Ottobre / Coverstitch Machine

I have recently purchased a long awaited subscription to Ottobre design (sewing) magazine. It's main focus is on children's fashions, however they have added a woman's magazine too. Each issue has 40 designs with patterns. I also added a few back issues as well. I love the results of these patterns. Given it's a pain in the a** to trace them out but the results are beyond stunning. These magazines have come in handy when I have needed a Birthday present for someone's b-day but don't have the money to buy one. My current project, (along with finishing the sewing room) is the above issue 4/2007. I am doing the hooded sweater picture to the right of the issue. If there is one thing I hate doing in sewing it would have to be applying binding. It took me a while to figure out how apply the binding to the circular pocket opening so that it didn't look amateur (despite reading ottobre's directions, I didn't like the result). {Yes I really am that anal that I will rip and tear it out until I'm satisfied with the results. I feel that it's the only way to do something!}

Luckily, (and to my surprise) my dear hubby already told me that he is going to buy me a long awaited coverstitch machine with his overtime check, for Christmas. I really wanted to get the Janome coverstitch machine but my cheapness was leaning to the brother coverstitch machine for at the time $299 us dollars now it's gone up to $350. For those of you who are wondering what the heck is a coverstitch machine, it's a machine that is designed to finish knit fabrics. If you look at a ready-to-wear tshirt, for example, it is the bottom hem of the shirt where there are two or three rows of stitching on the top. It is also added on a lot of rtw tops now for decorative stitching in place of topstitching. Coverstitch machines also do chain stitches which are used as a decorative or basting stitch. They aren't cheap by any means but they give you great results, and if you're like me perfection is what I strive for in everything I make (although it might not be perfect, it's my goal). The coverstitch can be copied by using a double needle but it will never be a true coverstitch and thus the stitches can break. With a coverstitch machine you can apply binding and elastic, in one easy step. Which is just what I wanted as I would like to make underware and tshirts etc. I do have a coverstitch option on my pfaff serger, however it's driving me nuts to change from a 4thread stitch to a coverstitch back to a 4thread stitch. Plus the bed size of my serger is tight not to mention that there isn't too many options for binders (to apply the binding). My machine only will do a 2 needle narrow coverstitch and I would really like a 3 thread coverstitch. Both the brother and janome where on my top picks. I found a place on ebay that sells generic binder attachments. These generics attachments are compatible on both machines but the brother requires (in my opinion) a mickey mouse way of attaching it to the machine and that is by using mack tack to stick it to the machine. After hearing me hum and haw for over a year now (not that I really had the money anyways), my hubby said I was driving him insane and that he was just going to go out and buy me the Janome. I already own a Janome embroidery machine and sewing machine, both are excellent machines and well worth every penny. I know I have a lot of money tied up in a "hobby" but sewing means a lot to me, and I know that my hubby knows that. Plus I don't smoke and I don't drink or party. My dear hubby works shift work and with shift work comes a lot of time by myself, and when he's at work I like to sew.