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| "Why is it Sew?" provides you with handy hints and tips. | |||
| In some countries the equipment you know as an overlocker is called a serger and vice versa. These are interchangeable terms. “Why Is It Sew?” uses both terms, with the alphabet as the guide to which comes first. | |||
| Topics covered are listed below: | |||
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| "SEATING"
YOUR NEEDLES |
Have
you changed your needles and now your overlocker/serger is not stitching?
Check that you have 'seated' your needles back into the highest position; this is the most common cause of no stitch. |
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| TIME
TO CHANGE NEEDLES |
Change
your needles every 6-8 hours of stitching. |
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| CLEAN
YOUR MACHINE REGULARLY |
A
computer vacuum attachment is a great aid, available from your local
sewing store or your computer store. It is best to clean your equipment when changing from a dark to a light coloured thread or when you are starting and/or finishing a major project. Give the overlocker a feed of good quality machine oil and run it without thread for 2 or 3 minutes to ensure it is well distributed and not going to end up on your fabric. |
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| FABRICS
vs STITCHING |
Not
all fabrics are suited for all stitches: for example, heavy denim
is not a candidate for a rolled hem as the fabric is too stiff to
roll successfully. Check your manufacturer's manual for the most appropriate uses for each of your stitches. |
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| DON’T
KNOW WHICH LOOPER IS WHICH? |
Turn
your hand wheel towards you until the eyes of both loopers are lined
up • The highest looper is the upper looper. • The lowest looper is the lower looper. |
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| GOOD
TECHNIQUE |
If
you have automatic tension release, raise the presser foot to release
the tension. • If you have manual tension release, loosen the tensions all the way till nought (zero). • Make sure the thread is lying in all the tension discs, allowing at least 50cm (18in) extra in front of the tension discs. • Lower the presser foot or re-set the tensions again, back to the normal setting for the stitch. This allows the thread to properly seat itself between the tension disks, but now gives you a ‘hidden’ pair of hands, which allow you to complete threading without the threads being too free flowing to manage properly. |
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| STITCHING
SEAM ALLOWANCES |
Trace
your patterns with a 0.5cm (1/4") or 1.0cm (3/8") seam
allowance, or cut the pattern down so there is only a 1.0cm (3/8")
seam allowance remaining. As you sew, trim a scant amount of fabric off, around 1-2mm (1/8"). This is much easier than trying to work out the maths while you sew. |
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| READ
THE MANUAL |
Check
to see that you are using the correct needle system for your overlocker/serger
and for the fabric you are sewing. The manufacturer’s manual
will have a section to cover this. Carry spare needles for those times when your local store is not open and you have the sewing bug! |
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| LOOPER
THREAD BREAK |
If
the lower looper thread breaks: • Snip the needle threads at the eye of the needle. • Re-thread the looper and then the needles once more. Why? The stitch is in the process of forming and if you rethread directly after a break, the looper thread gets caught up time and again, as the stitch formation is out of sequence. |
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| BACK
TO FRONT |
Always
check the back and the front of the stitching at the same time.
A missed threading path may look OK from the front of your stitching, but a quick view of the back may tell another story completely |
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| Enjoy! | |||