Hey Everyone!
This is Sarah with Sewing Parts Online.com and we've been getting a few requests on sergers
videos and doing more of them.
So, today we are going to go over how to do a rolled hem on your serger.
The cool thing about a rolled hem is it's really quick.
It's really pretty.
But, some people are a little hesitant to do it with chiffon and stuff.
So, we're going to go over how to do it on medium weight and chiffon.
First we are going to work with our medium weight fabric.
Now, before you start doing any serging, there is just one thing you really need to make
sure you've paid attention to is the thread.
Make sure you have good quality thread because it is just going to lead to more heartache
if you don't have the good stuff.
I'm using Maxi Lock.
I love love love Maxi Lock.
We do sell it on the website.
We have the variegated versions and the Soft as Yarn nylon versions.
They both work really well, but the thread makes all the difference.
Just know that.
That the thread makes all the difference.
To get our rolled edge started, we're going to change our setting.
We are only going to use the right needle.
We're going to bring our tension on the right needle to a 3.
Upper looper is going to be an 8 because we are using wooly nylon thread.
The lower looper is also going to be an 8.
And you will have to adjust your settings as you go.
It all depends on what fabric you're using, what mood your serger is in.
They're very finicky.
So, let's just go ahead and start it.
Our blade is down.
Our stitch length is at a .5 and our differencial feed is at a 1.
And your width you can adjust to however big you want yours.
Let's start a thread chain.
It's important to always so a scrap piece before you touch your good fabric.
So, let's see what happens.
You can see this is a very narrow rolled hem.
You can see how super easy that was with the medium weight fabric.
That's why we love these rolled hems so much because you just put it in and out pops a
beautiful finished edge.
It's very, very cool.
Now let's get into the nitty gritty chiffon and very, very light fabrics.
A couple things to know.
If you're going to sew these, sometimes you can get a strong enough weave so that you
don't need a stabilizer, but I always like to use a stabilizer when I'm doing this just
in case.
You don't want to do all of it and then all of a sudden, you hem starts falling apart.
For instance, you can see with these very thin fabrics that you can just pull the rolled
edge off and it's just a disaster.
Now, there's a couple ways to do it.
YOu can use Water Soluble Stabilizer.
You just put it on top and then sew.
You can use a little bit of ribbon on top of this or if you're in a real quick hurry,
you can fold it over like this.
This method works really well.
Just fold it over as thin as you can go.
And start putting it under.
It's just going to stabilize it a bit.
And then you can go back later and trim any of the excess fabric off with curved embroidery
scissors.
That's the method I really like the most.
It just adds a little of extra stability.
Also, make sure you are using the correct needle.
Maybe a microfiber needle or a topstitching needle.
Something meant for fine fabric.
Now I can go back later and trim this off.
But here it is nice and strong.
If I do this, it's not coming off.
And that's the important part.
And I don't have to worry about any ribbon poking through or anything like that.
So, that is my favorite method, but there are a few more I'll show you how to do as
well.
Another method for serging the really thin fabric is using tissue paper.
Ideally, you would use a tissue paper that is the same color as your fabric.
All we do is put the tissue paper down first.
I'm going to get it underneathe the foot and then I'm going to slide the fabric over top
of it.
And then here we go.
And the tissue paper just tears right out.
It's very easy.
It comes right out and you have a nice strong hem.
Another method you can do if you don't have any tissue paper around is plastic wrap.
Remember, you can also use regular stabilizers, like you buy by the yard, or water soluble
stabilizer.
This is just something a little bit different.
It just comes right out.
You can pull it out just like that.
And there you go.
Hem is good and ready to go.
Now, in my opinion, some of the hardest fabric to serger and do a rolled hem on specifically
are these costumy, decorative...they're kind of made of a bunch of tinsel thread.
I don't really know how to describe it.
But you see how shiny it is and edges just fall right apart.
To do a rolled hem on here, you need two layers of stabilizer.
And you can also use the 2-layer method on any other fabric that's really giving you
a hard time.
Put one layer on the top,on the bottom and put it a little bit forward because you want
that to catch before this.
You want to protect this hem in a nice little stabilizer shell.
Put this one on top and in front again.
Now, I have white stabilizer, but there is black stabilizer you can buy so it's not such
a contrast.
But, this is just for show.
I made my hem a little bit wider.
Here we go.
Now, the stabilizer is ending and I'm just going to show you how crazy it is without
the stabilizer.
You see that?
How nicely that stays on there?
Any other method, even the folding over method, doesn't work.
It just tears right off unless you incase it in stabilizer.
You'll just go a head and grab you - and they make tear away stabilizer, but this is just
regular - get your curved embroidery scissors and trim right up against there.
And you won't even be able to see it.
The wooly nylon really fills in those empty spaces.
So, i just went ahead and trimmed off the stabilizer you could see and now I have this
really great, strong rolled hem on this, just, crazy hard fabric.
You can see back here without the stabilizer.
With the stabilizer.
So, the big key to doing a rolled hem is all about the stabilizer, either sandwiching the
fabric imbetween or just putting it on top or bottom.
If you are having any trouble with a rolled hem, throw in some kind of stabilizer.
Whether it be ribbon, plastic wrap, water soluble, anything like that.
Put in something to give it more stability.
I hope you are more confident doing a rolled hem or your serger.
If you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave it in the section below.
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