How to Serge Fabric Edges

To create a more finished garment on the inside, you should finish your raw edges. A lot of seamstresses do this buy using a machine called a serger.

I hope to give you a clear picture of how to serge your raw edges and some extra tips for serging to get you started.

Let’s dive in!

Make sure your serger is threaded properly

Your first step should be to make sure your serger is threaded properly. If you notice issues with the stitches skipping or other problems, you most likely need to re-thread your machine (which is a pain). Once you have the machine properly threaded you’re ready to get serging.

Grab a scrap of Fabric and get serging

Next you are going to want to grab a scrap of fabric you don’t care about to practice.

Raise your presser foot and place the edge of the fabric next to the knife on the machine.

Then lower your presser foot and gently push down on the machine peddle.

Once you’re to the end of your fabric continue serging for a couple inches past the edge of your fabric and then snip the thread.

(note: when serging a garment, be very careful to make sure your layers are smooth during the serging process or they could easily get under the knife and you could cut a hole in the middle of your garment. (Speaking from experience! It’s horrible when you have to remake the whole garment because you cut a hole in the middle.)

A Tip to secure serger tails

If you have a seam that needs to be serged but will not be hemmed or connect to another piece of fabric you can secure your serging tail rather than cutting it off and having loose threads.

It gives you a cleaner finish and less chance of your seam becoming unraveled.

To do this, get a tapestry needle and pull the serging tail through the eye of the needle.

Next, push the needle back up through the serging seam (as pictured) and pull it out about an inch up and then cut your access thread.

This will give you a nice finished edge as shown below.

Adjusting Tensions

Please also note, you may have issues if you play around with your tensions. If you need to make adjustments, refer to your owners manual for the proper steps and always take a picture or write down the original tensions before changing them so that you can change them back to the original settings after your project is done or if you make a mistake.

In conclusion, I hope this article was helpful to get you started serging your fabric edges.

If your interested in learning how to thread your sewing machine click here.