Brother Serger, 1034DX, Durable Metal frame Overlock Machine 1,300 Stitches Per Minute, Trim Trap, 3 Accessory Feet and Protective Cover Included

A great value for the money! I find this machine to be very sturdy and so far, very efficient - and you can't beat the price. Just.Can't.Beat.The.Price!After many years of not sewing, I was introduced to quilting, which led to me purchasing a small BROTHER machine (CX155LA 199.00) machine and i returned to sewing. After a couple of quilts, because I'm difficult to fit (36" inseam and long arms) - I decided it was time to start sewing garments. However, as I'm no longer in my 20s (LOL) no more "home made" stuff like I made in my 20s... TNow my things must have superb finishes. I knew I needed a serger.I signed up for CRAFTSY UNLIMITED (now called BLUPRINT) - and a well spent 15.00/month to refresh my sewing skills, improve my quilting skills, and learn some fine tailoring tricks. To my delight, there was also an abundance of lessons for sergers as well - so this helped immensely.All I'd heard re: sergers was a) they're awesome for finishing, and b)they're a nightmare to thread. I had to question how true this threading issue could be, as sergers are hot sellers! In spite of all this, I knew I needed a serger. Ready to (possibly) throw my sanity out the window, i did a LOT of homework. Critics raved about the 1034, however, no longer made, the DX was the new model. I couldn't argue the price - a small investment, and if I didn't enjoy/use it, I'd sell and cut my losses.I'm very pleased with this machine. So far, in the week I've had it, I've made a few small projects (blouse/pouches/purse) to begin mastering my machine. I appreciate the machine arrives pre-threaded, so I was able to look at the manual and follow the threads, understanding how it worked. I was still very intimidated re: threading the machine (sometimes you CAN read too much! lol)Two days into sewing, my lower looper thread got off the track, and suddenly my machine wasn't sewing. No answers online, so I went back to the manual (duh!), and realized it was a very simple place the thread had come away from, but it was time to learn to thread the machine, so I removed all the threads. On my first try, I had the whole thing threaded in 10 min. It was a piece of cake! I couldn't help but wonder why so many had such difficult/nightmare-ish experiences! It can't get any easier!I'll say there are two tools I purchased as a result of my online serger classes, that have made threading/changing needles much easier. Neither of these tools are included, but both are about 5.00 ea at a local craft store.1. Machine needle inserter & threader.It's not rocket science to insert the needle, but this threader has a mechanism that allows replacing the needle much easier - esp. if you don't have teeny tiny hands... lol Your serger uses two needles. This threader - omword, where has this been all my life?Dritz 253 Machine Needle Inserter and Threader2. Serger Needle/Looper threaderThe looper has a small hole which many might find a tad difficult to thread. This tool makes your looper threading SUPER easy. It's very long, allowing you to reach spots that might be tough with larger hands or less than great vision.Dritz Serger Needle ThreaderI feel these two tools are a little expensive on Amazon. I'd get a coupon from the craft store and buy them for several dollars less.Your machine needs to be lubricated prior to use, and I recommend watching a youtube video, because I don't feel the manual makes it obvious for one of the two recommended spots to lube. I highly recommend ZOOM SPOUT oiler because it has a long thin tube which allows you to reach into the hard to reach places for oiling. :)Sewing Machine Zoom Spout Oiler 4 oz.Sergers create a lot of fluff while cutting. Just like you'll find a lot of fluff in your bobbin area of a regular machine, when you open up the front of the serger to expose the threading areas, and where thh looper arms are, you'll see "fabric/thread lint" (see photo). I recommend using good thread, don't buy cheap crap. The cheap thread fuzzes and will create more stuff to clear out of your serger. I bought Toldi-Lock (Guittermann) thread b/c I've had good luck w/their regular sewing thread. The lint shown in the photo is from some red batik fabric, this thread hasn't shown any signs of "fuzzing" so I'm very happy with it so far! Again, use your craft store coupons, a cone is ~3.59 each, but on sale, much less... You'll need 4 cones of thread. I found it helpful to use the four threads that came with the machine to sew scrap fabrics so I could become familiar with the different roles each thread plays in the stitching. This helped me determine if I really needed to change ALL FOUR to a matching color, or maybe I only needed to change the upper/lower looper threads...I'm really happy with this purchase, and excited to learn more about the machine. It's a magnificent complement to my sewing machine, as the two each serve different purposes.

This review is for the 1034DX.What this serger does:The threads lock around the seam to prevent fraying, and also cuts off the seam allowance as it sews.Before we bought this 1034DX serger and after reading all the reviews I noticed some confusion about the differences between the 1034D and the 1034DX. There are several. In some questions asked about the differences between the two I noticed an answer from a "Brother Customer Service" associate that mentioned the only difference was the LED lighting. That was kind of interesting and I would expect a more knowledgeable answer from a company rep.Anyways enough ranting. Make sure you have Product code 884-B03 which is on a sticker on the back of the 1034DX machine.The differences that I noticed are these:1.) The controls on the 1034DX are on the right side. 1034D are on the left.2.) On the 1034DX There are no tension release buttons above each tension disc like the 1034D has. On the 1034DX you raise the presser foot lever to release tension to all discs.3.) On the 1034DX you thread right to left.. Lower looper is the right blue tension disk. Upper looper through the green tension disc is next. Then the right needle red and left needle yellow.(Watch videos for the Lock M343D. Same machine just the Canadian version I think.)4.) When you thread the lower looper on the 1034DX (and the Lock M343D) there is a lever (step #9) to slide the lower looper out to make it easier to get to. This lever is NOT on the 1034D.5.) The thread goes through the thread tree a little differently and through 4 plastic holes instead of metal guides.6.) The 1034DX uses 75 watts of power which is less than the 1034D.5.) And of course the 1034DX has a LED whereas the 1034D has a regular bulb.Basically when you watch videos of someone threading a 1034D it is not the same. They will thread the green first and then the blue.I did notice the DVD that came with the 1034DX is a higher quality video. The threading part really is helpful. Make sure that lower looper thread goes behind the upper looper when you thread it...!!I have the 1034DX product code 884-B03 so I noticed these differences right away.WHAT I LIKE:1.) Lower looper has a lever (#9) to pull it out and make threading it easier. This is not on the 1034D. (See picture)2.) DVD that comes with it is in HD and does a good job of explaining the threading process which can be a little tricky.3.) LED light. I don't know if it's any brighter than the 1034D but it will last longer...💡.4.) Threads right to left not 3 4 2 1.5.) Tension is released to all tension discs at the same time by raising the presser foot. You don't have to do each one manually or set the dials to zero.NOT SO GREAT:1.) I didn't like that they cut the power a little on the 1034DX. Probably some because of the LED bulb but not sure how much on the motor.2.) The foot pedal seems to not start out at a low speed. You have to press it maybe 1/3 of the way and then the machine starts running a little fast. Once it starts then you can slow it down to what's comfortable. Kind of like starting in second gear instead of first. A little annoying but I'll live.

I was pleased that this machine was ready to use right after unpacking. The stitching was perfect and I’ve been able to use it for endless jobs since setting it up. Greatly happy with it.

So, this is a fantastic little serger for beginners. Super easy to thread once you get the hang of it. I can thread it in under a minute! It does all of the things that I need it to do as an advanced beginner/intermediate sewer. It is very loud and shakes my table quite a bit (even causing a random screw to pop out while I was sewing last week). The main problem I've experienced is that it is REALLY hard to find replacement parts. Like, almost impossible. Not even Brother could help me out on my search for replacement blades after I accidentally sewed over a pin (still looking, ordered a few third party knives designed to fit other brother models and will see what works). It is important to note that parts specified for 1034D will not typically fit this model, which has been a frustration. The machines look very similar, but have enough small differences to make the parts incompatible with each other. It's a great deal, but if you can't find the parts you need to maintain, the machine may be much less of a value than it seems.