How To Overlock Without An Overlocker

[Jenifer Griffard]

Ifyou don't know what an overlocker is, don't worry. Many people start sewing without knowing about this valuable "tool," and it's possible to continue sewing without it. But what it does is pretty handy.

But, how did people finish seams before these inventions came to the industrial scene and eventually to home sewers? The old-fashioned way, that's how! You can turn to traditional seams such as the zig-zag, French seams, turn and stitch, and more.

Sew your seam as usual and then press it open. Run a zig-zag stitch over each exposed raw edge creating two lines of zig-zag stitches. Alternatively, you can press your seams to one side and only zig-zag over that one exposed edge.

French seams are amazing, and once you figure it out, extremely easy. They can deliver a high-quality and professional finish on any seam, and most people come across them in sheets or other blanket designs. However, you can often make them work for garments and other projects as well.

Start by putting the wrong sides of the two fabrics together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Then trim the edges down and press the fabrics together. Turn the fabric and encase your raw edges in a second seam.

The mock overlock is usually a single preset stitch on a sewing machine an overedge or overcast. This stitch is pretty easy and works well on nearly any fabric but is especially a good fit for knit fabrics.

Create a normal seam and then press them open. Go over the raw edge with pinking shears and cut the pieces. The effect is a professional seam that has a fun element at play. Not to mention it saves a ton of time because you're stitching one seam.

Like many other seams, the bound edge seam goes by other names as well. Originally called the Hong Kong seam and modernly called the bias bound seam, they all refer to the same method. These seams are known for being present in couture and showcase exceptional quality for the garment.

When you are new to using your overlocker or serger, you can come across problems that, without understanding how to fix them, may grind your crafting to a halt. Overlock sewing machines can be quite tricky to use in the beginning, but with a little knowledge and understanding, you can avoid many of the common frustrations.

This is one of the most common problems you will come across, and it can happen to one or both of your needles. When you are trying to thread the needle and then it becomes unthreaded, it can ruin your focus and be very irritating. The important thing is to not worry more than necessary about this.

The presser foot is there to keep the fabric in place while you to stitch it. This foot also helps to ensure that the fabric remains straight and the blade can cut it off correctly. You need to remember to lower the presser foot as you put the fabric in to keep it straight and make your stitches neat and tidy.

You can do this by adjusting the tension dials. It could be that you need to do some trial and error until you find just the right tension setting for your fabric. Just be patient and you will find it eventually.

Keep in mind that overlockers and sergers can also suffer from some of the same problems that normal sewing machines do (like gathering lint, requiring new needles, or needing oil) so make sure you check those basics too. Find some tips for troubleshooting your sewing machine here.

SO GLAD I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS WEB SITE. I HAVE BECOME A STAY-AT-HOME WITH ONLY MYSELF AND MY COMPUTER. HAVE DONE MUCH CRAFTING IN THE PAST AND VERY FRUSTRATED HAVING TO SLOW DOWN. HOPE THIS WEBSITE WILL BE OF GREAT INTEREST TO ME. ALREADY LEARNED SOME NEW IDEAS FOR MY SERGER. INTERESTS ARE: PAINTING. COLORED PENCIL,SCRATCHART,SEWING,JEWERLY MAKING,KNITTING, CROCHETING,GARDENING,BRIDGE,COMPUTER

I just had this problem, & when it did stitch it was all bunched up & then started breaking threads , I suggest firstly retreading the whole machine, change the needles as well, then change all your dials back to 0, & gradually turn your dials till u get the best result, took me all evening then half the morning but I fell me & my machine r one now! Lol, good luck & walk away for a while & do something else if it gets to u, going back refreshed is a good thing????

My overlocker does not like to sew across a seam. It balks and does not want to feed over it. If I try to force through by pulling from behind or urging it through from the front, the stitches become irregular, making it not look nice. What can I do about this? I asked on some FB groups and fprums I am on. While lots of people have this issue, no one had any solutions for making it sew over them well.

I have a Janome 7034D overlocker serger. I have re-threaded it several times. done everything I can find to do. When I sew there are two straight lines on the top. No overlocking stitch. The bottom stitches are loose, but look like a serger stitching. Help.

I have a globe overlocker yrs old but reliable wanted to use but wheel wont budge for me to start to sew? Oiled part everything but is just stuck turns slightly backwards but nit forward! Desperatly need to use it for few important jobs? Can you assist me please?

I have a baby lock imagine serger. I thread the machine as required. Then I go to sew a little, it makes about 10 stitches before it brakes and then I have to rethread. Any suggestions about what this could be?

I have aJaguar overlocker, which I am learning to use. So far, so good, except!

When I have finished an edge, and lift the pressure foot, I cannot pull the threads away to the left to cut off. They seem to jam.

Any ideas please?

But the one detail that stood out to me the most on the store-bought workout clothes: the stitching. Activewear is sewn mostly with an industrial flatlock stitch created on a industrial flatlock sewing machine. There is no way to create the exact stitch on a home machine, but a flatlock stitch on a domestic serger is pretty close. By simply adjusting the tension settings on your overlocker you can create a flatlock stitch. This will not look exactly like the stitch created by an industrial flatlock machine, but by adjusting the stitch length and using woolly nylon thread you can create a strong seam with a similar look.

Whilst researching for this post, I came across a very convoluted history that points towards the fact that the original Baby Locks were in fact manufactured by Juki, and, as far as I can tell, still are. Yuki has a lot of subsidiaries and the one that owned the Baby Lock brand actually change the name officially to Baby Lock in 2016. So if you are hesitating between a Baby Lock and a Yuki, I think there is nothing to fear in terms of quality, as both are made in Japan by pretty much the same company.

The other reason I felt so at ease spending the money on this machine was because Steve, who is a sewing machine engineer with 30 years experience, told me that he was really impressed with the technology, having opened one and fiddled with the insides. Also, he hardly ever seen one come in for servicing.

For me, the whole point was that I got a self-threading model, otherwise, my old Brother was perfectly fine, so I did not even consider the regular overlockers. Also, I had had a combo machine in the past, a Pfaff Coverlock 3.0, and, fine as it was, the swapping of the two just drove me crazy and it was taking up too much space. So that was not an option either.

When I put the first piece of fabric in and pressed the pedal, I just could not believe how great it felt, how quiet and smooth it runs. I have to admit, I did a mini fist pump then and there! Definitely, money well spent!

I bought a trim bin because it really annoys me to have trims dropping on the floor. Compared to the Brother one I had before, which fitted on the side of the overlocker and caught them closer to the cut point, the Baby Lock one is effectively a tray. The overlocker sits on top, and it has a slot for a bag that hangs underneath it. The bag sits on a frame that slots in the hole in the tray. It was a bit awkward to put in and so I try not to take it our when I need to empty it.

I would definitely encourage anyone to consider a Baby Lock if you can afford it (or at least consider a second hand one and save for it). I feel that all the hours of swearing and frustration on a cheap overlocker that can be avoided really do justify it. Kate was an instant convert after sewing with mine, and she ended up getting one the following week.

I would also encourage you, if you are in the UK, to support a small business like Stitch Again. This is not a sponsored post, and there are no affiliates,but I have known Steve for a long time and I completely trust his expertise and complete honesty. I would never get my machines serviced anywhere else (I prefer posting them to him to Hampshire, rather than going to some random person in London). If you can travel to Hampshire, he and Joy will train you on your new machine, but even if not, he will personally inspect every single machine that they send out, to be sure you can enjoy it to its best when you receive it.

Thank you for reading this very long review, I hope you find it useful. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or are wondering if you should take the plunge to splash on such a machine.

I bought my Enlighten in Spring of 2018, and I love it. The wave stitch was actually a deciding factor for me, and the lighting. I thonk my favorite stitch though is the narrow rolled hem. I use this a lot for finishing edges of all the childrens clothing I make for my grands. This stitch feels magical to me. And on the edge of a double gauze receiving blanket, it makes me swoon!

Just got mine last week. Love it! Mid project I noticed my silk organza pressing g cloth was beginning to fray. Just ran it through the Enlighten and carried on. No faffing around with tension. Out simply it does what it says in the tin. Perfectly.

In our sewing class today we show you how to make good finish seams and hems with your sewing machine. Have you ever wondered if with a normal flat machine you can make all the stitches or if an overlock is necessary?

3a8082e126