Serger Flatlocked Heart Flag

Follow this tutorial to make a beautiful serger flatlocked heart flag. Because the flag is reversible, batik fabrics work well for this project (a solid would work too). When you pair brightly colored batiks with black thread, your flag will resemble stained glass. This technique makes a quick stained glass quilt block without all the fuss of bias tape. Who knew you could make stained glass from fabric and thread with your serger!

Supplies

For Garden Flag (approx 12.25” x 18.25”)

Red batik remnant at least 6” x 13”
Light colored batik remnant at least 7” x 16”
Blue batik remnant at least 10” x 26”
Black thread – 1 spool of Sulky Solids 12 wt (or other heavy thread) and 2 cones of Maxilock serger thread
Serger, capable of 3 thread flatlock stitch
Rotary cutter, mat and ruler
Hanging rod
Tool for securing thread tails (large eyed needle or other tool)

Serger Set Up and Testing

Set your serger up for a narrow 3 thread flatlock stitch with the widest width (or as desired.) I used a spool of black Sulky Solids 12 weight cotton thread in my upper looper and cones of black Maxilock serger thread in my needle and lower looper.

Using scraps of fabric, test your stitch settings. After testing a few different stitch lengths, I decided on a stitch length of 1.5 to create my the stained glass effect. I serged my samples with wrong sides together, so the more dense loop side would be on the right side, creating the stained glass look.

Flatlock Piecing on your Serger Video

Watch my short video on flatlock piecing if you would like to see this technique in action.

https://youtu.be/iN_D06Htzwg

How to Easily Remove a Three Thread Flatlock Seam

Watch my short video on removing flatlock stitches.

Cut Out Heart Block Pieces

Cut out all heart block pieces and layout according to diagram below.

From red batik cut:

A1 rectangle – 5.5” x 9”
B1 rectangle – 3.75” x 5.5”

From light batik cut:

A2/B3 triangles – 4.25” square cut in half diagonally
B2 square – 3.75” x 3.75”
A3/C1 triangles – 6.5” square cut in half diagonally

Serge Heart Block Pieces

Join the pieces of the heart block in numerical order, beginning with seam 1. Serge the pieces wrong side together with the red piece on top, so that the loop side of the stitch ends up on the right side of the red heart fabric. Guide your fabric along blade, just trimming stray threads. See photos below.

Seam 1: Serge A1 rectangle to A2 triangle, red on top, wrong sides together. Pull the seam open and flat.
Seam 2: Serge A3 triangle to A1/A2 unit, A1/A2 unit on top, wrong sides together. Pull the seam open and flat.
Seam 3: Serge B1 rectangle to B2 square, red on top, wrong sides together. Pull the seam open and flat.
Seam 4: Serge B3 triangle to B1/B2 unit, B1/B2 unit on top wrong sides together. Pull the seam open and flat.
Seam 5: Serge B1/B2 Unit to A1/A2/A3 unit. Have A unit on top of B unit with wrong sides together. Pull the seam open and flat.
Seam 6: Serge C3 unit to A/B unit, having A/B unit on top, wrong sides together. Pull the seam open and flat. This completes the heart block portion of the flag.

Trim Heart Block to Size

I made some of the triangle pieces slightly oversized to make it easier to flatlock. The heart block should be trimmed to approximately 10” square. It’s just like squaring up or proofing a quilt block. Be sure to handle your heart block gently after trimming, so the flatlock stitches don’t come apart at the edges.

Cut and Serge Side Borders

Cut 2 side borders from blue batik fabric at 1.5” x 10” (or height of heart block).

Serge both side borders to the heart block having blue batik on top, wrong sides together, so loop side of stitch ends up on right side of blue fabric.

Cut and Serge Bottom Border

Cut a piece of blue batik 4.5” x 12.5” (or width of heart block with side border).

Serge to the heart block with the blue bottom border on top, with wrong sides together.

Finish Raw Edges of Flag

Serge side and bottom edge of flag using flatlock stitch to finish raw edges. Guide fabric along blade, just skimming stray threads to neaten edge. Turn your corners just like you do corners on an overlock stitch. Leave top edge raw, we will finish this edge later.

Cut Casing and Serge Finish Side Raw Edges

Cut a casing piece from blue batik, 9” x 12.5” or to the width of your heart block with side borders. Serge both side edges of casing 9” side to finish raw edges. Fold casing in half wrong sides together.

Serge Casing to Top Edge

Clip folded casing to top edge of back side of flag, having the front side of casing on top and raw edges even. Serge together. Pull the seam open and flat.

Secure Thread Tails in Inside of Casing Stitches

Secure the thread tails on both edges of casing seam using your favorite method. I slid the tails under the stitches on the inside of the casing using a needle.

Flag Front Side and Back Side

This photo shows the front side and the back side of the reversible flag. The stained glass look is more pronounced on the front side with the loops and the heavier thread.

Flatlock Stitch Details