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.
Did you know that you can serge a quilt with a chain stitch? I tried it, and I am so excited to share with you my latest quilt by serger. My Happy Place Quilt is an abstract waterscape quilt designed with a layer cake and a ten degree wedge ruler. I’ve made serger quilts using many types of serger stitches and techniques. But this is the first quilt I have pieced and bound exclusively using a serger chain stitch.
I was so happy with the results that I decided to create an official pattern for the quilt. The pattern is full of step by step photographs and diagrams. And the quilt can be made using a serger and/or a sewing machine. If you’d like to make your own My Happy Place Quilt, you can find the pattern for sale in the Shop section of my blog: https://overtheedge.blog/shop/
Story Behind the Quilt
I created the quilt as a personal design challenge for National Quilting Month this year. And of course, I chose to use my serger to make it. So I guess it counts for National Serger Month too!
I wanted to use my ten degree wedge ruler for another project.
You may remember that last year I used my serger and ten degree wedge ruler to create a watermelon quilt. I’ve used the quilt as both a patio table topper and a tree skirt.
I found a few wedge style quilts online that seemed interesting. But when I saw the “It Takes All Sorts” quilt from Christina Cameli’s book, Wedge Quilt Workshop, I was instantly inspired.
I had the idea, but now I needed the perfect fabric. I found it in the sale rack where I work. It was the Ocean Stone batik layer cake from Boundless Fabrics by Craftsy. The blues and browns reminded me of Lake Michigan. And I love layer cakes because they are complete collections of coordinated fabric. The less time I spend choosing fabric is more time I can spend serging! At first I thought I would do something completely abstract, but as I experimented with my wedge layout, the abstract waterscape began to materialize.
How to Serge a Quilt with a Chain Stitch
Not all sergers are capable of making a chain stitch. But if your serger does, you can use a chain stitch to serge a quilt. I have a Baby Lock Evolution serger, which is both an overlock and a cover stitch machine.
Here are some useful tidbits about serging and quilting with a chain stitch.
Seams can be pressed to the side or pressed open
Uses two threads, similar to a sewing machine
Can be quickly and easily removed if you make a mistake
Blades are disengaged so no accidentally cutting into your seams
Stitch length is usually a little longer than when sewing, about 2.75-3
Don’t have to worry about running out of bobbin thread
Can be used for piecing, binding and quilting
Piecing with a Serger Chain Stitch
I pieced together all of My Happy Place Quilt using a chain stitch and the cover stitch presser foot. Several different feet can be used – standard foot, clear foot, open toe foot, cover stitch foot, etc. Check your manual for the best settings and presser foot to use for your serger. Any foot that has good visibility makes it easier to get accurate ¼” seams. For chain stitch quilting I prefer the cover stitch foot or the open toe foot.
Pictured below are a few presser feet I use to quilt with my Baby Lock Evolution serger. From left to right: standard foot, clear standard foot, cover stitch foot, open toe foot.
I used my left needle and guided the fabric along the right needle marking on the toe of my presser foot. Guiding the fabric this way gave me accurate ¼” seams. I used standard serger cone thread in my needle and chain looper.
Attach Binding with a Chain Stitch
Applying binding with a serger chain stitch is just like applying binding with a sewing machine. You stitch the binding onto the front or back of the quilt and then wrap it around the edges and stitch it down by hand or machine.
I used this binding method for my quilt because I wanted two layers of fabric in the binding at the raw edges of the quilt. I used a very light color binding and did not want the dark fabrics in the quilt to show through. After testing the seam allowances I decided that a scant ⅜” seam allowance was best. The binding on the back would be perfectly secured by the “stitch in the ditch” stitches from the front. A scant ⅜” seam allowance from my left chain needle is between the third and 4th red marking from the left on the toe of my open toe presser foot as seen in the photo below.
I even chain pieced my binding strip seams with the chain stitch on my serger.
When I approached the corners, I simply turned the quilt clockwise and serged off the corner on a diagonal. Then I folded the binding at the corner and serged back on to the next side of the quilt, just like I would on a sewing machine.
After the binding was attached to the front of the quilt, I turned the folded edge to the back and clipped in place.
Finish Binding – Stitch in the Ditch Method
The last step of binding a quilt is stitching down the folded edge of the binding on the front or back of the quilt. It can be stitched by hand or by machine. I completed this last step of my quilt binding by serger, using a chain stitch and the “stitch in the ditch” method from the front side of My Happy Place Quilt. For the best visibility of the “ditch” between the binding and the quilt, I used my open toe foot and the center chain needle position.
You do have to turn your corners just a little bit differently with a chain stitch. When you get to the corner, stop with your needle down in the fabric. Then turn the hand wheel until the eye of the needle just peeks out above the fabric.
Next lift the presser foot and carefully rotate your fabric counter clockwise. Once positioned, start serging again. You may need to use a stiletto or other tool to gently pull or push on the fabric to keep the bulky corner from getting stuck after the turn. I used a pin to hold the binding in place near the corner and removed it after I took a few stitches, since wonder clips are too bulky to use close to the corner.
Here’s a view of the chain stitch in the ditch from the right side of the quilt.
Here’s a close up of the chain stitch on the binding on the back side of the quilt.
Tips for Serging with a Chain Stitch
When piecing my quilts with a chain stitch, I like to trim the thread chain tails to about an inch past the edge of the fabric. The extra inch of thread gives me a little wiggle room, just in case the chain starts to unravel as it is handled.
If you need some assistance with the mechanics of serging with a chain stitch, check out my tutorial: Tips for Serging with a Chain Stitch athttps://overtheedge.blog/tutorials/tips-for-serging-with-a-chain-stitch/. In the tutorial I share tips on how to start and end a seam, how to secure the ends of the seam, and how to easily remove a chain stitched seam.
How to Serge a Quilt with a Chain Stitch
I hope you enjoyed learning about My Happy Place Quilt and how to serge a quilt with a serger chain stitch.
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!
I’m always looking for new things to make with my serger and its attachments. And the holidays always bring out my creative side. As I was searching the internet for inspiration, I came across posts by Sara Gallegos of the Decorative Stitch and Mathew Boudreaux of Mister Domestic, which inspired me to create my Ribbon Candy Tree Ornaments Tutorial. (Links to their posts are in the Resources section at the bottom of the post). Sara followed Mathew’s strip tree ornament tutorial, but instead of using a sewing machine to create the fabric strips, she used her Baby Lock serger and the small belt loop binder attachment.
After reading about the process they used to make their tree ornaments, I decided to experiment with my serger and design my own ornaments. These ornaments all begin with a folded piece of fabric, which can be quickly and easily made with the right serger attachment. I own three different attachments for my Baby Lock serger that all fold the fabric and stitch it together in one step, so I tested all three attachments using both bias and cross grain fabric strips. I also tested the effect of adding interfacing to the fabric strips. This ornament project is a great way to practice using your attachments. Keep reading to learn how to make tree ornaments using a serger.
My Experiments with Making Fabric Ribbons Using a Serger
Using quilting weight cotton fabric I made fabric “ribbons” using three different attachments that I have for my serger. All three attachments are meant to be used with a cover stitch and fold under the raw edges of the strips to conceal them within the fabric and/or stitching. I used a wide cover stitch for the large belt loop attachment and a narrow cover stitch for both the smaller belt loop binder and the double fold bias binder. I tried each attachment with both crosswise grain and bias grain fabric strips. The red strips in the photo below are bias grain strips and the blue ones are cross grain.
I also experimented with different stitch lengths. The blue belt loop was serged at a stitch length of 2. the green at a stitch length of 2.5 and the red at at stitch length of 3. See photo below. At stitch lengths less than 3 on my Baby Lock serger you lose the ability to chain off with the cover stitch, but the shorter stitch lengths cover the raw edges better. I used embroidery thread in the needles and wooly nylon in the looper for better coverage of fabric raw edges.
Serger Attachments
Belt Loop Folder/Binder Attachment
Baby Lock makes two different sizes of belt loop binders – 1½” and ¾”. The larger one makes finished belt loop strips that are about ¾” wide. The smaller one makes finished belt loop strips that are about ⅜” wide. The fabric is folded once and therefore the finished strips have two layers of fabric. There is a link to my belt loop binder tutorial in the Resources section at the bottom of this post if you would like more information about this attachment.
36 mm Double Fold Bias Binder Attachment
A serger double fold bias binder attachment can also be used to make finished binding strips that work well for making ornaments. This attachment makes finished binding that is about ⅜” wide. Since these strips are folded twice, there are four layers of fabric in the finished binding strip.
Normally when using this attachment to bind an edge you have to guide both the binding strip and the fabric you are binding. But for making fabric ribbons for ornaments you only have to guide one piece of fabric because you are not attaching the binding to anything.
There is a link to my double fold bias binder tutorial in the Resources section at the bottom of my post if you would like more information about this attachment.
Fabric Grain and Strip Width
Can you use Both Cross Grain and Bias Fabric Strips in the Attachments?
Both crosswise grain fabric strips and bias fabric strips will work in the belt loop binder attachment and the double fold bias binder attachment. But you may need to adjust the width of the cut fabric strips for best results depending on whether you use cross grain or bias layout. Interestingly, I found that the cut strip width recommended in the instructions worked well for the crosswise grain strips, but not so well for the bias cut strips. For me the bias cut strips folded better when I added another ⅛” to the width of the cut strip.
The chart below lists the best cut strip widths for the quilting cotton fabric I used in this comparison:
Attachment
Grain
Cut Strip Width
1½” Belt Loop Binder
Crosswise
1⅝”
1½” Belt Loop Binder
Bias
1¾”
¾” Belt Loop Binder
Crosswise
⅞”
¾” Belt Loop Binder
Bias
1”
36mm Double Fold Bias Binder
Crosswise
1⅜”
36mm Double Fold Bias Binder
Bias
1½”
Which Grain Makes the Best Ornament?
The fabric strips I use for weaving work well on the cross grain because weaving is done in a straight line. However, for the ornaments, I think the bias fabric strips work better because of the curves. The loops of the ornaments look smoother using bias fabric strips. See photo below for a comparison. The tree ornament on the left was made using a crosswise grain belt loop strip and the ornament on the right was made using a bias belt loop strip. The curves of the cross grain loops tend to slightly buckle. The curves of the bias grain loops are much smoother. So although I prefer to use the bias belt loop strips for my ornaments, the cross grain strips will work. So should you use cross grain fabric strips that are easier to cut or bias strips make a smoother curve? The decision is yours.
With or Without Interfacing?
Both Sara and Mathew used interfacing in the fabric ribbons they used to make their ornaments. I experimented with using interfacing on a crossgrain strip for the 1½” belt loop binder.
The first strip I serged without interfacing (red). The second strip I added a strip of light weight fusible interfacing to the strip (green). I fused a ⅝” wide piece of interfacing to the center of the wrong side of my fabric strip. I made my interfacing ⅛” smaller than the finished width of the belt loop, so the edges were not too stiff for proper folding.
Sara used a stabilizer in her example. She did not pre fuse it to the fabric. She fed it into the attachment as she was feeding in the fabric. I tried this method a few times and couldn’t get the hang of it it. So I decided to fuse the interfacing to the fabric before I fed it into the attachment.
The bias belt loops I used in the ornaments seemed to hold their shape fine, so I didn’t feel the need to add interfacing.
I made a tree ornament from both strips to compare the results. The loops on the green tree are more stable with the interfacing added. The loops on the red tree ornament without interfacing are softer and more prone to bending. So both methods of making belt loop fabric will work. You will get a sturdier ornament with the interfacing and a softer one without it.
Tips for Success Using Fabric Strips in a Serger Attachments
Press Seams Open
Make sure that seams in the fabric strip are pressed open and stay open when feeding into the attachment. When the seam allowances flip together, those areas may be too thick for the attachment to fold the fabric properly.
Minimize Number of Seam Allowances
Make your bias fabric strips from large pieces of fabric with as few seams as possible. The more seams in your bias strips, the more chances for them to flip the wrong way and cause “blips” in your perfectly folded belt loops. This is also true of seam allowances in cross grain fabric strips.
Avoid Intersecting Seams
The attachment can easily fold one pressed open seam.
But not two intersecting seams. You will always be disappointed with the folding results of intersecting seams in your belt loop fabric. The attachment just can’t fold the extra thick areas nicely. See example below where two perpendicular seams in the bias fabric strip come together and see how the attachment can’t fold it under.
Raw Edges Not Being Caught in the Stitches
If your raw edges are not catching in the stitches there are a couple of reasons why that might be happening.
Check the Width of your Fabric Strip
It could be that your strip isn’t wide enough. Different fabrics and even different grains within the same fabric can fold differently. The initial bias strips that I cut at 1⅝” wide (per the instructions) and fed into the belt loop binder weren’t wide enough to always catch the raw edges in the stitching. So I cut my bias fabric strips a little bit wider to 1¾” (just an extra ⅛”) and the problem went away. The cross grain strips cut at 1⅝” folded well as they went through the attachment.
Check the Placement of your Attachment
Not having the needles centered within the fabric strip can lead to raw edges on the back not being caught by the stitches. You should test your attachment line up and adjust as necessary.
Pay Attention to the Fabric Strip as it Feeds into the Attachment
How the fabric is fed into the attachment can affect whether or not the raw edges get folded under properly and captured within the stitches. Make certain your fabric strips are feeding into the attachment smoothly and evenly, centered within the feeding slot on the attachment. Pay special attention to the pressed open seam allowances to make certain they don’t flip as they enter the attachment.
Fabric Buckles and Folds
If the fabric strip is too wide to fold properly, it will buckle, fold and twist as it is folded within the attachment and stitched. The direction of grain in the strips, as well as the properties of the fabric itself can make a difference in the “right” width, so you may need to experiment to get your strips looking their best. In the photo above, there are two double fold bias binding strips, both cut on the cross grain of the fabric. The green one was cut at 1½” wide and was just a little too wide for the attachment, and it buckled, folded and twisted as it went through the attachment. And those folds and twists were stitched right into the strip. The blue one was cut at 1⅜” wide, and folded well in the attachment to create a nice smooth strip.
In Conclusion
All above methods of making fabric “ribbons” on a serger yielded good results for making ribbon candy tree ornaments. If you prefer the look of an ornament made from ⅜” wide fabric ribbons then I would use the smaller belt loop binder or the double fold bias binder. If you prefer the look of an ornament made from the ¾” wide fabric ribbons then I would use the 1½” belt loop binder.
Get My Instructions for Making Ribbon Candy Tree Ornaments
For my Ribbon Candy Tree Ornament Tutorial, I chose to use the bias fabric ribbons without interfacing made with my 1½” belt loop binder attachment. I wanted to make “large” ornaments which I thought worked best with the larger ribbon produced by this attachment. I created my own version of three different ornament shapes – a tree, an icicle and a piece of ribbon candy – and have shared my instructions with you in my Ribbon Candy Tree Ornament Tutorial for Sergers. Here is the link: https://overtheedge.blog/tutorials/ribbon-candy-tree-ornament-tutorial-for-sergers/
Feel free to experiment and find your favorite combination.I hope you enjoyed learning about how to make tree ornaments with your serger. I would love to see the ornaments that you create!
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.
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…..
