Serger Stitch Sample Notebook or HOW to adjust tensions on your serger
Learning to use a serger can be time consuming, frustrating and difficult, especially with cheaper sergers, or very old Vintage sergers, especially if you don't have the manual. However, it is possible to learn how to use a serger, and create your own kind of "cheat sheet", for setting your serger, so that when you go to sew on a project, you already know what settings to use.
CREATING A SERGER STITCH SAMPLE NOTEBOOK-
NOTE- SINGER HOW TO VIDEOS AT BOTTOM OF BLOG, WITH WITH STITCH SAMPLE NOTEBOOK PAGES
USE A DIFFERENT COLOR FOR EACH TENSION UNIT WHILE LEARNING-
I threaded my serger with 4 different colors of thread, matching them to the color coding on my serger's tension units, and started sewing stitch samples, making adjustments one at a time, writing them down, sewing a 2 to 3 inch long stitch sample, then as that stitch sample got cut off, while I sewed the next stitch sample, I taped the trimmed sample into my notebook with the tension settings and stitch width and length settings above and/or below it.
In my earliest stitch sample books I used the color of thread to match the tension knobs so I could understand what each stitch did. Once I got a better understanding of what each stitch does, and what it should look like, in each stitch, I was able to use whatever color of thread I wanted in my serger, and still can see what needs adjusted, just from looking at my stitch samples.
NOTE- SINGER HOW TO VIDEOS AT BOTTOM OF BLOG, WITH WITH STITCH SAMPLE NOTEBOOK PAGES
USE A DIFFERENT COLOR FOR EACH TENSION UNIT WHILE LEARNING-
I threaded my serger with 4 different colors of thread, matching them to the color coding on my serger's tension units, and started sewing stitch samples, making adjustments one at a time, writing them down, sewing a 2 to 3 inch long stitch sample, then as that stitch sample got cut off, while I sewed the next stitch sample, I taped the trimmed sample into my notebook with the tension settings and stitch width and length settings above and/or below it.
In my earliest stitch sample books I used the color of thread to match the tension knobs so I could understand what each stitch did. Once I got a better understanding of what each stitch does, and what it should look like, in each stitch, I was able to use whatever color of thread I wanted in my serger, and still can see what needs adjusted, just from looking at my stitch samples.
BABYLOCK 838D
SERGER STITCH SAMPLE NOTEBOOK
SERGER STITCH SAMPLE NOTEBOOK
My first serger was a Singer U1464A serger, with no differential feed, and no manual. It had been used for over a decade, in an alterations shop at the Emporium store, in the Karcher Mall, in Nampa, Idaho, before being given to me, in exchange for my hubby fixing the electrical in one half of the ladies' doublewide trailer. It was not threaded, when I received it, and with no manual, I had no idea how to use it. A friend with a new serger tried to help, but was unable to figure it out.
My hubby bought me a used set of Singer's Sewing Library, which has over 36 different wonderful SEWING REFERENCE books, each with hundreds of full color photos, with step by step instructions and pictures, to help illustrate how to learn to sew all kinds of things from clothing, swimsuits, sportswear, house decor, curtains, upholstery, gifts, difficult fabrics, and more, but the one I used the MOST, is the "SEWING WITH AN OVERLOCK", which just happened to have photos of the Singer 14U64A, as well as other Singer brand sergers from the 1980's and 1990's.
I have owned 3 Singer 14U64A models, currently have 2, the 14U32B, the 14U286B (also known as Quantumlock, Bernina Funlock, a Simplicity Baby Lock 3 thread serger, as well as a multitude of BabyLock sergers from the BabyLock Pro 5260 (the version with no differential feed), to the 736 (no differential feed), the fabulous 838D, the jet air threaded Eclipse, then the Imagine Wave (jet air thread, auto tension auto needle threader), & Evolve, which is a combination coverstitch/automatic tension serger (8 thread), and an industrial Sundia 5 thread Safety Stitch serger, a Rimoldi 3 thread industrial serger, . Getting to use a variety of sergers, really has helped my understanding of how they work, and made me less afraid to experiment with different threads, fabrics, and stitches.
My hubby bought me a used set of Singer's Sewing Library, which has over 36 different wonderful SEWING REFERENCE books, each with hundreds of full color photos, with step by step instructions and pictures, to help illustrate how to learn to sew all kinds of things from clothing, swimsuits, sportswear, house decor, curtains, upholstery, gifts, difficult fabrics, and more, but the one I used the MOST, is the "SEWING WITH AN OVERLOCK", which just happened to have photos of the Singer 14U64A, as well as other Singer brand sergers from the 1980's and 1990's.
I have owned 3 Singer 14U64A models, currently have 2, the 14U32B, the 14U286B (also known as Quantumlock, Bernina Funlock, a Simplicity Baby Lock 3 thread serger, as well as a multitude of BabyLock sergers from the BabyLock Pro 5260 (the version with no differential feed), to the 736 (no differential feed), the fabulous 838D, the jet air threaded Eclipse, then the Imagine Wave (jet air thread, auto tension auto needle threader), & Evolve, which is a combination coverstitch/automatic tension serger (8 thread), and an industrial Sundia 5 thread Safety Stitch serger, a Rimoldi 3 thread industrial serger, . Getting to use a variety of sergers, really has helped my understanding of how they work, and made me less afraid to experiment with different threads, fabrics, and stitches.
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Singer Quantumlock Serger with Differential Feed 14U286B sewing a 3 thread overlock stitch. I have the freearm cover off because the stitch width dial is hidden underneath it, I like to keep it easily available.
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I took a year to learn how to use it, before I tried to seriously sew projects on it, because I didn't know how to use the internet as well, and there wasn't as much information available on the internet, in the 1990's.
SINGER SEWING WITH AN OVERLOCK- I highly recommend this to new serger owners! It is now (in 2020) available often for only $1 to $5 plus shipping online! (I actually love the entire Singer Sewing Library of over 36 different titles! They are both available in paperback and hardback books.)
WRITE DOWN TENSION AND STITCH LENGTH AND WIDTH, DIFFERENTIAL FEED,
Give yourself a chance to succeed at using your serger, by sewing your own stitch sample notebook. It will save you hours of trial and error, adjustments and frustration, if you learn your serger, document how it works, so you understand how each setting adjustment affects the various parts of your stitches.
SINGER SEWING WITH AN OVERLOCK- I highly recommend this to new serger owners! It is now (in 2020) available often for only $1 to $5 plus shipping online! (I actually love the entire Singer Sewing Library of over 36 different titles! They are both available in paperback and hardback books.)
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| Singer Sewing Library SEWING WITH AN OVERLOCK step by step photos and information about caring for your serger as well as teaching you how to use it, and solve problems including removing thread jams! |
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| Singer Quantumlock inside shows the loopers, threading chart on door, and the differential feed adjustment. The dial right above the differential feed, is the stitch length adjustment |
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| 3 thread overlock stitch being formed on the stitch fingers presser foot removed to help show details of stitch chain and stitch formation |
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| Singer Sewing Library includes these excellent books |
WRITE DOWN TENSION AND STITCH LENGTH AND WIDTH, DIFFERENTIAL FEED,
Here are the shorthand methods I used to do this-
I used a different page for each type of stitch, 4 thread overlock, 4 thread mock safety stitch, 3 thread overlock, 3 thread flatlock, 3 thread rolled hem, 2 thread flatlock, 2 thread rolled hem
LN Left Needle tension setting
I have owned and used over 14 different sergers (I may have that many in my house right now), including industrial sergers, and this is still my favorite method for getting to know a new serger, and learning how to make the correct adjustments to use it. It is also very helpful when you sell a serger, because if you include this manual, it helps the new owner learn how to use it so much faster!
I used a different page for each type of stitch, 4 thread overlock, 4 thread mock safety stitch, 3 thread overlock, 3 thread flatlock, 3 thread rolled hem, 2 thread flatlock, 2 thread rolled hem
LN Left Needle tension setting
RN Right Needle tension setting (If you don't use one needle put an X for the setting)
UL Upper Looper tension setting
LL Lower Looper tension setting
SW Stitch Width
SL Stitch Length
DF Differential Feed (I later had sergers with this feature, so use it in the notebooks for those sergers)
EVERY TIME YOU SEW A STITCH SAMPLE, WRITE IT DOWN,
WHEN YOU STITCH A STITCH SAMPLE, THE PREVIOUS ONE WILL BE TRIMMED OFF, TAPE IT IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, BELOW OR ABOVE THE SETTINGS FOR IT. TAPE IT SO YOU CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF YOUR STITCH SAMPLE
EVERY TIME YOU SEW A STITCH SAMPLE, WRITE IT DOWN,
WHEN YOU STITCH A STITCH SAMPLE, THE PREVIOUS ONE WILL BE TRIMMED OFF, TAPE IT IN YOUR NOTEBOOK, BELOW OR ABOVE THE SETTINGS FOR IT. TAPE IT SO YOU CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF YOUR STITCH SAMPLE
I have owned and used over 14 different sergers (I may have that many in my house right now), including industrial sergers, and this is still my favorite method for getting to know a new serger, and learning how to make the correct adjustments to use it. It is also very helpful when you sell a serger, because if you include this manual, it helps the new owner learn how to use it so much faster!
I don't have photos of the stitch sample book I had for my first Singer 14U64A serger, because I sold it many years ago, but I have photos I've taken of some recent sample books I've started for new to me sergers, so that when I sell them, the new owner will have that available, as well. You will notice that for a 3 thread serger, like the Singer 14U32A, I didn't need to give stitch width information, or differential feed, or a 4th tension, because it doesn't have those options.
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| Singer 15U52A serger 3 thread overlock FLATLOCK and ROLLED HEM page |
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| Singer Quantumlock 3 thread flatlock stitch samples (Note- I don't need to use the different colors of thread for each tension unit, now that I know what thread shows up where in the stitches, this shows woolly nylon in the loopers, it affects the tension, so you may need to loosen those tensions by up to 3 numbers) |
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| Singer Quantumlock 4 thread (I had planned to use this page for the mock safety stitch, but wound up using it for the 4 thread overlock stitch) This is NOT using the different colors of threads, but that is because I know what thread is where, after decades of serging, so I don't need to do that for myself anymore. The same settings were used for each of these 3 different types of fabric, spandex 2 layers, 2 layers old t shirt cotton, and 1 layer thick acrylic insulator fabric with which I made my hubby a hunting poncho |
Give yourself a chance to succeed at using your serger, by sewing your own stitch sample notebook. It will save you hours of trial and error, adjustments and frustration, if you learn your serger, document how it works, so you understand how each setting adjustment affects the various parts of your stitches.
Don't be afraid to search YouTube and the internet for videos about serging, the videos teaching how to use the various sergers, or the advertisement videos for those various models are often available to watch free online!
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| Singer Overlock accessory set with extra knives, oiler, needles, tweezers, and cleaning brush, as well as rolled hem plate. |
Another excellent online resource for serer information, can be found here-
Serger stitch samples by SergerPepper
