Serging Curves!

[annie]

:confused: Hi! I have made SO many things with my serger (Imagine BabyLoc) but I STILL cannot successfully navigate curved edges (like arm holes). I can make blankets, etc all day long, but give me a tight curve like a small neckline or armhole and my stitching is hit and miss on the project. I'll end up making the armhole bigger and bigger as I try repeatedly to "get it right!" I've read and re-read the instructions that came with my serger. Maybe one of you kind readers could put it in better form to where I can understand it???? Thanks for ANY help on this!

[alice]

:rolleyes: Hi I find that if I cut with scissors first ( in A curve) I can navigate that curve better. Hope that it helps you.

Alice

[Hattongirl]

Hi, Annie, I have been looking into buying an imagine babylock serger? I love my old one but I love the idea of air threading. Am I right, does yours have this easy threading? Also, one of my quilting shows said that as long as your machine thinks it is sewing in a straight line, You can do curves easily. It just takes some turning of the circle. I am new to this forum. thanks Ellen (hattongirl) from eastern washington.

[annie]

Hi Ellen, I appreciate the tip on the serging curves. I dearly LOVE my Imagine Babylock serger. My husband got it for me (to my MAJOR surprise) for Christmas a couple of years ago from Behr's in Louisville, KY. They had a glut of inventory on them and ran special pricing that was better than anybody on the internet (I had beat the bushes for pricing). I had a Simplicity serger previously. ONCE I got it threaded, I could do okay with it, provided I didn't break or lose a thread and have to redo. I did a LOT of research on sergers, in hopes of SOME DAY getting one more user friendly. EVERY time I use my Imagine, I am grateful for having it. It is a wonderful workhorse. I've made dozens of fleece blankets, serged several pairs of curtains, etc. As long as I'm on a straight line, I can go to town! Ha! Threading it, with the air system is SUCH a dream, compared to my previous Simplicity. It is quick. It is easy. I have had NO problems at all with it. Since I've serged fleece like crazy on it, I do try to clean out all the fuzz pretty often. The Imagine will serge as fast as you wanna go. It will fly. I've serged some very heavy fabric, with no problems, also. You might watch for one on ebay that hasn't been used extensively and/or contact Behr's in Louisville for current pricing or Christmas pricing. They have an internet site. I think mine was $1200, while everybody else was charging way more. That was a huge chunk of change for us, but I've never regreted it. If mine suddenly disappeared, I'd be looking for another one just like it. I like it better than the higher end models, just from reading the descriptions. It's just so user friendly and reliable. Getting the tension right with my former serger was a juggling act, causing a lot of sudden breaks in threads, also. The Imagine comes close to perfect on proper tension automatically ALMOST all the time. I LOVE that as much as the easier threading! Hope this helps! Regards, Annie

[annie]

Hi Alice, That IS a good idea! Would definitely help straighten the curve more! I WILL try that! Thanks a bundle! Annie

[annie]

Correction on dealer in Louisville for Babylock where I got mine.....it's Baer's (not Behr's). Their number is: 800-769-7778. You might do price check with them on serger. They were sure the lowest a couple of years ago when I got mine.

[Hattongirl]

Hi, Annie, thanks for info. My quilt magazine says to try quilting blocks with a serger. That sounds like it would be easier. thanks Ellen;)

[westbrook]

armholes and sleeves.....

using a serger on sleeves and armholes is a bit different then using a sewing machine.

serge seam as shoulder
if this is an inset sleeve, go ahead and run your gathering stitches on your sewing machine. Adjust sleeve cap. Pin in at the begining, center and end.

DO NOT SERGE OVER PINS - remove before coming to them

place sleeve down on the feed dogs so the feed dogs do the work of easing it into the armscye. Go slow so you can remove pins before they get near the blades.

when it is time to serge the sleeve, start at the bottom of the sleeve and serge down to the bottom of the garment. Make sure to straighten the fabric as you come to the sleeve/bodice seam.


T-shirt neck...

If you are putting in ribbing (2/3 of the neckline opening) or using the same fabric as the t-shirt (3/4 of the neckline opening).

place seam in center back of t-shirt when stitching in. start 2 inches before neckband seam and finish right at center back. this is a bit tricky so you will have to serge on, maintain the 1/4 inch seam allowance and then serge off right at the center back neckband seam.

Place mats...

cut in a ___|---|_____ as best as I can show using keyboard technology. cut in from the raw edge about 1/4 of an inch since that is the standard seam allowance for sergers (5/8 inch seam allowance is for sewing) and make the inset cut about 2 inches wide. this will allow you to get the blade into the opening so you can continue to cut around the circle slowly. when you come all the way around to the opening go even slower.. when you come to the begining.. stop and hand wheel 2 stitches over the begining being careful not to cut the stitches. chain off, hand tie and bury the thread in the seam. (use decorative thread in both upper and lower looper using a wide 3 thread balanced stitch)


serge-on!

brook

[annie]

Dear Brook, Thank you VERY much for the detailed advice!!! I REALLY appreciate it!!! I'm going to print the tips out and put them with my serger. When I get back into my sewing/serging binge, I will report back how it goes! I guess I'd be smart to start out with some fake armholes made with scrap material to drill on. I will keep my fingers crossed! Thanks again, Annie

[Hattongirl]

Hi Annie, I really appreciate Brook's help too! Also Alice has a good idea and I have tried it on my regular sewing machine. I haven't used the tip on my serger yet. I know it will help.

[Hattongirl]

Hi Annie, I really appreciate Brook's help too! Also Alice has a good idea and I have tried it on my regular sewing machine. I haven't used the tip on my serger yet. I know it will help. Sergers Rule!:D