Euphoria! My Baby Lock Cover Stitch Machine Finally Arrived
I was beginning to think it was all a dream. I purchased a Baby Lock Euphoria Cover Stitch Machine, but it was back ordered. I was told it would arrive in three months and then I was told it would be an additional two months. But, I finally have it and I absolutely love it!
True, I could have survived without it because I own a Baby Lock Ovation which is a serger that also does the cover stitch and the chain stitch. The Euphoria only does those two stitches. Although I will still need to use my serger along with the Euphoria, I won’t need to stop to rethread and change the settings on the serger every time I need to switch to a chain stitch or a cover stitch. Making garments will be easier and faster. Euphoria is an apt name for this machine because it really does make me happy!
After I unpacked my machine, I threaded it and got it right the very first time! Threading is really easy. I wanted to make something right away. I have a red and white skirt that I made several years ago, but seldom wear because I don’t have a top that goes with it. I decided to search my fabric stash for a piece of white knit to make a top to wear with the skirt. I found three pieces of white knit. I decided to prewash all three and then decide which one to use. I should have gone directly to the washing machine and started a load with those three pieces. But no, instead I did something really, really stupid.
I picked up a piece of aqua knit fabric and decided I would throw that in the wash with the white pieces. Yes, I knew better, but I told myself I would use one of Tide’s Color Catchers and that would protect the white fabric from any run-off of the aqua color. Those Color Catchers have always worked for me, but not this time. I ended up with three pieces of white knit fabric and each piece had light aqua blotches all over them! I was able to take the largest piece and by cutting around the blotches, I was able to get a shirt cut from the piece. I wasted a lot of fabric, but at least I was able to get a shirt from it. I am not sure what I will do with the other two pieces. I may try to bleach them.
Have you ever done something stupid like that? You know your actions could result in a bad outcome, but you proceed anyway. I hope I have learned my lesson. I may use Tide’s Color Catchers again, but only if everything in the wash has already been laundered at least once.
After I cut the shirt, I realized it needed a little something extra to give it some pizazz. I decided to add some decorative stitches down the front using red thread. I chose a small flower design to place down the middle front of the shirt and a small leaf design to place on each side of the flowers. I placed a strip of light-weight fusible tricot fusing down the wrong side of the front of the shirt wide enough to accommodate all three rows of decorative stitching. That made the shirt stable enough to hold the decorative stitching.
I used my sewing machine, serger and cover stitch machine to put the shirt together. I used the sewing machine to sew the neckband onto the neckline and also to baste the sleeves into the shirt. I used the serger to sew the shoulder seams and the sleeves after they were basted. I also sewed the side seams together with the serger. I used the cover stitch machine to sew the neckband from the right side to hold it in place and finish the seam. I hemmed the shirt using a cover stitch. I finished the hem on the sleeves with the decorative leaf design from my sewing machine.
The picture below shows my tee-top with the red skirt. There are also pictures of the decorative stitching including two closeups.
If you are working on a new project, don’t let a bump in the road discourage you. Look for solutions to your problems and keep on sewing and learning!
Judy
#sewing #usingaserger #coverstitchmachine #BabylockEuphoriaMachine #decorativestitching
