Since March is National Quilting Month, I thought it fitting to share the latest serger quilting technique that I have been experimenting with – one seam flying geese with a serger.
While I was surfing the internet I came across an interesting YouTube video of Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Company. She was showing how to create a one seam flying geese block using a sewing machine. I immediately decided that the serger would be a great tool to use for this technique. I couldn’t find any internet resources about using a serger to make a one seam flying geese block. So maybe I am the first person to try it with a serger? Probably not, but it appears I am the first person to blog about it…..
One Seam Flying Geese with a Serger
The one seam flying geese block is a three dimensional block. The block is made from a rectangle and two squares and has just one seam. Each geese block/unit is twice as wide as it is tall. The angled sides (or wings) of the geese are folds in the fabric. This method has no lines to mark, no subcutting, and makes perfect points. How easy is that?!
Pros and Cons of the One Seam Flying Geese Block
Pros
Accurate
Fast
No markings or paper to remove
No bias edges
3D adds texture
Very little waste
Cons
May need or want to stitch down the wings of the three dimensional geese
Some seams are a little thicker due to the folded fabric
Jen’s Experiment with Serged Flying Geese
I pulled a charm pack from my stash. The charm pack was from Boundless Fabrics and called Dutch Garden III. The blues and yellows were so fresh and cheerful compared to our dreary February weather! With a few simple cuts and a little serging, I quickly transformed the 42 squares in my charm pack into 42 flying geese units. Chain piecing the blocks on my serger was quick and easy. I found making them kind of addictive – I just wanted to keep making them!
With a little fabric manipulation, pressing and trimming, I transformed all of the blocks into one seam flying geese.
I Have a Bunch of Flying Geese – Now What?
Most people begin with a pattern when they create a quilt. Sometimes I do too. But not this time. I serged all these geese without a plan for what to do with them. I simply laid out all the blocks and moved them around until I liked the arrangement. These geese decided to become a table runner.
Sashing and Borders
I serged the geese blocks together in groups of two and added sashings and borders.
The Results of my Experiment
From the front side you might think the table runner was sewn with a sewing machine. But from the back side you can see all the neat and tidy serged seams.
My one seam flying geese blocks became my cheerful Spring Migration Table Runner!
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.
I finally completed the official pattern for my Serger Charm Table Runner design. It’s hard to believe that six years have passed since I first taught this design in a serger class. It’s time to get charmed by a serger!
My serger charm table runner quilt is made from charm squares that are pieced together with a serger flatlock stitch. It even has overlock embellished binding. I included all three layouts and applique shapes in the pattern: Winter Skies, Hearts a Flutter and Falling Leaves. And of course, the step by step instructions have lots of diagrams and photographs. Keep reading to learn all about the table runners I made as samples for my pattern.
The Flatlock Stitch and Piecing a Quilt
There are many different ways to use a flatlock stitch. Most involve serging with part of the loops hanging off the edge of the fabric. You need a steady hand (or a special presser foot) and a little practice to get it just right. But with flatlock piecing you don’t need a special foot. Your standard presser foot will work just fine. You guide the raw edges of your fabric next to your blade, and just trim off the stray threads. So the entire stitch lays on the fabric with no overhanging loops.
Charm squares are 5” squares that are cut from a collection of cotton quilting fabric and sold in packages. There are typically 40-42 squares per pack, but the number can vary. I used one package of charm squares for each of my table runners.
Winter Skies – I used a Northcott Toscana Evening Shadow Chip Pack
Hearts a Flutter – I used a Moda French General Favorites Charm Pack
Falling Leaves – I used a Moda Hello Fall by Sandy Gervais Charm Pack
Both the background squares and the applique squares in my table runners came from the charm packs. The Northcott Toscana charm pack had 5 colors in it with multiples of each fabric. The Moda Hello Fall charm pack had very few repeats. The Moda French General Favorites charm pack had some repeats. You can always add in some applique fabric from your stash if the charm pack doesn’t have the solids or blenders you need for the appliques. I was lucky because the charm packs I chose had just the right amount of blenders for appliques. Or you could always cut your own collection of 5” squares for this table runner.
Quilt Top
The table runners were pieced together using flatlock stitch. I love the look of the flatlock stitches in decorative quilts where the thread can be a focal point. And I love the way it looks with variegated thread. It really adds interest to a quilt. I’ve used both 30 wt and 40 wt variegated cotton threads by Sulky and YLI. The squares with the flatlocked seams look great as a background for applique.
Applique
I had fun designing the applique shapes for this pattern. Real tree leaves were the inspiration for my Falling Leaves table runner. It’s amazing what you can do with real leaves and a copy machine! I learned how to make my own six sided paper snowflakes and picked my favorites to add to my Winter Skies table runner. For the Hearts a Flutter table runner I cut out several different paper hearts from folded paper and tested them on the runner before choosing my favorite.
I used the raw edge applique technique to apply my shapes using a sewing machine. But other forms of applique would also work. If you have a serger with a large throat space you could applique with the chain stitch. You could even machine embroider some of your favorite applique designs on your table runner.
Batting
Choose your favorite. I’ve made mine with thin fusible fleece, cotton quilt batting, and flannel. I like them all, but each is a little different. Flannel is the thinnest. Fusible fleece was a little more “stiff” and cotton quilt batting was the fluffiest. I think the fusible fleece fused to the back side of the quilt top fabric helps to hold the fabric and flatlock stitches in place, but I’ve had good success with all of these battings.
Quilting
You can quilt this table runner with as little or as much quilting as you like, based on your selected batting. Some battings require quilting stitches every 3-4” or some like flannel can be quilted 8-10” apart. My table runners are decorations and are spot cleaned as needed (rarely), so quilting distances are not that important. I did minimal quilting on my table runners so that my variegated thread and flatlock stitches would stand out and be a focal point of the quilts. I quilted my table runners using both a sewing machine and a hand sewing needle.
Binding
Although any method of binding would work for this table runner, I chose to embellish my binding with a three thread overlock stitch. The serger stitches on the binding really help tie together the quilt with the flatlock stitching around the squares. I attached and top stitched the binding to these table runners using a sewing machine, but a serger using a 4 thread overlock and/or a chain stitch would work as well.
Other Ways to Use a Serger for this Project
You can serge a table runner just like mine using the instructions in the pattern. A standard serger capable of a three thread flatlock stitch and a sewing machine are all you need.
Would you like to get more creative with your serger? Here are a few additional ways to use your serger that are not included in the pattern:
Use a rolled hem on the binding instead of an overlock
Attach the binding with a four thread overlock stitch or a chain stitch
If you’d like to try making the Serger Charm Table Runner be sure to visit my etsy shop and get your own copy of my pattern. Use the coupon code SERGERCHARMNOV2021, which will give you a 20% discount on this pattern through November 30, 2021. Click on this link to take you directly to the pattern section of my shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/studiojsewing?coupon=SERGERCHARMNOV2021
I hope you enjoyed learning about the making of my serger charm table runners.
Surfing the internet one day, I stumbled across a photo of a cute little girl’s dress that reminded me of candy corn. Right then I knew my baby granddaughter needed her own version of that dress. Instead of a regular dress though, it needed to be a onesie dress. Onesies are the perfect base for a baby dress or shirt because they stay tucked in and don’t ride up and expose little belly buttons! And of course, I had to use my serger to make it. After a little experimentation I figured out how to serge a onesie dress that stretches at the waist. This blog post is a summary of my process. In the future I plan to create more detailed instructions for this style onesie dress using several different serger techniques. So stay tuned!
The Typical T-Shirt or Onesie Dress
There are many great tutorials on the internet for making cute onesie and t-shirt dresses. The typical method for creating a onesie or t-shirt dress is based on gathering a piece of cotton fabric with long basting stitches and then stitching the gathered fabric to the t-shirt or onesie. I’ve made t-shirt dresses like this before, but I’ve found that the woven fabric skirt limits the stretch of the waist seam. In the previous dresses I’ve made, the waist seam stretches very little or not at all. If the t-shirt is loose and baggy there is usually enough wiggle room to get the dress on a child without popping seams, even if the seam doesn’t stretch. But with a close fitting onesie, it’s really difficult to get it on a baby if the fabric at the waist doesn’t stretch.
How to Serge a Onesie Dress that Stretches at the Waist
To create my candy corn skirted onesie I wanted to use a couple of cute woven cotton polka dot prints. So I had to figure out a way to add a skirt to my onesie without losing the stretch around the waist. I decided the best way for me to do this was to use my serger, along with an elastic foot to gather the top edge of the skirt using elastic.
I also used a ruffling foot to simultaneously gather and attach the bottom ruffle to the skirt.
The ruffling foot and elastic foot are presser feet that help you gather fabric or attach elastic to fabric. You can gather fabric or attach elastic to fabric using a serger without these specialty feet. The feet just make the process quicker and more professional looking.
Supplies
Baby onesie – I used size 6 month long sleeved by Carters
4½” x 45” wide cotton print fabric for main skirt
Two – 2½” x 45” wide strips of cotton print fabric for bottom ruffle
⅜” wide elastic – 2X the width of the onesie (where you will attach the skirt) plus 6”
Serger thread for overlock and rolled hem stitches
Optional – 1” thin fusible knit knit stay tape – 2 x the width of the onesie (it helps to stabilize the onesie where you cut it so the edges don’t stretch out as you handle/serge)
Supply Notes
Since I added a seam at the waist, the onesie did get a little shorter (about ½-¾” shorter). Keep this in mind when selecting your onesie. You may need to select a onesie that is a little bit longer than the length you actually need.
I made the skirt on the onesie shorter so the onesie looked more like a skirted shirt than a dress. I wanted more of a shirt that she could wear with pants. Feel free to make your skirts any length you desire.
Tools
Serger capable of 4 thread overlock and 3 thread rolled hem
Elastic foot for serger – helpful, but not required
Ruffling/gathering foot for serger – helpful, but not required
Serger accessories and manual
General sewing supplies
Sewing machine for basting (optional)
Summary of Steps
The steps below are a summary of the steps I took to make my “Candy Corn Skirted Onesie” for the blog post “How to Serge a Onesie Dress that Stretches at the Waist.” This style onesie consists of cutting apart the onesie and inserting a gathered skirt.
Step 1: Seam the Bottom Ruffle
I used a narrow three thread overlock stitch to seam my two bottom ruffle pieces together into one long strip.
Step 2: Finish Bottom Edge of Ruffle
Next I used a three thread rolled hem stitch on my serger to finish the bottom edge of my long ruffle strip.
Step 3: Gather Bottom Ruffle and Attach to Main Skirt
I simultaneously gathered my bottom ruffle and attached it to the main skirt piece using the ruffling foot for my serger.
Step 4: Gather Top Edge of Skirt Using Elastic
I used my elastic foot and elastic to gather the top edge of the skirt fabric. There are many variables that determine how much fabric will be gathered to the elastic using an elastic foot – things such as the type of fabric, the type of elastic, how the fabric is guided into the foot, etc. Because of these variables I factored in a some wiggle room and used a little more fabric than I actually needed for the skirt. Because I could easily cut it to size in a future step (step 6). It’s much harder to add fabric than to take it away!
Step 5: Prepare Onesie
I measured down 1” from the armpits and marked a line across the front and back of the onesie. I also added a fusible knit stay tape over the cutting line to add stability to the future cut edges at the waist. Then I cut the onesie apart at the line.
Step 6: Prepare Skirt for Attaching
I measured the cut edge of my onesie and cut my elastic gathered skirt piece to match (2X this measurement plus 3/4” for seam allowances.)
I serged the short edges of the skirt seam together using a standard four thread overlock stitch.
Step 7: Insert Skirt and Serge Waist Seam
I placed the wrong side of the skirt against the right side of the bottom half of the onesie, lining up the raw edges. Using my sewing machine, I basted the skirt to the onesie bottom.
Then I placed the right side of the top half of the onesie against the right side of the skirt, lining up the raw edges of all three pieces (the top half of the onesie, the skirt, the bottom half of the onesie.)
Next, using a standard four thread overlock stitch, I serged all the way around the waist seam.
And that is how I created a fun and functional serger onesie dress that stretches at the waist. But I wasn’t quite done yet. There were a few more things I needed to do.
Step 8 – Make a Matching Hair Bow
I took the scraps of fabric leftover from the skirt and made a matching hair bow.
Step 9 – Find a Model and Take Photographs
Isn’t my model cute?!!! I call her my Candy Corn Cutie. The candy corn skirted onesie is the perfect outfit for my granddaughter to wear this October!
How to Serge a Onesie Dress that Stretches at the Waist
I hope you enjoyed my post about How to Serge a Onesie Dress that Stretches at the Waist.
Serge a lettuce hem quickly and easily using a three thread rolled or narrow hem stitch. You only need a few things to create this lovely hem: a serger with a rolled hem stitch, some thread and a piece of knit fabric.
Lettuce Hems Using a Serger
Can you guess why this ruffled hem is called a lettuce hem? Maybe because the edge of the fabric waves and curls like the edges of a lettuce leaf?!
The lettuce hem is created by stretching the fabric as you serge the edge. It can be used on the edges of light to medium weight knit fabrics. The greater the stretch of the fabric, the more the hem waves and curls. I use this technique to transform the hems on t-shirts, scarves and more.
Which Serger Stitch to Use for a Lettuce Hem?
I’ve used two similar (but different) stitches to serge a lettuce hem. Both the 3 thread rolled hem and the 3 thread narrow hem will work. Both are tiny hems. The serger is threaded the same way for both stitches, but the tension settings are different. Consult your manual for how to set up your serger for these stitches. On my serger the stitch selector is set on “D” for a rolled hem and “C” for a narrow hem. Click on the link to my napkin tutorial below for more details about the difference between the rolled hem and narrow hem. https://overtheedge.blog/tutorials/quick-easy-serger-napkins/
How to Stretch the Fabric as you Serge
Some people use the differential feed on their serger to create some extra stretch in their hems. Adjusting your differential feed to a setting less than 1 will create some stretch in your fabric as it feeds through the serger.
Others prefer to stretch the fabric manually. Keep your differential setting at normal (N or 1). Gently and equally stretch the fabric in front of and behind the needles as you serge, but let the feed dogs move the fabric. You will need to stop and reposition your hands as you serge around your fabric. If you try to pull the fabric through as you serge you may cause the needles to bend or break.
For my lettuce hem baby tees I had better results when I stretched the fabric manually.
Serge a Too Cute Tee from a Too Short Onesie
My granddaughter was gifted a bunch of really cute newborn onesies when she was born. But she grew out of them very quickly. The onesies were too cute to put away, so I turned the too short onesies into too cute tees! I guess you could call this a quick and easy “onesie refashion” project.
I started by cutting the onesie off at the leg openings.
Next I set up my Baby Lock Evolution serger for a 3 thread narrow hem (stitch setting C) and a stitch length of 1.5. I used Maxi Lock thread, but you could choose more decorative thread for your loopers if you desire.
I serged the bottom hem of the t-shirt in the round, trimming off just a slight amount of fabric and stretching the fabric in front of and behind the needle.
After serging, I gave the hem a good stretch to help it “lettuce” even more. Then I buried the thread tails in the hem and trimmed off the extra thread tails.
Isn’t she a cute little wildflower in her new t-shirt?!
Now my granddaughter can get a little more use out of those too short onesies as too cute tees!
Quilt as you Go (QAYG) is a term used to describe the process of piecing and quilting each block in a quilt as you assemble it. In QAYG when the quilt top is done, so is the quilting!
QAYG with a serger is similar to QAYG with a sewing machine, but the way the pieces are layered and assembled is different. The end result is a reversible project where all the layers are connected at the seam lines. And it’s fast because you save a step. The “stitch in the ditch” machine quilting is done at the same time the layers are serged together.
Typically, you assemble your quilt in strips or log cabin style, working from the middle outwards, or side to side or top to bottom. This technique is not just limited to quilts. I’ve made placemats, lap quilts, picnic quilts, table toppers, table runners and tote bags using quilt as you go with a serger.
Why would you want to try Quilt As You Go with a Serger?
It’s fast. Some people refer to this method of quilting projects as “fun and done”.
A four thread overlock seam is approximately ¼” wide, which is a typical seam width in a quilt. The serger compresses the seam so the multiple layers aren’t too bulky. And it’s secure due to the 4 threads in the seam.
It’s great for projects with simple quilt designs without complicated seams.
Project Inspiration
I’ve done a variety of different projects with QAYG on a serger. Below I’ve included photos and information about several of my own serger QAYG projects. And you can find many tutorials and YouTube videos on the internet for inspiration.
If you would like to try a strip placemat without the center panel see the brothersews tutorial. You will find a link in the resources section at the bottom of the post.
Is it a Table Runner or are they Placemats?
These three reversible Halloween placemats I designed can be used individually as placemats or overlapped and laid out as a table runner. One side is orange and one side is green. I quilted the center panels on my sewing machine with a spiderweb design. Then added the borders using the serger quilt as you go technique. Instead of traditional binding, I serged the edges with a decorative thread.
Lap or Baby Quilt
Serge this reversible lap or baby quilt together quickly and easily. It’s also a great quilt project to donate to charities. And you could serge the edge with a decorative thread like I chose to do, instead of binding it the traditional way. The width of the strips is only limited by the batting and it’s maximum quilting distance. I used a polyester batting that could be quilted up to 6” apart. So I cut my strips 6.5” wide x WOF. This project used 9 strips of fabric on the front, 9 strips of fabric on the back and 9 strips of batting. The finished size of my ladybug quilt is approximately 42” x 52”.
Heirloom Creations and Sara Gallegos of the Decorative Stitch have some helpful youtube videos on making lap or baby quilts with this method. For more of a log cabin style quilt check out Kay Wood’s video on youtube. See my resources section for links.
Picnic Quilt
I decided to scale up the serger quilt as you go technique to make a bigger picnic quilt. At first glance the quilt below looks like a traditional quilt. It is actually assembled in strips just like my lady bug lap quilt. This project was a bit more involved, but worthy of trying. I used cotton batiks for the top, a super thin batting, and a water resistance nylon for the back and binding. It was a gift for my daughter who uses it frequently for the beach and just hanging out in the yard. When I have some extra time, I plan on writing up a pattern for this design.
Table Topper
I made this patriotic reversible table topper using the serger QAYG method. The pattern came from the book, Simple Serger Sewing. I applied the binding to the front with a sewing machine and then turned it to the back and hand stitched it in place. This method begins in the middle with a pre-quilted center square and then works its way outward using triangles and border strips. See resources section for more information.
Tote Bag
I designed this tote bag by experimenting with an extra panel from my serger QAYG placemats and a bunch of extra jelly roll strips. It was a fun experiment! Some day when I have time I may write up a pattern for this serger QAYG tote.
Spring is in the air! The sun is shining and the snow has melted. It’s once again time to dress the table with my colorful and reversible serger table runner. It’s full of texture with exposed seams, prairie points, bunny tails and fabric flowers.
Reversible Serger Table Runner Inspiration
I designed this table runner a few years ago using a bunch of leftover jelly roll strips from another project. And of course I challenged myself to use my serger to make it. My vision began with a “stripey” table runner with texture, and evolved as I serged.
Creation of Table Runner
I pieced the strips together with the 3 thread rolled hem stitch. I serged the strips wrong sides together so the rolled hem would show on the right side of the table runner. Then I cut the strip sets into two sections and serged the sections together to end up with a rectangle about 16” wide by 48” long.
A Second Runner
I still had a few more jelly roll strips left so I decided to make a second but different runner. I serged these strips together with a three thread rolled hem stitch, adding in a wider strip of white fabric. Then I cut the strips into squares, alternated the layout and added sashing strips in between the squares.
The Reversible Serger Table Runner
Instead of two separate table runners, I decided to make one reversible table runner. I added a wide ric rac trim to the long sides and prairie points to the short sides.
I then layered the two table runner tops right sides together, along with a layer of batting and serged around the outside edges, using a 4 thread overlock stitch.
Here is a closeup of the wrapped corners technique I used at the corners so I didn’t need to trim away any fabric at the corners. For more information about how to wrap a corner with a serger visit my pillowcase tutorial at: https://overtheedge.blog/tutorials/his-hers-serger-pillowcases-tutorial/
I left an opening on one side for turning and closed it up using a fusible web and an iron.
Serger Rolled Hem Prairie Points
My prairie points started as rectangles that were 5” long and 2.5” wide. I serged one long edge of the rectangle and then folded two corners to the middle to make the prairie point. The rolled hem edge ends up in the center of the prairie point.
Finishing Touches
The reversible runner turned out nicely, but I thought it needed a little something extra to make it compete. So I added bunnies on one side and flowers on the other. Adorable!
My Felt Bunnies
I cut out two bunny shapes from some white felt and glued the bunnies to the ends of the table runner. The bunny tails were made from fabric trimmings that were cut off to even up the edges of the table runner. I took the strips and twisted them and then rolled them into a circle to form the tails.
My Fabric Flowers
I had a few more leftover jelly roll strips that I transformed into fabric flowers. To make a flower, I serged one edge of a fabric strip using a 3 thread rolled hem. Then I set up my serger to gather and serged the other long edge to gather the fabric. Pulling on the needle threads, I gathered the fabric a bit more before shaping it into a flower. And I added a fabric covered button to create the flower center.
So they could be easily removed when I wanted to display the bunny side, I pinned the flowers to the table runner.
Reversible Serger Table Runner
I hope you enjoyed learning about how I made my bunnies and flowers reversible serger table runner! And in case you didn’t know, April is National Serger Month. Now would be a good time to serge something fun for spring!
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.
The next time you need a new ironing board cover you should make your own. But not with your sewing machine. Use your serger! Jen’s serged ironing board cover is a practical project that you can use in your sewing room. Read on below to learn how I serged my ironing board cover, quickly and easily.
Why I Needed a New Ironing Board Cover
My ironing board cover had seen better days. The original cover that came with the board wasn’t high quality, but it seemed to work fine. Recently, I attempted to clean my iron with one of those iron cleaning sheets that look like dryer sheets. I set the sheet down on the ironing board and started gliding the iron back and forth across the sheet. The sheet worked well. The sole plate of the iron came clean, but my ironing board was covered in an oily, waxy residue. I was in a hurry and forgot to put a fabric scrap between my ironing board and the cleaning sheet. I thought maybe I could wash it, but the tag on the cover said do not wash. So it was time to replace it.
Why I Decided to Serge a new Cover
My ironing board is wider and sturdier than most. It is approximately 18” wide and 49” long. My local store sells the wider ironing boards but not the replacement covers. Since I couldn’t find one at the store, and I didn’t want to buy one online, I decided to make my own. I looked closely at how the existing cover was made. The cover was simply a piece of fabric that was serged around the edge with a cord inserted into the serging. When I realized this was a project for my serger, I got excited!
The Retired Cover Construction Details
The photos below show the stitching on the ironing board cover I replaced. The serger stitches not only covered the raw edges of the fabric. They also encased the cord which was used to gather the edges of the cover and tighten it around the metal frame of the ironing board.
The Right Presser Foot is Key
This style of ironing board cover needs to be gathered in order for it to fit securely around the ironing board. But using a ruffling foot or gathering foot wouldn’t work well for this project. What I needed to make this a quick and easy job was my serger’s elastic foot. Even though it is called an elastic foot, I didn’t use it to serge any elastic. There is another feature of this foot that makes it perfect for serging an ironing board cover. It has two guide holes on the top of the foot and a channel on the bottom of the foot sized for thin cord. The foot positions the cord so it nestles perfectly within the upper looper thread of the three thread overlock stitch. When you use this foot you don’t have to worry about accidently stitching through the cord.
In addition to inserting elastic into a seam, some other uses for this foot include making wire edged ribbon, fishing line rolled hems and gathering heavier weight fabrics.
Different brand of sergers have different types of feet. Your elastic foot might not have the same features as mine. So check to see which foot is available for your serger that can guide thin cord, wire or fishing line into the stitches.
The photo below shows ironing board fabric that has been gathered by pulling the cord that was inserted into the stitches using a serger elastic foot.
How to Serge an Ironing Board Cover with an Elastic Foot Tutorial and Video
If you’d like to make your own ironing board cover check out my tutorial and video links:
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.
