Man Invented Serger??

I did it!! I swear it was a man that invented the serger! I have never seen anything so complicated to thread. The machine had thread that it came with, but it was so very old and frail, I had to put new thread on it. Well, somewhere I read you could cheat, knot the two threads, and pull it through. Starting with the lower looper thread, I tried that only for it to break before it even got to the tension dial. I was on my own. Fine. I have the manual, don't I? And there is a picture on the looper compartment to tell me how. Huh? Why did none of the pictures match what I was seeing? Well, after about an hour (with no curse words), I got it. I tried the knot trick on the upper looper, and it went through like a charm! I had to take off the two needle threads and do them from scratch, but they were easy. Then I had to put everything back, the throat plate, the foot, and all of the covers. I got a strip of fabric, and away I went!! I know I should have serged with the right sides together, but this was just practice. Now, I can see the tension is off. Please look at my picture and tell me if you can what tensions are needed to be adjusted, and which way. I just can't believe I did this!!! I would never have done this without you guys putting on the pressure! Thank you so much! Oh, another question. If I wanted decorative thread, does it just go in the needles? I hope! In any case, I think I can thread the loopers now.Attachment 22966

Looks like you need to tighten up the looper tensions. The best thing to do is do one at a time. Tighten the upper, sew a test. Still not right, tighten the lower and test again. A little at a time and test after each and it will get worked out.

I can't help you, but I can share a really, really funny serger story. My father bought a serger from a woman I used to work with at the fabric store. He got a good deal on it for my mother for Christmas. I borrowed the serger to make shorts for the dance team our daughter was on in high school. My daughter called me in a panic from dance camp saying that their shorts were coming apart. I didn't know I had to sew the seam with a conventional machine since it was only a 3 thread serger. The shorts were virtually ravelling apart!!!!! Needless to say, the dance team looked cute for a very brief moment in time!!!!!

It will fall off the edges if you sew too far away from the knife. I always try to have it cut at least a sliver of fabric off, then there won't be loops off the edge! Joyce, we are so proud of you for being persistent! You fought the serger, and YOU won!

That is too funny! I have read that you are to secure the seam with the 4 thread serger, too, to keep it from unraveling. I can just see the dance team's horror!

To figure out what each thread does, thread your serger with 4 different thread colours. This way you'll know which one needs adjusting.

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Originally Posted by Denis

To figure out what each thread does, thread your serger with 4 different thread colours. This way you'll know which one needs adjusting.

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Well, leave it to Denis to come through with some of the best ideas!!! Denis, so glad you're here!

When you are doing the " knot and pull the thread through trick" you need to loosen the tension so the thread just slides through then re-tighten the tension.

If you waaht to use decorative thread you use it in the upper and lower loopers and a matching thread in the needles. I beleive this is correct. Going by memory now and it is not always up to par! I haven't used my surger for a long, long time.
Dena

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Originally Posted by Denis

To figure out what each thread does, thread your serger with 4 different thread colours. This way you'll know which one needs adjusting.

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I don't think I want to EVER thread that lower looper again! Jean, it did cut off some fabric, so I think I had it under the right amount. Tomorrow I am going to play with the tension. When I was trying to get the thread into the tension knobs, I turned them up and down, so no telling what the tension is like now. I am tired. My hubby bought a new saw, and that meant we had to clean out the workshop so he can put it on the workbench. Lots of sawdust everywhere!

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Originally Posted by madampolo

I don't think I want to EVER thread that lower looper again! Jean, it did cut off some fabric, so I think I had it under the right amount. Tomorrow I am going to play with the tension. When I was trying to get the thread into the tension knobs, I turned them up and down, so no telling what the tension is like now. I am tired. My hubby bought a new saw, and that meant we had to clean out the workshop so he can put it on the workbench. Lots of sawdust everywhere!

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Of course, saws trump sergers everytime! Except if they belong to the lady of the house!

Just deal with the tension one dial at a time, and little increments at a time. You'll get it going, I know you will! And I don't think you have to loosen the tension to pull the thread through, when you lift the pressure foot, the tension disks are disengaged, just like every other machine. Once you get that tension balanced, DON't mess with it.

Congratulations Joyce - for figuring out your serger. Does this mean that I should dig mine out and try to figure it out? I also have an embroidery unit on my sewing machine - have had it for 2 years now and have never tried the embroidery part of it. I think that since you have tackled your serger, I should probably make it a try for me to do mine in the month of July. June is still packed with other projects I am working on that I need to finish.

Hugs,