Everyone who is fond of tailoring, at some point there is a desire to expand the home fleet of sewing equipment. The question arises - what to buy in order to diversify your hobby and, possibly, turn it into a source of additional income. To answer it, it's worth figuring out how the overlock differs from the carpet and whether they are needed in principle.
Why ordinary sewing machine is not enough
As a rule, a person wondering what is better, an overlock or a carpet, and what is the difference between them, already has sewing skills. Surely he has a regular sewing machine at home. However, its capabilities are very limited. The classic machine does not know how to cut, trim, flat seams and is not friends with knitwear.
For such operations, a fundamentally different technique is used: overlocks, carpet blocks and sowing machines. The differences between them are significant, despite the resemblance. Unites them, perhaps, only one thing is the creation of elastic seams, indispensable when sewing knitwear.
Overlock
The main and only function of this machine is trimming and trimming the fabric. Both operations are performed simultaneously. There is no familiar bobbin in the overlock; the looper acts in its role. It is necessary for processing the edges of knitwear, fine crumbling fabrics, silk and other materials.
Depending on the model, it has from three to ten working threads. Five is usually enough for home sewing. The price of household overlocks ranges from an average of eight to thirty thousand rubles and depends on the number of working threads, additional functions and power.
Sewing Machine
The name of many is misleading. It’s more correct to talk about a flat-stitch (from English flat stitch) machine. It is designed to work with knitwear. Performs the following types of seams:
- three-needle;
- two-needle wide and narrow;
- chain.
Each of them is applied to certain works. Flat seams can be seen on underwear or T-shirts, and chain seams on jeans upholstery. When using threads of different colors, you can perform decorative finishes. Flat and chain seams are elastic and do not tear during deformation. Using the differential, you can stretch or compress the fabric, making it wavy.
Carpetlock
The difference from the overlock and the sewing machine is that it combines the functions of both. Externally, they can be distinguished by the departure of the sleeve. The largest one is for the opener, but the overlock does not have it at all. Coverlock is an ideal solution if you do not have time to purchase other units. Moreover, thanks to the ability to make chain seams, there is no need for a classic sewing machine. With its help, products from any fabric are grinded, without fear that the seam will open at the most inopportune moment.
Of the minuses, one can note the high cost and the need to reconfigure for specific needs.
Can a carpet lock replace an overlock and a sewing machine
Here we come to the main issue. Is it worth it, with all the external similarities, to buy a carpet? What is the difference between this machine and the overlock so much as to pay much more for it? If you have the same functions, a carpet is more expensive than its two brothers combined. As a rule, all devices from the category "three in one" are cheaper than individual counterparts in the aggregate. In this case, this is not so. The advantages and disadvantages should be considered in order to understand this issue.
Advantages of the carpet:
- one machine that can do almost everything you need for home sewing;
- compact, does not require the organization of a separate place for work;
- You can forget about classic sewing machines.
But there are also disadvantages. Here is some of them:
- high price;
- the need to reconfigure to perform each operation (threading, adjusting the tension);
- small working area (sleeve overhang).
It has already been said above how a carpet is different from an overlock: the ability to make flat seams. Moreover, he is able to cut and overcast fabric while doing a seaming chain seam. Imagine a pillowcase that is longer than a pillow. You can shorten, overcast and grind it in one pass. The operation will take several seconds, without taking into account the machine settings. But, given the pros and cons, everyone decides for himself how much these functions are necessary and whether he is willing to pay a decent amount.
How to choose a carpet
The choice of equipment (especially specialized) is a responsible matter. Before buying, you should pay attention not only to the set of functions, but also to the brand. The sewing machine market is quite compact, the number of brands is small. As a rule, all manufacturers are fairly conscientious, but each brand has its own brand chip. Try to analyze what is more important for you: sewing speed or undemanding to the quality of the thread, the convenience of refueling or the presence of an additional table, a variety of seams or the ability to work with dense materials.
If you pick up a carpet, you should know that it will never be cheaper than an overlock and a sewing machine combined, all other things being equal. It does not bother to pay attention to the presence of additional accessories. This may be a set of paws, a table extending the work surface, a set of tools for servicing the machine, etc. The acquisition of these accessories separately will be more expensive.
Even if at the time of purchase there is no clear idea which of the operations of the carpet is really necessary, do not forget - as you master all the functions, you will want to do something new. And then the restrictions due to the configuration of the machine will become noticeable.
Items that can be sewn on the carpet
In addition to sewing fabric, trimming and trimming, there are a huge number of other operations. The capabilities of the machine are greatly expanded with the help of additional legs. At first glance, this seems complicated, but if there is a desire, then daily practice will bring these manipulations to automatism. Various presser feet can be used:
- for denim;
- narrow edges;
- beads;
- stitching cords;
- slanting inlay;
- buttons
- blind seam;
- undercut.
This is an incomplete list, each manufacturer declares support for a specific set of paws for his machine.
With the help of a carpet, you can shorten trousers or curtains, restore bedding and sew almost any thing from different materials. The only limitation is the tailor's fantasy.
Which option is better for those who constantly sew
The decision to purchase a particular machine always remains with the end user. If you rarely sew, it is best to stay on the carpet. This machine will take up a little space in your house, but it will have to be reconfigured for specific needs.
It is best to use specialized equipment to trim and overcast dense fabrics such as leather or felt. This is just the case when you should think about how the overlock differs from the carpet. The latter, as a rule, does not cope with such tasks due to its versatility. For flat seams, the carpet can be inconvenient due to the small extension of the sleeve, the fabric to the right of the foot will simply have nowhere to place.
Any universality imposes restrictions on professional work. If you constantly sew and have a dedicated table where you can place sewing equipment, it is better to purchase an overlock and a locker. If this is a hobby or there is not enough free space in the house, it is better to choose a carpet.