Subject: New to serging & sweatpant question (for a toddler) Date: 9/23/08 9:19 PM

I got a new to me serger. It did not come with the rolled hem plate, or the wide plate C for doing the wide 3 thread overlock. I'm still learning how to use it. I cheated and threaded it by tying my thread to the old thread and feeding it through carefully.
So, I practiced getting the tension right for the 3 thread overlock, narrow, and serged the seams on a bunch of new fabric I need to wash, and on the edges of a shirt I was sewing for dd.

I got a few books from the library, and have been going through them. I saw a few more mentioned here on some similar posts and am going to check those out too.

Anyhow, on to the question. Can I assemble, with the 3 thread overlock stitch? I thought I read in one of the books that that stitch isn't strong enough for garment construction... or maybe it was because I'm using sweat shirt material (to make pants). So, I thought maybe I should serge the edges and then sew it together on my sm.

I'm not sure too about attaching elastic at the waist. It gets stitched to the wrong side of the waist and then fold it in and stitch a row or two. It's an otto pattern, vilkas pants from 04/08. I'm not sure about how to go about stretching it... I shouldn't be letting the machine hold one side while I pull right, since that would be bad on the machine. ?

Thanks!
-- Edited on 9/24/08 11:13 PM --

Reply to mh901
Date: 9/23/08 9:44 PM

I often construct garments with a 3 thread stitch. I have made swim suits and knickers with that, so I think it should be ok for baggy pants

When you attach the waistband, be very careful not to snip or trim the elastic. You may want to lower the upper knife. If you snip the elastic, it could unravel.

Generally you do not have to worry about fleece or most knits fraying, so if you decide to sew it with your sewing machine, just use a zigzag to ensure there is some stretch in the seam.

Kwiksew patterns have some of the best instructions on how to construct clothes with a serger. You may want to buy their sewing for toddler's book, as it has master patterns which is very economical over the long run.

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2008 fabric in 0
2008 Fabric used 1 m

Reply to mh901
Date: 9/23/08 11:16 PM

If your machine can only do a 3-thread *narrow* overlock then I'd have to say no, especially on sweatshirt fleecy. As it is you are pushing it constructing a garment with a 3-thread wide overlock. It will work but if you had the 4-thread I would always say use that instead.

If you can do a 3-thread wide overlock then I'd say it's ok, just not preferable. One big warning. You will need to stitch over the entire crotch seam with your sewing machine as well. I would never rely on the 3-thread stitch for the crotch of toddler's pants! That's asking for trouble.

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Belinda. Melbourne, Australia
http://sew-4-fun.blogspot.com/
**Sew for the fun of it**

Reply to Sew4Fun
Date: 9/23/08 11:57 PM

It can do the 4 thread, but unfortunately she did not give me the plate I need to do it. She said all the accessories were in the boxes of stuff, and aren't.
It's an Elna L5d, about 20+ years old. It can do 3 to 5 threads. I really need some help on learning how to use it, but now am disappointed I don't have all the accessories. By the time I buy them, I may as well have bought a brand new babylock or something. And, that is if I can even find them.

I am hoping the serger books recommended here suggest the types of stitches to use, that's what would help me at the moment. I'm planning to take a class at hancocks soon.

Thanks for the help. I think I will just do them up with my sm then and practice with the elastic waist.

Thanks also for the KS book recommendation. I have heard good things about it, but no library near me has it so I can check it out.

Date: 9/24/08 10:28 AM

I've used a 3 thread for years and not had a problem except when the tensions somehow got messed up. Nobody told me it wouldn't work so I just went ahead and did it.

Do you know that your subtitle says: "making toddler by serging?" I have made quite a few interesting things with my serger, but never a toddler.
-- Edited on 9/24/08 10:29 AM --

Reply to tourist
Date: 9/24/08 11:17 PM

Yes, I do not need another toddler, but a serged one would be quite interesting... Must have been late when I typed that up... or I was trying to hurry before said toddler started saying pewey (computer) and started climbing into my chair.
Can't edit my subtitle, so I guess it's staying that way.

I'm on a quest to find machine parts. I've sewn the pants together, by sm, up to the waist. They were sew... easy, so far.

Reply to mh901
Date: 11/3/09 1:57 PM

Took me about 45 minutes to find this post again to reply to it, but I finally found it!

I got my Elna L5D in 1991, but it had been lost in the garage after a move 5 years ago till a pipe burst this weekend and I had to clear out the garage on Sunday. No damage to it, AND I have the manual so I can help you. I used the 5-thread stitches a lot on this machine, and the first one I describe below would work on toddler pants (maybe even toddlers!) and you have all the parts to make this stitch.

Try to find an Elna L5D manual if you can, if you don't have it. In my brief search online that found your post, I believe I noticed that Linda at Relics had them? Lots of places showed them, at any rate! The manual you need says L5D on the lower right corner.

It sounds like all you have is needle plate A? Regardless, here are the stitches it can make and the stuff needed for each:
(from pages 28-29 of the manual)
5 thread, 7.0 mm wide, use both needles, needle plate A, fixed blade position (there is a picture where it's kind of in the middle), sewing foot A, stitch length 3-4.
5 thread, 9.0 mm wide, use both needles, needle plate C, fixed blade position (picture shows it to the furthest right position), sewing foot A, stitch length 3-4.
4 threads, 5.5 mm wide, rear special Elna twin needle ELx705 ZWI and no needle in the front, needle plate C, fixed blad position furthest right position, sewing foot A, stitch length 2-4.
3 threads, 3.5 mm, one needle in the rear position, needle plate A, fixed needle position in the middle, sewing foot A, stitch length 2-3.
3 threads, 5.5mm, one needle in the rear, needle plate C, fixed blade in the right position, sewing foot A, stitch length 2-4.
3 threads, narrow rolled hem, one needle in rear, needle plate B, fixed blade position to the left, sewing foot B, stitch length 1-2.
2 thread, chain stitch, one needle in front, any needle plate, blade position not mentioned, sewing foot A, stitch length 3-4.

So, if all you have is needle plate A, you can do the 5 thread 7.0 mm stitch (chain stitch with overlock), the 3 thread 3.5 mm stitch (overlock), and the 2-thread chainstitch.

If you also have needle plate C, you can also do the 5 thread 9.0 mm stitch (chain stitch with overlock), the 4 thread 5.5 mm stitch (need the special Elna needle), and the 3 thread 5.5 mm stitch (overlock).

If you're missing the needle plate B, you're probably also missing the sewing foot B. No worries...the only thing you can't do is the narrow rolled hem, and you can kind of fake that with the 3.5 mm 3-thread stitch, shorter stitch length, and tighter tension.

This is an excellent machine. It does wonderful stitching on wovens & knits. A little picky about threading order & not getting threads crossed over each other, but I guess all sergers are that way! I recommend the Palmer/Pletsh (sp?) Creative Serging and Sewing with Sergers books.

Hope this helps you!

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mahubbard

Date: 11/3/09 2:38 PM

I love the idea of just making a toddler by serging! Probably a lot faster than 9 months :)

Reply to JEF
Date: 11/3/09 4:51 PM

I didn't check the date on the OP and I was coming in to joke about it again, out found I had beat myself to the punch line!

Reply to tourist
Date: 11/3/09 7:45 PM

Classic! And very funny ...