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From: DorothyL
Date: 05-06-2006, 08:43 AM (1 of 17)
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Here's a question for you all. What are the advantages of gathering on the serger? What are the things to look out for? I am making my daughter a wedding dress (well skirt and top) out of satin. The skirt is one of those tiered, gathered bohemian ones that are so in style right now. So cutting down on time in the gathering department would really help. But, I'm still just learning to use the serger. I wondered if I should try it on the serger -- I've never used it to gather before. Maybe I should just go ahead and do it on the regular machine or even by hand and then get out some eyelet on the back of my stash shelf and make a skirt out of that to learn to gather on the serger. Of course I would practice with the serger before I started with the skirt -- but I don't have a lot of the satin to practice with and I'm sure it would be much different than scrap cotton. What do you experienced serging people think? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-06-2006, 10:12 AM (2 of 17)
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My problem is getting the gather just right. I'd use 2 lb fishing line or dental floss and gather that dress either that way (using the machine) or I'd use the machine ruffler.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 05-06-2006, 11:03 AM (3 of 17)
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Yeah, I'm leaning that way too. I don't have the time or money to do this thing twice. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: bluebirdie
Date: 05-06-2006, 04:08 PM (4 of 17)
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I'm also new to serging and have only done serger gathering on cotton without gathering foot. I used just differential feed and long stitch like the trick everyone knows. Gathering is very easy this way but somewhat "flat" which may or may not work for thick satin. Dorothy, sorry I wasn't much help. But will you please let us know your experience when you're done? I'd love to learn. Thanks! - Robin
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User: bluebirdie
Member since: 03-12-2006 Total posts: 139 |
From: Kylnne2
Date: 05-06-2006, 07:35 PM (5 of 17)
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Serged gathering is soooo fast if you wish to save time. The width of the serged stitch and thickness of fabric should determine which method you would use. DF is usually set at highest setting, tighten your needle tension almost all the way for light weight fabric and use a long 3 thread stitch and widest width. Heavier fabrics might require serging over a filler cord using a 3 or 4 thread stitch. You could actually use a serger thread chain as a filler cord or a heavy thread or pearl cotton, clear elastic, crochet thread or buttonhole twist. |
User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004 Total posts: 629 |
From: toadusew
Date: 05-06-2006, 08:31 PM (6 of 17)
Dorothy, during my unpacking I found a scrap that I had gathered on the serger. I don't recall how I did it, but it looked nice.  This was on cotton, though, so I don't know how satin would do. Will you please let us know what you decide to do? I will be curious since I'd like to save some time by gathering on the serger if it can be done easily.
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User: toadusew
Member since: 01-08-2005 Total posts: 369 |
From: MaryW
Date: 05-08-2006, 10:37 AM (7 of 17)
I must confess, I havent tried gathering on my serger yet. 
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 05-08-2006, 02:30 PM (8 of 17)
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I think I'm going to wait and try it with something other than the wedding skirt. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Kylnne2
Date: 05-08-2006, 08:22 PM (9 of 17)
| Dorothy, it might be wise to do the wedding dress gathering in a way you are most familiar in doing it. But if you take a piece of scrap fabric and run it through your serger with the DF turned up and see the results you might change your mind. |
User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004 Total posts: 629 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 05-08-2006, 10:50 PM (10 of 17)
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I've started doing my gathering on my serger, but have found that I have not calculated correctly and run out of fabric to gather and still have fabric to sew on to!! You do have to do lots of test pieces cause I find each type of fabric gathers differently. I agree with Klynne though, I wouldn't do it on THE dress, just in case and I'd hate to hear you scream all the way across the country if it got messed up!!
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-09-2006, 12:52 AM (11 of 17)
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The biggest problem is that the longer the skirt the more gathers it needs. A short piece of fabric won't necessarily be a very true way to judge if it is full enough, of course, that also varies from fabric to fabric.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 05-09-2006, 06:39 AM (12 of 17)
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You've all convinced me -- this dress is not the place to learn a new technique. I have some eyelet cotton that I will eventually make a skirt of. I'll use that to practice with. I was thinking I would save time by making her pull the gathers on one tier while I make the next (on the sewing machine) then I'll sew them all together. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Magot
Date: 05-09-2006, 12:55 PM (13 of 17)
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On the advert banner on the top of my page Dorothy is a magazine called Sew news which has the front page article called "serge a tiered skirt" perhaps this might be useful for future reference.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 05-09-2006, 01:09 PM (14 of 17)
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Jan I have the article. In fact I used it to make a skirt for my doll. http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e212/DorothyLong/doll2.jpg but for that I didn't use the serger. The way they stack the tiers then cut them is great though. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 05-09-2006, 06:23 PM (15 of 17)
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Dorothy, my serger is older than dirt.. so It does not do anything fancy.. Not even differential feed. .. BUT... it does have an opening in the presser foot in front of where the needles are.. I can insert a piece of crochet cotton or narrow ribbon , or anything similar and sew, and it serges right over the cord or ribbon.. Then , it takes no time at all to gather it up just like I need it.. I made my niece those curtains with the wide ruffles on them.. (senior moment, cannot think of what they are called)... Quickest , easiest gathering I ever have done... Almost like magic, it was soooo easy...Look at your presser foot... Oh yes, you move the knife out of the way while doing this stitching.....
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: blackie
Date: 06-04-2006, 05:34 PM (16 of 17)
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I think I'm going to wait and try it with something other than the wedding skirt. Dorothy I'm going to echo the majority opinion and agree you should try it on something else for your first serger gathering experiment. The "wide zigzag over floss or fishing line" is the gathering trick I use, and it's fabulous! see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: Sherri
Date: 06-05-2006, 05:15 PM (17 of 17)
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Thank you ladies for once again inspiring me to read my user manual. I would have never guessed I could gather using my Serger. Wow. I hate gathering so I am going to try the Serger. What would I do without you ladies  Sher My website
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User: Sherri
Member since: 02-07-2001 Total posts: 357 |
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