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SPIN the PINS – Serger/Overlocker Tension?

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I had my first overlocker/serger many years ago so when my grand children came along I thought I should have another. When I am unable to sew, I am able to sit and look at the computer screen so when I decided to treat myself to a ‘current’ information search, I happened across a Utube presentation by Susan Nixon called ‘The Secret to Taming Your Serger’  and I pinned it for later.

So our’ SPIN the PINS’ for  today is thanks to Susan Nixon and her ‘The Secret to Taming Your Serger“. It is sure to solve our Serger/overlocker Tension! During her presentation, Susan gives very clear instructions and I will be following them here:

1. I had to thread my machine using cotton colours to match the tension dials.
 (Now rethreading is always good practice so I didn’t tie the threads to pull them through!!)

 
 
 
 2. I grabbed a fat 1/4 of homespun and cut it into four 5″ strips. 
 
 3. I ruled lines across the strip at 2″ from the end, then 1.5″ intervals.



 4. I then labelled the strips, starting at the 2″ end with the name of the dial: Lower Looper; Upper Looper; Right Needle; Left Needle and then in each of the 1.5″ areas number from 1 – 9 (like on the tension dials of my machine)




 5. I took each of the strips and starting at the 2″ end – I folded the strip in half  so I now had a long strip that was doubled (like sewing two fabrics together) and I turned the matching tension dial to 0.

6.  I started sewing and when I reached each line I turned the tension dial to match the number and so on to the end.



7.  I then looked at the stitching, concentrating just on the colour being tested, and decided where it was best and marked it with an asterisk



These are the results for my machine:
Lower Looper  2
Upper Looper  8
Left needle  7
Right Needle  5

I now have a record to keep.  If my tension goes crazy, I will just have to look along the samples to find a stitching match and change the appropriate tension.  (great for the Mums with little helpers!!)

I would recommend you take some time to complete this exercise as either a refresher or as an introduction to each of the threads and their tension.  It is a simple exercise with easy to follow instructions and it just may prove invaluable in getting the best from your overlocker/serger.

I hope you found this of value and look forward to our next SPIN the PINS!!

Until next time
Nanny xx

Spin the Pins – Make a Pressing Board

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I mentioned last week that I was thinking it was time to start ‘making’ some of the things I have been so busily ‘pinning’ onto my Pinterest page and I had such a lovely response, I was inspired to get going with the plan!

So today is the first in a series I’ve titled ‘SPIN the PINS’ It will be a bit like a ‘chocolate wheel’ – spin and where it stops, that will be the pin for that day!

So let the wheel spin!!!!!

I’ve been wanting to make a Pressing Board for ages to have in my sewing room instead of the ironing board, as space is very limited.  I liked the look of many on Pinterest , especially the ones using those fold up trays.

Then, on second thoughts, I decided that I don’t have room for another set of legs to trip over either, so I decided to make a board that will fit on the table that PJ made me from my Grandmother’s old treadle machine.

Just the other day, I stumbled upon a Utube presentation by Sharon Schamber about how to make your own pressing board.

I was really impressed
a) with Sharon’s explanations and
b) the simple process Sharon recommended.

It was at this time that I realised that what I had been looking at were ironing boards rather than pressing boards!  What’s the difference?  Well the ironing board we like to be padded don’t we?  The pressing board, however, needs to be firm, so that when we press down on our carefully cut pieces that we have so carefully rejoined, we won’t be distorting the fabric.  (I hadn’t thought about that before…..)

So I got all enthused and thought I would show you what I did.

I needed:

A board
Cotton wadding
Cotton Duck fabric
Staple gun
Spray water gun

What I did:

1.  Found a board.  Apparently it is important that the board has fibres!  After a fruitless trip to the local Bunnings I resorted to sending PJ down to his shed and this is what he found – perfect!
Rough on this side:

 
not quite as rough on this:

 


2.  Cut the piece of wadding – must be 100% cotton – no polyester – to a size that will allow me to cover the sides as well (so it’s not rough).

 
3.  Cut the 100% Cotton Duck (canvas weight – SL didnt have cotton canvas) leaving at least 3″ all around.

 


4.  Spread the wadding over the rough side of the board and smooth it out:

 
5.  Place the Cotton Duck on the table and turn the board over so that the cotton wadding is now on the Cotton Duck  (Sharon recommended spray adhesive at this point but I don’t use any chemical sprays because of Fibromyalgia so went without) and staple one end over:

 

 
6.  Pull the Cotton Duck tightly at the other end and staple.  Repeat on the other sides:

 

 


7.  Pull each corner over and staple:

 
8.  Fold the corners tightly and staple:

 

 

 
 

 9.  At this point you might cover the back with adhesive felt or you might like to try this.  I decided to make mine the same size as my small cutting mat so that I can glue the mat to the bottom.  This will be super handy for the next retreat!

 

 
I’m not going to do that just yet though – I just wanted to show you how perfectly PJ cut it for me!

 


10.  Now take your water spray bottle and spray it all over until it is wet.


 
 
You can see the water around the edges on the table – I really wet it!
 


 The idea of this is that the Cotton Duck will shrink around the board as it dries and you will be left with a perfect, firm, pressing board – and here it is, right beside my new, cordless iron!


 
I have to tell you that it works a treat!  The ironing board has returned to the laundry and I’m already thinking about making a larger one that will fold away, to use when pressing a quilt.
 
Thanks Sharon!  This was a great pin and deserved the position of first spin in the series.
 
Until next time
Nanny xx

 

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