Beginner Serging: Machine Basics & Techniques

28 Pages·2018·1.533 MB·English

by  Amy Alan

Intermediate Level
Beginner Serging
Machine Basics & Techniques
WITH AMY ALAN
Amy Alan
Amy teaches sewing at Modern Domestic in
Portland, Ore. and blogs at Really Handmade.
She started crafting as a small child and has
always made an effort to turn the everyday
into art!
www.craftsy.com
Beginner Serging:
Machine Basics & Techniques
with Amy Alan
Supply List
Essential Supplies
• Serger, with all accesso- • Fabric pen or chalk
ries, oil and manual • Large blunt tapestry nee-
• Small scissors (Amy dle or double-eye needle
recommends 4” long • Long serger tweezers or
embroidery scissors for hemostat
snipping threads, and 8” • Different sizes of nee-
long bent shears for cut- dles, ones appropriate
ting fabric) for your machine, thread
• Fray Check and fabric (70/10- 90/14
• 4 cones of polyester serg- in ballpoint, topstitching,
er thread in different universal)
colors • Three-ring binder
• Decorative serger thread • Three-hole punch
• Iron • Ink pen
• Cutting mat • Stapler
• Rotary cutter • Narrow bodkin, strap turn-
• Seam ripper er, or small safety pin
• Acrylic quilting rulers • 2 paper towels
• Sewing pins (Amy prefers • Lint brush
glass head) • ½ yard of at least three
• One ½ yard of fusible different types of fabric
fleece (Amy recommends for sample serging (thick
Pellon Fusible Thermolam wool, fleece, plain weave
Plus) cotton, quilting cotton,
• One 16”-18” centered velveteen, poplin, twill
zipper
1
weave bottom weight, lin- • Ironing board
en, taffeta) • Needle threader
• ½ yard of 60” wide inter- • Painter’s tape or clear
lock knit fabric tape
• ½ yard of 60” wide woven
fabric Optional
• 1 yards of 45” wide cotton • ¼” wide narrow elastic
• ¼ yard of four coor- (for bonus lesson)
dinating graduating • Thin silk ribbon or yarn (for
colors (see Ombré Ruffle decorative thread lesson)
Apron Handout before • Water soluble stabilizer
purchasing) • Empty serger cone
• 2 fat quarters of quilting • Horizontal spool holders
cotton • Clover Chaco Liner
• Pressing cloth
Threads & Fabric List
The threads and fabrics listed are ones that Amy chose to use in
each lesson, and are not particular types, colors or brands re-
quired for the creation of the class projects. This information is
for you to look through while deciding what kind of fabrics and
threads you would like to use, in the case that you would like to
match those used by Amy.
Lesson 2: Your Serger &
How It Works
Thread
• Toldi-Lock in colors 1970 • Polyester chiffon from Mill
(gold) , 6785 (blue), 4685 End Fabrics
(red), 7550 (teal) • Kona cotton in Ash
Fabric • Polyester/cotton blend jer-
• Anti-pill fleece from Joann sey from Joann Fabrics
Fabrics
2
Lesson 3: Basic Stitches Fabric
Thread • Anti-pill fleece from Joann
• Toldi-Lock in colors 1970 Fabrics
(gold) , 6785 (blue), 4685 • Polyester chiffon from Mill
(red), 7550 (teal) End Fabrics
Fabric • Kona cotton in Ash
• Anti-pill fleece from Joann • Polyester/cotton blend jer-
Fabrics sey from Joann Fabrics
• Polyester chiffon from Mill
End Fabrics Lesson 5: Troubleshooting Your
• Kona cotton in Ash Serger
• Polyester/cotton blend jer- Thread
sey from Joann Fabrics • Toldi-Lock in colors 1970
(gold) , 6785 (blue), 4685
Lesson 4: Decorative Stitches (red), 7550 (teal)
Thread Fabric
• Toldi-Lock in colors 1970 • Anti-pill fleece from Joann
(gold) , 6785 (blue), 4685 Fabrics
(red), 7550 (teal) • Polyester chiffon from Mill
• River Silks 4mm 100% silk End Fabrics
ribbon from www.riversilks. • Kona cotton in Ash
com • Polyester/cotton blend jer-
• Maxi-Lock spun polyester sey from Joann Fabrics
serger thread in Blue Mist
and Pink Lesson 6: Exposed Zipper Bag
• Maxi-Lock Stretch serger Thread
thread in Blue Mist • Maxi-Lock spun polyes-
• Wonderful Razzle Rayon ter serger thread in Swiss
in gold Beauty
• Rayon Madeira embroi- • Maxi-Lock Stretch serger
dery thread, color 1153 thread and spun polyester
• Coats and Clark Dual in Eggshell
Duty 100% polyester Fabric
all-purpose in color 684D • Poetica by Art Gallery
• Debbie Bliss 100% merino Fabrics (artgalleryfabrics.
wool Rialto Lace yarn, col- com)
or 44011, dye lot 328
3
• Lilly Belle designed by Bari Fabric
J for Art Gallery Fabrics • Offray ribbon in green and
• Washi by Rashida red
Coleman-Hale for Timeless • Floral cotton from Mill End
Treasures Fabrics Fabrics
• Linen from Joann Fabrics
Lesson 7: Ombré Ruffle Apron • Ivory interlock knit from Mill
Thread End Fabrics
• Maxi-Lock spun polyester • Sailboats by Dear Stella in
serger thread in Blue Mist Navy
and Pink • Black and stone wool from
• Maxi-Lock Stretch serger Pendleton Mill Outlet
thread in Blue Mist and • Gold interlock from Fabric
Medium Pink Depot
Fabric
• Kona cotton in (darkest Lesson 9: Bonus – Serger Feet
to lightest) Pacific, Water, Thread
Alegria, Lake and Sky • Toldi-Lock in colors 1970
• Moda Bella Solids in (dark- (gold) , 6785 (blue), 4685
est to lightest) 217, 214, 91, (red), 7550 (teal)
166 and 38 Fabric
• Anti-pill fleece from Joann
Lesson 8: Striped Knit Scarf Fabrics
Thread • Kona cotton in Ash
• Maxi-Lock spun polyes- • Polyester/cotton blend jer-
ter serger thread in Poppy sey from Joann Fabrics
Red • ¼” stretch elastic from
• Coats and Clark colors Dritz
6840 and 230
• Wonderfil Razzle Rayon in
green, gold and ruby
• Toldi-Lock in color 1970
4
Serger Stitch Uses
Overlocking
Overlocking is the most com- 3-thread narrow seam
mon use for a serger. It’s used • Use to finish the edges of
on nearly every single manu- lightweight fabric if you do
factured garment, because it not have 2-thread options
creates a durable seam while • Use on lightweight fabric
finishing the garment edge. to make a very narrow but
strong seam
4-thread overlock • Makes a beautiful flat but
• Perfect for seaming both filled-in seam for edging
knits and wovens, as it’s a with decorative threads
strong stitch
• Most commonly used 2-thread overlock (use left or
stitch, as it’s very durable right needle)
• Use when gathering (tight- • A variation of the flatlock,
en the needle tensions) for this stitch makes a deli-
more dramatic ruffling cate finish that’s nice for
lightweight fabric
3-thread overlock (use left or
right needle)
• Can be used to seam, but
don’t use it on any seam
that will have a lot of stress
on it
• If you do use this to seam,
use the left needle to give
your project more seam
allowance on thick to me-
k
dium weight fabric. Use oc
the right needle for thin erst
utt
fabric a/Sh
• Nice choice for finishing ol
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thick and medium weight M
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woven fabric edges, knits no
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and sewing a blind hem © L
5
• Generally not appropriate hold up under high stress
for seaming because the points
stitch locks at the edge • The stitch is reversible, with
and not the needle line loops on one side, and
• Use the right needle for an ladders on the other
alternative to a roll hem
3-thread flatlock
2-thread wrapped overlock • Use this stitch if your serger
(use left or right needle) doesn’t have a spread-
• A lovely edge finish for fine er for make a 2-thread
and lightweight fabrics flatlock
• It makes a reversible edge • Very nice to use
for home dec items and decoratively
garment edges
• A wrapped stitch has 2-thread flatlock (use left or
maximum stretch for knit right needle)
seams • Is easier to flatten than a
• Stitch is very nice when 3-thread flatlock
used with decorative • Best stitch for applying
thread lace and lingerie elastic
• Don’t use this where a
Flatlocking sturdy seam is essential,
• Can be serged along a because it’s not strong
fold or two edges of fab-
ric, and then opened so
the fabric lays flat
• The ladders can create
the effect of hand stitch-
ing on thicker fabrics
• A great choice for thick ck
o
sportswear fabric, both for erst
seaming and decorative utt
h
stitching on the outside, O/S
y
b
but know that it may not ar
b
k
n
u
P
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6
Roll Hem
• Very nice on hems and 3-thread roll hem
also for making pintucks • Best hemming choice for
• Does not work well on medium weight fabrics
thick fabric, and will look • Nice to use with fuller dec-
nicest on a single layer of orative threads
fabric
• Not usually used for Stitch Tips
seaming • If a stitch is too narrow,
it may not be durable or
2-thread roll hem press flat
• Best hemming choice for • If a stitch is too wide,
lightweight fabrics it can cause puckers in
• Looks great with shiny thin the seam
decorative threads
Resources
Online Stores Online Resources
• bernina.com • reallyhandmade.com
Find Bernina serger ma- Amy Alan’s blog
chine dealers near you • schmetzneedles.com
• fabricdepot.com Learning center informa-
Buy Gingher scissors and tion about proper serger
other supplies needles for household
• joann.com overlock machines
Buy Fray Check and other
supplies Books
• The Ultimate Serger
Answer Guide by Naomi
Baker, Gail Brown and
Cindy Kacynski (Krause
Publications, 1996)
7
Serger Checklist
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n/S
usti
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o Power switch o Stitch plate
o Large screwdriver o Feed dogs
o Small screwdriver o Lower looper/
o Bulb holder upper looper
o Brush and needle inserter o Lower looper
o Tweezers auto threader
o Upper looper converter o Upper and lower
o Oiler knife blades
o Spool caps o Cutting width
o Thread nets adjustment dial
o Thread stand o Lower knife setscrew
o Spool holder pin Attachment screw for
o Foam pad & accessories
anti-vibration cone o Lever for overlocking or
o Thread guide rolled hemming
o Handwheel o Thread take-up cover
o Handwheel indicator o Needles
o Thread tension dials o Needle threader
o Waste collector o Needle clamp
o Looper cover o Thread cutter
o Cloth plate o Presser foot pressure knob
o Threading diagram o Stitch length dial
o Standard presser foot o Differential feed
o Presser foot catch button adjustment dial
o Presser foot lifter o Micro thread control lever
8