Interested in making the most of your serger? If the answer is yes, you're in the right place! Starting with Which Stitch - How, When, Where, & How, I've been presenting a series exploring a variety of serger stitches. So far, each of these videos have been LIVE shows with Yours Truly as a guest host on the Sewing Machines Plus Channel. If you missed any of these shows you'll find links at the end of this post.
My last show was titled More Two-Thread Techniques, focusing on flatlocking. You can watch a replay of that video HERE.
Featured machine is the Brother Airflow 3000, available from Brother dealers such as *Sewing Machines Plus.
In this video you'll see me share a serger sample sheet I created to help you keep track of your own serger sample making adventures. I'm offering this as a bonus for you at the end of this post, along with a tip sheet for flatlocking. Watch the video and you'll see set-up and steps for flatlocking with the following techniques, tips, & tricks highlighted:
My last show was titled More Two-Thread Techniques, focusing on flatlocking. You can watch a replay of that video HERE.
Featured machine is the Brother Airflow 3000, available from Brother dealers such as *Sewing Machines Plus.
In this video you'll see me share a serger sample sheet I created to help you keep track of your own serger sample making adventures. I'm offering this as a bonus for you at the end of this post, along with a tip sheet for flatlocking. Watch the video and you'll see set-up and steps for flatlocking with the following techniques, tips, & tricks highlighted:
- Begin with machine set-up for 2-thread stitching using manual as a guide.
- What a balanced 2-thread stitch looks like on the upper and lower side.
- What an "unbalanced" 2-thread stitch looks like and some corrections to re-balance.
- Using the blindhem foot and/or adding a guideline to machine for easier flatlock stitching.
- Flatlock as a "bridging" stitch on two pieces placed with edges meeting together.
- Flatlock on a fabric fold.
- Flatlock lace to satin.
- Flatlock for blindhem on knit.
Based on my specific machine settings, take a look at the example of a balanced 2-thread stitch.
While these settings were ideal for the overcast, I ended up making a few adjustments when I stitched a few more flatlocking samples. Keep in mind that fabric is always a variable and various layers of fabric can also mean you need to adjust tensions slightly. For flatlocking my final needle setting was 1.0 and my lower looper was 5.5.
A blindhem foot helps you as you guide fabric, keeping the edge consistent. Temporary low tack tape can be used in place of, or in addition to a blind hem foot.
The flatlock stitch makes a great "bridging" stitch to join two fabric pieces together. Note that fabric needs to be ravel proof or joined with folded edges. The following example is french terry sweatshirt type fabric.
Flatlock on a fabric fold is a nice decorative accent. Place fabric with Wrong Sides together to feature loops on the Top Side. Place fabric with Right Sides together to feature ladders on the Top Side. Below you'll see what the topside and then the bottom side looks like, with fabric stitched wrong sides together. Notice that the needle thread is red and the lower looper thread is navy.
Flatlocking lace to delicate fabric is a beautiful heirloom technique! Remember that any raw edge that ravels should be folded under. Take a look at the pretty lace and satin sample below, stitched so the "ladders" show.
This last but not least sample shows what a flatlock looks like used for a blindhem on t-shirt knit. Obviously, I used contrast thread in this example. it is important to know that this type of stitch can never be as "invisible" as hand hemming or a blind hem on a sewing machine.
For more comparisons of serger versus sewing machine stitches take a look at ISE show 2101-1 titled Serge It or Sew It HERE.
For more comparisons of serger versus sewing machine stitches take a look at ISE show 2101-1 titled Serge It or Sew It HERE.
Want more serger resources? Stay tuned to letsgosew.com and be sure to join the email list for updates! Extra tips, tricks, & techniques coming your way on a regular basis.
For now, check out the links below for more serger information to help you make the most of your machine:
For now, check out the links below for more serger information to help you make the most of your machine:
- FREE downloadable Basic Serger Stitches Tip Sheet HERE.
- FREE downloadable 2-Thread Serger Techniques TipSheet Part One HERE.
- FREE downloadable Serger Sample Reference Sheet HERE.
- Watch the 1st video in the Serger Series HERE.
- Watch the 2nd video in the Serger Series HERE.
- Watch the 3rd video in the Serger Series HERE.
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