HOW TO USE A SERGER FOR DECORATIVE STITCHES
How to use a serger for decorative stitches. A serger can help you stretch garments and household items by creating strong, stretchy seams and edges. There are actually some fun and easy decorative serger stitches you can do on any cabinet to spice up your projects. Of course there are exceptions.
Serger simply creates different types of decorations. And for the most part, serger embellishment is fun and easy. It’s time to discover how versatile your serger can be and start exploring the fun world of decorative stitches.
HOW TO USE A SERGER FOR DECORATIVE STITCHES
How to use a serger for decorative stitches. Sewing machines have developed decorative stitches that go beyond the original zigzag and hem stitch. A modern computer-controlled sewing machine has lots of fancy stitches. However, it doesn’t matter whether you have an old faithful brand from a few years ago or the latest high-end new sewing machine model; there are some great ones. It’s really the most basic of all stitches and can be done using your universal presser foot or zigzag foot.
Learn to zigzag using the various adjustments available on your machine, including width and length. Different brands of sewing machines will have different steps for adjusting a zigzag stitch. Buy cheap calico or seed cloth and a marker. As you experiment with different stitches, write down your stitch settings and other information that might help. Sew a row of stitches and write the stitch size and tension under the stitch selection.
Add other information, such as the best foot or thread, and you’ll soon have your own personal sewing encyclopedia. Sewing machines that have more options can be daunting at first, but most modern machines come with instructions and detailed manuals.
TYPES OF DECORATIVE SERGER MACHINE STITCHES
How to use a serger for decorative stitches. Decorative machine stitches fall into two categories. They are known as dense or satin stitches or less dense but open types of stitches. Dense stitches are sewn closely together and have many repeats to create a stitch or pattern, while the open style of decorative stitch is like a series of small stitches repeated in one pattern to create a pattern.
In the following information about these two categories of stitches, you will find tips for the variations of your machine. Once you understand the basic concept, you will look at decorative stitches with a trained eye and learn the principle of the stitch. These decorative stitches consist of single stitches that are repeated to create a design. Some machines can create letters if the machine has this feature as part of its program.
Open decorative stitches benefit from special foot attachments that allow the machine needle to be easily reversed or give you an open area in front of the needle. These legs will make it easier to see what your pattern is doing. The clear patch and embroidery foot are a useful addition to your small toolbox for sewing heavy decorative machine stitches. They are based on the zigzag concept where the needle moves from side to side creating a pattern.
SOME IMPORTANT TIPS FOR SERGER DECORATIVE STITCHES
How to use a serger for decorative stitches. Here are some stitch tips to help you create effective strong decorative stitches. Having a new needle and the right needle for your fabric will make all the difference.
- Test the stitch: Test-riding the needle, fabric and stitch is very important. Different settings on your machine can change the size, length and strength of the stitches. Gathering a dense decorative stitch is much more intense than an open stitch decorative stitch.
- Check the thread you are using: The thread used for the embroidery stitches on the sewing machine is an important aspect of heavy or satin stitch embroidery. In particular, the bobbin thread needs to be finer if the stitch is thick and close together. Thread volume can affect stitch and tension.
- Use a good stabilizer: A good stabilizer is an important part of making sure the stitches don’t curl or bunch up the pattern and ruin the decorative stitch effect.
- Practice: This is a valuable tip for decorative machine stitches. Experiment with the stitches available to you and mix and match effects to create borders. They are so quick and easy once you try them.
- Ties: Adding a tie to a project doesn’t have to be just a practical straight stitch. Brighten up your binding with interesting decorative machine stitches. Decorative machine stitch always kills boredom with a zigzag stitch.
- Ditch Stitch and Quilting: Be bold and use a decorative machine stitch to dig out a new quilt. Appliqué: Instead of zigzagging for appliqué, try decorative machine stitches. They make sure that the shape of the fabric adheres to the garment or furniture. Decorative machine stitching adds originality and texture at the same time.
- Adding strips of ribbon: Ribbons or lace or any other embellishments will look interesting and unique with some fancy machine stitching. Try them on a piece first to make sure the stitch fits the ribbon or matches the lace pattern.
THE BEST USE OF SERGER DECORATIVE STITCHES
How to use a serger for decorative stitches. Decorative stitches are ones that you can sew just like a regular stitch. You can try to stabilize the fabric with spray starch. Follow the directions on the can. Then sew a test row of stitches. If the spray starch is not strong enough, try a tear-off stabilizer. Since you will likely be sewing along a relatively narrow area, you can cut the stabilizer sheet into strips to save money and pin it in place. Sew some test seams again.
When you sew a decorative stitch, your sewing needle covers a lot of ground. If you try to sew a decorative stitch at the highest speed, the quality will suffer. So start your machine a little slower and be patient. You will be much more satisfied with the results.
It is good to use the instructions on the fabric. Decorative stitches do not sew straight – the needle often moves right, left and back as the machine creates each stitch, so it can be difficult to keep the stitches in a straight line. Following the guidelines will help you keep things in order. Using a clear ruler, decide exactly where you want your decorative stitch line to appear and draw the line directly onto the fabric. Make sure you use a special fabric marker that can be easily wiped off or washed off.
Your sewing machine may be equipped with a foot designed for decorative stitching, such as the Satin Stitch foot. If you don’t have one or are unsure, ask your local sewing machine dealer about the decorative stitch foot that will work best with your machine.
The presser foot is your best guide for stitch placement, the center of the foot will indicate where the center of each stitch will be sewn. Janome’s Satin Stitch foot has a little red arrow right in the middle, making it very easy to hold the stitch.
Since decorative stitches pull on the fabric a bit more, you may need to reduce the upper thread tension by 1-2 degrees. This will prevent the lower thread from being pulled out where it is visible.
CONCLUSION
How to use a serger for decorative stitches. Decorative stitching is a really modern addition to most machines and something that can be used. Start with a swatch and you won’t regret your decision. There really isn’t a single item in your home that wouldn’t look good with some fancy machine quilting. Personalized monogrammed birthday gifts and even Fido would love his dog to decorate a scarf with your creative quilting.