I had bought a Serger about 6 month ago from Ebay. But I still did t touch it to do a hem with it. I had learned overseas how to sew first by my mom then I had gone to school to learn from scratch how to do the patterns. I had sewn so many cloth when I was over seas and first when I came to the state I had a job in a department store to sew furs for peoples. Now I hem a skirt or do cuffs and add buttons that is enough for me.

If I understand it correctly -- Sergers are great for specialized finishes like seams Also for some fancy embellishments like smocking.

Bermuda -- You wanted a sewing machine for using your cross stitch pieces into pillows. Correct, then you need a sewing machine, not a serger.

ADAM -- are you reading this thread. from what I read today a serger might be a good way to keep your rough edges from raveling.

My sister has a serger that she bout several years ago. It is still in the box. Maybe, I might ask her to bring it if she and her husband drive don to St. Louis for my son's wedding in May.

At any rate, sewing machine or serger. I personally would recommend not buying on line if it can be avoided. Go to Joann's where you will be able to get personal assistance, if needed.

Good night my friends. I am tired

I agree. I bought two, one is still in the box (over 2 years now) and the other has only been used three times. Look at the manual, if it's more than 10 pages look for another model. The gently used one was very inexpensive but is computerized and gets on my last nerve. I think it's a Brother. I hate sewing to begin with and having to pull out the manual every time I want to sew a straight seam is no fun.
You can do zigzag around your raw edge with the sewing machine but you cannot sew with the serger. DD has one and does my fabrics. If I remember correctly it also trims the fabric as she serges. We bought all this equipment at Joann's and it sounds so simple but is not. We bought beautiful fabric at Calico Corners at least six years ago and had planned to sew duvet covers, bedskirts, and display pillow covers!!!! We also bought patterns. Not so simple. Now I know why our seamstress in VA had huge tables and super expensive machines in her shop!!!! :)
I wish that my old, cheap Singer hadn't given out. No matter what the tension could no longer be adjusted.

I bought a Singer "Classic", a medium-priced sewing machine that doesn't have a lot of "gingerbread" options on it; since I consider myself a "beginner" when it comes to using sewing machines. I haven't used it yet, but soon. I don't have a sewing machine table to put it on so I'll have to figure out what to place it on and where since we have limited space. It is a portable machine so I can take it with me when DH and I migrate.

I use my kitchen table ( should say "used") or my computer desk. I try to start early in the morning so I can have it gone by dinner time. :)
DD bought her equipment at Joann's. I bought mine online from Costco and the last one at Target. I haven't unpacked it yet and hope that it a simple one. It's in the back of the closet and I cannot remember the brand. My son gave me a gift card a couple of years ago for Target (why I don't know) and I wanted to use it.
I've had positive results with Singer machines. I never did much sewing except to shorten jeans for the kids, make small repairs and even smaller alterations. Since I have advanced in age, I have lost patience and my back hurts too much. Overall, I am a patient person try to do the best job possible but for some reason sewing just sets my teeth on edge.
I hope that it will perform to your expectations. Portable is the way to go. You can stick into a closet and that's that. :)
Oh, I have a Singer that my grandmother bought in 1928 I believe. It's full size and in the closet also. I'm trying to pawn it off on DD but she is not having it. I learned to sew on it.

BERMUDA -- I have a collapsible table for my machine. I can either just set my machine on it and use the free arm or raise part of the table to cover the free arm and keep larger pieces of fabric flat. I have the space to keep it up all the time. I think that if I fold it flat it will fit under my bed with all the dust bunnies.

Thanks for the suggestion on a collapsible table. DH has suggested I use one of the thick wood TV TRAY tables but I'm leery that vibration from the machine will cause the table to collapse; he also suggested I put it on a small table with a glass top and again I'm debating if the sewing machine vibration will have negative results......

Just read a Singer review of a high end machine that the poster was disgusted with Singer because her warranty was worthless because she bought it through Amazon... :(

Her problem was on a machine a few years old that the tension and fabric feeders went out...not a common problem, evidently. Amazon is a re-distributor.

Try googling sewing lessons at your local fabric/craft shops. I am in a beginner quilt class and the store lets me borrow their machines for the class...lets me try them out for free! I agree that I wouldn't buy a machine that I didn't have convenient help for.

BERMUDA --MY OPINION is that a TV table or a glass top table would not be a good choice. I wanted to state emphatically that the collapsible table was the way to go. However, I checked on-line to see how much one would cost. I was surprised to see that they were over $150 for a basic one. That is probably more than your sewing machine cost!!