This helpful serger guide was submitted by Sarah from Sewing Parts Online. If you're ever in the market for a special sewing foot, pedal, bobbin, instruction manual, etc. be sure to check out their website. They even have parts for older machines like mine. Sarah hooked me up with some great darning feet! And now she's been kind enough to share this amazing guide with us. Enjoy! ... Learning all the new options a serger brings into your sewing life is a challenging and rewarding experience. I know most of us are intimidated by just the appearance of a serger, let alone figuring out what heck you can do with it! However, with a little time and patience, your serger will add all whole new perspective to your sewing. Successful sewing relies on a great community we all make together, so if you know any special tricks or have a few questions, leave them in the comment section below. Someone may have the same question or your trick might save us all a little more time! Firstly, mentally prepare yourself for a little confusion. When you're learning new serging techniques, you will find yourself adjusting, rethreading, crying, readjusting, switching needles...it's a lot to take in. This is because, just like a conventional machine, your setting have to be altered to fit different stitches, fabric, and thread weight...x4 (or x3 or x2 depeding on your stitch, but we'll get to that later). It takes time, but it does get easier and is well worth it! Secondly, give yourself time to really experiment with your serger before starting any projects. Trying to complete a project and compute all your serger settings will more than likely overwhelm brain circuits and cause spontaneous combustion. For me to understand my serger, I used my manual, library books, and surfed the internet to create a Serger Scrapbook. I tried out each stitch and different techniques one at a time. Once I had a stitch or technique done correctly, I glued the fabric swatch in my scrapbook, recorded all my settings as well as some tips and adjustments for different threads. Because there is so much to learn, having a scrapbook is an easy and fast way to recall information. While learning, I would limit myself to a couple hours of serging at any one time and just walk away when you feel the urge to break something. Give yourself time to learn in a stress-free environment and don't judge yourself if you mess up. It gets better! A few things to remember: Use good quality thread. Back away from the bargain bin; it will only end in tears. Sergers have fast moving parts and inferior threads cannot keep up. Maxilock and Toldilock are great options. Do whatever you can to ensure the thread is feeding evenly and consistently off the spool. Any wiggling will cause hiccups in your stitch. I have had to stuff my thread spools to secure them tightly. The thread nets are also very helpful. Use the Stitch Finger as a guide for sewing. Keeping an eye on the Stitch Finger (or the needle when the Stitch Finger is on R) will prevent the material from getting wrapped around the Upper Looper. Love thy Tweezers! I literally cannot thread my machine without tweezers. Tweezers also help if you are trying to detangle thread that wraps up where it shouldn't. Keep those pins far, far away from the cutting blade and the needles. You know how on your conventional machine you can get away with sewing over a pin or two? Not on your serger. You can always use basting spray to secure your fabric. If you must use pins, place them three inches away and parallel to the blade. Oil every 15 hours of serging and dust frequently. That cutting blade makes one heck of a dust pile. If a thread breaks in the upper or lower loopers, I rethread both of them in order just to be safe. Remember to keep your manual handy. I know we all hate trying to read manuals, but they really are a helpful reference. Here we go! Construction A four Thread Overlock stitch is ideal for constructing your projects. It'll finish the edges and hold your fabric securely. This is your basic starting point. You can serge in twill tape or ribbon into the seam to prevent stretch (like in shoulder seams). However, I recommend reinforcing heavy activity areas of clothing on your sewing machine after you have serged (like the crotch area of your pants). I have felt the wrath of not securing this area on a conventional sewing machine...in public. Settings for four Thread Overlock on Muslin using Regular Serger Thread: Left Needle- 5.5 Right Needle- 5.5 Upper Looper- 4.5 Lower Looper- 4 Length- 2 Differential- 1.0 R or S- S Blade- Engaged (Can you spot the spelling error? Thank goodness for spell check!) Corners Serging an outside corner is basically serging a straight line. You can't pivot the material as you would on a conventional sewing machine. You simply serge a 3 inch chain past the end of the fabric, lift the needle and presser foot, and reposition your fabric to serger another straight line. The ends of the chain get secured in the stitch. Serging an inside corner requires you to bunch the fabric in to a straight line and serge normally. Don't worry, your fabric won't stay bunched. Try to get your line as straight as possible. Curves The trick to serging curves is all about control. Make sure you have a firm hand on the fabric and are controlling the feed with purpose. Try to slowly serge until you get the hang of it. Circles To successfully serge a circle, you need a starting point. Cut out a one inch long notch in the edge of the circle. The notch depth should be equal to your finished edge. So if I am cutting off 1/4 an inch, my notch will be two inches long, 1/4 inch deep. Just like serging a curve, maintain control of the fabric. You may find it helpful to draw your hem line and follow it as your serger. I always find it helpful to watch the needle(s) as I serger. Flatlocking Consult your maunal and adjust as needed. The trick is to have no tension in the needle and high tension in the loopers. Also, you want to examine your stitch finger and make sure the thread is hanging about 1/8 an inch past the edge of the fabric to ensure the fabric will lay flat when pulled. I especially love flatlocking with nylon thread in the upper looper. Here are my settings for three Thread Flatlocking with Nylong thread (on muslin fabric): Left Needle- 4 Right Needle- - Upper Looper- 5 Lower Looper- 9 Length-2 Differential- 1.0 R or S- S Blade- Disengaged We see flatlocking often on active wear, but it also adds a great decorative element. With the wrong sides of the fabric together, you get the serging stitch in the right side of the fabric. But if you serge with right sides together, you will get a cool ladder stitch on the right side of the fabric. This is great for weaving in ribbon or yarn or beads. Spread or Two-Thread Converter Talk about a great way to save thread! A spreader, also known as a two Thread Converter, fits into the upper looper, making it think it's working when it's not. The same technique for sewing a three thread flatlock applies to sewing a two thread flatlock. Remember to let the fabric hang over. I find it most accurate to follow the stitch finger as I serger. I aim to have the edge of the fabric meet with the inside edge of the stitch finger. I keep my eyes glued to that and I get the best results. Inserting Spreader (Pardon my dust) Settings for two Thread Flatlock using a Spreader (serger thread and 100% medium weight cotton fabric): Left needle- - Right needle- 1 Upper Looper- Spreader Lower Looper- 5 Length- 2.5 Differential- 1.0 R or S- S Blade- Disengaged Rolled Edges Rolled edges are so beautiful! Especially with decorative threads and on lovely sheer fabrics! Rolled hems are the stitch of choice for light-weight decorative fabrics, but require a few extras to be successful. Regarless of the stitch width, I recommend using some form of stabilizer on the lighter fabrics. You can use water soluble stabilizer or ribbon. I have actually heard of people using plastic wrap to secure the stitch of super delicate material. If you don't have any stabilizer available, you can simply fold the edge on itself and serger. You just need to go back and trim the extra fabric that's left over. Settings for Rolled Hem on Muslin using regular serger thread: Left Needle- - Right Needle- 3 Upper Looper- 9 Lower Looper- 9 Length- F Differential- 1.0 R or S- R Blade- Engaged Settings for Rolled Hem with Nylon Thread on Muslin: Left Needle- - Right Needle- 2 Upper Looper- 2 Lower Looper- 5 Length- 2 Differential- 1.0 R or S- R Blade- Engaged Remember, you will have to adjust your settings to accommodate for fabric weight and the type of stabilizer you use. Gathering You can buy a Gathering Foot for your serger, but it can be done with the general purpose foot, it just needs a little tweaking. I found I get the best definition using lighter fabrics, but you can increase the volume of your gathers by simply manually pulling on the needle thread after you have serged. Settings for Gathering with Nylon Thread: Left Needle- 5 Right Needle- - Upper Looper- 4 Lower Looper- 3 Length- 4 Differential- 2.0 R or S- S Blade- Engaged You can adjust the width as you please. Lettuce Edges A lettuce edge is an awesome decorative edge! You will get the best results from ribbed knits because they have a great stretch and bounce back quality. I tried a lettuce edge on other knits and wasn't pleased with the results nearly as much. The trick is to stretch the material from front to back as much as you can. Really pull on the fabric to get a great lettuce effect. You aren't going to hurt your machine. Slowly sew until you get the hang of it. Keep a firm grip and control the fabric. Settings for Lettuce Edges on Ribbed Knit using Embroidery Thread: Left Needle- - Right Needle- 2 Upper Looper- 2 Lower Looper- 6.5 Length- 2 Differential- 0.7 R or S- R Blade- Disengaged Making Waves There are a couple of ways to make your stitches look like waves. To create a wave look within your stitches and the create a wave effect with multiple rows of stitches. Wave Illusion within the Stitch: If you own a Babylock machine, you have a wave stitch built in. For the rest of us, you will need to do it manually. First, start with your manual's recommended settings for a three-Thread Overlock and make slight adjustments to fit your thread and fabric weight. User your left hand to guide the fabric. With your right hand, loosely hold lower looper thread between your pointed figner and thumb. Count 1-2-3 out loud and sqeeze your finger at the intervals beween each second. So you are literally pinching the thread for a millisecond as it comes off the spool. This takes a lot of practice. I'm still working on my precision. Settings for Manual Wave Stitch on Muslin using Nylon Thread: Left Needle- 5.5 Right Needle- - Upper Looper- 3.5 Lower Looper- 4 Length- 1 Differential- 1.0 R or S- S Blade- Engaged Wave Illusion on Fabric: To create a wave look on your fabric, you serge multiple parallel lines using a shortened three-Thread Overlock Stitch. It looks best when you use decorative thread in the Upper Looper and thread matching your fabric in the Lower Looper. Then, on your conventional sewing machine, you sew a grid of alternating lines that intersect the serged lines. For example, you serge five parallel lines one inch apart. Then you go to your conventional sewing machine (match your thread to the fabric), sew five more parallel lines that cross over your serged line. You alternate the direction you sew to create the wave look. Basically, you are sewing a grid. Settings used on the Serger on medium weight fabric using decorative thread in Upper looper: Left Needle- - Right Needle- 5.5 Upper Looper- 4 Lower Looper- 4 Length- 1 Differential- 1.0 R or S- S Blade- Disengaged Blind Hem Yes, it can be done! This works great in place of a cover stitch on knits. Start with a Flatlock. Adjust your settings to match your fabric and thread. Fold hem to the wrong side of fabric, then back over to the right side of the fabric. For a truely invisible hem, extend the raw edge past the fold and stitch on the extended hem edge (1/4 inch part), allowing the machine to just barely catch the fold. Sew slowly and keep your eye on the needle to make sure it is catching the fabric. Match your needle thread with the color of your fabric. Setting for Blind Hem on muslin using Nylon thread (increase tension in upper looper for regular thread): Left Needle- - Right Needle- 1 Upper Looper- 4 Lower Looper- 4 Length- 4 Differential- 1.0 R or S- S Blade- Disengaged I hope you found this article helpful and good luck with your serger!
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There are many sewists out there who swear by sergers, and it's no wonder why! Similar to a sewing machine, a serger is used to sew pieces of fabric together, but it does so with a twist. Not only does a serger stitch fabric, but it also cuts off extra fabric and seals in hems with an overlocking stitch, all at once! By using this one-stop-shop machine, you can cut your sewing time in half and produce projects that look professionally sewn. See only some of what you can do with this page full of serger basics and 15+ Serger Sewing Projects! Your stitches will be stronger than if you use a sewing machine and your hems will be protected against fraying. In short, a serger is a godsend for the sewing process. Itching to try out a serger yourself? Whether you want to know more about what a serger is, how to operate one, or to find free serging patterns, this collection has something for you! In this list, you'll find everything from a guide on serging 101 to patterns for couture fall accessories. If you'd like to know more about sergers, read our guide, Is a Serger the Same as an Overlocker? You don't have to scour the internet for serger patterns anymore. We've done the heavy lifting for you so that you can get to sewing designer-level pieces right away. Click any link below, and your serger will do the rest! Plus, we're sharing advice from our readers who use sergers to help you before you buy or as a beginner. Sign Up For More Free Patterns >>>
Here I will compare a sewing machine vs serger vs coverstitch machine so you can be sure you have the right working tool for your intended sewing projects.
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There are many sewists out there who swear by sergers, and it's no wonder why! Similar to a sewing machine, a serger is used to sew pieces of fabric together, but it does so with a twist. Not only does a serger stitch fabric, but it also cuts off extra fabric and seals in hems with an overlocking stitch, all at once! By using this one-stop-shop machine, you can cut your sewing time in half and produce projects that look professionally sewn. See only some of what you can do with this page full of serger basics and 15+ Serger Sewing Projects! Your stitches will be stronger than if you use a sewing machine and your hems will be protected against fraying. In short, a serger is a godsend for the sewing process. Itching to try out a serger yourself? Whether you want to know more about what a serger is, how to operate one, or to find free serging patterns, this collection has something for you! In this list, you'll find everything from a guide on serging 101 to patterns for couture fall accessories. If you'd like to know more about sergers, read our guide, Is a Serger the Same as an Overlocker? You don't have to scour the internet for serger patterns anymore. We've done the heavy lifting for you so that you can get to sewing designer-level pieces right away. Click any link below, and your serger will do the rest! Plus, we're sharing advice from our readers who use sergers to help you before you buy or as a beginner. Sign Up For More Free Patterns >>>
If you love working with knit fabrics, then you know that a serger is an essential tool for sewing these fabric types. A serger sews, finishes raw edges, encases seams, and prevents fraying - giving your garments a professional appearance. It also save you time by sewing and finishing edges in one step. When serging knit fabrics, look for a machine that can handle various stitch types and has differential feed. Differential feed helps to prevent puckering and stretching when serging knit fabrics.
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A few weeks ago, I did a poll on Instagram asking what people’s biggest problems were when sewing knits. One issue that kept coming up was how to use a serger. Threading a serger can often be intimidating but with a little practice, you’ll feel comfortable with it in no time. The video will show yo
New to the world of overlockers and sergers? Understanding your serger will help you feel comfortable and confident while using your machine.
Have you been enjoying our Serging 101 series? If you're like me when I first started out, you might have a bunch of numbers and settings floating around in your head now! I ended up with a bunch of sticky notes by my machine with setting reminders. I admit that I still use those sticky notes as a quick reference! (Very helpful in the middle of the night when I'm sleep-deprived and in a hurry.) But I must say that the sticky notes aren't very attractive and I occasionally lose them. There's probably a whole pile behind my sewing desk. Anyway... today we have a fun printable for you that is super cute and it will free us all from the craziness of memory games and sticky notes! Here is an all-in-one chart of serger settings, and it can be used for most (if not all) brands and models of sergers! All you need to do is print it out, fill in your settings, and then keep it near your machine. Of course these are only starting points for the settings. You may need to adjust based on the fabric type and thickness, etc. As you can see, the chart has blanks for the four needle tensions, as well as the differential feed, stitch length, and stitch width when applicable. I included some of the most commonly used functions and then also left room for you to add more if you'd like. Pretty handy! You can download our free CKC printable for Serger Settings here! Do you have it printed out now? Great! You're ready to write. Here is a closeup example of the settings I use for my Brother 1034D Serger. Again, yours may be different, even if you have the same model. After you have your chart filled out, feel free to tape it to your desk, the wall, a pet, or you can even put it in a frame! This is what Morgan did with hers: Isn't it perfect? There's no rule saying that functional can't be super cute too, right? And while you're making your sewing area nice, you might also be interested in our picture frame pincushion project! I can see these two frames becoming best buddies on my sewing shelf. That's all for today! I hope you enjoy the new printable! I know I'm going to. Let's Create! ~ Kristen
Adding the Brother 1034D Serger ( to the sewing machine arsenal has been one of my most useful purchases. Sharing some of my favorite tips to avoid frustrating and the urge to chuck it out a window…
Serging fabric produces secure edges without no hemming necessary. However, serging around corners can be tricky. Whether you want to serge an outside corner, an inside corner, or a curved edge, there are some things you can do to make...
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How to Make a Serger Cover I really needed to make a serger cover for my serger. I have a little plastic one that came with it but it really doesn't
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Quilters often think there's no way to use an overlocker/serger in binding process, but it can make tidy and speedy work of the process.
Learn the 8 different types of serger stitches you can do. Included: close-up stitch photos & beginner-friendly descriptions.
A serger is an essential part of any sewing room, adding a professional finish to all your projects. It can be intimidating at first but with a little practice, you'll find serging projects become easier and faster than ever. With sergers, there are different types of stitches that can
