Review of the Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger
Being in the market for a new serger I found this one at Amazon.com: the Brother 1034D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger
Before I purchased my first serger, I sewed everything with a regular sewing machine that had straight and zig-zag stitches and would make decent buttonholes if I fiddled with it just right.
The Brother 1034D
There are several different presser feet. The three that come with the machine include a multipurpose foot, a blind hem/flatlock foot, and a serg
er gathering foot. Others that can be purchased separately include the serger elastic gathering foot, and the serger piping foot. This serger uses standard sewing machine needles, comes complete with numerous accessories, and had an easy lower looper threading system. The ease of threading the lower looper system is a great feature as one who has had to thread the lower loopers and not done it correctly – you get a tangled mess if either the upper or lower threading is not completed correctly.
The Brother 1034D Thread Serger
Stitch width and length controls are on the side of the machine; threading is done with color coded markings. Speed of stitching is controlled by the foot pedal.
With the purchase of additional presser feet you can sew blind hems, pin tucks, and flat lock seams.
Optional Accessory Presser Feet
Brother SA212 Serger Elastic Application Foot
With this Genuine Brother® Accessory attach and sew elastic or tape in one easy step with your overlock machine. Stitch width is adjustable up to 12mm. The channel on the foot secures your elastic or twill tape to your fabric eliminating the need for pins as you create a serged edge. The foot gathers knits as the elastic is attached.
Brother SA213 Serger Gathering Foot
This Genuine Brother® Accessory allows gathering and edge finishing in one operation. Serge finish your fabric edges with this snap on foot. The channel on the foot secures your fabric eliminating the need for pins as you create a serged edge and gather single or double layers of fabric. Connect your fabric layers and edge finish in one step.
Brother SA210 Serger Piping Foot
This Genuine Brother® Accessory allows gathering and edge finishing in one operation. Serge finish your fabric edges with this snap on foot. The channel on the foot secures your fabric eliminating the need for pins as you create a serged edge and gather single or double layers of fabric. Connect your fabric layers and edge finish in one step.
What do others say about the Brother 1034D?
An average 4.6 stars in 313 reviews on Amazon.com makes the Brother 1034D Serger a really smart buy. Mostly owners say they “love” this machine. This is a great machine for the beginner or the experienced seamstress. Some of the highlights of the reviews:
- “I’m completely new to sergers, but I did my homework before buying this one and for the price and the performance, this serger has a perfect balance.”
- “I was so excited when it arrived that I didn’t even look at the software. I read the manual, removed the sample thread, re-threaded it, and was serging in 30 minutes!!”
- “18 months ago I purchased a Brother 1034d serger for my business. I have been using this machine consistantly (2 – 3 hours each day) with no problems.”
- “Never used a serger before. It was easy to learn on my own. Easy to thread.”
- “So far it has been over 2 months that I have had it and it performs great.”
- “Sewing is a breeze with a serger and this is a fine machine. I have not experienced any problems with it in 4 years.”
- “I love getting value for my hard eared dollars and I’m glad that this is so easy to get up and running.”
- “Fast and easy setup for a beginner like me.”
Books for Learning How To Serge
Sewing With Sergers
Creative Serging
My Opinion
Every seamstress needs a serger. The Brother 1043D 3/4 Lay-In Thread Serger is a an outstanding serger sewing machine for the price. The Brother 1034D is perfect for finishing edges on your garments and accessories. Formal wear, action wear made from stretch fabrics, swim suit and exercise wear, all can be sewn completely on a serger sewing machine. Or you can do as I do and use the regular sewing machine for seams, then finish the edges with the serger. The serger gives a professional finish to the inside of your garment (and sometimes to the outside).
A word of caution: if you are planning on sewing heavy or bulky materials this is not the machine for you. You will need to get a machine that is made for heavy duty use like an industrial machine. But for everyday wear, light to medium weight and even for denim fabrics if you don’t have too many layers, it is a perfect sewing companion.
About Me
I have been sewing for over 50 years. I am a practical sewer; I want to be able to wear out the clothes I make. I stick to classic lines that I like and that I feel look good on me, then keep making the same tops and pants over and over so that I refer to them as my uniforms. I used to sew because I loved it and could make something that fit that I couldn’t buy in the store. I made many tailored jackets and coats, blouses and skirts, dresses and pant, then also purses and accessories, and reupholstered several pieces of furniture. I went to school for fashion design and can make a pattern if I have a mind to.
My grandmother made her own clothes until she was in her late 80s. She would use a pattern that she had made changes to that fit her perfectly into her advanced age by continually making corrections over time. Sewing was her therapy and one of the social projects she continued into her late 80s was to make toys for children in the hospital. I have sewing DNA. I love sewing; love that it is relaxing and therapeutic and results in something practical.
Thanks for reading,
