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Serger Do's and Dont's

4/17/2021

35 Comments

 
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As seen on It's Sew Easy TV show 2101-1
Is your serger collecting dust? Recently, I asked a group of sewing enthusiasts what they have been doing with their serger. One honest friend replied collecting dust! I'm afraid this is all too common, especially when someone is new to the world of serging and is intimidated by the dials, knobs, and general strangeness of this machine when compared to a sewing machine. After all, most of us can sit down at just about any sewing machine, thread it up and at least sew a straight seam.

Sergers, also known as overlockers, seem to look just a bit different and while there are some similarities between sergers and sewing machines, they are truly two different animals. 

In this post I'll share some simple Do's and Dont's to follow. Whether you are a seasoned serger stitcher or a newbie when it comes to overlockers, I think you'll find a tip or two that will work for you.
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Do's and Don'ts for Standard 4-thread Sergers
Serger Do's - What you should do.
  • Use good quality synthetic cone thread. Lesser quality threads are made up of short fibers, break easily, and leave more fuzz. You can also use regular spools of sewing thread in your serger if you're in a pinch for color matching your fabric. In this case, I prefer to use a thinner thread such as Mettler or Guttermann.
  • Practice serging with threads that are color matched to your machine's tension dials to become familiar with making tension adjustments. 
  • Change needles frequently, using correct type & size for your machine. A universal size 14 is considered pretty standard but I sometimes use a size 11 or 12.
  • Insert needles in the proper direction and up as far as they will go. When removing needles use the appropriate screwdriver and loosen the screw just enough to remove the needle. Leave screw at that semi-loose position until you put another needle in its place. If you tighten down the screw each time you remove a needle you may eventually form a burr. A burr can prevent needles from going all the way up into the hole.
  • For most standard sergers you will want to thread machine in this order: Upper looper first, Lower looper second, and Needles last. In general, the right needle is threaded first and the left needle second. If either of your loopers need to be re-threaded it is best to unthread the needle(s), rethread the looper(s), and then re-thread the needles last. If you don't want to un-thread and re-thread, then you’ll need to make sure the needle threads are brought to the top of the throat plate and placed under the foot to the back of the machine, after you re-thread a looper and before forming a stitch. This is VERY important! If needle threads are caught behind a looper when your loopers are re-threaded, the looper thread will simply break again. Following this rule will prevent lots of serger frustration.
  • Oil as specified in the manual. Clean face and lower area of machine with a soft brush. I like to use a 1-inch paint brush for cleaning the face and a stiffer nylon sewing machine brush to clean the blades and lower area. I also use a vacuum while brushing and avoid canned air.
  • Change needles regularly. You can usually "hear" a needle get dull. a dull needle makes a popping sound. Dull or damaged needles can also snag fabric and cause runs or holes.
  • When re-threading or starting off with a new stitch formation, take the first few stitches by hand to make sure the stitch forms and everything is running smoothly before using the foot control. 
  • Make some sort of obvious notation to serve as a warning if you disengage the cutting blade for a particular technique. I like to write a note on post it note paper that says Warning! Blade Disengaged! I leave it on my machine until I have re-engaged the cutting blade. 
  • Test your stitches on long scraps of the same fabric before sewing on the actual project. You will waste more thread with short test pieces as you'll have to chain on and off while testing. Use a long piece, stitch a few inches, check, adjust as necessary, and continue until you're satisfied with your adjustments. 
  • Avoid using pins with a serger or be sure to use them parallel to the seam, far away from the blades. Pins and serger blades are mortal enemies. Keep them away from each other at all costs!
Serger Don'ts - What you should NOT do.
  • Don’t turn the handwheel backwards once needles have been threaded. You will tangle the threads and make a mess. 
  • Don’t pull hard on the fabric from the front or back. This can cause the needles to hit the loopers, causing burrs on one or both. 
  • Don’t sew beyond the edge of the throat plate when the cutting blade has been disengaged. Remember the warning system described above.
  • Don’t re-thread the machine without following the proper threading order. Remember the rule about always threading needles last!
  • Don’t use inferior quality threads or old cotton threads. Cotton thread is usually a poor choice for any serger project. Tension on serger thread can make cotton snap and break easily.
  • Don’t neglect oiling! Most sergers require some, if not more oiling than you may think. If your serger has been sitting for a while be sure to oil before using. Too little oil is not a good thing but too much is not good either. Check your manual for specific oiling details. I like to periodically oil the blades of the serger with a cotton swab. This helps clean off residue and makes blades last longer.
  • Don’t serge at an erratic pace, meaning fast, slow, fast, slow. Instead, stitch at a steady, even pace. Stitching at an even pace will make the threads jiggle less and the tension will be more even. This is particularly important on sergers that are more in the budget range price wise.
My final don't? Don't let your serger collect dust. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks for using your serger to the fullest. CLICK HERE and check out this Let's Go Sew tip sheet and learn more about how sergers and sewing machines differ.

Want to see a video with tips for when to sew and when to serge? CLICK HERE to watch Sew it or Serge it, as seen on It's Sew Easy TV show 2101-1. On this show you'll see me demonstrate a variety of techniques using both the sewing machine and serger.

Would you like a PDF version of the Do's and Don'ts to print and keep by your machine? CLICK HERE.
35 Comments

Walkin and Rollin Feet - Even Feed Accessories Make Your Sewing Easier, And More Efficient!

4/10/2021

11 Comments

 
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Brother Ambassador
As a Brother Ambassador, I enjoy helping sewing enthusiasts make the most of their machines and the available accessories that come pre-packed with the machine or are found as optional accessories. If one of these accessories interest you, I suggest checking with your local sewing machine shop to see what's available for your make and model.

We answered lots of questions during the show, and I welcome any additional questions in the comment section at the end of this post.

Below, I'd like to provide links to a few extra resources to compliment information presented on the show.
More About the Walking foot
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For more details on the walking foot I invite you to CLICK HERE to download Let's Go Sew Tip sheet titled the Wonders of the Walking Foot.

What's this?!? A Newfangled Walking Foot!
SA101 - The Brother Dynamic Walking Foot
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Designed for computerized machines with a 7mm throat plate opening, you'll learn more about what makes this foot special during the show. One big advantage is the ability to sew decorative patterns with this foot. Standard walking feet were only designed to sew forward with a straight stitch or a normal zig zag. Check the manual included with this foot and you'll see decorative patterns recommended for use with this foot. 
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You'll find a link to the actual manual that comes with the foot below:
SA101 Dynamic Walking Foot Manual

​
This manual shows how to attach this low shank foot to a high shank Brother machine, using the "S" adapter. Learn more about this adapter HERE in a previous Brother Stitching Sewcial blog post.

​Looking for some videos showing the Dynamic foot in action? Check out these links form the Brother Support Sewing YouTube channel:
Set-up Basics for Dynamic Walking Foot
Needle and Thread Combinations
for Sewing with Dynamic Walking Foot

Adjusting Decorative Stitches for use with the Dynamic Walking Foot

Next up, the Digital Dual Feed Foot
The Digital Dual Feed Foot, also known as the Brother MuVit Foot, was included in the tutorial. Below, you'll find a video showing basic set-up for this attachment from the Brother Support Sewing YouTube channel.
This foot has several accessory options that snap on, including a couching attachment for embellishment with cording and yarns, an open toe sole, and 1/4-inch sole with guide, and a Stitch-in-the-Ditch sole. You'll also find quilt guides that attach to the foot.

Since this accessory plugs into the machine, it is adjustable using the setting mode. In addition, connection to the machine means  you simply can't choose a stitch that is incorrect. It's adjustability and constant contact with the fabric also makes it very special. There's a lot to learn about this very unique attachment. I invite you to explore the links below to learn more.
Getting to know the MuVit Dual Feed Foot Part One
posted on the Brother blog CLICK HERE

Getting to know the MuVit Dual Feed Foot Part Two
Accessory SA206 Quilting Guide Set

posted on the Brother blog CLICK HERE

MuVit Dual Feed Foot
Accessory SA204 
Ditch Quilting Foot
posted on the Brother blog CLICK HERE

Quilt-in-a-Pillow created with various
MuVit Dual Feed Foot accessories

posted on the Brother blog CLICK HERE​

Coat with couched collar as seen on
​It's Sew Easy TV show 1405-3,
​featuring Dual Feed couching attachment.
CLICK HERE for a tip sheet that coordinates with the above video.

I hope all of the above info helps you make the most of whatever "walkin" or "rollin" foot is available for your machine. Feel free to leave your comments and questions below.
11 Comments

Sew With Your Feet - Explore the wonders of eight different Accessories

4/1/2021

8 Comments

 
Hello sewing friends! This blog contains highlights of a presentation that took place during the fourth anniversary celebration of the Quilts and Lace sewing shop in Melbourne Florida.

I had a virtual meet-up with Beth Sweet, owner of Quilts and Lace, as customers and friends shopped and celebrated in her store on April 1st, 2021! If you missed the live show, you can catch a replay HERE on Facebook. Below you'll find a re-cap of many of the tips I shared for using eight different sewing machines accessories. I matched up each accessory with a blue hyperlink link to a project or set of instructions. Simply click the links to learn more about each accessory. Enjoy!
So many accessories for so many different machines! Follow along as I outline each one, sharing projects and ideas for using these accessories for embellishment and utility sewing. Remember, there's a tool for every task! Knowing the power and potential of each accessory will help you experience successful sewing! These tools make sewing faster, easier, and more accurate so you can have more fun when you sit down to sew!

The Felting Attachment
SA280
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This flower accent was created with wool felt as the base, with wool roving and yarn felted into the base. A big center bead and feathers finish off the accessory.

As seen on It's Sew Easy TV show 1411-2. You can watch this show on my YouTube channel HERE.
​To set up for the felting attachment, barbed needles replace the machine needle and the machine is fitted with a new bobbing cover and dust cup, plus a finger guard that serves as a feeding attachment for felting with yarn. All the pieces and parts you need for machine felting come inside the box, including extra needles.

This accessory is specifically made for certain machine models. I can count a combination of about ten past and current Brother models compatible with the felting attachment. Brother dealers have the most updated information with a list of models that work with this attachment.
Pay attention to the machine set-up outlined in the manual included with the package. You won't be using any thread in the top or bottom, and the bobbin case gets replaced with a special cover and a small cup to catch excess fuzz. Selecting stitch C-01 and checking the position of the barbed needles is essential before you start felting.

Felting is really a very simple process. You may have seen the tools used to create felting by hand. Machine felting is much faster and doesn't require the muscles it takes to felt using the hand method.

For felting, fibers, yarns, and materials are pushed into a base as you layer them and move across the base as if you were darning or doing free motion stitchery.

Here is a list of suitable fabrics for the base:
  • Craft Felt
  • Wool Felt
  • Denim
  • Fleece
  • Silk Dupioni
  • Lutradur
  • Non-tear Stabilizers
Don't be afraid to experiment with a variety of combinations.
​
​For more information, you'll find a detailed video presented by Quilts and Lace expert instructor Aira Kekäle on their Facebook page HERE.

Five Foot Embellishment Pack
This box includes five fabulous feet in one package! I reach for many of these feet on a regular basis. Let's talk about one at a time. 

#1 Gathering Foot
Pajama Bag with Ribbons and Ruffles
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The gathering foot is the only one in this kit that attaches with a screw. It's a low shank machine, so you'll need the "S" adapter if you have a high shank Brother.

Th bottom of this foot is designed to push against the feed dogs on the machine.  When combined with an increased upper tension and a stitch length of 3-4, light weight fabrics are evenly gathered with this foot. If you'd like to gather one layer while sewing to a second, un-gathered layer, simply place layer to be gathered against the feed dogs and guide flat, un-gathered layer into the slot on the foot. Note that these gathers are not adjustable when finished.

Tip: Keep your index finger behind the foot as the fabric strip advances to push in slightly more gathers.

#2 Non-Stick Roller Foot
PVC Apron
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The Non-Stick roller foot is designed to help in what I call "sticky situations." There are times when a regular presser foot gets stuck on unusual fabrics such as vinyl, leather, suede, and waterproof tablecloth material.  

Materials like the PVC used for the apron have a vinyl coating and this slick foot will glide and roll right across the fabric without sticking. It's ideal for topstitching, or any time you are sewing against a surface that clings to the standard foot. 

Tips: For sticky fabrics that must be sewn against the feed dogs, layer with a piece of tear away stabilizer for smooth sewing, and carefully tear away when finished. Consider making your own vinyl coated fabric using Therm-o-Web Iron-on clear adhesive vinyl. 
#3 Stitch-in-the-Ditch Foot
Patchwork Placemat
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The Stitch-in-the-Ditch foot has a long, prominent blade directly in the center of the foot. It's designed to run right along the point where the seam is joined, also known as the ditch, or well of the seam. The blade is springy so it can cross over layers with seams.

I used this foot to anchor the layers of my black and white pieced placemat, sewing each square where the seams are joined together. By the way, the placemat itself is made from cut up napkins, decorated with rows of fancy stitches. I wanted my coordinating napkins to match so I bought extra napkins and used them as fabric.

This is a "must have" foot for anyone who does quilting or patchwork. 

Tip: Most of the time this foot is used with a center needle straight stitch, but you can move the needle to a different position to sew  a specific distance from the seamline.

#4 The Edge Joining Foot
Pashmina with Ribbon Trim
​As seen on It's Sew Easy TV show 1703-1
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I love decorating pashmina scarves with embroidery and added ribbon! My book titled Wrapped in Embroidery includes three pashmina scarves with added accents from embroidered fabric and silk ribbons. I created another version for the TV show, using the edge joining foot to easily and accurately add ribbon trim. I lined up the guide on the foot with the edge of the ribbon and moved the needle off center for even edge stitching on the ribbon.

​Watch the entire show HERE on my YouTube channel.
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This foot can be used with both utility and decorative stitches. It's perfect for joining multiple strips of fabric, trim, lace, and ribbon. The completed strip below was used as a border for a pillowcase.

See more about the edge going foot HERE on It's Sew Easy TV show 905-3.
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#5 Piping Foot 3mm - 6mm
Pretty Piped Potholders
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This newer style piping foot allows for piping cord that's thicker than the standard dressmaker weight found in packages. It's easy to make your own piping with fabric and cording 3mm to 6mm in diameter. The potholder projects shows how to make bias trimmed piping from a small square of fabric.

​Notice the dual channels on the bottom of the foot. These channels come in handy when you want to sew your piping on the right or left side as you position the layers at the machine.
Check out the piped chair cushion project for It's Sew Easy TV show HERE. I think you'll find the decorative piping technique an interesting way to perk up home decor projects.
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Adjustable Blind Hem Foot
​SA133
Take it Anywhere Tote
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Naturally, the blind hem foot work perfectly for standard blind hems. The adjustable guide helps fine tune the foot for a wide variety of fabric types and weights.

I like to use this blind hem foot as adjustable edge guide for topstitching and edge stitching. You can't see it in the photo, but this foot helped me stitch the tote very close to the finished edge, giving a fine finish and keeping the lining layer tucked inside the tote bag.

I also used this foot to stitch the self-fabric fish on the double layer flannel baby blanket shown below:
Serge & Sew Baby Blanket
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Picot Foot
​SA149
Children's Custom Hanger Cover
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The Picot foot is designed to create a narrow rolled hem on lightweight fabrics. The small scroll on the foot rolls the raw edge under as fabric is fed into the slot. While a standard rolled hem foot is suited for a straight stitch, this foot is designed to be used with a small zig zag stitch. The deeper groove on the bottom lets the fabric slide under the foot while the hem is formed.

​Check the settings shown below and you'll see that the upper tension is increased to pull the zig zag over the rolled edge. The resulting hem has a scalloped appearance. 
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I hope you enjoyed this summary of eight different Brother accessories! Feel free to leave comments or questions below.
8 Comments
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    Author:

    Joanne Banko
    Brother Ambassador


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