HOW TO MAKE A FLAT SEAM ON YOUR SERGER
How to make a flat seam on your serger. Flat lock is a type of seam that you do on a serger or over lock machine that creates a seam that is flat on both sides, can stretch, and adds a decorative element to the garment because both sides show the thread. For flat locking, the most important thing is to find out the voltage. Your machine manual should have initial designs, but it’s important to sew a few swatches on fabric scraps to get the right width and tension for your project.
You can also try wool nylon with a flat lock; this can be particularly effective when used in a looper. However, the Rivage Raglan is a rayon blend and the Skye Joggers were made with a cotton/poly blend weave.
A flat lock can be used in various cases. The key advantage is that it has very little bulk because the raw edges of the fabric are completely encapsulated in the sewing and looping threads. This is a fantastic stitch for edging and is seen more and more on garments. It’s also a great stitch for super fitted items like active wear.
HOW TO MAKE A FLAT LOCK ON YOUR SERGRER
How to make a flat seam on your serger. Among the different stitches that our serges can create is the flat lock. This is a stitch that can be made in the form of three or two threads and, as the name suggests, the result is a flat seam. We generally think of our textile and sewing projects as having a “right” and a “wrong” side. In this framework, our flat lock is actually reversible. The “right” side of the stitch looks like rows of small threads or ladders.
The “wrong” side of this stitch shows how our loop thread zigzags back and forth through the tears in our fabrics. This is sometimes called the “loop” side. Either of these looks may be desirable depending on the project you are using them on. However, the “wrong” side has a more decorative look and can create really interesting looking and feeling seams when using decorative threads. Since there is nothing wrong or right about this stitch, let’s call them back and front or loops and ladders.
Like our over lock stitch, thread count correlates with seam strength, meaning our three-thread flat lock will be stronger than its two-thread counterpart. Keep this in mind when choosing the version that will be better for your project.
When sewing flat locks in active wear, which is likely to be made of high stretch material and subject to a lot of stress and pull in every direction, choose the stronger three thread version. When used as a hem on a loose garment or simply as a decorative seam.
Use the left needle to make wider stitches and the right needle to make a narrower stitch. The width of the cut can fine-tune the width of your stitch. The choice of a wide or narrow stitch can be dictated by the weight or thickness of the fabric being sewn. But it may just be a visual choice, since this seam is so visible, choose the width you prefer visually.
When a seam is sewn for the first time, it may not seem that unusual at first. But when the two layers of fabric are opened and separated, the ladders of our stitch are exposed and the loops lie flat on the other side. Sew the seam again and then stretch the fabrics. They may look generally similar, but keep in mind how much extra thread adds strength to the stitch.
HOW TO SEW A FLAT LOCK ON A SERGER
How to make a flat seam on your serger. Here’s how to sew a tubular scarf (buff) using a 2-thread flat seam that won’t fray on the serger. It is very easy and fast and the end result will look very professional.
Remember that the size of the stretch will affect the size of the pattern. If you are using a fabric that is very stretchy, I recommend reducing the tan pattern. On the other hand, thicker fabric will probably make the buff tighter and smaller, so you may need to increase the width.
You can also wrap the fabric around your head and pin where you feel comfortable. When testing, use the direction that is most stretched. Secure the end by passing the end of the thread through the eye of a large needle. Secure the seam on the wrong side by inserting the thread into the ladders, and then finish it off with a knot or two.
The width should be in the same direction as the direction of greatest stretch on the fabric. Ideally, you should not cut the fabric with a serger knife when doing a flat seam, which means the edge should be straight and even. So using a rotary cutter and pad is often the best option.
Yes, you read that right; this is how the fabric should be positioned when sewing a serger flat seam. All sergers have a 2 thread flat lock option and read the instructions carefully to find out how to set up the stitch correctly as it usually requires a different type of threading and/or tool (converter) to make this seam work. This means you sew the hem from the outside instead of the inside, which is what you do with most other stitches. Pull to open the flat seam. On the other side you will see these ladders. Go through the seam one more time to make sure it really lies straight.
HOW TO MAKE A FLAT STITCH ON A SERGER
How to make a flat seam on your serger. A cover stitch machine can offer a professional finish to sports and jersey garments. It can create elegant hems and flat covered seams that are ideal for sportswear. However, unless you plan to produce a large amount of sportswear or garments that require cover stitching, you may not want to invest in one of these machines as it is quite a high investment in terms of price.
A cover stitch machine will offer a super flexible flat seam that is great for hemming; it can also be useful for covering seams as you can sew down the center of the fabric. This can be really helpful as it prevents the seams from rubbing against your skin during exercise. When developing my latest purple leggings pattern, I tested the idea of creating smooth seams that look and feel like flat seams.
A flat lock seam is usually flat; the two edges of the fabric are glued together without overlapping. There is a way to create a more traditional flat bound stitch using an over locker. This involves using three threads, loosening the needle tension and tightening the lower looper tension. However, it’s a bit more complicated and not strong enough for fitted active wear like leggings.
This method uses a regular over locker and a standard sewing machine that has a zigzag stitch. I have worn these leggings several times; the seams worked really well. You will need to set your over locker to 4 threads and an average stitch length. Your sewing machine will need to be set to thread or a ball point needle.
With the wrong sides together, sew your pieces together. This is where it pays to check the differential feed. The seam must be as straight as possible and must not stretch in any way. Also check that the tension is correct so that the seam stretches as you would expect without snapping when pulled. Sew the seam allowance to the right seam allowance as if you were sewing the right sides of the seam together.
TIPS FOR CREATING A FLAT STITCH ON THE SERGER
How to make a flat seam on your serger. Also here you can see the blind hem foot and one left needle. Once you have the machine all set up, it’s time to start sewing. Start by raising the presser foot and turning the hand control until the line matches the mark on the machine. Also, make sure there are three threads with long tails sticking out of the back of the machine. The top looper likes to pull out of the stitch because the tension is so tight.
Now it’s time to adjust the stitch width. Adjust the width by turning the wheel on the foot of the machine. The white plastic cover on the right should be flush with the fold of the fabric. Turn the wheel to test where the needle pierces the fabric and adjust the wheel as needed. Sew at a constant speed until the end of the fabric. When you reach the end of the fabric, lift the presser foot and turn the dial to release the thread, grasp the threads and pull it to the side. Now you can cut the thread.
After cutting the threads, pull both sides of the fabric to open the stitches. The front should have stitches back and forth and the back is like a ladder. If the fabric does not open completely, the needle is too tight. You can also adjust the looper if the upper threads are too loose or tight. Looking closely at the seam, the fabric should overlap and hopefully lay flat. You can see how mine needs a little more work to get the right side so the fabric lays flat.
CONCLUSION
How to make a flat seam on your serger. A flat seam is a sewing method commonly used in outdoor gear that places two pieces of fabric side by side with the edges touching but not overlapping and joins them together. The result is a flat seam, as the name suggests. By comparison, topstitching (an easier method you may have learned in high school sewing class) places two pieces of fabric on top of each other and sews along the edge, leaving the seam sticking out a bit.
