Every year my fellow employees and I sew up holiday aprons to display in the store. For my 2021 holiday apron I made the Gather Together Serger Apron by Baby Lock.
The Gather Together Serger Apron pattern was based on a sewing pattern by Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics, which was adapted for serger construction. See links to both apron patterns in the Resources section of this post.
How I Used My Serger
I serged the entire apron using only my Baby Lock Evolution serger. It’s a great apron pattern to try making with your serger. You can use your serger to make as little or as much of the apron as you like.
Edge Finishes
I used a variety of edge finishes to complete this apron, which utilized different stitches and/or attachments.
Overlock stitch to keep raw edges from unravelling
Rolled hem stitch for ruffles
Wave stitch for fabric flower
Hem sides of apron with ¼” plain hemmer attachment and chain stitch
Encase edges of bodice and make neck straps with a double fold bias binder and chain stitch
Gathering and Ruffles
I gathered the ruffles using two different techniques.
Four thread overlock technique which makes adjustable gathers, similar to a double row of basting stitches using a sewing machine. This technique is perfect for gathering fabric where you need to adjust the gathers to fit.
Narrow cover stitch technique which makes permanent gathers. The gathers created by the cover stitch are much fuller than those created by an overlock stitch. However, they can not be adjusted.
Long stitch lengths and differential feed are used in both gathering techniques.
Seams and Construction
I serged all seams using a chain stitch.
Feet and Attachments
I used the following feet and attachments to construct the Gather Together Serger Apron:
Double fold bias binder 36mm
Plain hemmer ¼”
Cover/chain stitch foot
Clear foot. The pattern did not call for this foot, but I like it’s visibilty. I thought the visibility of the foot made it easier for me to attach the double fold bias binding to the apron bodice.
Standard foot
Photo Overview of my Gather Together Serger Apron
Wave Stitch
I used the wave stitch to finish the edges of the fabric flower. Metallic thread in both loopers gave the edges a bit of holiday sparkle. If your serger isn’t capable of the wave stitch you could substitute a rolled hem or three thread overlock stitch.
Three Thread Rolled Hem
I used a three thread rolled hem to finish the edges of the ruffles, with metallic thread in the upper looper.
Gathering The Bodice
The bodice of the apron was gathered using a four thread overlock stitch. After gathering with my serger, the bodice still needed a bit more gathering. Gathers created with the four thread overlock are adjustable. So I slid the fabrics along the needle threads adjusting the bodice edges to the proper dimensions. See link about gathering in the Resources section of this post.
Hem Sides of Skirt with ¼” Plain Hemmer Attachment
I love to try new things with my serger. Using the serger plain hemmer was a new experience for me. I hemmed the side edges of the apron’s skirt using the ¼” plain hemmer, a chain stitch and a standard presser foot. My practice piece turned out perfectly. It must have been beginner’s luck because the first hem on the actual project took me three tries to get it right. I figured out that I needed to generously turn/roll the edge of the fabric in advance and keep it turned as I fed it into the attachment. Then the plain hemmer worked really well. The second side hem of the apron looked beautiful on the first try! See the link in the Resources section for tips for using a serger ¼” plain hemmer.
The plain hemmer rolls the hem to the top side as it is serged. So you feed your fabric into the attachment with the wrong side up. The needle thread will be seen on the back side of your finished project. The chain looper thread will be seen on the right side of your project.
Finish Edges of Bodice and Create Straps Using a Double Fold Bias Binder Attachment
I followed the video class/instructions to make the apron. However, instead of making the top edge and neck straps all one piece, I bound the top edge first. Then I bound the side edges of the bodice and continued the binding from the sides to make the neck straps.
Gathering Ruffles Using a Narrow Cover Stitch
I used a narrow cover stitch along with the cover stitch foot to gather the narrow ruffle strip, bottom ruffle skirt and flower. The narrow cover stitch gathers fabric much more tightly than gathering with an overlock stitch. But the cover stitch gathers are not adjustable like the gathers made by serger overlock stitching.
Construct Seams
I used the chain stitch to serge the seams of the bodice, skirt and waistband/ties. Serging with a chain stitch is very similar to using a sewing machine straight stitch.
I attached the narrow ruffle and bottom ruffle to the skirt of the apron using a chain stitch too.
Gather Together Serger Apron
I hope you enjoyed learning about how I serged my Gather Together Serger Apron.
Serging pants with a 5 thread safety stitch might be one of my favorite new uses for my Baby Lock Evolution serger. This stitch combines a 2 thread chain stitch with a 3 thread overlock. You need to have a serger capable of both a chain stitch and an overlock stitch to create this stitch.
The 5 thread safety stitch makes a strong, secure seam and is commonly used in ready to wear garments like pants. Take a look at the inside seams of some of your store bought pants. The 5 thread safety stitch is probably one of the stitches you will see. The seam in the photo below is from one of my favorite pairs of stretch woven pants (I bought at Kohl’s.)
Serging Pants with a 5 Thread Safety Stitch
Since this seam method is commonly used to construct ready to wear pants, I thought it was about time I gave it a try. This was the first time I have serged a garment with the 5 thread safety stitch. Most of the garments I have serged were made from stretchy knits that I seamed with a 4 thread overlock and hemmed with a coverstitch.
Burda 6607
My project was a pair of maternity pants for my daughter using Burda pattern 6607, View C. The pattern wasn’t specifically written with a serger in mind, but it was easy to adapt. I used a stretch woven fabric with an unknown fiber content for the pants. It was probably a poly blend, maybe with a little wool. I prewashed it in my washing machine in cool water and dried it on low heat in my dryer. It washed up really nicely. I used a rayon lycra blend for the stretch tummy panel.
Prepare Pattern Pieces
I began by altering the pattern pieces to fit my daughters 5’2” frame. Then I cut out all the pieces from my fabric.
Back Darts
I used my sewing machine to make the darts. Everything else was done with the serger.
Serger Set Up
I set up my Baby Lock Evolution serger for a 5 thread safety stitch, which is a chain stitch combined with a 3 thread overlock. I used the far right needle (C3) for my chain stitch and the left needle (O1) for the 3 thread wide overlock. This seam finishes about ⅜” wide. Depending on which needle you use, you can also make this stitch ½” or ⅝” wide. I used standard serger cone thread in all positions. Using a scrap of the pant fabric, I tested my stitch. I was happy with the stitch that was produced by using the settings from my quick reference threading guide.
Side Seams
I pinned (with Wonder Clips), then serged each leg front to leg back at the side seams using the 5 thread safety stitch.
Seam Allowances
The pattern calls for a ⅝” seam allowance. The L mark on my knife cover indicates a ⅝” seam allowance from the left overlock needle (O1). But my seam for the 5 thread safety stitch is at the C3 needle position. The C3 needle is ⅛” to the left of the left overlock needle, so I guided the raw edges of my fabric along the first line to the left of the L mark on my knife cover. About a ¼” of the seam allowance was trimmed off with the blades.
Here is a photo of the serged side seams.
Inner Leg Seams
I pinned, then serged the front to the back of each leg at the inner leg seams, still using the 5 thread safety stitch.
Crotch Seam
I turned one leg right side out and inserted it inside the other. Then I pinned and serged the crotch seam with the 5 thread safety stitch.
I turned the pants right side out to evaluate my progress.
Stretch Tummy Panel
Next I made the stretch panel for the tummy. I serged the back pieces together and then attached them to the front panel piece using the 5 thread safety stitch.
Then I pinned the stretch panel to rest of the pants and serged them together with the 5 thread safety stitch.
Fixing an Oops
At this point I realized I forgot to leave one of the side seams open at the top edge for the waist casing. So I got out the seam ripper and ripped out a few stitches. I secured the end of the seam with a few tacking stitches on my sewing machine, so the chain stitch didn’t pull out.
Waist Casing
This pattern didn’t have a separate casing piece for the waist. The casing was formed by folding the top edge down, and stitching it in place. Because the edge was curved and the raw edge was wider, the fabric was wavy when I turned the edge under.
In a woven fabric garment I would have run a row of basting stitches along the raw edge and pulled on those stitches to gather the edge and ease it into the garment hem. But the tummy panel was a stretchy knit. So I didn’t ease it in first. I eased it in as I serged using my narrow cover stitch.
Switch Serger to Narrow Cover Stitch
I set up my serger for a narrow cover stitch using standard serger thread and the standard presser foot. Sometimes I use the cover stitch foot for this technique, but this time I chose to leave the standard presser foot on my serger.
I serged with the wrong side of the casing facing up, so I could see the raw edge of my fabric and make certain I caught the raw edges of the fabric in the stitches. The looper stitch ended up on the right side of my garment and the needle side of the stitch on the inside of the waist casing.
Easing the Curved Edge
To ease in the raw edges on the curved hem, I very gently stretched the casing as I serged. I grasped the casing on both sides of the presser foot and simply stretched it until the raw edge was flat and then serged. Basically I used the same technique to stretch the casing as I do when I apply elastic to the raw edge of a garment with a serger.
Ending the Cover Stitch in the Round
I did my cover stitching of the casing in the round. But because I serged with the wrong side of my fabric up, I couldn’t use my special technique for ending a cover stitch in the round. (see link in resources section at bottom of post.) If I did it this way I would have pulled my needle threads to the right side of my garment and then I would have had to pull them back to the wrong side again with hand sewing! So, I used the standard method to end the cover stitching.
The photo below shows the cover stitch on the casing at the side seams. On the left you will see the overlap at the beginning and end of the cover stitch seam at one side seam, with the needle threads showing on the wrong side of the garment. On the right you will see the opening in the casing at the other side seam which was used to insert elastic.
Standard Method for Ending a Cover Stitch in the Round
Stop serging when you have overlapped your beginning stitches by a few. Turn the handwheel toward you until the needle is at its lowest point. Then turn it backwards until the needle is at its highest point. After doing this the threads should have released from the stitch fingers, so the fabric can be removed. Firmly grab the threads at the base of the fabric and the fabric and remove the fabric from the serger. Be sure to hold the threads firmly or you may inadvertently pull out some of your cover stitch as you pull. Always leave several inches of thread tails at the end of your cover stitch. Don’t trim them short or you may find the cover stitch unraveling easily from the end.
Press Casing and Insert Elastic
The casing hem was a little wavy after stretching and serging it. So I gave it a light press and all the ripples disappeared.
After pressing I inserted the buttonhole elastic into the waistline casing.
Here’s what the finished casing looked like with the elastic inserted.
Pant Leg Hems
Last step was to finish the leg hems. Since the fabric in these pants looks “dressy” I thought the pants needed a truly “blind” hem. I switched my serger over to a 4 thread overlock stitch using standard serger thread. I serged the raw edge of the hems to keep them from unraveling. Then, I turned them up an inch and pressed. The last step was to stitch the invisible hem in place by hand.
Completed Pants
Here is a front and back view of the maternity pants. Sorry, the photo isn’t great. These pants did not photograph well without a body in them!
Here are a few photos of the pants on our store mannequin. I lifted the shirt so you could see the tummy panel. The pants are a little baggy on the mannequin (even with the “batting” baby bump added to the mannequin). It’s hard to believe that they will be tight on my daughters belly near the end of her pregnancy!
Serging Pants with a 5 Thread Safety Stitch
I hope you enjoyed learning about my experience serging pants with a 5 thread safety stitch.
I have exciting news – I am going to be a grandma! My serger will be busy this year making maternity and baby things. And the first project I have to share with you is a maternity top for my daughter, the mommy to be. Follow along with me and learn about serger presser feet, attachments and techniques as I show you how to serge a maternity top.
The Pattern
For this top I used Burda pattern 6607, View A.
Serger Stitches, Techniques, Presser Feet and Attachments I Used to Serge a Maternity Top
4 thread overlock with standard presser foot for seams
4 thread overlock with standard presser foot for stabilizing shoulder seams with clear elastic
3 thread rolled hem with standard presser foot for thread chain belt loops
2 thread narrow cover stitch with cover stitch foot and fabric guide attachment for neckline hem, sleeve hems and bottom hem
I made this maternity top completely with my serger, but you could substitute a sewing machine twin needle for the hems if you don’t have a cover stitch capable machine.
Prepare Pattern Pieces
I used a super soft, brushed polyester matte jersey for this top. Because it liked to stick to itself, It was a little finicky to layout smoothly for cutting. But my serger handled it well.
Set Up Serger and Test Stitches and Settings
Using the fabric scraps leftover after cutting out my pattern pieces, I tested my stitches and settings. I used Maxi Lock serger thread in the needles and Gutermann Bulky Nylon in the loopers. My stitch settings for the 4 thread overlock were as follows: stitch length 2.5, stitch width M (which is about 6) and differential 1.
⅝” seam allowances
This pattern calls for mostly ⅝” seam allowances. But a typical four thread overlock seam allowance is closer to ¼”-⅜” wide. I just used the knives on my serger to cut off the extra seam allowance. If you notice in the photos below I am lining up the raw edges of fabric with the L marking on my knife cover. On my machine the L marking is ⅝” from the left needle position on a four thread overlock stitch using a stitch width of about 7.5. I serged with a stitch width on M or 6.0, so my seam allowances were a little shy of ⅝”, but that little bit of difference was just fine for this soft stretchy knit.
Order of Construction
The pattern instructions were not written specifically for a serger. So to save time and minimize changeovers between overlock stitches and cover stitches, I altered the order of the steps listed in the pattern. Here’s how I serged together this maternity top.
Serge and Stabilize Shoulder Seams
The first step was to serge the shoulder seams. I stabilized the shoulder seams with a piece of ¼” wide clear elastic. This elastic was originally part of a hanging loop in another garment that I no longer needed. I like to reuse whenever possible.
Stabilize Seams Using a Standard Presser Foot
There is a slot on the standard presser foot for my Baby Lock Evolution which can be used to guide elastic and insert it directly into the seam as I serge. If you don’t have a foot with a slot or guide, you could always baste your elastic in place by hand or with a sewing machine before you run it through your serger.
The elastic or twill tape is fed into the slot in the toe of the presser foot from the top. Then it is fed under the foot and out the back along the groove on the underside.
If you look closely at the photos below you will notice that I didn’t insert my elastic correctly when I stabilized the shoulder seams of the maternity top. Somehow I put the clear elastic through the slot from the bottom, over the front of the foot, under the needles and under the back of the foot. I don’t know what I was thinking that day, but at least it worked!
The serger applies the elastic or tape to the side of the seam that is up when you serge. I serged with the back side of the shirt up so the clear elastic would be on the back side of the seam. During later construction steps, I turned the shoulder seams to the back so the elastic ended up next to the wrong side of the fabric instead of my daughters skin. You’ll also notice that the elastic is completely encased in the serger stitches because it’s only ¼” wide. If you are using the standard ⅜” wide clear elastic, some of it will extend past the seam line.
Attach Binding/Facing
I cut my binding/facing wider than the pattern instructed. I thought it would be easier to handle. It was easier to handle through the serger, but it created a little bit of a problem later, which I will explain in the hemming step. Notice here that I just skimmed the raw edges of the fabric to neaten them up. The seam allowances at the neckline were only ⅜” so I didn’t need to trim much off.
Attach Sleeves to Front and Back.
Next I pinned and serged both sleeves to the front and back of the top.
Side Seams from Bottom hem to Sleeve hem
Then I serged both side seams and sleeve seams from bottom hem to sleeve hem.
Belt Loop Chain – 3 Thread Rolled Hem
I serged the belt loops before doing the cover stitch hems, because switching from a 4 thread overlock to a 3 thread rolled hem is an easy changeover. The 3 thread rolled hem chain works as well for a delicate belt loop as the hand stitched thread loops as instructed in the pattern. However, I prefer to use my serger to make the belt loop chain. I serged about a yard of rolled hem chain, even though the belt loops only use a few inches each. I set this belt loop chain aside until the last step of this project.
To make a belt loop chain using the 3 thread rolled hem setting on your serger, set up for a standard rolled hem. You will be serging a rolled hem without any fabric. The presser foot should be in the down position or the stitch won’t form properly. Grab the chain behind the foot and gently pull straight back as you serge to keep slight tension on the thread chain. You will need to stop a few times to reposition your hand as you serge the yard of chain.
Hems
I serged all of my hems with a narrow cover stitch using my left and center needles at a stitch length of 4. Since all of my side seams and sleeve seams were completed prior to this step, I serged in the round. If you would like to learn how to finish a cover stitch in the round see my tutorial at https://overtheedge.blog/tutorials/finishing-off-a-cover-stitch-in-the-round/
I measured and pinned my hems to the desired depth. Most of the time when I serge I use clips instead of pins. But for 1¼” deep hems like this I like to use pins. Because the knives are disengaged while cover stitching I don’t have to worry about a stray pin causing damage to my knives
Presser Foot and Fabric Guide
When I hem with a cover stitch I like to use my cover stitch foot. You could use a standard presser foot, but the cover stitch foot has good visibility. I also like to use a fabric guide when I cover stitch hems. The guide helps me keep the depth of my hems even as I serge.
Setting up the Fabric Guide
I placed the fabric guide on the bed of the machine and loosely inserted both attachment screws. With the wrong side of the hem facing up, I placed the raw edge of my fabric a little to the left of the left needle and on top of the fabric guide. I positioned the fabric guide so that the raised lip rested against the fold of the fabric. Then I tightened the screws to lock the fabric guide into position.
Bottom Hem
Starting near a side seam, I positioned my bottom hem right side up under the presser foot with the fold up against the fabric guide. I serged all the way around the bottom hem.
Here’s what the top side and underside of the narrow coverstitch hem looks like.
Sleeve Hem
The sleeve hem requires a little more maneuvering in the round because it is much smaller than the bottom hem. I turned my sleeve inside out and serged from the right side of the hem. I serged a little, then stopped to reposition the fabric, and then continued these steps until the hem was complete. You could cover stitch the hems flat before you serge up the side seams if you find this difficult. But then you have an additional changeover between overlock and cover stitch. I opted for less changeovers and completed my sleeve hem in the round.
Neckline Hem
In an earlier step, I told you I made my neckline binding/facing wider than called for in the instructions. Well, when I completed the cover stitching near the folded edge of the neckline, I realized that the facing wanted to flip toward the neckline and stick out. My solution was to add an additional row of cover stitches near the bottom edge of the facing. I love how it turned out! The neckline is much more interesting this way! The first row of cover stitch was stitched with the edge of the neckline aligned with the right edge of the presser foot. I completed the second row of cover stitch with the right edge of the presser foot aligned with the left stitching of the first row of cover stitch.
Attach Belt Loops
The last step of this project was to attach the belt loops for the ribbon belt. Using a hand sewing needle I attached the belt loop chain to the side seams at the marks. My ribbon was wider than the ribbon stated for in the pattern, so I attached my belt loop chain on either side of the marks to accommodate the extra width. I put a knot in the end of my chain before threading my needle. Then I inserted the needle into the seam line from the inside near one marking, pulled the chain though to the right side, inserted the needle near the other marking from the right side and pulled the chain through to the wrong side making a loop. I put a knot in the end of the chain at my desired loop length and cut off the extra chain.
Serge a Maternity Top
Here is a photo of the finished top on my dress form.
Here are a few photos of the maternity top with a “batting baby bump.”
I made it as a store model, so it has to be on display for a month before I can give it to my daughter. I can’t wait to see her and her baby bump wearing it!
Did you know you can “crochet” with your serger? Some people call it serger crochet, while others refer to it as serger thread lace. The technique involves serging “on air” with just thread and no fabric. The project is an elegant Halloween centerpiece project designed by Joan Friedrich. Follow along with me as I show you how to make a witch hat with serger crochet.
I’ve done serger crochet before, but nothing quite as dramatic as this witch hat. It was easy to do using my Baby Lock serger. However, it is not a quick project to “crochet” the lacy brim. (To actually crochet it by hand would have taken me a lot longer!) My witch hat appears to have a lot more ruffling than the hat in the project instructions. I love it that way because all of the ruffles can be shaped to look like flowers.
It’s been one of those projects that’s been on my to do list for a long time. It always feels great to check something off a to do list! It’s a free project on Baby Lock’s website. You will find the link to the project in the Resources section at the bottom of this post.
Making the Hat Pattern
We all love free projects, right? But sometimes with free projects the instructions aren’t always very detailed. Which is the case with the free project for the Serger Crochet Witch Hat on Baby Lock’s website. The instructions say to make the center of the hat from a triangle shape. The instructions give you the starting dimensions, but don’t tell you what to do to make it into a cone. You might already know this, but you can’t turn a triangle into a cone unless you make a curved base. So here is what I did – I hope it helps.
Drawing the Center Cone
Start with a piece of paper at least 16” x 26”. Draw a triangle with a base of 26” and a center height of 16”. Then draw a line from the center point to the left and right sides of the base. Measure down 16” on each side of the triangle. Then draw a curved line from the 16” mark on one side through the bottom center and to the 16” mark on the other side. You can tie a string onto a pencil and the other end onto a pin. Put the pin at the top point of the triangle and use the string and pencil to draw your partial circle. Your cone is basically a section of a circle that has a radius of 16”. If you need help drawing the curved base, see the resources section for a link to a circle drawing tutorial.
Fabric
For the center cone of the hat, I used a black sturdy double knit as my base fabric with a sheer black and gold lace as an overlay.
Making the Cone
After cutting out the cone shape from the knit and lace fabrics, I basted the two pieces together with my sewing machine. My serger was set up for a four thread overlock stitch with standard serger thread. Next, I serged the side seam with the fabric right sides together.
Making the Cone Support for the Witch Hat
The center cone needs support to hold it upright. The instructions say to use a styrofoam floral cone or poster board. I did a brief search on the internet and couldn’t find any cones the right size. So I made my own poster board cone. I traced the pattern on poster board and cut off the ¼” seam allowances from each side. Then I butted the side edges together and taped the seam well. The bottom edge of the poster board stuck out from under the fabric cone, so I cut a little off the the bottom edge and top so that it was concealed under the fabric.
Thread
I used the recommendations from the free project for my thread. For my 12 weight thread in the loopers, I used two cones of Sulky 12 weight black cotton thread. I bought 2100 yard cones, because I knew I was going to be doing a lot of projects with this thread. (The garden flags I make with my serger also use this 12 wt. thread. Check them out at https://overtheedge.blog/which-fabric-makes-a-better-flag/ ) I really don’t have a clue as to how much thread I used for this project because I still have quite a bit left on my big cones. The instructions say you need two spools of 12 weight thread. A normal spool of Sulky 12 weight cotton is 300 yards. I think I used more than that for my hat, but my hat is extra ruffly. For my needle thread I used one spool of Sulky gold metallic embroidery thread.
I like the look of the thicker threads for my lace. The thick threads make the lace more substantial. Some people like to use lighter weight thread to make a more delicate lace. Experiment to see what combination you like.
FYI – The upper looper uses more thread in the stitch than does the lower looper. If you are using the 300 yard spools, you may need to switch the position of your spools part way through, so both spools empty at approximately the same time.
Serger Set Up
I set my serger up for a wide three thread overlock at a width of 7.5 (my widest) per the instructions. I think the lace looks better with wider loops.
If you have a clear foot, use it for serger crochet. I think a clear foot is the secret to great results! Many tutorials just use the regular foot, which is probably fine for small lace edges. But it’s easier to miss the loops and get gaps when you can’t see the thread loops. The clear foot allows you to see exactly what is happening as you feed your loops under the foot and you can make adjustments before it’s too late.
Serger extension table like a Sew Steady table. This is optional, but it is really useful for supporting the wide lace on the brim and keeping the loops flat. On a smaller project like a narrow lace edging an extension table is probably not needed.
Serging the Witch Hat Brim
All serging is done in the round, so there is no serging on and off except at the beginning and the end of the serger crochet. The instructions said to start with 8 rows at a stitch length of 4 and end with the last row at a stitch length of 1. The instructions also said they used 28 rows total for their sample (27, plus the last row at a stitch length of 1.) I thought the instructions for the rows in between were a bit vague, but maybe that’s where we were given creative flexibility to create the lace our own way. Just in case you want to repeat what I did, here are the number of rows and the stitch lengths I used to create the brim of my serger crochet witch hat:
8 rows of SL 4
4 rows each of SL 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0
3 rows of SL 1.5
1 row of SL 1.0
Row 1
The first row is the only row that is serged completely on fabric. I kept my blade engaged for the first row, serging on the right side of the fabric, trimming off the edge of the fabric to even it up. Then I lowered my blade for the rest of the rows, so I didn’t accidentally cut my crochet. I also started serging with the fabric right side up and the cone inside out, because it was easier for me to maneuver the curve. Later on when the brim was wider, I turned the cone right side out so that the brim could lay nice and flat as I serged.
Row 2
When I completed the circle and got back to the seam, I guided the project slightly to the left, so my needle was penetrating the fabric close to the raw edge and my loops were hanging about halfway off the fabric. I serged all the way around this time with my loops hanging off the edge.
Row 3 and All Other Rows
At row 3 I began serging “on air”, just on thread. At the start of each row, I guided the thread lace slightly to the left so I was serging on the edges of the thread loops from the previous row. I serged on the thread loops with the needle in the middle of the loops or a little closer to the edges, being sure to catch all the loops.
Middle Rows
As I began to decrease my stitch length, the thread “fabric” began to wave and ruffle and flounce. I had to work a little harder to guide the edges of the loops to the needle because now I was serging more of a curve.
As the brim got wider and the stitch length smaller, the edge began to wave and ruffle and flounce even more. This required more maneuvering of the thread loops to keep them flat and feeding under the needle properly. I had to realign the edges of the loops frequently to keep them feeding properly up to the needle. This included lifting the presser foot to pivot and allow the thread fabric to relax.
Outer Rows
The last few rows took the longest to complete because of the sharp curves. It was like serging on a bunch of small circles. I had to lift the presser foot very frequently to realign the edges of the loops before the needle. The clear presser foot allowed me to see exactly what was happening with the feeding of my loops, so I was sure to catch the loops with my needle. The last few rows at small stitch lengths were also the rows that created the greatest amount of volume of ruffle and flounce. You can see from the photo below, as the brim got wider, I had to serge on smaller and smaller curves to keep the previous rows flat as I serged.
Finishing the Witch Hat
When I got back to the beginning of the last row, I serged back toward the previous row’s needle stitching until I had a few stitches of overlap. At that point I lifted my presser foot, turned the project 90 degrees and serged off, leaving a chain. I smoothed out my thread chain and separated the needle thread from the looper threads. Then I tied the needle thread to the looper threads in a knot on the back side and trimmed off the extra thread.
Oops – What to do if you Make a mistake?
If you accidentally miss some loops and leave some holes in your serger crochet, most people find it easiest to go back and hand stitch the holes together after they are done serging.
Fortunately, I only had one oops where I went off the loops on this project. On my second to last row, my foot control got stuck on a drawer under my serger table. My serger kept serging even though I took my foot off the foot control. My hands couldn’t react fast enough. In that few seconds, I serged right off the edge of my brim! Fortunately, I was able to camouflage the oops. I trimmed my threads leaving a tail. I realigned my needle with the needle threads, a few stitches back from where I accidently serged off. Then I began serging again. Later, I pulled both thread tails to the back and tied them in a knot and trimmed them. With all the ruffles and flouncing, you’d have to inspect very carefully to find the oops!
I attribute my low number of oops to using a clear foot, serging slowly, pivoting a lot and taking breaks when my eyes got tired.
Tips on Serger Crochet
Beginning Rows of Serger Crochet
The first several rows of serger crochet are quick and relatively easy. For stitch lengths of 4, 3.5, and 3, I found it fairly easy to use the needle markings on the toe of the foot as my guide for the edge of the loops so I caught all the loops in my stitching. (I used the 1st line on the right as my guide, which is the position of my O2 needle (the right needle).
Middle Rows of Serger Crochet
As the stitch length gets smaller and you create more and more of a flounce you need to stop more often and reposition the loops. At about a stitch length of 2.5 and 2, I started lining the loops up with a point under the presser foot, closer to the needle than the toe of the presser foot. The point I used was the metal edge of my needle plate that was aligned with my right needle. Because of the curve/wave it was too difficult to force the fabric to to match up with the right most marking on the toe. I did this by watching the loops through the clear presser foot. I also needed to lift the toe of the presser foot every so often to realign the loops and make sure they were staying flat and not bunching up.
Last Rows of Serger Crochet
At a stitch length of 1.5 and 1, I had to stop very often and actually raise the presser foot to release the pressure on the thread fabric and keep loops flat and aligned (like every ¼”-½” ). Also I had to actually watch the needle catch the loops through the clear presser foot. Because of the wave/curve, it was pretty much impossible to keep the edge of the loops aligned with the marks on the presser foot. I lifted the foot and slightly moved the loops into position and then lowered the foot and kept going. I always made sure the needle was down in the loops before I lifted the presser foot.
How Long to Complete?
As you can see from the data below, as the stitch length got shorter, the time to complete the row became a lot longer. This is due to the flounce effect – more distance to cover and more time spent lifting and adjusting loops to keep them aligned and flat because of the sharper and sharper curves. The last few rows took a REALLY LONG time, but that is where most of the volume was created.
30 minutes – 8 rows at SL 4, 4 rows at SL 3.5 and 1 row at SL 3
20 minutes – 3 rows at SL 3, 4 rows at SL 2.5
35 minutes – 4 rows at SL 2
65 minutes – 2 rows at SL 1.5 (I documented 65 minutes but I think I read the clock incorrectly. Based on the next entry I think it should have taken more time)
100 minutes – 1 row at SL 1.5
230 minutes – 1 row at SL 1.0
So it took me about 8 hours to complete the serger crochet on my witch hat. Almost 4 hours of that time was spent on row 28, the last row, at a stitch length of 1.
I could have stopped after row 27 and finished the brim in about half the time, and that hat would have still looked great. It would have been ruffly, but not nearly as ruffly as it was with 28 rows. I’m glad I took the extra time for that last row. I think it’s beautiful! But I will tell you that last row was a little monotonous. I could only serge about 30 minutes of time before I had to take a break.
How to Make a Witch Hat with Serger Crochet
Thanks for following along with my serger crochet witch hat project. Are you inspired to try serger crochet? I hope so!
If you are interested in more projects, check out the book, Serger Crochet, by Joan Friedrich and Nancy Zieman. Unfortunately the book is out of print. But you may be able to find a used or new copy on the internet or your local shop.
Several years ago I purchased this fun kitty spandex so I could make my daughter a swimsuit or maybe a pair of leggings. For my daughter’s birthday this year, I finally made her the “purr”fect swimsuit. Summer is here, and the perfect time to serge a swimsuit!
Swimsuits by Serger or Sewing Machine
Although you could use a sewing machine to make a swimsuit, it’s so much more professional looking if you use a serger. The four thread overlock stitch is great for serging seams and applying elastic. The narrow cover stitch is perfect for top-stitching. If you don’t have a cover stitch machine you could use a sewing machine and a zig zag stitch to top-stitch. This is the way I used to do swimsuits and figure skating costumes before I had the cover stitch.
Three Thread or Four Thread Overlock
Technically a three thread overlock is the stretchiest stitch, and is sometimes recommended for stretchy knits. The four thread overlock is almost as stretchy. I typically use the four thread overlock for serging all of my knit garments because I like the added security of the second row of straight stitches. If one row of straight stitching pops, I still have one row to hold the seam together.
Thread
I used Maxilock serger thread in the needles and Guterman Bulky Nylon in the loopers. The texturized nylon is soft next to the skin and really stretchy. Some other brands of texturized nylon thread I use are Maxilock Stretch, YLI Wooly Nylon and Madeira AeroFlock.
Pattern Used for The “Purr”fect Swimsuit – Jalie 3350
For my daughter’s “purr”fect swimsuit I used Jalie pattern 3350. I combined the twist front from view B with the open back of view A. The pattern didn’t call for lining on the back side, but I added it. The kitty spandex had a white background, and I was afraid it would be too see-through when wet. I also changed the order of construction to minimize changeovers on my serger between overlock and coverstitch.
This swimsuit pattern was a little more complicated because of the twist at the bust. But the twist was worth the time and fuss because of the extra flair it added to the suit.
The pattern also included an extra pocket in the bust lining so you could insert a swim cup for more bust coverage. I bought my swim cups from Sew Sassy. A link to their website is included in the Resources section at the bottom of this post.
I haven’t seen Jalie patterns in the stores locally, but they are easy to find online. Jalie is a Canadian company. You can also find their patterns in shops on etsy and ebay. I’ve used Jalie patterns many times for swimsuits and figure skating dresses. Their patterns include a ton of sizes, so it’s possible to get a great fit without a lot of pattern modifications. The pattern also gives tips for sewing a swimsuit with a sewing machine.
Jalie wants you to be successful using their patterns. You will find photo tutorials for different patterns and lots of tips on Jalie’s website. I have included a link to their website in the Resources section at the bottom of this post.
Applying Elastic to a Swimsuit with a Serger
For this swimsuit, I used ⅜” cotton elastic meant for swimwear. I pre-treated it by soaking in hot water and then drying it in my dryer on low heat.
Presser Foot
I use a standard presser foot to apply my elastic on my swimsuits. There is such a thing as an elastic foot for a serger, which is great for some applications. But I find it easier to use a standard presser foot for serging the elastic on swimsuits, or for a pattern that calls for applying elastic in the round.
Quarter Pinning
The most common technique I use for applying elastic by serger is called quarter pinning. I divide both the elastic and the spandex edge into fourths and mark them with pins. Then I pin the elastic to the project aligning the marks.
Usually the elastic is smaller than the spandex, so you have to stretch the elastic as you serge. Quarter pinning helps you spread out the extra spandex so everything looks nice and even. If the edges are fairly long, I will pin in eighths to be sure I am evenly stretching the elastic to fit my spandex.
Serge with Elastic on Top or on Bottom?
The most common way I see instructions written for applying elastic by serger is to serge with the elastic on top and your fabric on bottom (against the feed dogs). A tiny little bit of fabric should peek out to the right of the elastic so you are sure you are catching it in the stitches. Sometimes I do it this way.
And sometimes I serge with the elastic on bottom against the feed dogs. A little bit of elastic should peek out to the right of the fabric, so you are certain you are catching the elastic in the stitching.
Sometimes I find it easier to line up the raw edges of the spandex and the elastic as I am stretching it to fit, when the elastic is on bottom. I am less likely to have the spandex migrate away from the elastic and end up with spots not caught in the stitching.
When I made the “purr”fect swimsuit, I applied elastic using both methods.
Engage or Disengage Blades?
I disengage my serger blades when I am using a standard presser foot to apply my elastic, so I don’t cut through my elastic. I am very careful to align the elastic and spandex along the edge where the blade normally cuts. If the fabric and elastic move too far to the right of the blade, they could get caught in the loopers and create a mess. The photo below shows my fabric (on top) and elastic (on bottom next to the feed dogs) lined up just to the left of my cutting blade. The stiletto is pointing to the location of the blades.
With the blades disengaged, you will need to manually trim the threads from any seam allowances you cross as you serge.
I also increase my stitch length to 4 so I don’t put too much thread bulk into my seams. You could use a three thread overlock stitch to attach elastic. But I usually use a four thread overlock to attach the elastic because I don’t want to spend the extra time changing between stitches. Since I am usually stretching the elastic to fit the spandex, all the stitching seems closer together when everything relaxes back to its unstretched state.
Serging and Sewing the “Purr”fect Swimsuit
I used my sewing machine to:
baste the lining pieces to the main pieces
gather a small amount in bust area
attach the back closure hook
attach the straps at the back edge
stitch a few areas of the bust twist
attach the elastic to the short front V neckline using a zig zag (The bulk of the twist at the neckline was easier to maneuver through the sewing machine.)
I used my serger to:
attach the elastic
serge the seams
finish any exposed edges
top stitch the elastic with a narrow coverstitch
Basting is Helpful for Serging
I baste all of my lining pieces to my main pieces using the longest straight stitch my sewing machine will do (which is 6 mm I think). The basting keeps the layers from shifting when I am serging. Because the fabric stretches a little as I baste, the stitches look a little loose, but that’s ok. These stitches are not seen from the right side of the finished swimsuit.
When I am done serging the seams, I stretch each seam until I hear the basting stitches pop. After the basting stitches break the seam regains its full stretch-ability. Don’t forget to break the basting stitches or the person putting it on for the first time will pop them and think they ripped the swimsuit. If the basting stitches hang out of the seam too much after popping I will pull some of them out, but mostly I leave them in. No one but me really notices the seams anyway. Most people just notice how good they look in the garment!
Narrow Cover Stitch
I used a narrow cover stitch to top-stitch all of the elastic in the swimsuit. The narrow cover stitch works well for top-stitching ⅜” elastic, and I like the way it looks.
I used my cover stitch foot to apply the elastic with the needles in the C1/C2 position. The cover stitch foot is narrower and makes it easier to see the right edge of your project. By aligning the right edge of the elastic just past the right edge of the cover stitch foot I get the perfect placement for my narrow cover stitch on 3/8″ elastic. You want to stitch close to the left inner edge of the elastic. If you stitch too close to the outer edge, the wrong side of your elastic will tend to curl out and not lay flat against your body when worn.
I used a stitch length of 4, which is the longest stitch length on my serger. The stitches end up looking shorter because of the thickness of the elastic and multiple layers of spandex.
A Great Technique for Finishing off a Cover Stitch
This technique has worked with every serger I have tried. It will pull your needle threads to the back at the end of the seam so they are ready to finish off with a knot. It saves time and frustration. See the Resources section at the bottom of the post for a link to my tutorial on Finishing off a Cover Stitch in the Round.
The “Purr”fect Swimsuit
I hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to serge a little spandex!
https://jalie.com/blog/cat/photos Link to Jalie’s photo tutorials – There are six tutorials on how to make the 3350 swimsuit. I didn’t discover these until after I had made my swimsuit. It would have been helpful for everything but making the twist! Unfortunately the tutorial for the front was only for view A.
Last week I blogged about the Serger Funsie Onesie that I made for my niece’s baby. This week I made another gift for her baby – a Serger Sleeve Saver Bib. This great bib has sleeves to protect the sleeves of your child’s outfit. The bib is made from stretch terry cloth with ribbing at the cuffs and neckline and bias binding on the edges. The serger is the perfect tool for construction of this bib and to apply the bias binding.
The Pattern
The pattern instructions for applying the ribbing and constructing the seams are written for a standard four thread overlock stitch on a serger. A sewing machine can also be used. The pattern applies the binding using a sewing machine, but I applied the bias binding with a serger chain stitch using a double fold bias binder. If you don’t have a chain stitch capable serger you could apply the binding with your sewing machine following the instructions in the pattern. You will find a link to the Sleeve Saver Bib pattern in the Resources section at the bottom of this post.
Applique
I used my embroidery machine to applique a cute owl on the front of the bib. If you don’t have an embroidery machine you can apply an applique with your sewing machine. The pattern comes with several shapes for appliques. I purchased the owl applique on Etsy. You will find a link to the design in the resources section at the bottom of this post.
Here is my terry cloth pattern piece with my owl applique already applied.
Apply Bias Tape
The bias binding I used for the bib, was the same bias binding I created for the funsie onesie. I set up my serger for a C1 chain stitch and attached my 36mm double fold bias binder.
I’ll be honest with you. I was trying to finish this project quickly and so I just jumped right in without practicing. Not a good idea with stretch terry. The first time I bound the back edge it was a little wavy, so I took it out and tried again with my differential feed set to 1.3. This time the back edge looked good. The straight back edge was fairly easy, but it took me three tries to get the binding right on the sharp curves on the front. Good thing that the chain stitch pulls out easily and I made lots of extra bias strips!
The trick on sharp curves on stretch terry is to go slow. Take a few stitches. Stop with the needle down. Lift the presser foot to release the pressure on the stretch terry. Continue this process until you are through the curve.
How to Use a Serger Double Fold Bias Binder Tutorial and Video
For more information on how to use double fold bias binder with a serger check out my tutorial and video:
Seam allowances on the Sleeve Saver Bib pattern are ⅝”. If you are using a sewing machine, the pattern has you trim the seams down to ¼” after they are sewn.
Since I used my serger for all the seams, I just trimmed the allowances down to ¼” as I serged. My serger has markings to the right of the blade that show you where to line up your raw edges of seams with ⅝” seam allowances. If you are unsure of how to trim down a ⅝” seam to ¼” using your serger, you could always trim off the extra seam allowance with your scissors before you serge. Then when you serge you only need to align the raw edges next to the blades. Or you could use a marking pencil to draw the seam allowance on the fabric and align the marks with your needles.
Apply Ribbing
I used a piece of spandex material in place of the ribbing called for in the pattern.
The cuff pieces were applied first. I cut the pieces 2” longer than stated in the pattern so I had a one inch “grab tab” on each end. It’s not required, but I find it easier to have the extra fabric to hold onto when stretching the ribbing to fit.
If you find it difficult to keep all three layers from shifting as you serge, you can always baste the raw edges of the folded ribbing together before pinning the ribbing to the project. That way you only have to control two layers of fabric instead of three. Basting first with my sewing machine gives me much better results on ribbing. And I spend a lot less time resewing because one layer of fabric slipped away from the seam.
Next I applied the neck band. I serged the short ends together to make a circle. Then I folded it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and pinned the neck band to the bib. I matched the seam of neck band to center back of neck of the bib. You will need to evenly stretch the ribbing to fit.
Sleeve Seams
The last step was to serge the sleeve seams. I finished the ends of my seams by locking the ends with my serger.
Serger Sleeve Saver Bib
Here is a front view and a back view of my finished Serger Sleeve Saver Bib.
This bib is both cute and practical and the perfect accessory for my serger funsie onesie from last week’s blog post. I can’t wait to see it on my niece’s baby girl! I hope this post inspires you to use your serger more…..
Transform an ordinary onesie into a super sweet outfit for a little baby girl! This Serger Funsie Onesie is fun to create using basic stitches on your serger. My niece is having a little baby girl and her nursery theme is owls. I found this cute little owl onesie and knew I could turn it into something special. I can’t wait until the baby is big enough to wear it!
The Funsie Onesie Pattern
The pattern for the Funsie Onesie came from the book, Simple Serging Sewing, edited by Julie Johnson.
The Transformation from Onesie to Sweet Dress
I was amazed at how a few simple additions took this onesie from cute to amazing! Read along and observe the transformation.
Here’s my onesie, skirt fabric and waistband bias strip.
Prepare Strip for Ruffled Skirt
Because my onesie was larger than the one in the pattern, I added 1” to the length of the ruffled skirt piece.
The instructions said to use a plate as a template for rounding the ends of the ruffle strip. I used the plate as a starting point, and then I drew in the rest of the curve in freehand.
For this project I used a Babylock Imagine serger. I set my serger up for a 3 thread narrow hem to finish the bottom edge of my ruffled skirt. You could also use a 3 thread rolled hem if you like. I used Maxilock thread in a color that matched my fabric.
To gather the ruffled skirt, I used my serger ruffling foot (the G foot for the Babylock Imagine) with a 4 thread overlock stitch. Even though you can use the foot to simultaneously create the ruffle and attach it, I chose to do it in two steps so I could adjust the ruffle to fit the onesie exactly. I set my differential feed to 2, my stitch length to 4 and my stitch width to M. The raw edge of the skirt was just skimmed by the blade as I serged. I also held my finger behind the foot to help it gather just a little bit more.
If you don’t have a ruffling foot for your serger, you can still use your serger to gather. Follow your instruction manual for gathering. Usually gathering on a serger involves increasing the differential feed and stitch length (and increasing your needle tensions if you have a serger with tension dials.)
Here’s what my ruffled skirt piece looked like after gathering it with my serger.
Prepare Onesie
Determine where to cut your onesie. My onesie was a 6-9 month size. I cut it apart as stated in the pattern instructions.
Create Bias Waistband
Next I created the bias waistband strip. The bias fabric strip has a some stretch which makes it a little easier to dress the baby. The waistband also adds back in length that was lost in the seams from adding the skirt to the onesie. So your onesie length will still be the same size as when you started. I used a standard 4 thread overlock stitch with a stitch length of 2.5 to serge the ends of the waistband together.
Attach Waistband
I pinned the bias waistband strip to the top half of the onesie, and serged the seam with a standard 4 thread overlock stitch.
Attach Skirt
My onesie waistband measured about 18” around, so I adjusted the gathers of my ruffle to equal 20” (18″ + 2″ for overlap.) My serger didn’t gather the fabric quite as much as I needed. So I adjusted the gathers by first separating the needle threads from the looper threads. And then I pulled on the needle threads and slid the fabric, just like I would using 2 rows of basting stitches on my sewing machine. I overlapped the ends of my ruffled skirt by 1” on each end.
After adjusting the gathers, I pinned the ruffled skirt to the bottom of waistband, aligning the overlapped section of skirt slightly off center. I serged this skirt to the waistband using a standard 4 thread overlock with a stitch length of 2.5.
Attach Bottom Half to Top Half
After attaching the skirt, the last step was to reattach the bottom half of the onesie. I pinned the onesie panties to the waistband/skirt section, making sure that the side seams of both onesie halves were aligned. To serge this seam, I increased my stitch width as wide as it would go (7.5) and used a stitch length of 2.5. I made this stitch wider than the stitching I used to gather the ruffle, so the gathering stitches on the skirt would not show on the right side of the garment.
Add Finishing Touches
Even though the skirted onesie was adorable, I thought it needed just a little something more. So I hand stitched a few ribbon roses on the waistband and one at the center of the neckline.
My Serger Funsie Onesie
My serger funsie onesie is finished and ready for a sweet baby girl to wear! I hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to serge.
Resources
Book – Simple Serger Sewing, published in 2009, but found online:
I had so much fun making my Simply Leafy 2 quilt that I thought I would share it with you. Simply Leafy 2 is a project from the book, Serge & Merge Quilts. It’s a small wall hanging and is the perfect size to experiment with creative serging. The serger creates the texture in the background and enhances the dimensional stems and leaves. The project showcases serger flatlock stitching, but uses a sewing machine to complete the quilting and binding. If you enjoy creative quilting and you have a serger, you should give this project a try!
Fabric and Thread Choices
I used quilting weight cotton for all the fabric in my Simply Leafy 2 quilt. I selected a brown leafy floral as my focus fabric and off white for the background. Based off the leafy floral fabric, I chose green fabric for the leaves and brown for the stems. The instructions said to use yarn for embellishing the flatlock stitches so I chose a brown perle cotton. I decided on a variegated Sulky Blendables 30 weight thread for the background flatlocking and a variegated YLI quilting cotton thread 40 weight for flatlocking the leaves and stems. I used Maxilock serger thread in the positions that were not visible in the stitches.
Flatlock Background and Create Rectangle Blocks
I randomly pressed lines in my background fabric to mark my folds for flatlocking. Then I created ladder stitching on the folds of fabric using both a narrow and wide two thread flatlock.
I serged each fold, then pulled it open. I pressed all of the flatlock stitching at once after I was finished serging the lines. After flatlocking I used two strands of perle cotton to create extra texture, making knots as suggested. The only change I made here was to add my yarn knots before I cut out the rectangle blocks. Unsecured flatlock stitching unravels easily near the edges, so I thought this change would create less stress on those stitches. When I ran out of yarn, I just cut 2 new pieces and continued where I left off. I fussy cut around the thread tails as I cut out my rectangles, so each rectangle was unique.
Create Leaves and Stems
For flatlocking my leaves, I put the variegated thread in my needle. I wanted the variegated thread to show on my leaves. After flatlocking the leaf strip on my serger, I traced the leaf pattern onto the fabric. I then completed making the leaves on my sewing machine.
For finishing the stems, I set the serger up for a two thread overlock. The two thread overlock is basically the same stitch as the two thread flatlock, but you don’t open the seam. I put variegated thread in the lower looper because the loops ended up on the right side of my stems.
Piece Together Background
After serging the leaves and background, I converted my serger to a four thread overlock stitch. I used the four thread overlock stitch to serge the background rectangles together. I handled the rectangles carefully to keep the cut flatlock stitches from unraveling before piecing them together.
Quilt with Sewing Machine
I layered my backing, batting and top of my quilt sandwich and quilted the background using a sewing machine. My quilting was simple. I stitched lines between my lines of flatlocking and outlined some of the leaves in the brown rectangles.
Add Stems and Leaves
After the background was quilted, it was time to add the stems and leaves. I auditioned my stems and leaves on the background until I was happy with the layout. Then I stitched them all down with my sewing machine. Since the top leaf hangs off the edge, it was easier to stitch it on after the binding was applied. One of the things I really like about this project are the three dimensional stems and leaves!
Add Binding and Finish
The instructions have you use two different colors of binding. I bound the top, bottom and right side of my quilt with off-white and the left side with brown. I attached my binding to the front of quilt, and then flipped it to the back. To secure the binding, I stitched in the ditch on the front side with my sewing machine. I also added a hanging sleeve on the back
Flatlocking on the Fold
You typically see serger stitching on seam lines and fabric edges. But flatlocking is not limited to seams or fabric edges. You can flatlock on a fold and create decorative stitching within the body of your garment or project.
Flatlocking is a technique you can do with your standard presser foot. However, a foot with a guide, such as a blind hem foot, will make flatlocking easier.
The flatlock stitch is reversible. Which means you can use either side of this stitch in your projects. I like both the “loop” side and the “ladder” side of the flatlock stitch. To see the loops on the right side of your fabric you fold it with the wrong sides together. To see the ladders on the right side of your fabric you fold it with the right sides together.
When you flatlock on the fold, you serge with the loops hanging off of the fabric. You must guide your fabric so that the fold is about halfway between the needle and the blade. (See photo below.) Without the extra thread in those loops, you won’t be able to pull open the stitch to make it flat. If you have too much fabric in the stitch you won’t be able to fully open it. The stitch will look lumpy on one side and like a tunnel on the other. If you get too little fabric in the stitch you will have loose and floppy stitching.
I recommend you practice flatlocking on the fold before you begin this part of your project. Sharon provides some information about flatlocking on page 16 of her book. Your serger manual will instruct you how to set up and perform a flatlock stitch with your machine.
Simply Leafy 2
I hope you enjoyed my post about the creation of my Simply Leafy 2 wall hanging quilt.
Embellishment can turn a plain garment into a WOW garment. Why not use your serger to make your garments special! I love the texture created from twists and tucks. I’ve heard them called wave tucks or twisted tucks, or as I call them serger twists. I’ve used this serger technique in bags, pillows, serger covers and garments. You can make these folded tucks/twists with a sewing machine, but it is more fun with a serger because you have the added element of decorative thread. Keep reading to learn more about how I started with a pattern for a plain top and transformed it into my serger twists sleeveless top.
The Pattern
As a foundation for my serger twists sleeveless top, I chose a simple sleeveless top pattern, New Look 6483 view E, and a linen blend fabric. I basically followed the pattern to construct the top, but with a few changes. I modified the pattern to include a serger twists center panel, and I serged some of the steps instead of using my sewing machine.
Equipment
Serger capable of three thread overlock and 4 thread overlock
Sewing machine
Sewing and serging supplies
Pattern, such as New Look 6483
Marking pen/pencil
Fabric and thread
How to Create Serger Twists
I began by preparing the center panel. I cut a rectangle piece of fabric about 4” longer than the center front pattern piece of the top and about twice as wide as my desired finished center panel plus 4” extra. You need the extra fabric because the width is drawn in as you create the twist. For my top I decided on 7 twists. I marked 7 vertical lines 1¼” apart with a Frixion pen in the center of my rectangle. I folded each line, wrong sides together and pressed to create creases. The creases make it easier to serge on the folds in the next step.
Serge
I set up my serger for 3 thread overlock wide with a stitch width of ¼” and disengaged the blade. Maxi Lock thread was used for all positions because I wanted my thread to blend in with the fabric to emphasize the texture and not the thread color. You could use a more decorative thread if you wanted. I used a stitch length 2-2.5, but it could be longer or shorter depending on the thread and look you are trying to achieve.
Serge on each fold, lining up the fold with where the blade would normally cut. I used a standard foot and guided my fabric along the disengaged blade. But you could also use a blind hem foot for your serger and set up the guide to help you position the fold in the proper place. Serge the same direction each time, so that the upper looper thread is on the same side of all the folds. Press folds well to set the stitches. You may need to use a press cloth so you don’t damage your thread.
Mark and Stitch
I drew horizontal lines 1” apart on the panel perpendicular to my serged folds using my Frixion pen. Using my sewing machine I stitched across the folds on the lines in alternating directions. You can hold the twists down with your fingers as you stitch to make sure they lay the proper direction. See photo below. Don’t press the twists after making them or you will distort them. You can hover over them and steam them if needed.
How to Modify Pattern Front for Center Panel
I measured my center panel as it would be finished in my top to be 4.5”. So I added my seam allowances (⅝” + ⅝” = 1¼”) before trimming the center panel to 5¾” wide. The extra fabric on the top and bottom was cut off after combining the center panel with the rest of the front pieces.
Since I added in a center panel, I needed to remove an equivalent amount from the front pattern piece, so the new top front was the same size as the original pattern piece. I determined that the amount to be removed was 3¼” (4½” for the center less seam allowances of ⅝” + ⅝” = 1¼”). The original pattern piece was a single piece cut on the fold. So I cut off 1⅝” from the center of the folded front and ended up with a right and left front piece.
I changed my serger over to a standard 4 thread overlock stitch for serging my garment seams. To create my new top front I serged together the left, center and right front pieces. I pinned the center panel right sides together with the right front and left front. Then I double checked that my new front piece would end up the same size as my original pattern piece front. I serged the seams and trimmed center panel using the original front pattern piece as guide.
Finish Garment Construction
The rest of the garment was constructed using the pattern instructions, but I used my serger for some of the steps. The stay stitching, darts, neckline, armhole edges and hem top stitching was done with my sewing machine. I also used my sewing machine to under-stitch the neckline front facing to keep it from flipping outward. The side seams and raw edges of hems and facings were serged with a standard 4 thread overlock. I used ⅝” seam allowances to be consistent with the pattern and trimmed off the extra as I serged.
Once you cut off that extra seam allowance you cannot put it back on, so I suggest you make certain the garment fits before seaming it with a serger. Making a muslin mock-up takes more effort, but it leads to much less frustration in the long run. It’s a real bummer to spend hours making a beautiful looking garment only to have it not fit when you are all done.
Inside Look
I turned my top inside out so you could get a detailed look at the construction. If you look closely you will see darts, seams, hem and facing edges, and the wrong side of the serger twists. This top has been worn and washed so the stitching you are looking at is not as crisp and clean as when new.
My Serger Twists Sleeveless Top
Serger twists are a fun way to add embellishment to your projects and garments. As with any garments with exposed stitches, handle and launder with care. Any large loops on garments always have the potential to snag or get pulled. Think of those light, airy, lacy sweaters that we buy at the store that are so beautiful. We love to wear them, even though they snag easily. Serger stitches don’t snag as easily as those sweaters, but because of the loops, it’s best to handle them with care. I recommend hand washing garments with exposed stitching. After I spent all that time making the garment I want to be able to wear it more than once!
I hope you enjoyed this post about my serger twists sleeveless top. Try spicing up your garments with serger stitching!
I received many compliments while out and about carrying my serged satchel. Everyone always asked me where I bought my bag. With a smile, I said thank you and told them that I made it. I kept using the bag until it was very, very worn. What a sad day it was when I finally retired my serged satchel!
The Pattern
I made the purse using a pattern from Indygo Junction, called the Serged Satchel. The bag is flirty and feminine and is loaded with ruffles that highlight exposed serged edges.
My Serged Satchel
The bag I made looked very similar to the light colored purse on the pattern envelope. I used osnaburg fabric for the outside of my bag and a cotton print for the inside. Osnaburg is a rustic looking fabric like muslin, only more coarse. I edged the ruffles with a variegated YLI machine quilting thread. Thin fusible fleece gave the bag some soft stability.
I serged the edges of the ruffle strips using a basic 4 thread serger with a standard 4 thread overlock stitch. I also used my serger to gather the strips. The rest of the bag was constructed using a sewing machine per Amy Barickman’s instructions.
I used the leftover ruffle strips to make 2 pockets for the inside of the bag.
Thoughts on the Serged Satchel
If you’ve ever sewn a purse, you know that they are more effort to put together than you may think. And this purse was no exception, but it was worth it. I could always count on my serged satchel and its fun ruffles to brighten my day!
Resources
If you would like more information about the pattern, click on this link to go to the Indygo Junction website at: https://indygojunction.com
