Getting to Know the Serger

Serger Rules Use Caution When serging anything. The serger will cut almost any fabric that gets in the way of the blades. Check the serger to make sure it is threaded properly before serging. Stitch the fabric all the way thru until there is a long chain of thread that follows the fabric. ALWAYS remove pins before serging.

Never Never Never NEVER YANK THE THREADS 2. NEVER SEW OVER PINS NEVER CROSS YOUR STITCHING LINE

The Serger Needle 2. Stitch Plate 3. Feed Dogs 4. Presser Foot Punctures a hole in the fabric to interlock with lower threads and form a stitch 2. Stitch Plate Designed to be removable which allows lint to be removed from the feed dogs 3. Feed Dogs Grips the fabric from the bottom to feed fabric through the machine 4. Presser Foot Puts pressure on the top of the fabric so the feed dogs can pull the fabric through 5. Tension Dials Controls the tightness & looseness of the stitch

The Serger 6. Hand wheel 7. Spool Pins 8. Power Switch When you turn it away from you, it moves the needle up & down and operates the machine in the forward direction 7. Spool Pins Designed to hold the threads in place to allow the serger to be threaded properly 8. Power Switch Turns the power to the machine on & off 9. Front Door & Side Door Opens so you can thread the machine. 10. Stitch Length Control Controls how long the stitch is. 11. Differential Controls how the feed dogs feed the fabric. This is useful when working with knit fabrics, or doing a rolled hem

The Serger Stitch Width Control Lifter Lever Controls how wide the stitch will be Lifter Lever Lifts the presser foot up and down. Always make sure the presser foot is in the down position.

The Serger Knives Loopers Rolled Hemmer – Knives work like scissors to cut fabric as you stitch Upper Knife Lower Knife Loopers Loopers Cross over each other underneath the fabric to form a complex stitch Upper Looper Lower Looper Rolled Hemmer Helps make a skinny tight stitch called a rolled hem which finishes edge hems nicely With Regular Serging this should be pushed toward the serger For a rolled hem, it will be pulled away from serger

The Serger Presser Foot Markings Seam Allowance If you are serging with a stitch Line up your stitch with this marking if you have a stitch in your fabric. If you are serging without Stitch Line up the edge of your fabric with this marking if your fabric doesn’t have a stitch.

The Serger Questions: 1. Why is the Serger Dangerous? Because the Serger will cut anything that gets in the way of the knives. What does the Serger have instead of a bobbin to form the Stitch? The loopers create the stitch that overcasts the seam. How do the Knives work to cut the fabric? They cross over each other like scissors and they cut anything that gets in the way.