Another welcome feature is the free arm/flat-bed which offers easy control for when overlocking cuffs and sleeves, etc. With every purchase you can be safe in the knowledge that you are covered with a 3 year manufacturer’s warranty in the event of a fault or complete breakdown. If you're enjoying making your own clothes, but finding your usual sewing machine needs a helping hand at times, it could be time to treat yourself to an overlock sewing machine – also known as a serger sewing machine. When it comes to achieving the best results possible an overlocker is an essential piece of sewing equipment. If you are looking to invest in a brand and model with a reputation for high quality then this is the one for you.

The only problem some people have had with this model is when rethreading, which to be honest should be expected with it been a overlocker. These nifty machines, trim the seam as you sew, enclosing the raw edge of the fabric inside a thread casing. In addition if you do a lot of tubular projects then the slim design of the free arm will also be to your liking.The stitch length and width for each stitch option can be easily adjusted by simply setting the control dial to your desired selection.

Industry specialists I spoke to like the Brother brand in general, especially for ease of threading. The Brother M343D is one of their best-selling models and is a great affordable option for those on a budget. However, many dressmakers are interested in overlockers as they bring a professional level of finishing to garments in a quick and easy manner. When it comes to threading the colour coding does help, however, this model is relatively easy to thread and doesn’t require the use of tweezers or special tools, which is a bonus. All you need to do is slide the bed extension off when you are looking to work on the harder-to-reach parts of clothing or those smaller and more intricate projects.Overlockers were first used in an industrial setting as a quick and reliable way of sewing over the edges of clothing to give them a high-quality and very durable finish. These include a 2-thread overcast, 2/3-thread flatlock, 2/3-thread rolled hem, 3-thread overlock, 3-thread wide stitch, 3-thread narrow hem, 4-thread safety overlock, stretch knit, stretch wrap, and a 4-thread gathering stitch. With a 2, 3, or 4 thread option there is a bit more to this machine when compared to the previous models in our reviews. Furthermore, they are also used for seaming, hemming, flatlocking and for giving a decorative edging. It can finish seams with 3 or 4 threads and offers several stitch options, including narrow hem, rolled hem and ribbon lock stitches.

Out of the box it comes already threaded which is a bonus due to the fact that overlockers are notorious for being hard to thread. In terms of stitches it has 3- and 4- thread overlock stitches and can perform narrow overlock and rolled hem stitches.If you are looking to invest in an affordable overlocker with high quality features then you should take a serious look at the Brother M343D Overlocker. This is also great from a safety point of view as it means you don’t need to have any direct contact with the knife.

There is the option of 3 or 4 thread operation and like all Janome models the stitch quality is of a professional standard. In addition to a helpful, informative instructional DVD, this machine includes a step-by-step user manual containing illustrated threading instructions, tension setting tips for a variety of fabrics and the best differential feed settings. These are capable of sewing a 5-thread safety stitch which is perfect for creating very strong seams on heavier fabrics such as denim. We've been eyeing them up every time they appear on The Great British Sewing Bee, so we asked our in-house dressmaking pro Roisin McKenna – to talk us through what to look for in an overlock machine.The thing about overlockers is that they are notoriously well-known for being a hard machine to get to grips with. Singer is a household name that people know and trust when it comes to sewing machines and overlocker sewing machines. This is the top plastic part only which you screw onto your originalshaft with the small screw you already have.