OT Making you smarter

Oh, Polly! Your post made me laugh! Years ago, I had to make a ruffled skirt for DD's ballet costume. Each ruffle (there were six of them, in 'disco sequins' fabric) had to have a rolled hem on it. Being 'clever', just like you, I thought it'd be just as easy to unthread the left-hand needle to make the rolled hems.

No.

After wrestling for ages with tension settings and stitch widths, I had to give in and simply remove the blasted needle as advised in the manual. And, just like you, I wondered why on earth the serger wouldn't make a stitch. The right-hand needle was unthreaded.

I was purple by this stage.

Will you be posting pics of the tiny clothing???

Oh for goodness' sake, Trish. I can't believe someone else failed to thread the needle besides me. Do you suppose that pretty soon they're going to take our crayons away? Probably no pictures, they are Very simple, basic little things. I am just astounded at what baby clothes cost now - they seem to be either sleazy or pricey. (Not that I mind, of course.) Polly

"Trish Brown"

Crayons? Boxes of crayons?

How did you know that is what I got for Christmas? How many? Well, you are going to have to wait until tomorrow until I can count them.

Butterfly

No one gets my crayons! (But I'll happily share with you, Polly! ;D)

I made all my kids' clothing until they were ready for high school and saved $$$ as a result. More recently, I've offered to make baby clothes for my DN's and DSD's babies, but was politely refused. Apparently, it's Very Important for today's babies to be dressed like miniature adults and not like babies. I find this so sad: they grow up quickly enough without shovelling them into tiny jeans and midriff tops etc.

Your lesson came too late for me. I'm afraid I've made both mistakes with my serger. I've also managed to put the second needle back in after the rolled hem, but forgotten to thread it.

--Betsy

Your post made me laugh, Polly....so true and how often does soemthing that happen to me - more times than I care to count!

-Irene

This is the kind of info we really do need to make a note of and remember.

Last month I asked for ideas of what might be wrong with a friend's serger that was acting up. I was sewing over there with a group of gals the other day and learned that the thing was threaded wrong. I really figured since she had been sewing successfully on the thing for so many years that she knew how to thread it. I was wrong again. Sergers sure can be odd machines. Who ever suggested that threading was the problem was right (maybe Kay?) Anyway never doubt the good advice here. Taria

I am going to type this real slow so those of you who are not so bright will be able to grasp it. Making just a few tiny garments for expected great-grandbaby son, the serger was needed to make a dainty rolled hem edge. To do that, you Must remove the left needle. Unthreading said left-hand needle does not produce the desired effect although that seemed logical to me. (Logic does not always apply to sergers.) While you are messing with the needles, you might as well insert a new needle in the right-hand location. No matter how careful you are or how many adjustments you make, the serger will not stitch a tiny rolled edge until (and only until) you thread the new needle. Just thought you might need to know. Polly