Master how to use a serger before your next project by watching this instructional video and you can use it in more fun and creative ways.
Sewing Tutorials and Custom Shirt Designs by Pam Erny. Tailoring, Pattern Design, Interfacing Tips, and more!
Tutorial: How to rip out a serged seam I don’t think enjoys ripping out a seam. But ripping out a serged seam? That’s REALLY no fun! All those threads, and that stretchy fabric makes for a tedious job
I am a new owner/user of a serger. I want to entirely use a serger to make my next project, specifically learning to sew and cut off fabric using the 1/2″ seam. Is there an easy way for me to edit the…
Learn simple techniques to serge together seam allowances in this step-by-step video featuring Threads magazine author Sandra Miller.
We have all come a long way in our Serging 101 series! In case you missed out on any of the previous serging posts, we have already covered how to set up your serger, how to thread for rolled hems, how to thread for seams, and a few other posts in between. And now today we're going to learn how to serge with knits! One of the things I love about sewing with knits is that they don't fray, so it's not absolutely necessary to serge the edges. However, I have four boys and I'd like their clothes to get a lot of use, so I tend to serge my edges for extra durability. I also sew all of my seams with a sewing machine before serging. It takes just a bit more time and makes them a lot more sturdy. So that two-step method is what I'll show you today! First, the sewing machine. When I sew with knits on my sewing machine, my favorite stitch is the "lightning bolt" stitch, as I like to call it, that you can see circled above. It gives a really strong stitch while still allowing the knit to stretch when it's worn. Please notice that the one I circled is NOT the same thing as a standard zigzag stitch, shown as #10 above. You can use the zigzag on knits too but the finish isn't as nice. My second favorite stitch for knits is the #18 stitch above. It is a straight stretch stitch (at least on my machine) and gives a sturdy stitch but doesn't allow quite as much stretch as the lightning bolt, so it might cause problems with puckering. It is great if the lighting isn't available on your machine though. One thing to note with the lightning bolt stitch is that it does start out strong so it might pull your fabric down with the initial stitches if you're right on the edge of the fabric. I like to start down about 1/8" and that seems to solve the problem. Alright, on to sewing! After sewing the seam with the lighting bolt stitch, your seam will look like the one above! Now you're ready to serge! On my Brother 1034D serger, I set my tension dials all to 4, as you can see in the photo. For your machine you may need to adjust the dials based on the recommendations in your user's manual. For the settings on the side of my machine, I put the first dial at 1.0 if I'm using a low-stretch knit, or up to 2.0 if I'm using a super stretchy knit. The second dial I put at a 4, and the third dial I put just above a 5. I also make sure my knife is engaged. Again, your settings may be a bit different but these work great for my machine. To begin, put the presser foot down and chain off a tail, as shown above. Then line up the edge of your fabric with the appropriate seam allowance. Mine is 3/8" and is marked by the red arrow in my photo. With the presser foot down, begin serging. Be careful not to pull or stretch the fabric as you go because it will cause puckers in knit! Notice that the knife is cutting off the excess fabric where the yellow arrow is pointing. That reminds me of another reason I always sew before serging! Anybody who has accidentally left a pin in the fabric can tell you that when a pin hits the knife blade of the serger it is NOT GOOD! That is a mistake I won't make more than once! I like to have my edges sewn and pins removed before getting anywhere near my serger. As you serge your outfit, if you come to a curve don't panic! Just gently guide the fabric through at a gradual curve. Think about how you drive around a curve in a car - gradually and smoothly, using the line as your guide. When you get to the end of your fabric, simply serge off the edge of it, forming another tail. Cut the threads and you're done! You should now have a neatly serged edge. I aim to have my serger stitching very close to, but not quite on top of, my sewing machine stitches. Now if I stretch out the seam, no threads show through on the outside of the fabric! It is a secure seam that is ready to stand up to a lot of rough-housing from my boys! Aren't these adorable? I love this Space Invader knit I got from Misty over at BWD Fabric and Supplies. This was my first time ordering from her and the quality is fantastic -- not to mention the super adorable prints she has in knits, such as Jack Skellington, Minnie Mouse, and right now she's taking pre-orders for Alice in Wonderland! I have several more of hers that I have in my stash for future blog posts and I can hardly wait! But first I'm going to finish up this super cute outfit I started. Any guesses on what I might be making to coordinate with these little guys? Let's Create! ~ Kristen
In this tutorial I show you the steps required to succeed with coverstitch machine. Because using a coverstitch machine can be tricky.
Like Jess, I can tell you I am extremely intimidated by sewing with a serger. I'm fairly comfortable sewing with a basic machine but deciding to jump into a project with my serger was entirely out of my element. I'm a big planner and I feel relatively okay doing new things with the wealth of information you can gain by spending a few hours online. Learning the serger has not been so easy. I want to say I read the manual and then immediately started sewing but that wasn't the case. Before I get to an actual project I thought it would be helpful to explain the basic functions of a serger. As you may already know, I received my serger as a birthday gift. My mom bought me a Singer Professional 5 that came with 6 additional presser feet. I was excited and then instantly thought, "wait, what can I do with a serger?" After a lot of reading and no sewing (yet), I think I know what my serger can do. Double Chain Stitch suitable for straight seams also used for decorative chainstitch topstitching effect Double Chain Stitch Two-thread wrapped Edge Overlock (narrow) provides an elegant fine finish to lightweight fabrics when using clear threads the fabric appears to have an invisible edge gives a couture effect and looks beautiful on finer fabrics Two-thread Wrapped Edge Overlock (narrow) Two-thread Overedge (narrow and wide) used as a lightweight seam finish or a lightweight seam less thread is used and does not imprint on the right side of fabric when pressed creates less bulky seams (ideal for sheer or lace fabrics) Two-thread Overedge (narrow and wide) Three-thread Overlock (narrow) most commonly used because of its versatility provides professional seam finish to woven fabrics beneficial in preventing loosely woven fabrics from unraveling offers unlimited decorative capabilities recommended for finishing seams but not reinforcing the seam Three-thread Overlock (narrow) Three-thread Flatlock (narrow and wide) used decoratively to achieve the look of applied trim special decorative threads are used for a textured and dramatic effect also used to serge non-bulky seams Three-thread Flatlock (narrow) Three-thread Flatlock (narrow) Three-thread Flatlock (narrow) Three-thread Ultra Stretch Mock Safety stretches with the fabric, seam will not break when fabric is stretched ideal for super-stretch knits like those used on swimwear or athletic clothing Three-thread Ultra Stretch Mock Safety Four-thread Ultra Stretch Mock Safety stronger than the Three-thread Ultra Stretch Mock Safety stitch the additional thread provided added strength to the seam (good choice for knits and wovens) works well when applying ribbing to garment (often seen on cuffs, collars, and waistbands) Four-thread Ultra Stretch Mock Safety Four-thread Safety Stitch alternative to the Five-thread Safety Stitch offers same type of Two-thread Chainstitch used when sewing a medium weight woven fabric because the stitch is less bulky Four-thread Safety Stitch Five-thread Safety Stitch (wide) combination of a Two-thread Chainstitch and Three-thread Overlock stitch Suitable for woven fabrics and provides a durable seam for heavy weight fabrics (denim) Five-thread Safety Stitch (wide) Five-thread Safety Stitch (narrow) same benefits as Five-thread Safety Stitch (wide) Five-thread Safety Stitch (narrow) Cover Stitch (narrow) often seen in ready to wear garments two needles crate parallel rows of topstitching and one looper sews an edge finish on underside Cover Stitch (narrow) Cover Stitch (wide) same benefits as Cover Stitch (narrow) Cover Stitch (wide) Triple Cover Hem professional and creative triple topstitch three needles create parallel rows of topstitching and one looper sews an edge finish on underside ideal for heavier fabrics traditionally used in home decorating adds unique accent for garment constructions Triple Cover Hem Three-thread Rolled Hem used to finish edges of scarves, ruffles, table linens, and some garments suitable for lightweight to medium weight fabrics used for pintucks Three-thread Rolled Hem My serger came with a beading foot (used for sewing on beads, sequins, pearls, and thick cord), a blind hem foot (used for hemming skirts, paints, and other sewing projects in one easy operation), a cording foot (used for sewing piping betwe3en two layers of fabric in one easy operation), an elastic foot (used for inserting elastic into a seam), a shirring foot (used for shirring and gathering), and a taping foot (used for inserting a tape into seams that will stretch easily). Now that I know just what I can do with my serger, I'm excited to start sewing! This week I'll be using my favorite Lil Blue Boo patterns to make some spring clothes for my daughter.
What is a serger and how do I use it? This is a question I hear all the time. Today we are breaking it down and telling you exactly how to use this sewing machine.
HOW TO USE A SERGER: Free eBook SERGER SCHOOL Vol. 1: Serger Basics, Techniques & Tips Learn all about sergers and all that they can do to help your garment sewing. Download a free ebook
Learn 5 different ways to sew a knit hem in this tutorial with video and written instructions
A simple tutorial to cover your Brother 1034d serger!
Learn the secret to serging corners like a pro! This one secret tip will help you serge corners as if they were straight lines! Serging Corners are as easy!
Who's ready for the next installment of our Serging 101 series? I know I am! If you're new to the series, you may want to read up on our first two mini episodes so you're all caught up: Getting Started With a New Serger Videos For Threading Your Machine And now today we're going to show you how to thread your serger to do a rolled hem! This is the first skill I wanted to learn on my new serger because of how often I do rolled hems with CKC patterns. I've always done it the slow way on a sewing machine and I'm ready to move onto the serger method. And I did it! Here's my very first skirt I made using a serger. I guarantee you can do it too! Today I will walk you through a few important steps using pictures, and then we will show you a couple videos that will show how smooth it is to do. The first thing you need to know about rolled hemming is that we only need one of our two needles. We need to remove the left needle so that we're only using our right. The second change we need to make will depend on which serger you have. If you have a Juki, you pull a little switch (the video will show this in a minute). But if you have a Brother like mine you will open up your machine and remove the "stitch finger". -- The what?! -- Well, just look where I circled above in red. The stitch finger is that tall skinny thing in there. Do you see the orange arrow about halfway down? You will hold the metal there, and then push the little lever where I drew a green arrow. This will pop the stitch finger out. This is what the stitch finger looks like. We will need it later, but not for rolled hems. The Brother machine gives us this neat little storage place right inside the cover where we can snap the stitch finger in place until we need it later. Now that we removed our left needle and our stitch finger, we are ready to thread our machine as we did before and then set the tension dials to where we need them. Notice the picture above. We will not be threading the yellow at all because we removed the left needle. The remaining three dials can be set in a variety of ways but we have found that for doing rolled hems on the Brother serger, this is the best combination for us: 4 - 5 - 7. It may be different for your machine. After playing around with it if you find a better setting for yours, be sure to write it down or take a picture so you can save yourself time in the future. On the side of the Brother machine there are dials for stitch width and length. We want to set both of them to R for rolled hem, as you can see in the picture above. Now all of our settings are exactly where they need to be. It sounds like a lot but after one or two times it will become an easy habit. Two more little tips: Since this was my first time serging I didn't realize that we need to "chain off" before and after everything we serge. When we're done we can't just lift the presser foot and remove our work like we do with a sewing machine. We have to drive our stitching off the back and then clip the tail, leaving some for the next one to start with. It's not hard at all, just a new concept to me! (I'm a beginner remember. The experts are probably chuckling at me, but I bet I just saved you some time!) It is also very important that we have our threads pointing straight backward, away from us, and not to the side. It took me a few minutes to figure out why, so I'm showing you in the picture above. As we're serging we are stitching around two needles that are pointing toward the back of our machine.In the photo above there is a green arrow pointing at them. These needles have the threads chained on them, so if we try to pull threads to the side they won't go anywhere! Everything has to move toward the back, sliding off those needles. It's not a huge issue, but definitely something I didn't know before today. Alright those are all my tips. I'm so happy with how my first rolled hems turned out! I did practice on a bunch of scraps before starting on my actual skirt. But honestly, the machine does all the work and I wish I would have tried this out months ago!!! Now if you actually read through all that, congratulations! And if you didn't, you can now catch all the same stuff in our videos. First up is my video where I show how to get my Brother machine ready to make rolled hems: See, it's really not hard! You'll be doing this in no time! For those of you who own a Juki serger instead, you get to learn from the fabulous Shannon! She also shares some helpful tips that I didn't know about until after I made my own video. Don't you love that you get the beginner and the expert side of things? So now -- Are you ready to start making some rolled hems?! We certainly hope so! Pull out some scraps and start playing around with it today. If you have any questions, please ask in our patterns group where there are a lot of experienced women ready to help! And we'll see you next time in our Serging 101 series. Let's Create! ~ Kristen
Hello. I'm very low on cards to blog so I'm alternating them with sewing posts. Barbara is on Hochanda next Sunday though so I'll soon have some more that I can share. As my sewing obsession has grown so has my sewing machine collection. I now have machines to sew, hem and serge (more about that word later) and they all needed pretty covers. The fabric used on them all is from the Sew Retro range by Makower. They have fusible fleece stuck to the main fabric to give it a bit of body and are lined with white cotton. Sew - Janome DC3050. I have already blogged about making this and where the ideas came from here but since my collection and my skills have grown I've tweaked it a little bit, adding the "SEW" appliqué. I used my Sizzix Fun Serif dies to cut out the lettering and they're attached with Heat n Bond Ultra as I wasn't confident enough to sew around them. The blue oval they're on was cut out with a Spellbinders die. I attached it with Heat n Bond Lite and then blanket stitched around it on the machine - I figured I couldn't really mess up an oval. Hem - Janome CoverPro 1000CPX. This was a bit of an extravagance but it was my Christmas present and I love it! I've started sewing jersey and this is perfect for hemming it. This one did actually come with a decent vinyl cover but it didn't want to be left out. The patchwork panels (front and back) were done with June Tailor's Quilt As You Go Pre-Printed Batting....... .......which made it really easy. Although since then I've had a go at the real thing and I'm enjoying that too. Serge - Janome 9200D. Being English I do usually call this an overlocker but the American name "serger" is shorter and I thought it worked better in this case. This one didn't come with a cover so I had great fun working out a pattern for such an odd shape. I'm really pleased with how it turned out though. The only problem is that after all that work I guess I'm going to have to stick with these machines. Hubby will be pleased to read this! I also made a few really useful accessories. The mug caddy is from a pattern by Simplicity (2450). I'll do a separate post on that sometime as I also made Hubby one for Christmas for his desk at work. The thread catcher bowl is from Debbie Shore's Half Yard Home book and the wrist pin cushion is based on one I found here. I didn't have any flowers so I used a circle of fabric instead, it's not as pretty but I was impatient. I guess I'd better go and finish my Clarity samples. Happy crafting. Lynne x
One thing we'd like to start having on the blog are little tutorials for our readers, so today, we are going to get started with something a...
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Master how to use a serger before your next project by watching this instructional video and you can use it in more fun and creative ways.
Save time gathering with a serger. This seemingly clumsy machine can turn gathering with a serger into an easy task with just a few eay setting adjustments.
Fleece blankets make the perfect gift for just about anyone! ZJ Humbach starts by offering size suggestions for sewing a blanket - from infant to child, pet, and even car seat size.
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...
In this post, I will tell you the secret shortcut to change serger threads on your Overlock/ Serger Machine quickly and without errors.
Who wants to learn how to sew a rolled hem?! For silk or any kind of sheer fabric, you'll want to know how to sew a rolled hem.
Did you know that you can easily gather fabric with your serger? No rethreading, no complicated change ups. Just two easy steps and your fabric is gathered!
I used to think that sergers were super expensive machines. Then I snagged a cheap Singer ProFinish Serger, and I don't know how I ever lived without it.
I've been working on a little project to share with you, and it involves sewing a blind hem. Now EVERY time I sew a blind hem, I pull...
When a friend of mine called me last week to ask how in the world she was supposed to get minky to behave in the serger, she reminded the Cuddle Minky has a different set
More Learn to Sew Tips and Techniques: Before there were sergers, people who sewed knew how to Finish Seams without a Serger. Learn How to Finish Seams.
In this post, I will tell you the secret shortcut to change serger threads on your Overlock/ Serger Machine quickly and without errors.
Who's ready for the next installment of our Serging 101 series? I know I am! If you're new to the series, you may want to read up on our first two mini episodes so you're all caught up: Getting Started With a New Serger Videos For Threading Your Machine And now today we're going to show you how to thread your serger to do a rolled hem! This is the first skill I wanted to learn on my new serger because of how often I do rolled hems with CKC patterns. I've always done it the slow way on a sewing machine and I'm ready to move onto the serger method. And I did it! Here's my very first skirt I made using a serger. I guarantee you can do it too! Today I will walk you through a few important steps using pictures, and then we will show you a couple videos that will show how smooth it is to do. The first thing you need to know about rolled hemming is that we only need one of our two needles. We need to remove the left needle so that we're only using our right. The second change we need to make will depend on which serger you have. If you have a Juki, you pull a little switch (the video will show this in a minute). But if you have a Brother like mine you will open up your machine and remove the "stitch finger". -- The what?! -- Well, just look where I circled above in red. The stitch finger is that tall skinny thing in there. Do you see the orange arrow about halfway down? You will hold the metal there, and then push the little lever where I drew a green arrow. This will pop the stitch finger out. This is what the stitch finger looks like. We will need it later, but not for rolled hems. The Brother machine gives us this neat little storage place right inside the cover where we can snap the stitch finger in place until we need it later. Now that we removed our left needle and our stitch finger, we are ready to thread our machine as we did before and then set the tension dials to where we need them. Notice the picture above. We will not be threading the yellow at all because we removed the left needle. The remaining three dials can be set in a variety of ways but we have found that for doing rolled hems on the Brother serger, this is the best combination for us: 4 - 5 - 7. It may be different for your machine. After playing around with it if you find a better setting for yours, be sure to write it down or take a picture so you can save yourself time in the future. On the side of the Brother machine there are dials for stitch width and length. We want to set both of them to R for rolled hem, as you can see in the picture above. Now all of our settings are exactly where they need to be. It sounds like a lot but after one or two times it will become an easy habit. Two more little tips: Since this was my first time serging I didn't realize that we need to "chain off" before and after everything we serge. When we're done we can't just lift the presser foot and remove our work like we do with a sewing machine. We have to drive our stitching off the back and then clip the tail, leaving some for the next one to start with. It's not hard at all, just a new concept to me! (I'm a beginner remember. The experts are probably chuckling at me, but I bet I just saved you some time!) It is also very important that we have our threads pointing straight backward, away from us, and not to the side. It took me a few minutes to figure out why, so I'm showing you in the picture above. As we're serging we are stitching around two needles that are pointing toward the back of our machine.In the photo above there is a green arrow pointing at them. These needles have the threads chained on them, so if we try to pull threads to the side they won't go anywhere! Everything has to move toward the back, sliding off those needles. It's not a huge issue, but definitely something I didn't know before today. Alright those are all my tips. I'm so happy with how my first rolled hems turned out! I did practice on a bunch of scraps before starting on my actual skirt. But honestly, the machine does all the work and I wish I would have tried this out months ago!!! Now if you actually read through all that, congratulations! And if you didn't, you can now catch all the same stuff in our videos. First up is my video where I show how to get my Brother machine ready to make rolled hems: See, it's really not hard! You'll be doing this in no time! For those of you who own a Juki serger instead, you get to learn from the fabulous Shannon! She also shares some helpful tips that I didn't know about until after I made my own video. Don't you love that you get the beginner and the expert side of things? So now -- Are you ready to start making some rolled hems?! We certainly hope so! Pull out some scraps and start playing around with it today. If you have any questions, please ask in our patterns group where there are a lot of experienced women ready to help! And we'll see you next time in our Serging 101 series. Let's Create! ~ Kristen
Sew directionally - This handy sewing tip helps you get both sides of the garment to stay the same length throughout the construction process.
I used to think that sergers were super expensive machines. Then I snagged a cheap Singer ProFinish Serger, and I don't know how I ever lived without it.
Creating a lettuce edge is super easy and satisfying. All you need is a knit fabric, a sewing machine with a zig-zag stitch and a little practice. Last post I previewed my convertible scarf-to-shrug that has a lettuce edge hem. Now I'll show you how to lettuce your edges and in the next post I'll
How To Bind A Quilt by Machine is a step-by-step tutorial that teaches quilting beginners a simple way to bind a quilt by machine.
I was delighted to learn I could add an after-market laser to my Juki TL-2010Q sewing machine!
