How to finish the edges of fabric without a serger?

Last week, I talked to you aboutEnglish stitching, which produces a flawless finish both inside and outside a garment. But in most of the clothes we buy or sew, the edges of the fabric are reinforced with seams. This is known asoverlockingorserging.

What are these seams for?

Well, these are used to reinforce the edges of the fabric.Ifthey are not present, the edge of the fabric will tend to fray. As a result, the garment will not last as long. However, some fabrics do not require overlocking; this is the case with interlock, for example.

What is the difference between overlocking and serging?

Overlockingisdone using an overlocker, which sews the finish at the same time as it cuts the edge of the fabric. But the big advantage of the overlocker is that itcan both finish the edge AND join the fabrics together. This 2-in-1 solution saves you time!

Personally, I don't have an overlocker, as it represents a significant financial investment. So, I resort toserging. This is done with a sewing machine.

Overlocking with a sewing machine

• The most basic solution for overcasting is to use a zigzag stitch with a very small stitch length. To do this, start a few millimeters from the edge of the fabric to sew this finish. When finished, cut off the excess fabric flush with the edge of the overcast.
• Please note: I recommend cutting after assembling the fabrics. Otherwise, you may end up shifting the seam allowances if you're not careful. Seam allowances are generally 1 cm, so if you cut 3 mm of fabric immediately after serging, you will need to reduce the seam allowances to 7 mm. To avoid having to do this kind of calculation, I recommend cutting off the excess fabric once you have assembled the fabrics.

Specific points for overlocking

With some sewing machines, there arespecific stitches and presser feet depending on the type of fabric; this is the case with my Brother FS40. For example, to overcast fine fabrics, I use the G stitch, which guides the overcasting. My tip for getting it just right is to place the edge of the fabric vertically when it passes through the slot in the presser foot. This way, the fabric is both folded and overlocked (see video in this article). This is particularly useful for fabrics that fray a lot. However, I do not recommend this tip for very tight-fitting garments. This is because the fold will tend to show on the outside of the garment. But in most cases, this tip is great 😍

I hope this article will help you achieve beautiful finishes!

See you soon!

Cadia