Serger vs Sewing Machine – The Comparison

For those who sew all the time, the question is not whether they need a sewing machine or a serger, they already own one or both machines. For beginners, however, it is important to know the difference between the two machines they need and if they might need both. Many activities can already be done on a basic sewing machine for example a zig-zag stitch or an overlock stitch. So in which cases do you need a serger sewing machine? What is the difference between a domestic sewing machine and a serger? In which cases do you need which machine? In the following article: Serger vs Sewing machine – The Comparison, I will clarify the following questions.

• What is a serger sewing machine?
• How does a serger work?
• What is a sewing machine?
• How does a sewing machine work?
• What is the difference between sewing and serging?
• Serger vs sewing machine – The Comparison

What is a serger sewing machine?

First of all, I would like to mention that a serger or an overlocker is the same machine but with different names. American companies use mostly the term serger and in Europe, the serger is called overlocker. In the following post, I will use both terms.

Sergers are a particular form of sewing machines with specialized uses, but it has some additional functions that are not available in traditional sewing machines for sewing projects or simple sewing tasks. The biggest difference between a serger and a sewing machine is that a serger is specifically designed to sew a seam while also trimming the seam allowance and enclosing the raw edge.

In some sense, a basic serger machine resembles a traditional sewing machine. Its main advantage over sewing machines is its ability to greatly simplify and speed up sewing seams or fabric edges by using the overlocking stitch. While the serger is fast and convenient for simple sewing tasks, it is not recommended for more complex sewing functions.

How does a serger work?

Usually, there is only a spool and thread in the domestic or basic sewing machine for sewing clothes. An overlock machine or a serger is a sewing machine that uses several bobbins of thread, usually from three to five. This specialized machine creates overlock stitches that are performed with a double needle, and the rest of the threads go into the loopers. There is also a blade that cuts through the fabric and trims the fabric edges.

Sergers are faster and more efficient than conventional sewing machines and are widely used in industrial sewing, especially with knitted fabrics.

What is a sewing machine?

A sewing machine is a technical device for performing the processes of joining, fastening, or finishing parts of sewing products.

How does a sewing machine work?

The sewing machine has many special functions and various stitches, but sewing takes place only under the stitch plate.

The seam is a coil of the upper thread with the lower thread. Now, if the needle moves the upper thread down through the fabric, the grip also rotates under the stitch plate. This one, as the name suggests, grabs the top thread. Continuing to rotate, he takes the thread with him. It turns out a big loop. If the rotation is once around, the loop is in the bottom thread and pulls it up to the fabric. Thanks to two intertwining threads, the upper and lower threads are adjacent to the fabric.

The layers of fabric that need to be sewn are placed between these connected loops. Now if you have bigger loops in your stitch image you can adjust the tension of the upper thread. Even though the fact that today there are electronic, as well as computerized machines with a lot of relief and functions, the basic function of the sewing machine is still the same.

What is the difference between sewing and serging?

As a rule, the serger is used next to the sewing machine, and not instead of it. If you don’t want to perform only the simplest stitches, you’ll need one of each.

However, if you do a lot of straight stitches and if you sew professionally, then most likely the serger will pay off after several completed projects. The length and width of the thread can usually be quickly and easily adapted to different weights and textures of the thread and material.

As with most tools, the serger can come with many different functions and accessories. With functionality, the price also increases. If you don’t sew professionally, you probably won’t need a serger with detailed options. It’s best not to spend extra money on features that you probably won’t use.

Some of the things to pay attention to before making a choice are ease of use, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and the quality of seams on various fabric structures. Other things to consider are the number of threads that can be used at the same time, the maximum number of stitches per minute, and your overall comfort with the machine. You can try one or more at your dealer before choosing one that suits you.

Serger vs sewing machine – The Comparison

Pros and cons of a serger

It is very convenient to work with an overlock, as already said it performs sewing, trimming the seam allowance, and enclosing the raw edge at the same time. Especially sewing knit fabric is very comfortable with this kind of machine.

Another pro for a serger is the speed and quality of the sewing pieces. If you are already sewing and plan to do custom sewing in the future, then a serger machine is a necessity for you, since it increases both the efficiency of labor and the cost of your work. Having learned how to manage it, you can count on the finished product in a much shorter time and a high-quality underside, almost indistinguishable from purchased items.

In contrast to this, a serger can be noticeably expensive and needs extra space. Therefore, it is important to make sure it will be used constantly, and that its functions are necessary to solve your tasks. If you have decided only to try sewing, or you still have little experience, you can wait a little while until you decide in practice how permanent this activity will be for you before going on such serious acquisitions.

Just don’t think — I don’t advise against a serger. Any sewing equipment, in my opinion, is an excellent investment. But if you usually sew a couple of summer dresses a year, then maybe you don’t need these expenses, and you can do with a traditional zigzag on a simple sewing machine.

Pros	Cons
very convenient	often more expensive than a sewing machine
fast	needs extra space
performs three tasks at the same time
high-quality of sewing pieces

Pros and cons of a sewing machine

At first, a sewing machine is easier to learn for beginners. Even a short course is enough to teach the perfect use of a sewing machine.

Above all, a sewing machine is very versatile and easy to handle. A lot of them already have an overlock stitch or a zig-zag stitch to neaten the fabric edge so you won’t need a serger. Of course, it doesn’t look like the edge you get on the serger but it’s still good enough. For example, computerized sewing machines make sewing easier, they have an electronic display with which you can set all the necessary sewing parameters.

Another advantage is the flexibility in work. With sewing machines, you can do any job according to your needs. A lot of basic machines have decorative stitches that you can use for different tasks. With a sewing machine, you can also turn your fabric and sew it either from the left or right side of the needles. With an overlock, you can only serge on the left side of the needle.

There are also disadvantages of a sewing machine. A sewing machine cannot sew seams, trim the seam allowance, and cut the fabric at the same time as a serger can.

And another disadvantage which I can think of is the price. The purchase price of a sewing machine can vary, it can cost from 100 to over 1000 dollars. In my post about cheap sewing machines, I present the best affordable models and compare them.

Pros	Cons
easy to learn for beginners and easy to handle	cannot perform sewing, trimming the edge, and cutting the fabric at the same time
flexible and versatile	price can vary
most have elastic stitches and can replace a serger

Serger vs sewing machine: The Differences

Now I will move on to the part where they differ from each other. Check out the facts about them:

Number of threads and threading

A key difference between the two machines is the number of threads. To process three tasks at a time and to perform the overlock stitch, a serger needs more yarn and two to four cones of thread. A sewing machine usually uses one spool of thread and just one bobbin. Obviously, there is also a difference between threading an overlock and a sewing machine since they are and work so differently.

Cutting knife

Another difference between a sewing machine and a serger is the knife. This cutting knife is needed to trim the seam allowance for a professional finish.

Differential feed

A great feature that an overlock sewing machine has in contrast to a sewing machine is the differential feed. This feature allows the serger to sew stretchy fabrics with ease without stretching them too much or fabric can be gathered.

The difference in stitches

A lot of sewing machines come with a lot of different and decorative stitches and a lot of special sewing tasks can be performed like making buttonholes. In comparison, there are only a few stitch possibilities for sergers.

If you don’t have a machine which has a buttonhole foot und you want to sew a buttonhole without a buttonhole foot, read the following article: How To Sew A Buttonhole Without A Buttonhole Foot

Performance

Sergers operate at substantially faster speeds than sewing machines and are often used in industry.

Learning Curve

Most sewers start with a simple sewing machine. If they later buy an overlock, they find it harder to operate at the beginning. But it is not, once you learn how it works you won’t find it difficult anymore.

Price

Of course, the price should be mentioned. You can purchase more affordable sewing machines and sergers and also more expensive models.

So, these are usually the fundamental differences between a sewing machine and a serger.

Do they have anything in common?

Yes, of course, a serger and a sewing machine have also similarities. At first, both are used to sew a seam. Also, both machines have a presser foot, a needle, and a needle plate. And most sewing machines also can overcast edges, gather fabric, make piping, and narrow rolled hems.

Here I linked a serger vs sewing machine video which I liked.

A sewing machine or a serger – which is better?

Can you use a serger as a regular sewing machine?

No, you can’t replace a sewing machine with a serger. You can make seams with both, but as mentioned above, the overlock machine binds the layers of fabric together and simultaneously cuts off the excess seam allowance. With a conventional sewing machine, you will have to cut your project first and then sew, because there is no built-in blade to trim the excess fabric that sits right in front of the needles.

When it comes to more advanced tasks like sewing buttonholes, sewing zippers, do the topstitching you need a regular sewing machine, because most sewing machines have these features.

Serger vs sewing machine: Which one is the best for you?

Speaking of what is the best – a serger or a regular sewing machine, it is worth saying right away, that the first device is unlikely to be a full-fledged replacement for the second. Well, the truth is that overlocks and sewing machines complement each other, and when both are used, you’ll realize that they make a great team. There will come times when you will really need an overlock, and situations when a sewing machine is simply irreplaceable. I hope I could show and explain the differences and the similarities in this post and that your questions could be answered about whether you need a sewing machine or a serger or both.

Read also: How to Use a Sewing Machine: Important Tips