Bernette 334D Serger

 I've had my Bernette 334D serger for more than 30 years.  I bought it when I was making my daughter's clothes (as most clothes for little girls seemed to be hooker clothes downsized.  Now, I'm no prude, so when I say that, it means something.  I crafted T-shirt dresses and lovely courdoroy jumpers...and a serger works beautifully on these. When I pulled my sewing machine out I had it serviced and then later thought it would be a good idea to have my serger serviced (which had never been done).  And then later, I bought a new Bernina 530B (on close out).  So now if have my Bernina 910 (mechanical), my Bernette 334D serger, and my new Bernina.

With mask making, I quickly determined (after folding, pressing and folding and stitching edges of the cheek and mouthpiece) that using my serger would make short work of finishing those edges of the Olson mask.

The journey of a thousand curse words starts with the first step of buying new thread.  Yes, I have some cones of thread, but they are old.  With new thread having arrived, I began the journey of threading the serger.  I had no memory on how to do so, but the thread guide is clear...except I still couldn't get a chain stitch to work.  And I broke a needle (still don't know how that happened).  And I had the needle fall out (the needle seating is very difficult as there is not much space and the screws are very small.)  Also in all of this, my eyes are all the more older.  Even with reading glasses, I was having a hard time seeing things.  I gave up.  Let it rest. 

The next day, I had a renewed sense of hope.  This is a machine that I had successfully used (my voice in my head said)...and it never bit me.  On to the internet.....the videos on the Bernette were just horrible.  But I did learn from a blog that Juki made the serger for Bernina.  I found a beautiful HD video that clued me into what I was doing incorrectly (and reminded me of what all my buttons and knobs were for).  

Success.  I forgot what a monster machine that serger is.  I feel like my productivity will be much higher.