hello serger! top: part 2 - assembling and special serger stitches

Hello serger! top: part 1 can be found here. Now that your pattern is all set, it's time to play with the serger.

To start, you want to lay your hands on some wooly nylon thread (or another decorative thread: consult packaging for use). We are going to use this for the flatlock embellishments and rolled hem. Wooly nylon is found wherever you find serger thread. Very useful stuff. It basically plumps out your stitches so they cover more space. Nicer, you know? You can get them it in all colours. My favorite one is rainbow, which I use on the kid's clothes often.

One thing about wooly nylon is that it has a tendency to dry out. It helps to keep it in a little baggie.

Flatlocking:

To do the flatlocked embellishment, remove the right needle (stick the removed needle into the right needle spool so you do not lose it).Load the wooly nylon into your upper looper. Turn the tension on the left needle to the lowest setting. Turn the tension on the lower looper to the highest setting.
Please please please test this technique on scrap fabric first. You may need to adjust the tension on the upper looper slightly. Generally, the thicker the thread, the higher the tension needs to be.

To create flatlocked stitches, fold the bodice in half length-wise with wrong sides together and run it through the serger. (I actually use my iron to flatten the fold to get a straighter line.)The result should look like this: Then open up the material and gently pull the stitches open until the fabric lays flat:Press on the back side of the fabric with the iron on a low setting.
Use tailor's chalk to mark where you want your additional flatlocked embellishments:Flatlock along the chalk marks.

Gathering

Once the top portion of the shirt is embellished, the gathered bottom portion is attached.

To gather with your serger, use regular thread in all three spools (leave the right needle out). Set the tension on your left needle as high as it will go.

Run the top edge of the bottom piece through the machine. The material will gather as you stitch. (Disclaimer: serger gathering works best on lighter material. If you are using a heavy material, it will not gather as well).

My gathered material turned out to be a bit too short: So I just pulled on the material to loosen the gathers until it was the right size. Pin the left edge and right edge to the top bodice piece, right sides together, and evenly distribute the gathers.

Pin the raw edges and sew. I used my regular machine to do a straight stitch (easier to pull if the gathers go wonky during sewing) and then finished the edge with a regular serger stitch.(water splatters from tempermental iron... urgh.)

The next step is to attach the back pieces to the front at the shoulders with a regular stitch.

Put the lining together in the same way, with front attached to the back pieces at the shoulders, and then finish the bottom edges of the lining with a regular serger stitch.

Pin the lining to the shell, right sides together. Sew the neckline and armholes. On my top, after having a quick fitting on my daughter after sewing one side, I decided to decrease the shoulder width by another 1/4". I simply sewed further in, which you can see on the left side of this pic:Trim seam allowances and clip corners. (I know you are waiting for me to say to finish the edges with the serger, but I find that for curved hems, especially when they are to be enclosed in a lining, it's best to do a regular stitch. The sergered curves are bulky and can not be clipped, which limits the curve in the fabric.)

Turn the top right side out by pulling the back pieces through the shoulders. Press the neck and armholes flat.

Open up the sides and sew the sides closed. Stich from the lining edge (align the two finished seams) to when the gathered bottom begins to curve away.

To attach the ribbons, pin them to the right side of the shell fabric at the top of the back, raw edges aligned:

(note: if you are not keen on ribbons, which I am not really but was feeling quite, quite lazy when I made this, then go ahead and skip the ribbon bit and attach a zipper or a hook or button and loop after the top is built.)

Turn the back inside out and serge the raw edges of the lining to the shell along each of the sides.

Do not sew both sides together, but do finish the edge all the way down on both sides.

Align the two finished edges from the bottom and sew with a regular straight stitch up to a little higher then where the lining begins. Do not stitch the lining.

Press the back seam flat.

Rolled Hem

The only thing left to do is finish the bottom of the top. You can load the wooly nylon back into the upper looper, though you can do a nice rolled hem with just regular thread also.

Here is the part that you are going to hate me for. If you do not have my type of machine, you are going to have to refer to your instruction manual to find out how to set your machine to a rolled hem. This is because every manufacturer does it different and different models of the same brand even do it different. To add insult to injury, older machines actually require that you change out the presser plate. With newer sergers it is usually a matter of a few adjustments. To find out what they are, though, see your manual.

On my machine I actually have three adjustments. I must change my stitch length to the 'R' setting (which means a narrow length). I have to flip the switch from standard tension to rolled hem tension (the arrow on the bottom right). And I have to open up the bottom of the machine to move back another little bit that does something that I don't quite understand but I just memorized which knobs to twist and others to pull back and somehow it works out.

Totally clear right? Sorry, you'll have to look at the manual or, even better, go into your local machine dealer and ask them to show you. And then do it there yourself infront of the expert to make sure you can change to a rolled hem setting and then change it back to standard setting. Making sure it is all back to normal after you are done is probably the most important part.

Once adjusted properly, the rolling of the hem is simple - just run it through. To do the curvy bits, make sure that you manipulate the material so it goes under the presser foot as though it were straight. Go slow over seams - they stick a bit if you rush.

And that would be a nice little top all done:

Quick reference of serger stitches:

Flatlocking: Remove right needle. Set left needle tension at lowest. Use wooly nylon, decorative thread or regular thread in upper looper. Set lower looper tension at highest. Stitch with wrong sides together.

Gathering (lightweight material): Set left needle tension high.

Rolled Hem: consult manual or dealer.

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This is a free tutorial and I encourage you to use the information in any way you need to (check the disclaimer at the bottom of the page). If it works for you, please consider supporting my etsy shop by purchasing a Little Print Design pattern or toss a dollar or two in my paypal to show appreciation and to encourage me to offer up even more quality patterns and tutorials.

Thank you!
Questions about the Donation? FAQ here.

random tip numero uno

Meaning there will be more tips to come. Hoping anyway :)

Topstitching thread: need some and don't have any? Instead of taking a trip to your fabric store, add a second spool to your machine. Just thread it through your machine and needle the same way as your first, putting both threads through the needle hole. Looks just as good as regular thick top stitching thread. Trying using two similar but not quite exact shades when topstitching woven fabrics with mulitple threads such as tweed to get a better blended look.

hello serger! top: part 1 - creating the pattern

It is no secret that I have a serious affection for my serger. We've had our stormy moments, but, overall, I think we are in it for the long haul. Of course, when I first got 'Chopper', she scared the daylights out of me. Threads were mysteriously coming out of the closed hooks without breaking and needles would bend themselves at night while I slept. We battled, I wept. This went on for an embarrassingly long time before I wised up and put Chopper in Serger Obedience class. Turns out, all that time, she was factory set interally to a rolled hem tension when her standard switches were on. All my dial twisting and needle changing was for nought. No wonder she was always so grumpy.

Turns out many of you also have serger love. I'm quite sure you are not having the type of problems I did with Chopper, otherwise so many of you would not of been asking to learn more types of serger use beyond the basic finishing stitch. Now I'm still learning Chopper's mysteries, but I have figured out a couple of things and would love to tell you all about them.

To demonstrate a few serger stitches, I, in my usual fashion, went a bit overboard and created an entire garment to illustrate the stitches. Presenting my Hello Serger! top (cue, getting to know you theme song...):

Right. So, this top was done with both a regular sewing machine and a serger using just 3 needles, 3 spools of regular serger thread and 1 spool of wooly nylon, and 4 different serger stitches: basic, gathering, flatlocking, and rolled hem.

The front of the top is done with a flatlocking embellishment. The bottom of the front was gathered with the serger. The bottom was finished off with a rolled hem.To keep it simple, I finished the back with just a ribbon tie (I haven't put in a zipper with a serger yet... one day). Before you can go ahead and play with your serger making this top, however, you need a pattern. This you can make this by altering a regular A-line top (or dress, just shorten it) pattern for a woven fabric. I got mine by tracing out an existing garment. I also just used the back portion of the garment and used this for both front and back. A pattern by any commerical company will work also - just trace the pattern in the correct size and transfer any markings for darts if you are making an adult top. I think that this top will also work well for converting a regular pattern top into a maternity top. Just putting that one out there.

Before you begin you need:

-wax paper, tissue paper, or regular paper with a light table for tracing patterns.

- extra paper

- pens to trace with

- paper cutting scissors

- ruler, or straight edge

- scotch tape or glue stick

To alter a regular pattern:

1. Acquire a front and back pattern pieces for a A-line top (the kind that is intended to be placed along a fold). Seam allowances should be included in the pattern pieces. If they are not, add them on. Make sure that your pattern is on paper which you don't mind cutting up (don't use your actual pattern sheets).

2. On the front pattern piece, use your ruler to make a horizontal line about 1 - 2 inches below the armhole (see illustration). Cut along this line.3. With the front top portion, make a vertical cut somewhere in the neckline.

4. With the front bottom piece, make a vertical cut somewhere in the middle. Make another little cut to round off the corner on the bottom outside edge.

4. (yes, apparently I no good counter) Take the two pieces of your top front piece and lay them down in their correct position on top of your extra paper. Expand the space between the two pieces by the seam allowance times 3 (if your seam allowance is 1/4", expand the space between by 3/4"). Tape (or glue) the paper in the expanded positon and re cut pattern piece. This is gong to give you extra material to do the flatlock embellishments while still maintaing your pattern shape. See illustration.5. To add extra material for gathering, the bottom front piece is expanded in the same way by an extra 1/2 of material (width of pattern piece X .5). Recut pattern piece in altered form.

6. The back also needs altered if it was intended to be placed on fold. This top has a ribbon tie on top, and a seam that runs the length of the back. If your original pattern piece has a zipper seam allowance already built in, leave it as is. If you traced your pattern from an existing garment, add extra paper for a seam allowance on the middle part if necessary.

7. Trace the top part of your back piece, from about 1 - 2 inches below the armhole up (same size as front top piece). This will be your lining.

When you are done, this should be the pattern pieces you now have:The lining will be cut from the two smallest pieces, and the shell fabric should be cut from the back, the front top, and the front bottom. Make sure to use a light to medium weight woven fabric for the shell fabric. You are also going to need regular machine thread that matches your fabric, regular serger thread (coordinating or contrasting colours - either is good), and wooly nylon in the same colour as your serger thread.

I will be back very soon with instructions for constructing this top, along with a few jazzy serger moves. Til then...

part 2 found here

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This is a free tutorial and I encourage you to use the information in any way you need to (check the disclaimer at the bottom of the page). If it works for you, please consider supporting my etsy shop by purchasing a Little Print Design pattern or toss a dollar or two in my paypal to show appreciation and to encourage me to offer up even more quality patterns and tutorials.

Thank you!
Questions about the Donation? FAQ here.

button cleaning

Here's a two in one for you: how to get those thrifted buttons cleaned up for use and how to keep your kids busy for 20 minutes.

Here is Smootch's How to Clean a Button.

deviations two

Thank you all for you very fine suggestions! I'm quite sure I shall be able to run with quite a few of them. I should have a new tutorial up in just a day or two. And I even have another Smootch tute for you Leslie, as soon as I figure out how to edit the minute long pause she took to examine her fingernails.

My first pattern zine has hatched. Can't wait to find some time to start another.

Congrats to Stacey, whose photos are so amazing they gave me chills, for winning the random number draw. I've sent you a message Stacey: check your email!

deviations

I'm going to break my own rules here and do a 'not a tute' post. I'm feeling bad its been over a month since I've put up a tutorial. I've been busy, busy. Some sewing, some designing, and some putting together my very first, what I'm choosing to call, pattern zine.

I've been making use of my high school drawing classes skills and putting together a corset dress pattern for children's sizes 2T-6. Yes, I know there is already a free tutorial, but this is actually the bodice pattern piece, full instructions, and doodles of butterflies. Butterflies, people! Mostly it's a trial run with the pattern zine format before I put out my fair weather jacket pattern. And a million other ideas I have that simply must stop bugging me, leave my brain and go have a life of their own so I can get enough space up there to ponder more profound thoughts like, 'what should we have for dinner?'

So, with all of this, I really haven't thought terribly hard about tutorials lately. However, if y'all want to give me a hand, I will get a tutorial up next week. All you have to do is give me some ideas of what you would like to see here. Maybe serger techniques (faux pintucks, flat locking), pattern alterations (how to make a puff sleeve from a regular sleeve?), a dress or something you've seen on my other blog. Whatever you want to know. Leave a comment with your idea/request.

In exchange for your ideas, I will do a random number draw to declare someone a winner and send them a copy of my first born pattern zine. I hope to get it from the printers on monday, so I will make the draw on sunday night about 9:00 my time (that's would be about the time the kids will finally be in bed).

Okay, next will be back to our regularly scheduled programing. Looking forward to your suggestions!