Unpicking or frogstitching a 4-thread overlocked/ serged seam can be time consuming. After many years I finally worked out the secret. :)
1. From the right side, run a quick-unpick under the upper looper threads and cut them along the entire length of the seam. It is VERY important that you only cut the upper looper thread and not the lower looper thread as well.
Step 1
2. Flip your garment over, and from wrong side pull on the lower looper thread. It will unravel as one long thread. Pull the entire seam undone.
Step 2
3. Flip your garment back to the right side and now pull on the two needle threads. Again they will unravel as two long threads.
Step 3
4. Lastly, run your finger nail along the seam edge to remove all the cut upper looper threads which are left.
Step 4
Voila! A frogstitched, overlocked seam in under a minute!
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Now that is just brilliant - I HATE unpicking overlocked seams, but this method has got to be at least ten times faster than the way I've been doing it all these years. Thank you!
1/16/06 8:54 PM
Hi Sew4Fun, Five Gold Stars. Thank you so much for sharing this tip. For the first time ever, I'm looking forward to my next rip-it. Funny thing, I had to google "frogstitched" to find out what the word meant--what a cute term.
1/16/06 10:11 PM
I agree - just brilliant idea that is definitely worth five gold stars. Thank you! I'm looking forward to my next unlocking of the overlocking!
1/17/06 0:05 AM
I knew it had to be something like starting with one of the loopers. You've explained it perfectly. Thanks for the pictures!
1/18/06 7:26 PM
Thank you! You've saved everyone a lot of work and time! I am printing out your tip and filing it with my serger.
1/19/06 1:26 AM
I messed up a serged seam last night and used this tip to undo it. Love the "frogstitch" term, I had never heard that before! Anyway, it worked like a charm, and I was able to undo the seam in record time. Thank you!!!! -Ann
1/19/06 3:57 PM
Geez, so much better thatn the way I've been doing it. Thanks so much. Think I will print it too.
1/19/06 7:52 PM
I have to tell you - I just used your tip and it works like a charm. You can rip out those serged seams pretty quickly. I have one of those surgical steel seam rippers (the ones with the replaceable blades) and I could just hold that seam down and rip through it pretty quickly and the other seams just pull right out in one long swoop. Thanks again for this one.
1/25/06 10:21 AM
You're most wecome! I'm glad so many people found this tip useful. We all have to frogstitch (unfortunately), but at least with this method it's over quickly. :)
1/26/06 3:17 AM
Thank you for a very useful tip! I (regrettably) will probably have to use this one a lot.
1/26/06 4:22 PM
Thanks! This will definitely help next time I need to rip out serged stitches.
5/4/09 4:18 PM
Thank you and heaven for this concise tip. I am very appreciative. Good Energy and Harmony in your life.
3/3/10 2:55 PM
I just favorited this as I spent a good chunk of time this morning taking off a waistband that I decided to change. On my next serged seam to undo I will definitely try this!
3/3/11 3:37 PM
AMAZING ... thank you Sew4fun for sharing this. Where have you been all my surging life?! This tip is worth hours wasted ripping seams. I knew there had to be a way, but never could figure it out on my own. The photo is priceless .. but didn't know to click on the tiny picture beside Web Site/ULR at top of this page, until I did it by accident really.
2/15/12 7:41 PM
What a great tutorial! Wowza. Many thanks.
2/28/12 3:21 PM
Excellent! Thank you so much.
3/1/12 7:08 PM
Thanks so much Belinda! The pictures are particularly helpful.
4/25/12 2:06 AM