Category Archives: Everything Else

Loopers? Flatlocking? What?

A serger is a wonderfully helpful, time-saving machine—if you aren’t afraid to use it!  Over the next few Tuesdays, I hope to share a few serger tidbits that can take the intimidation out of this sewing room essential.

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So who needs a serger?  We’ll anyone who sews on a regular basis.  I’m not talking about your friend who only uses her sewing machine every other Spring to hem pants.  I’m talking about you—the hobby seamstress who loves making pillows and napkins and curtains and clothes.  I’m talking about the hobby seamstress who wants to take her hand-made gifts to the next level.

Why do you need a serger?  Well, for starters, a serger allows you to complete your sewn pieces with a professional finish.  A 4-thread serger can also stitch and overlock the edges at the same time, saving you some time.  A serger stitches so much more quickly than your sewing machine.

So…you already have a serger?  Great.  Go get it out of the box and set it up.  Does it look kinda like this?

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My machine is a Janome Juno 3434d.  It’s on the less expensive end of the serger spectrum.  It doesn’t chainstitch or coverstitch.  It also doesn’t have the air-threading that the Babylocks have.  It does have all metal parts and can gather, blind hem, flatlock, and, of course, do a fabulous overcast.  This little machine, in my opinion, is perfect for the home seamstress.

There are a few parts you need to know on your machine.  I’ve labeled them below.

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To use a serger, you just place your fabric under your presser foot and sew:IMG_6130

One major difference is that the knife trims off excess seam allowance before the stitches are made.  You’ll want to avoid using pins for this very reason.

 

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There are two ways to thread a serger, if you don’t have one of the fancy air-threading machines:  from scratch or tying off. 

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To thread from scratch, follow the instructions in your manual.  The diagrams are probably also on your machine.  You MUST start by threading the upper looper and then the lower looper.  Then you can thread the right needle and then the left needle.  I’m not going to lie.  This method can be a bit more tedious, but it is possible.  A pair of tweezers will make the job easier. 

If your machine is already threaded, tying off is the easiest way to go.  To tie off:

1.  Clip the needle threads just above the eye of the needle.

2.  Hold the existing chain and sew until the chain consists of only 2 threads.  (These are remaining threads your looper threads.)

3.  Cut the looper threads near the thread spools.  Replace the spools with your new threads.  Tie threads from your new spools to the existing threads with overhand knots.

4.  Turn your looper threads tension dials to 0.  (Write down the original setting so you can go back to it.)

5.  Gently pull the upper looper thread behind and to the left of the needle until the knot is behind the needle.  Repeat for the lower looper thread.

6.  Replace the two thread spools for the needle threads and rethread the needles. 

7.  Return your tension dials to the original settings.  Hold all the threads together behind the machine and sew pulling the thread chain.

 

Well, how’d you do?  Is your machine threaded?  Great.  Next week, I’ll talk about threads and needles and such.

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Week 1:  The parts of your machine and how to thread it

Week 2:  Selecting needles and threads for your project

Week 3:  Balancing the tension on your machine

Week 4:  A serged pillowcase

Week 5:  Hemming with your serger

Week 6:  Gathers and elastics

Week 7:  A ruffled pillowcase

 

 

 

Simplicity 1817 in Orange and Pink

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It’s not often the 11 year-old loves a piece of fabric.  When she does, I grab it and stitch it up quickly!  This crazy orange, pink, gray, black, and white piece is from HL.  It’s 100% cotton and about the weight of a cotton lawn.

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This piece has a little bit of everything going on:  lots of color, white along the center, paisleys and then a more linear design along the border.  While she loved the colors, she didn’t care for the print along the border.  Neither did I.  So, when I looked for a pattern, I tried to find something that would emphasize the paisley print.  I was drawn to Simplicity 1817 for the pleats in the bodice front and the wide straps. 

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The pattern is sized for girls 8-16 with half-sizes.  I cut a 12.  I also added 3 inches in the length for my tall girl.  The pattern was easy to follow and didn’t include any advanced techniques.  I laid the pattern out differently than shown, using specific parts of the fabric to get use our favorite parts of the fabric.  I needed only an extra 1/2 yard to get the look we wanted.  I didn’t use any trim, as the fabric is plenty busy.

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The only change I made after her first wear:  the elastic in the bodice back was still just a tad too long, so I shortened it almost an inch!  While she is very slim, my girl is a swimmer so her shoulders and chest are broad.  She measures about a 10 in the chest on the pattern envelope, so that’s the elastic guide I’d originally used.  I’d recommend you double check that measurement if you choose to make the pattern.

If you sew for your tween/young teen, I’d recommend this pattern.  I love the fact that it’s not too mature for my 11 year-old.  It also provides adequate coverage for undergarments. 

The Race

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I’m not a runner.  Never will be.  But, I know the joy of success.  Of striving for a goal and finally reaching it.  It’s that joy that encourages us to keep working, to keep striving.

I can only imagine the dismay that runners felt yesterday in Boston approaching the finish line only to find it destroyed.  According to the news accounts, many of these runners put that emotional frustration behind them and kept on running.  They ran to help others, to rescue, to calm, to donate blood.  Wow. 

I pray that as I run my daily races and reach for the dreams I have, that I can do the same. That I can run with integrity and perseverance and love.