How to Serge With a Singer Sewing Machine
A Serger is very useful to produce clean finishes of edges of your fabric by trimming and sewing beautiful hem along the raw edges. But, acquiring this machine can be expensive for many people. Thus, you need an alternative to get your job done.
You can Serge your garment using an ordinary singer sewing machine. So, read on to discover how to Serge with a Singer sewing machine.
How to Serge With a Singer Sewing Machine?
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Because Sergers are expensive to acquire, you may start wondering how to sew the edges of your fabric to achieve the final look you want.
With that in mind, you can use your singer sewing machine to give you the same finish on the edges of your fabric. Here are the two common ways to do it.
Step 1: Removing Your Standard Presser Foot
This step will require you to use a presser foot holder thoroughly. Take your foot away from the holder, and this is possible in singer sewing machines.
Step 2: Attaching the Overcast Foot
In this case, the approach is pretty much the same. You will need to remove your foot from the overcast foot holder in slow motion.
Step 3: Choosing Your Overcast Stitch
This step will require you to select the appropriate stitches you will use in your project. The common stitches you should consider using include zigzag and overlock stitches.
Step 4: Position Your Fabric Beneath the Foot
The nature of your finish on fabric will determine the arrangement you will adopt while fixing your garment to the sewing machine. Ensure that the guide on a sewing machine is in proper alignment with the edge of your fabric.
Step 5: Creating Zigzag Stitches
Create a pattern of zigzag stitches along the hem of your fabric by ensuring that the needle of your sewing machine is in alignment with the bridge so that you can create even and consistent stitches before you start sewing.
Step 6: Do Not Pull Your Fabric in Either Direction
When your sewing work ends, you might consider pulling your fabric gently in a backward direction to enable you to cut the threads quickly. Note that pulling your material by force may damage the stitches.
2 Different Ways to Serge With a Singer Sewing Machine
1. Using Zigzag Stitch
Zigzag stitching involves creating stretchy and durable patterns along the hem of your fabric. Note that you can use your hands to create these unique stitches.
Step 1: Create a Hole Using Your Needle
Use your needle to pull the thread through your fabric. Be sure to use a much smaller needle for this type of stitch. Thus, it will help you maintain the grains of your fabric.
Ensure you take a sizable length of the thread because you aim to make the zigzag stitches to the end of your material.
Step 2: Make a Vertical Stitch Line
Make a vertical stitch from the initial poking point. Note that you should maintain a constant distance between two paints as you continue stitching. The most appropriate width would be a quarter of an inch.
Step 3: Begin From the Initial Point
Make another stitch line, and this time around, you will sew backward towards your starting point. Besides, be sure to increase the tension of your thread slightly.
The initial stitch point will act as your guide throughout the stitching exercise. Be sure to maintain a straight and consistent stitch line on your fabric.
Step 4: Make Diagonal Stitches Along the Hem of Your Fabric
When connecting the diagonal points on your fabric, be sure to maintain a uniform distance of about a quarter an inch.
Repeat the whole process while maintaining the distance between two stitching points at any given time. It would be helpful to place your material on a flat surface, enabling you to make the zigzag stitches with ease.
2. Using an Overcast Presser Foot
You can achieve the final look on the edges of your garment by using a regular singer sewing machine. The standard sewing machine has many parts whose functions you might not know.
An overcast foot is one such part, and if you explore it carefully, you might not need specialized machines to Serge the edges of your garments.
Note that you may need to learn a few tricks on the usability of this part before you start your serging project.
So, what steps should you follow when sewing on an ordinary Singer sewing machine? To get the answer to your question, keep on reading to discover more insight into the subject.
How to Serge Using the Lock Cutter Machine Attachment in a Singer Machine?
This tool plays a key role if you cannot access a Serger. You can quickly fix the lock cutter device on your sewing machine, and you are good to go.
The attachment gives pretty similar finishes that a typical serger produces. Read on to find out how to use this attachment in your sewing machine.
Step 1: Ensure the device is attached to your machine and select your preferred stitch mode on your singer sewing machine. It would be helpful if you set your stitch width at about 5mm or any reasonable width.
A stitch length in the range of 2 to 3mm is helpful. Ensure the edge of your fabric does not conceal the presser foot because it may distort your stitches in the process.
Make marking at the front of the cutting gauge to act as your guide when trimming your fabric. Additionally, this tool will help you create a consistent edge along the stitch line.
Step 2: While preparing to put your fabric into the device, consider creating about an inch cut along the edge of your fabric. A width of about 2mm to 5mm works best in this case. Note that this measurement represents the size of the fabric that is to be trimmed.
Step 3: After you finish with the cut, you are now free to put your fabric into the device. At this point, ensure you slightly raise the presser foot and the needle of your machine. Push your fabric through the plastic surface on your machine in a leftward direction.
Step 4: Now you have your material in the correct position so you can go ahead and release the presser foot in a somewhat slower motion. Start making stitches slowly while paying attention to the position of the presser foot.
You might need to do a little bit of pulling on the thread because you don’t want ring formations on your fabric as you continue sewing.
Note, this technique is only helpful for making you do your work perfectly whether you have a Serger or not. The final Serge will be no different from the one obtained using a serger.
Important Tips to Note
1. Align the edge of your fabric to the overlock foot’s guide and make steady stitches along the edge of your fabric. Be sure to take complete control of your machine to achieve the results you want.
2. In the case of curved hems, be sure to center your fabric and put it back in the required line properly after a few stitches so that you can get a uniform and consistent stitch line.
3. Take caution when pulling your fabric off the machine. You might consider pulling backward and in slow motion to avoid causing more damage to the stitches you have already made.
4. Overlocking lightweight materials can be pretty challenging. Pulling a light material with brute force might damage the alignment of your fabric. Thus, ensure you handle such material with great caution.
5. On that note, it would be helpful to use fabric stabilizers to avoid causing more damage to your material.
6. Overlocking is more prominent compared to a straight stitch on your fabric. Overlocking explains why you need to select a thread that is equally lightweight to use on your material.
7. You might consider over-locking the seam of your fabric, but after everything else is complete. You don’t want to damage your fabric and start all over again.
8. Be sure to trim the edges of your material before starting to overlock them. Always go for a reasonable width; a quarter of an inch is preferably better if you want to do a professional finish on your fabric.
Can You Serge Using a Regular Sewing Machine?
Although sergers are a bit expensive, you might want to explore new possibilities for using your standard machine to serge a fabric.
Precisely speaking, you can do serging on a sewing machine. But, you may have to learn a few tricks to achieve this goal.
Is There a Serger Attachment for a Singer Sewing Machine?
You can use a Singer Lock Cutter device to achieve the same results as when using a serger. Since Sergers are expensive, you can use this device interchangeably with a serger to attain the same outcome.
Consider learning a few tricks on installing it to your standard machine, and you are good to go.
Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.
I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.
It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.
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