Getting to Know Your Serger/Overlock by Making Pajamas

Welcome to SewVeryEasy, my name is Laura. And let's make some

pajamas

and learn some tips and techniques on how to put them together very quickly using a

serger

. Let's cover a couple of things about a

serger

. First of all, what is the serger and how does it work? Well, with the serger there is no bobbin inside, so you won't run out of thread like you would on a normal machine. The most common ones have four spools of thread and each of the threads will pass through its own tensioning disc. One way to look at it is that the first two go with the needles because those needles go up and down, like a normal sewing machine.

The two seconds are like a zigzag. So the first two are going to go up and down and the last two are going to do a zigzag. One zigzag will go up and another zigzag will go down. And as that stitch goes up and down, it hooks in a zigzag. So it has a nice clean edge. With the serger there is a knife inside and that cuts it so that it is perfectly in line with those threads that zigzag from one side to the other. The sergers will have some type of markings. They have markings on the feet like a normal sewing machine and some will have markings on the machine here.

And on this one there's a little piece that you can adjust and you'll be able to run the fabric along that edge and the knife can cut it exactly the way you want. Each machine has a slightly different threading, so you can follow the manual to thread it. And I would recommend using a different thread on each spool. That way, as you sew, you'll learn which needle and loop will come out of that spool of thread. And by seeing the different colors you can make adjustments easier. As a general rule, most machines will have a marking that is considered normal, and that usually works quite well.

On the side of the machine you will have a small knob that adjusts the tension based on how much fabric is gathered or separated. And that's called differential feeding. So you may have to change that depending on

your

fabric. There are many things this machine can do and there are many more functions on the machine, but we are just going to make a simple pair of

pajamas

using all the normal settings

your

machine comes with. The only thing we are going to do is test and make sure the differential feed works correctly for your fabric. It's very easy to do.

Take a piece of fabric that you are going to sew with and put a mark on it, like a 4" or 5" mark. So I have a mark of 5". What I'm going to do is start and sew all the way down, and it doesn't matter how much you cut. What you're going to do next is measure and make sure it's still at 5". After you've made that seam, that mark should still be at 5". If it has stretched or been pulled in, you'll need to adjust that little knob on the back. And you can adjust it like you would a normal tension on a machine. of sewing, a little this way, a little that way, until you get to the measurement you want.

In this case, the normal settings work well when we

know

the machine is set to work. Well, with this fabric, the rest. It is very easy. I have chosen a pattern from McCall that is an easy pattern. There are a couple of things that I really like, it has pockets and I love pajamas with pockets. It has a simple elastic waistband; you can use long sleeves, short sleeves or. sleeveless, and it has a little piece here at the top and having that little piece will make it really easy to sew, you can always change your fabrics, so if you want to have a lace insert or a complementary color, you can add that.

And it's made for fabrics. If you turn the tired over, you will find a small area here that will tell you to test the stretch of the fabric. You will have to take your fabric and it will go through the fabric. And you just take that and hold the fabric without pulling it right in that area. So when you pull, it has to go at least this far or further. If it doesn't stretch enough, this pattern is not made for this fabric. I chose two fabrics for the pajamas. The white is going to be for the top; the darker one will be for the pajama pants.

This line of fabrics is from Dear Stella. It is a beautiful fabric. So let's start

making

the t-shirt. Place the pattern pieces on the fabric, following the diagrams. But before you design any of the fabric pieces, I would recommend that you press them because any of the wrinkles will distort the pattern pieces, so it is important to have the pieces ironed and fabric. Lay them all out and cut out all the pieces except one, and that piece will be the little thin neck line here. And the pattern piece is number three, the neckline. In this particular pattern, interconnecting is not recommended.

I'm going to interconnect it and there are a couple of reasons for that. Some knit fabrics will want to curl, so as you sew them it will be a little tedious to have to keep pulling that fabric back as you sew it, and the interfacing will help prevent the fabric from curling. . The second thing interfacing will do is make it easier to cut and sew. I will use a fusible interfacing designed for a stretch fabric. Take a piece that is much larger than this pattern piece and iron it directly onto the back of a piece of fabric.

And you'll do that before you cut it. And you can use this method for anything that has a collar, cuffs, and even pockets. If it's a small piece, fusing the interfacing to the fabric first will mean you only have to cut the pattern piece once. It is not necessary to cut the interlining and fabric separately. Put them together, then cut them all out at the same time and make the marks. This will save you time. Even though there is an interface there, it will still stretch. Now I'm going to be able to press it and it will be ready to be used.

This little yoke at the top is very simple this piece and will overlap in the front. This would be the piece you would change the color of if you wish. If you wanted to have the lace on top or a different fabric, this is the piece. And I have a really easy way to transfer those marks to fabric. When I have the pieces cut out, before removing the paper I will take a pin and pass it right through the center of that mark. Now I'll be able to remove that fabric and I'll see the pin and I

know

that's my mark right there.

Now I can mark right there where that pin will be. Now I can remove it and know the mark is in the right place. At the top there is also an area they would like you to mark, so you can do the same. And I'm going to do this same method for all the marks that I'm going to need throughout the pattern. I won't need to do this for the notches because I cut them out of the fabric. You will see some small dots that you will need to transfer the markings to and those will be where the pocket will be located.

We need to stabilize these little points with a little extra fabric, just to make them strong enough so that when you put your hands in your pocket they don't break. You can take a piece of this interface and cut small squares. And you can merge that small square into that mark. Now I have those little marks stabilized and marked. I'm going to do one more thing before removing the pattern piece. When sewing with a stretch fabric, you should apply bias tape while you sew that seam, so the shoulder doesn't slip out of place. I'm going to use the same stabilizer, which is that elastic stabilizer that is fusible.

I'm going to remove the pattern and cut it to 1" because my seam allowances will be ⅝", which means I'll still be sewing on top of this. I'll leave it, lining up the top edge, merge it and do it on both sides. And the reason I do it while the pattern piece is still on, after it's fused I'll be able to check and make sure it hasn't stretched or gathered together. So now I'll be able to sew the back shoulder to the shoulder of the yoke. You will need to sew a ⅝" seam allowance. If you mark one of the seams first, you will be able to line it up with the serger and give you a better idea of ​​where it will be sewn.

So I'm going to want the first needle to go right through the marking. ⅝" I made. And slide that fabric until it reaches the blade, while you align the first needle and you can follow the mark on the foot. And then step on the foot. From here you'll be able to follow whatever mark you have on the machine or if you have a mark on the foot, or if you have a guide, you'll be able to just move that guide in and now you know you're going to sew on that ⅝". Now I won't have to mark none of the other seams.

I make sure my pins are out of the way and I can start sewing. And as it goes you're going to notice that one piece here is going to fall off, and that's what cuts off. that line, and it has just been trimmed. This has saved me from

making

: A row of stitches on the sewing machine, trimming it down and then finishing it with a zigzag and still having a little stretch so the threads don't sag. break. You will be able to sew the neck band together to open the entire neck. It is flat. Match all the marks and pin the neck band to make it flat.

The next thing we will do is put the front, and that will be. .make those two pieces intersect. This front piece will now go on top of this yoke, so you can join the right sides, match the stitch, and match the notches. And sew that ⅝" seam allowance. Let's work on the pockets, on that front edge where you put that little bit of interfacing and those little stitches. And what you're going to do is just make a straight stitch right in the center of that stitch .And you're going to do it to the front on both sides.

And right where you stitched through that, you want to cut in that circle, going directly to that stitch line, but not to the stitch line. From here, you're going to roll this up and make a very tight seam, so fold it once and then fold it a second time so that fold goes right into that corner. And just sew that little rolled hem down and that's going to be the opening of the seam. pocket where you will put your hand in. Add the pocket pieces to the front of the shirt. The stitches on the pockets will match the stitches on the side and the pockets will fit right along those stitches. stitch.

This is the pocket opening. This will be caught when you do the side seam. First let's put on our sleeves. You will need to match the two small notches and the two double notches. That little circle at the top of that sleeve is the center seam. Match them right sides up and pin them in place. Go straight to the

overlock

er and sew that ⅝" seam allowance. When you're done with that seam, you can press it and then press that seam toward the sleeve. The last thing is to sew the sleeve and side seams together. You'll be able to match up the seam marks. the seams and along the side.

When you get to this part of the pocket, you can just sew like there's nothing there. The only thing you'll really need to do is keep this pocket out of the way. And when that seam is sewn. side, you have that front pocket. The only thing left to do is the sleeve hem and the bottom hem, just do a twill stitch all the way around. If you use matching thread, you can leave it as is. is or you can fold it and make a rolled hem a little, a 2 inch hem, whatever size. We can do it now, either with a trim or a sewn and you're ready And the pants are going to be made of the. same way.

Lay them out and cut them just as the pattern says and then you can trim that fabric while you're sewing so you still have that ⅝" seam allowance, but when it's finished you'll have a nice clean seam. And you'll be able to do all the seams. You'll start with the crotch line and then you will do the legs and it will be done. This pattern only requires a very simple little elastic waistband. Hem it and that's it. So most of it is sewn with the serger. sew completely? Not for this outfit, but it is a great pattern, because you will be able to do it.

Change the yoke fabric if you want or you can even change the neckline so you don't have to worry about it fitting. tight. You can make it in any length, as a summer dress or as a short top. And the advantage is that it has pockets, and we don't usually find pajamas with pockets, simple pants and you have a great set of pajamas. from the pattern. I like to get more than one use out of my patterns. Thank you for joining me today on SewVeryEasy. Feel free to subscribe and, as always, come back. Let's see what we sew next time in the sewing room.

Goodbye for now!