better for having gone through that. The first thing I did when I received the machine was untangle the threads (I left the machine threaded, I just worked the thread from the spool side of things). I looked through the videos and the manuals I did a couple of practice runs (without changing any of the settings) on a piece of basic cotton fabric; everything was great! Then I made what might be considered a mistake to some: I went from there to trying to do a rolled hem on a very thin, gauzy fabric. I created quite a mess, the threads got tangled, the results weren't right, and of course, the thread kept breaking and I had to rethread many many times. I got quite frustrated as I kept referring to the manuals and the videos, but just couldn't figure it out. Then I went to the internet for help. What a life saver! In particular, a video on You Tube called "Threading a Brother 1034D Serger" by "ArtistkaeSewing" who made this video specifically because the Brother instructions were so difficult to follow. This saved my day! I actually had to re-thread many times until I got all the adjustments right for the rolled hem, so while that was frustrating, I am now a pro at threading the machine from all the experience I gained. In hindsight, it was probably not a good idea to work with a fine fabric and a special stitch for my very first project. : ) I also recommend a book called "The Complete Serger Handbook" by Chris James. I find it fills in many many gaps in my knowedge (since I am a beginner to serging) and it does so in a very easy to follow format with lots of great illustrations. Here are a couple of other tips from someone who learned the hard way: 1. I didn't pick up on any instructions anywhere on where to line up your fabric while sewing. It may be there, but I just never noticed. Unlike my regular sewing machine which has a guide line labeled "5/8" - the serger just has some subtle slightly raised lines in the plastic area in front of the needle ... with one of these lines thicker than the others. That's what you want to use. 2. I didn't realize that my thread tree was not fully extended which I unpacked it. For sewing on regular fabric, it didn't seem to make a difference. But when working on the rolled hem on the gauzy material, I believe this was one of the main reasons why my thread kept breaking. Maybe these tips will save someone out there some frustration. Overall, I'm very happy with it. I know enough to use it for basic functionality; I will just have to learn the other features as I go. I'm glad to have one successful project under my belt to boost my confidence. I am glad I bought it! I feel I can now bring my sewing skills (and results) to the next level.

I have never used a serger before, and in fact, am not that hot of a seamstress. I'm mainly self taught, and I never really learned to read a pattern, so tend to craft things of my own design..but hadn't really sewn in a lot of yeras. I have reached an age where all clothing in stores either looks like it belongs on a ten year old, a twenty year old, or someone from 1978...I don't wear bright clingy florals. No thanks. So, I decided I'd try my hand at sewing again and design some clothing for myself that was drapey, and cool, and decidedly not for a 20 year old. My problem is that I love linen, however the frayed edges and lack of finished look I was getting on my regular machine was getting to be a drag....I am also quite lazy about seam finishing. Been looking at sergers for several months now and after reading all of these reviews, decided to take the plunge. The box arrived damaged, which freaked me out. But the inner box was fine. However, as some other reviewers noted, the four color threads looked like a spider had been busy in the box! I didn't even bother unpacking it as I was afraid I'd tangle things further. I wonder if the company ought to perhaps tape these spools down so that they aren't all pell-mell enmeshed around the edges of the box on opening? That day, I got on the phone and found a local fabric shop that just happened to be teaching a serger class that weekend. BOY oh BOY!!!! So I signed up. Best thing I could have done. They spent all day teaching myself and several other students with equally tangled up machines the basics of the whole shebang. And let me tell ya! I got this baby home and serged me some clothing!! A lovely pair of frilly legged bloomers, a little t-shirt, and a simple skirt! And they don't look like Lucy Ricardo ran them off on her machine because Ricky wouldn't let her buy a new dress!! Once I had the basic know-how down; it was so easy to use! I do think that you need both the serger and a regular machine, as it won't do some things, straight stitching or piecing one thing to another in a traditional way, for instance. So yes....threading once learned, is easy. Sadly, I found no CDs in the box, so it was a good thing I found the class. Perhaps they are no longer including them as all of this is available online? (which seems a bad idea as not all people have access to the internet.) I even knew how to remove the little key in order to do the rolled hems etc... This was SO easy to use that three of the other women in the class I took (a class of only five) are purchasing the machine to REPLACE their far more expensive Singers, Janomes, and Babylocks. Amazing! Even our teacher said she would now, having seen the machine in action, be recommending it to users who had not purchased one. I don't write a boat load of reviews, but I'm writing one as the other reviews here were the tipping point for my own purchase... I would purchase this again, no hesitation. But I'm hoping for years of happy sewing.

I bought the Brother 1034D Serger in 2014 from Amazon. Twelve years later it is still working as perfectly as it was when I first purchased it. It is easy to thread, the stitch quality is very good and has worked well with all fabrics from denim to very sheer chiffon. Ongoing maintenance (cleaning & changing needles) is definitely a good idea. I highly recommend this serger.