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Moderated by Sharon1952, EleanorSews
Posted on: 5/6/09 8:50 PM ET
I have a new Babylock serger. While sewing knits with Kwik Sew patterns: How do you handle the 1/4 inch seam allowances? In the 4 thread mode my serger uses 1/4 inch for the pretty serged area PLUS 1/8 inch for the cutting off. Do you cut the fabric a little larger than the pattern (hit or miss) or do you add 1/8 inch to the KS patterns before cutting (more accurate, but a pain to re-do all my patterns)? Is there a tool to help while cutting the 1/8 " extra? or maybe you don't notice the extra amount destroyed in the cut off-if the knits are 25% or more stretch? I'm stumped.
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j222b
Posted on: 5/6/09 8:57 PM ET
Don't most sergers have an adjustable stitch width?
If not, can you just line up the edge of your fabric with the knife and don't bother cutting off the 1/8th inch?
-- Edited on 5/6/09 8:57 PM --
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If not, can you just line up the edge of your fabric with the knife and don't bother cutting off the 1/8th inch?
-- Edited on 5/6/09 8:57 PM --
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blog: goodworks1.wordpress.com
Posted on: 5/6/09 9:34 PM ET
In reply to goodworks1
I didn't get lessons with this (Babylock Imagine, not Wave), but according to the direction book the 4 thread seams one width only-the 3 thread is narrow or wide. I want the 4 thread. Thanks for your reply.
-- Edited on 5/6/09 9:36 PM --
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-- Edited on 5/6/09 9:36 PM --
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j222b
Posted on: 5/6/09 9:46 PM ET
If the seam allowance is 1/4" I barely cut off anything as I serge. You don't have to cut off 1/8 inch.
Posted on: 5/6/09 9:51 PM ET
In reply to j222b
Well, you have a couple of choices;
You can do as Goodworks suggests, and construct with a 4-thread, without a 'cut off' portion, and if in the process, a smidgeon of fabric is shaved off, no real loss in a knit with 25% stretch or more. (This would be my choice.) Just make sure you don't cut your knit top/dress pattern too tight.
You can use the narrow 3-thread and allow the serger to make its 1/8 inch cut off, as a 3-thread overlock stitch is perfectly adequate for knit construction, and in some cases where you want to the knit to have its maximum stretch (like squeezing a snug mock turtleneck over a big human head), it's a better choice of stitch.
In no case would I add 1/8 additional seam allowance to the pattern pieces. That just seems like a great deal of work to solve a miniscule problem. HTH, Lily
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You can do as Goodworks suggests, and construct with a 4-thread, without a 'cut off' portion, and if in the process, a smidgeon of fabric is shaved off, no real loss in a knit with 25% stretch or more. (This would be my choice.) Just make sure you don't cut your knit top/dress pattern too tight.
You can use the narrow 3-thread and allow the serger to make its 1/8 inch cut off, as a 3-thread overlock stitch is perfectly adequate for knit construction, and in some cases where you want to the knit to have its maximum stretch (like squeezing a snug mock turtleneck over a big human head), it's a better choice of stitch.
In no case would I add 1/8 additional seam allowance to the pattern pieces. That just seems like a great deal of work to solve a miniscule problem. HTH, Lily
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Lily
Posted on: 5/6/09 9:52 PM ET
In reply to j222b
With 1/4" seams (6mm) I set my stitch width to 6 (6 = 6mm) and run the edge of the fabric right up against the cutting blade, without cutting anything off. The only thing the cutting blade cuts is any excess threads. I've been doing this for decades and it works well for me.
I find it far more accurate to serge this way than trying to cut off excess seam allowances. If the seam allowances on a pattern are 1.5cm for example I change the pattern to 1/4" seams for accuracy before I cut out the garment. HTH
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I find it far more accurate to serge this way than trying to cut off excess seam allowances. If the seam allowances on a pattern are 1.5cm for example I change the pattern to 1/4" seams for accuracy before I cut out the garment. HTH
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Belinda. Melbourne, Australia
http://sew-4-fun.blogspot.com/
http://sew-4-fun.blogspot.com/
Posted on: 5/6/09 10:47 PM ET
In reply to goodworks1
Quote: goodworks1
Don't most sergers have an adjustable stitch width?
Don't most sergers have an adjustable stitch width?
No, my 20 year old serger predates any concept of being able to adjust stitch width. I didn't even know that modern sergers could do this!
As for the 1/4 inch SAs, for many years, I've finished seams using the technique of guiding the fabric edge just at the edge of the plate, not quite to the knife, not allowing the knife to cut the fabric. I think I've used my serger to do this more than I've actually sewn with it.
[ .... Fictionfan goes to sewing machine manufacturer's websites and looks at the latest serger offerings, drooling over the TOL, non-coverstitch models ...
]Now I want a new serger!! I dropped several hundred dollars on a coverstitch machine just 10 days ago, I can't afford a new serger, I don't really need a new serger, I shouldn't have even looked. But the cool things the modern sergers can do!!! Well, the coverstitch was an early Mother's Day present from DH, and my birthday and Christmas are several months away. He'll forget about this expense by then, won't he? Okay, he won't, but if I hint that my 2 decade old serger is dying, maybe he'll accept that I need that new toy... um, I mean that New Essential Piece of Equipment that I need to alter his clothes and make new ones for the children. The one I can't possibly live without, and no, the new coverstitch machine can't do what the serger has to do...





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Fictionfan
Posted on: 5/6/09 10:55 PM ET
In reply to j222b
Congratulations on your new serger!! Isn't it exciting?
I totally agree with Lily. Don't make extra work for yourself. If you need the extra width because the pattern is too small, that's one thing, but the serger doesn't care if it cuts the fabric or not. It doesn't even care if you have fabric running through it at all. It makes the thread tail whether there is something to stitch or not, provided the thing is threaded correctly.
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I totally agree with Lily. Don't make extra work for yourself. If you need the extra width because the pattern is too small, that's one thing, but the serger doesn't care if it cuts the fabric or not. It doesn't even care if you have fabric running through it at all. It makes the thread tail whether there is something to stitch or not, provided the thing is threaded correctly.
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Fictionfan
Posted on: 5/7/09 0:39 AM ET
Thanks to you all for setting me straight on this! I think I'm all set now to serge with barely cutting anything off, and I'll use the 3 thread for when I need a seam with a bit more "give". I thought sergers were more "fussy" and needed to cut a portion of fabric off. I really appreciated all of your suggestions!!
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j222b
Posted on: 5/7/09 1:17 AM ET
In reply to j222b
Without cutting off fabric you can do pintucks and also serge on a fold doing flatlock for deco work in the body of fabric or even join two pieces of fabric with a flatlock stitch. You are going to have so much fun learning what your serger can do.
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