Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S500

The Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S500 is a serger and cover stitch machine in one. It serges with 2 to 4 threads, sews 4- and 5-thread safety stitches, and hems knits with cover stitch, for 23 stitches in all. Press a button and air threads the loopers, then turn a dial to pick your stitch and the tension is set for you.

Why buy from Imagine Sewing & Vacuum

• Authorized Husqvarna Viking dealer. Husqvarna Viking gives its limited warranty only to buyers from authorized dealers, so your Amber Air S500 is covered for up to 5 years.
• Sewing specialists since 1922. We've helped sewists and garment makers choose the right machine for more than a century.
• Factory-trained technicians. The people who service Husqvarna Viking machines can help with air threading, cover stitch conversion and tension questions, before and after you buy.
• Free shipping on orders over $299. This machine qualifies.

Serge, hem and cover stitch on one machine

• Push-button looper threading. Insert the thread end into the looper hole and press the threading button. Air carries it through the upper, lower or chain/cover stitch looper.
• Tension set by the dial. Turn the stitch selection dial to your stitch's letter and the tensions are set automatically. Levers fine-tune each thread.
• Professional knit hems. Sew triple cover stitch and wide or narrow double cover stitch for T-shirt hems, necklines and activewear, plus chain stitch for seams and decorative edges.
• Stronger seams. 4- and 5-thread safety stitches sew a chain stitch seam and an overlock edge in one pass, wide or narrow.
• Neat edges on every fabric. Precise Thread Control fine-tunes how the looper threads wrap the edge, and differential feed (0.6 to 2.0) keeps knits flat or gathers on purpose.
• Room to work. The space to the right of the needle is about 2.5 inches high and 4.8 inches wide, and the included extension table adds 12 inches of flat surface.
• Free arm for sleeves and cuffs. Slide off the flat bed extension to hem sleeves, pant legs and children's clothes in the round.
• Hands stay on the fabric. The knee lifter raises the presser foot, and five LEDs light the work.

Is the Amber Air S500 right for you?

It's the best fit if you sew knit garments, activewear or children's clothes and want serged seams and cover stitch hems without buying two machines.

Good to know before you buy: air threading covers the three loopers only; you thread the needles with the included handheld needle threader. Switching to cover stitch takes several steps, including changing needles and swapping in Coverstitch Table B. Speed control is a full or half speed switch on the foot control. Only the standard presser foot is included.

• Want a touchscreen and fabric-based settings? The Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S600 adds a color touchscreen, the SEWING ADVISOR feature, 26 stitches, 30 stitch memories and five speed settings.
• Only need overlock seams and edges? The Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S400 is a 4/3/2-thread serger with air-threaded loopers and a built-in needle threader.
• Prefer Pfaff? The Pfaff Admire Air 7000 is a coverlock machine with 26 stitches, a color touchscreen and push-button air-threaded loopers.
• Prefer a separate serger? The Pfaff Admire Air 5000 is a 4-thread serger with air-threaded loopers, so you never convert between modes.

Expert tip

"Don't chain off at the end of a cover stitch hem. The seam will unravel when the looper thread pulls out. Separate the thread ends, knot the needle threads together first, then tie them to the looper thread and trim. And when you switch back to serging, slide the upper looper lever back to position A and put Cutter Cover A back on before you sew."

Greg, Owner, Imagine Sewing & Vacuum

Specifications

What's in the box

• Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S500 with standard presser foot and Cutter Cover A (on the machine)
• Foot control and power cord
• Coverstitch Table B
• Extension table and pivot pin for circular sewing
• Knee lifter
• 5 spool holders, 5 spool caps and 5 thread nets
• Needle threader, tweezers and threading wire
• Allen key, screwdriver and brush
• Sewing machine oil
• Spare knife blade for the upper cutter
• Needle pack
• Waste tray, accessory box and soft dust cover

Warranty

Husqvarna Viking's US limited warranty for the Amber Air S500 covers material and workmanship for 5 years (other than the motor and electrical parts), electronic and electrical parts including the motor for 1 year, and mechanical parts and adjustments for 1 year. It applies to original purchasers who buy from an authorized Husqvarna Viking dealer. Imagine Sewing & Vacuum is an authorized Husqvarna Viking dealer, so your machine is covered. Register your S500 with Husqvarna Viking after it arrives.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Amber Air S500 a serger or a cover stitch machine?

Both. Husqvarna Viking calls it a coverlock machine. It trims and overlocks like a serger, and sews cover stitch and chain stitch with Coverstitch Table B.

What's the difference between the Amber Air S500 and the S600?

Both are 5-thread coverlock machines with push-button air threading. The S600 adds a color touchscreen, the SEWING ADVISOR feature that sets stitch length, differential feed and tension for your fabric, 26 stitches, 30 stitch memories and five speed settings. The S500 has 23 stitches and selects them with a dial.

Does the S500 thread the needles automatically?

No. Air threading covers the loopers. You thread the needles with the included handheld needle threader.

Does it sew rolled hems?

Yes. It sews 2- and 3-thread rolled hems without changing the presser foot or stitch plate.

Can I sew circles with the S500?

Yes. Attach the extension table and set the included pivot pin in one of its 13 holes. The fabric turns around the pin as you sew. Husqvarna Viking recommends it for medium and heavy fabrics with stabilizer.