Overlocking
Overlocking: technique guides for US sewists.
I poke through every pattern and product so you only get the best.
– Pinny
Differential feed: no more wavy knit seams
Differential feed changes how fast the front and back feed dogs move. Turn it up (above 1) to stop knits stretching into wavy seams; turn it down (below 1) to stop fine fabric puckering.
Overlocker basics for beginners
An overlocker (serger) trims, sews and wraps the seam edge in one pass using three or four threads. It's for finishing and sewing stretch seams, not for zips or topstitching.
Rolled hem on an overlocker
A rolled hem rolls a tiny edge under and wraps it in dense stitches. You usually remove the left needle and change a setting or plate.
Fixing overlocker tension
Change one tension dial at a time, sew a test and look: loops on the back mean the lower looper is loose; loops on the top mean the upper looper is loose; needle threads should sit flat.
How to thread an overlocker
Follow the colour-coded order in your manual, usually upper looper, lower looper, then the right needle and left needle. Threading in the wrong order is a common reason threads break or the stitch won't form.