Sew! Mama! Sew! is running a contest on their blog to win a new serger. I thought I would enter, so here is my entry!

When my daughter was small, I started using cloth diapers. I loved all of the cute diapers out there, but couldn’t afford the prices charged by the WAHMs (work at home moms.) Since I had dabbled in sewing a bit, I decided to try making them myself. Each diaper was cut, sewn, then turned and top-stitched. I dreamed of a day when I could own a serger to make it so much faster and easier.

A year or so later, my dad gifted me with some money. I immediately jumped on eBay and found a used serger, bought it and waited for it to be shipped. Now, this was not a new serger by any means. I think it may have been originally purchased in the 80’s. I was so excited to finally receive it! I opened the box and was assaulted by an overwhelming scent of the most horrible potpourri I have ever smelled! My husband has issues with smells, so before I could set the serger up in the sewing room/office, I had to let it sit outside  to air out!

Once I was finally able to stand the smell, I lifted the serger out and noticed the piece on the back that holds the thread was broken. I am sure it happened in shipping, so I didn’t complain. Besides, I hardly paid anything for it so I couldn’t complain!

I set the serger up, managed to figure out how to thread it (there was no instruction manual) and started sewing. It worked! But the thread holder kept falling over on me as I sewed, which was inconvenient to say the least. I immediately put it to use, sewing diapers for my daughter – and then for my son when he came along. My serger saw some good days, but those days were frustrating. I can’t figure out how to go from 4 threads to three, I don’t have any other feet for the serger and it has proven hard to find parts that fit since it is no longer made. The serger used to be white or off white, but it was a lovely yellow when I got it. And the sewing room/office still has a slight potpourri odor about it thanks to the presence of my old White serger.

Both kids have potty trained and diapers have been retired. And unfortunately, because of the quality and the issues with running a serger without a manual and with a thread rack that keeps falling over, the serger has been retired, too. All of my seams fray and things that could use an overlock stitch are instead turned and top-stitched. I dream of the day I can have a serger that works, has a manual and parts to compliment it, and doesn’t smell up the office!  Maybe one day!