Serger seam finishing questions...

Ok, I am hoping to get some tips and tricks here. I decided that I am in such a need for summer that I would put together a couple of outfits for my little girl, just a little sunsuit and shorts/overall type thing. However, I have this nifty serger that I *cough* stole from my MIL. (Like she's ever going to use it!) And I would love to have some ideas on seam finishes before I get too far involved in these projects. So far I have mostly used the thing to go around evenweaves before putting it on scrolls to do cross stitch!

Do you use the serger for just finishing the seam or do you use it to create the seam and finish the edge as well? (This is for future reference, as this time around I am just using for finishing and using the regular machine for the seaming.)

How do you finish with the serger seam? I know how to serger across the beginning if I am going around something, but most of these seams are very straight and some are very short! It's that tail end (or beginning tail) piece that I don't know what to do with and I don't want the thing unravelling on me!

Also, do you serge each side of the seam when pressed open, or do you serge them together and press the seam to the side as a single unit?

Ok, I think that's all I can think of for the moment. I know these are pretty generic questions, but I didn't see anything on Kate's site about serging, just using a regular machine to do finishing....and those were pretty cool too! Yes, I know, Google is my friend and I'm going over there to do some reading too. I just wanted to hear from everywhere so I can get as much information as I can! Sometimes personal experience is better than a webpage!

TIA! Dannielle

Reply to
Dannielle
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The latter - especially on knits! magic for that, it is.

Thread it in a darning needle, slide it an inch up the stitches, snip off! :)

If I've finished the edges, I press open, but if serged together, they lie to one side. I rarely bother to stitch AND serge - waste of time on most fabrics! Occasionally do that on very fraying furniture fabrics, but that's about it...

There are some serger finishes on the projects - nip back and have a look! :) The Mistress Kate's Folly one has the neatening the tail trick on it...

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Thanks Kate! I guess I am going on the right lines and just wanted the extra verification. These are outfits for my DD, and she's turning two next month, so I've stitched and serged! Maybe overkill, but better safe than sorry I think!

I think I will try using the serger to create and finish at the same time on another piece. I think I am starting to like this clothes making thing (at least for DD). *sigh* Yet another hobby.

Dannielle

Reply to
Dannielle

Reply to
Pat in Virginia

Depends! ;-)

I cut DD's scrubs with 5/8" seams allowances, and serge all/most edges

*before* construction, then sew the actual seam with the regular sewing machine. Her scrubs get a lot of use and laundering, and have lasted on average, several years. But, really that's just a matter of personal preference, I prefer most seams to be pressed open. You could cut 3/8" seams and assemble with the serger, and press all seams to one side.

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

scrubs ... not fitted garments at this point. So, do I cut them with

5/8" seam allowance as usual, or do I cut with a different seam allowance?

I do a lot of "straight serger" construction, and usually use 3/8" seams for them. For really heavy duty stuff that's going to be used until the fabric falls apart, sometimes I'll serge with a 3/8" seam, press it to one side, then fell the serger seam down flat with a sewing machine. Or I'll do a "serger french seam" -- cut at 5/8", serge edges wrong sides together (lengthen your stitch), and then press and turn right sides together and complete the french seam on the sewing machine.

Kay

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

I do that sometimes as well and it's quite effective. For crotch seams, I often serge, press to one side and edgestitch them for extra durability w/o the width of a felled seam.

Reply to
Phaedrine

I cut 5/8th (unless the pattern is different!) and trim off with the serger. You get a better seam if you have something to trim.

Reply to
Kate Dicey

On stuff that is going to get heavy use, I like to cut 5/8ths and trim, using the widest cut of the serger (usually 7mm). This gives a good margin for safety! :)

Reply to
Kate Dicey

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