Naomi Baker - The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide: Troubleshooting for Any Overlock Brand or Model

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PCM Product
Excellence Award

THE ULTIMATE SERGER ANSWER GUIDE

Naomi Baker Gail Brown Cindy Kacynski

Troubleshooting for any overlock brand or model

This book should come with every serger purchased.

Linda Griepentrog,

Editor, Sew News magazine

Acknowledgments

We are most thankful for the ongoing support generously given by serger companies (for names and addresses, see ), sewing-industry vendors (of notions, threads, fabrics, and many more products than space allows us to list here), sewing machine dealers, fabric store owners and their personnel, educators, serger-sewing enthusiasts, and of course, our families.

Other Books by Naomi Baker

(All available from Krause Publications)

Serged Garments in Minutes, with Tammy Young

Sew Sensational Gifts, with Tammy Young

Serge a Simple Project, with Tammy Young

Distinctive Serger Gifts and Crafts, with Tammy Young

Other Books by Gail Brown

Quick Gifts and Decor, with Nancy Zieman

The All-New Creative Serging Illustrated, with Sue Green and Pati Palmer

Gail Brown's All-New Instant Interiors

Sewing with Sergers, with Pati Palmer

Creative Serging, with Sue Green and Pati Palmer

Sensational Silk

Copyright 1996 by Naomi Baker, Gail Brown, Cindy Kacynski

Updated 1999

All Rights Reserved

Published by

krause publications

An Imprint of F+W Publications

700 East State Street Iola, Wl 54990-0001

715-445-2214 888-457-2873

www.krausebooks.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Cover/Interior Design, Photo Styling, and Illustrations by Patty Edwards Photographs by Rick Kessinger

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Baker, Naomi.

The ultimate serger answer guide / Naomi Baker, Gail Brown, Cindy Kacynski.

p. cm.(Creative machine arts series)

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 13: 978-0-8019-8645-1 (pbk.)

ISBN 10: 0-8019-8645-1 (pbk.)

1. SergingHandbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Sewing machinesHandbooks, manuals, etc. I. Brown, Gail. II. Kacynski, Cindy.

III. Title. IV. Series.

TT713.B335 1996

646.2'044-dc20 95-33546

CIP

What Experts Say About
The Unltimate Serger Answer Guide

If you've ever wished a top serging expert could be looking over your shoulder to solve the mystery of that imperfect stitch, your wish has been granted. This easiest-ever troubleshooting guide should be at the hands of all serger owners, offering a sure cure (or several!) to every serging problem. With Naomi, Gail, and Cindy in your sewing room, it will be smooth serging!

Shirley Adams,
host of The Sewing
Connection PBS Series

The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide is a Well-illustrated, user-friendly troubleshooting book. It's perfectly organized to let you quickly and easily identify your problems, solve them, and get on with your project, just as the name implies.

Sandra Betzina, author of
Power Sewing books, hostess
of Sew Perfect on HGTV

This book opens all the stops and allows you to play with your serger, worry-free. It addresses every aspect of serger troubleshootingbeyond the usual tension problemsand is organized and cross-referenced so solutions are easy to locate. The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide is a terrific reference book to have near your serger.

Jean Fristensky,
National Director,
The American Sewing Guild

The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide is definitely not a coffee table bookthis comprehensive problem-solver will be as close to the serger as the thread snippers! The authorssay it like it is to help identify and resolve common and not-so-common serging problems, exploring the most typical, as well as remote causes. Their years of teaching and serging experience is invaluable. This book should come with every serger purchasedfor the sanity of the buyer, as well as the dealer!

Linda Turner Griepentrog,
Editor, Sew News magazine

The Ultimate Serger Answer Guide is the type of troubleshooting reference serger owners have dreamed about. It categorizes serging problems, then offers clear-cut solutions for each. This practical, reader-friendly book is packed with illustrations, tips, and tricks to maneuver out of any serging dilemma, or prevent potential problems. Whether you're a serging novice or a seasoned veteran, this is an invaluable resource.

Nancy Zieman,
President, Nancy's Notions Ltd.

Contents

Stitch-Related Problems
Can't Balance Tensions

Needle-Related Problems
Needle Insertion

Knife-Related Problems
Ragged or Uncut Edges

Seam and Edge Problems
Puckers

Decorative Serging Problems
Confusion About Decorative Thread

Tips On Locating Answers

We've designed this book as an answer guide, organizing information so you can identify your problems and find your solutions. Remember, you don't have to review the pages in sequence; the format and content are modular for fast, easy reference.

Identify your problem. Look in Contents under Chapter 1, determining whether the problem is related to the stitch, needle, knife, etc.:

For instance, if one or more of your threads continues to break, look under Stitch-Related Problems, to find (A):

Solutions are listed sequentially, starting with the most likely techniques.

If you can't locate your problem or solutions in Chapter 1. Identify and locate a term or item relating to the problem. For instance, if you're having difficulty with the thread continually breaking, look under Thread to find (B).