Overlock Tutorial

[Elly Ker]

Ikeep coming across instructions which say to either fray stop the cut edges of overlocking/serging, or to weaving it back in with a needle. I am not a fan of either method so would like to propose a third method, which is nothing new, but I thought it might be useful to do a mini tutorial.

You will have a tail at the beginning of the seam and you want to overlock this tail into the seam: Do a couple of stitches into the seam with the tail at the back as normal (use your handwheel if you need more control), leave the needles down to anchor the fabric and raise the presser foot. Bring the tail to the left side, smooth it out, and pull it underneath the presser foot. Drop the presser foot (how useful would a knee lift be?) and continue overlocking, letting the blade slice through the tail after a couple of centimetres. This end of the overlocking is now anchored into your sewing.

Now flip the fabric over and reposition it under the presser foot. You are going to overlock back over your previous overlocking. I am careful not to cut my previous stitches, but if in doubt, disengage your blade so there can be no danger.

I also overlock around the corners by stopping a stitch after the end, lift the presser foot, lift the needles, pull the thread off the fingers, turn the fabric 90, gently pull up any threads to remove slack, and then keep going. This is another skill to get practiced at.

I made a bundle of these little bags recently to give away with soaps in them, and each one took literally a minute including cutting out. Had I been fray stopping or sewing the tails back in I think it might have taken me a fair bit longer.

To help me master these new features, I planned a simple T-shirt project to share with you that uses the overlock, coverstitch, and chainstitch features. This is a great first project to try on the 1300MDC as it lets you use each of the main types of stitches to create a final garment. Follow along to get started!

To begin, cut out your favorite T-shirt pattern, following the instructions. I used the FREE Deer & Doe Plantain T-Shirt, which I have fitted with sloping shoulder and swayback adjustments and some modifications to the sleeve cap and waist shaping. I also cut a patch pocket from a coordinating woven cotton fabric to include on my T-shirt.

For a nice clean finish, I also overlocked the edges of my woven cotton pocket using the same 3-thread stitch. This prevents the raw edges from unraveling on the inside of the pocket, and is a nice touch.

To attach the sleeves and neckband in the round, start stitching at the raw edges using your standard 3- or 4-thread overlock stitch. Slowly cut in to your desired seam allowance. Continue stitching around the opening until you arrive back at the place where you cut in. Stitch over a few of the beginning stitches and then, keeping the machine running, turn and stitch off of the garment at a 90 degree angle. Snip the threads and weave them in to the seam.

The Front Foot Lift feature on this machine is great for sewing in the round, as it easily sews over the bulky shoulder and side seams you have to cross as you sew. For trouble spots, gently pull the fabric through the machine as you go.

Unlike the regular overlock seam which cuts off and binds the raw edge of the fabric, the coverstitch allows you to hem a folded edge without cutting. To coverstitch, thread the machine for stitches 21, 22, 23 or 24 following the instructions (here is a helpful video for threading). I like to use stitch 22, the 3-thread overlock stitch.

Prep your hem by folding under the raw edge under (toward the inside) and pressing. As always, it helps to be precise. Then, place the fabric in the machine by lifting the foot and placing the folded hem directly under the needles. Sew in the round around the hem, stitching over the first stitches when you arrive back at the beginning to secure the seam. The stitches should catch the raw edge underneath, giving a nice neat finish. Trim any fabric that extends past the stitching on the inside.

As a bonus, I have also compiled a quick reference guide for the 24 overlock and coverstitch stitches. It contains a simple explanation of when to use each stitch, as well as the machine set up to achieve it. I found this really helpful when figuring out what I needed for this project without having to thumb through the entire manual.

I chose the 4 thread overlock stitch for this quilt because most people who sew/serge are familiar with this stitch. However there are other serger stitches you can use for quilting such as the chainstitch and the flatlock stitch.

So begin by placing your marked square up to your presser foot, aligning the diagonal line with the blade. Begin serging, allowing the piece being cut off to drape gently away from the blade. Leave the pins in the fabric to prevent any shifting. (The pins should not interfere with the foot or the blade since you placed them away from the cutting line.) As you continue to serge and cut on the diagonal line, make certain to keep the half being cut off out of the way of the blade.

Now pick up the piece you just cut off. Flip it around and line up the cut edge with the blade. Begin to serge, but this time you are just touching the blade with the edge of the fabric, not really cutting anything off. This is kind of like chain piecing on your sewing machine. When you get near the end of the corner, use your stiletto to help guide your fabric straight under the presser foot. Chain off and cut your tails or just continue to chain piece until all of your HST blocks are complete.

I created a quick video to show you how to use your serger to cut and seam the half square triangle blocks. This video is designed to be used in conjunction with the photos and instructions in this tutorial. Follow the link here: -half-square-triangles-with-a-serger-video/

After pressing, check the sizes of your blocks. If you need to do any trimming to square up (or proof as some quilters say), now would be the time to do it. Line up the seam (diagonal line) of the block with the 45 degree line on your cutting mat and then trim to make square.

Make sure that the needle in your sewing machine - or serger - is a stretch sewing needle, suited to either light, medium, or heavy weight knits, depending on what you are using - and have extras on hand.

- I sew all structural seams (sides, center back, shoulders) start to finish, with no break in the seam. I will sometimes come back and add a seam to camouflage a structural seam - more on that in a minute.

For example: The main part of the suit is black, but beige mesh was used in some parts, so the seams were sewn in white/beige. When opened up, the white/beige could show up in between sections of black.

Before you start sewing, stretch the fabric. I hold the fabric in two places: my left hand is holding on to the garment BEHIND the sewing machine, the right hand is holding on to it in front of the machine.

Unfortunately, a third tiny piece decided to lodge itself into my eyeball. Having a doctor hunched over you, using a Q Tip to try and dislodge a tiny piece of metal out of your eye is NOT a pleasant experience.

Seams should be more or less flat (some fabrics may ruffle slightly, and normal sewing machine seams will have more ruffle than sergers), and threads should not be puckering the fabric, or loopy on one side.

Generally speaking, I set my differential feed to neutral - NOT a stretch stitch - and use a medium stitch length for body seams (and a longer stitch length for elastic application). Again, use the stretching technique describe above, when feeding your fabric through the serger.

3 thread overlock is another option, but you will likely want to use a regular sewing machine to sew a straight seam first, using the 3 thread serger to finish the seam - much as you would with the zigzag stitch described.

... and always, be sure to check out our Table of Contents for a full, categorized listing of all of our posts and tutorials!Share the Love!Be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you Instagram it, be sure to tag me - @OverlordMarie - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!

I sew for a ballet company and mostly sew tutus and bodices. Occasionally, I have to sew with lycra to made leotards and unitards. I loved your post especially on how to attach elastic to neck and leg openings. Thank you!

Absolutely wonderful instructions !!

No nonsense over the top frivolous discussions of other matters that do not pertain to sewing. I mean you did mention how you ended in the hospital because of over tightening the material to taut but again it pertained to the hazards of not stretching it correctly. Am I right? Smile

So many things in life are about the little details, and the world of sewing and dressmaking is no different. Getting the perfect finish can mean the difference between creating a piece that even Gucci would be proud of, or your design completely unravelling - along with your patience.

An overlocker, or serger, is a special type of sewing machine that sews over the edges of your fabric, creating the perfect finishes for edging, hemming, or seaming. While they are popular for their versatility and speed, there are still plenty of ways to practice seams on your garments using a regular sewing machine that will give you a professional-looking finish without the added expense of buying an overlocker.

Designers Urko Martinez and Sandra Liberal, founders of sustainable fashion store and sewing workshop Lantoki (@lantoki), are expert taylors, designing and making pieces that combine style with quality, comfort, and practicality. In this step-by-step tutorial, they demonstrate two ways to add seams to your garments using a sewing machine instead of an overlocker.

Felled seams consist of folding one edge over another edge of fabric, and then stitching the fold down. They are ideal for items of clothing that need a stronger hold than a French stitch, such as jeans or shirts.

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