Serge & Merge
Serge & Merge
Adapted by Susan Fears
Merge 2 favorite sewing companions—the serger and the sewing machine to create an artful wall quilt.
Supplies
Machine & Accessories BERNINA Sewing Machine BERNINA Serger Open Embroidery Foot #20/20C Patchwork Foot #37/57 or D version Walking Foot #50 Bias Binder Attachment #88 (38mm) Foot for bias Binder #95/95C Pattern Serge & Merge book, Simply Leafy Fabric & Notions Fabrics according to pattern Universal Needles - Size 80 for Serger Quilting Needles, Size 90 for quilting Yarn Chenille Needle Threads 3 cones Neutral Color Serger Thread 2 spools variegated cotton thread Quilting Thread Monofilament Thread
©2014 BERNINA of America, Inc.
Page 1 of 3
Flatlocking Tips
Reference the Serger Technique Reference Book or your serger manual for this technique. Begin by establishing the baseline settings for your serger by threading with basic serger thread for a 4-thread overlock; test the stitch; make adjustments if necessary. These are the baseline settings for your serger; be sure to test on project fabric to get an accurate read. Thread with variegated threads in the looper and needle Attach the 2-thread adaptor Set the serger for a 2-thread flatlock stitch using the right needle to create the narrow stitch and create the flatlocking desired Fold the fabrics right side together allowing for the loops to hang off of the fold during stitching Open the seam and creating the ladder Set the serger for wide flatlocking and add more rows of stitching Add the yarn in the flatlocking as described in the book
Piecing Tips
Select the ¼” foot of choice – standard piecing foot #37/37D; piecing foot with guide #57/57D Attach the straight stitch plate to improve the straight stitch and produce a more accurate seam. Set the stitch plate security as a reminder of the machine settings Attach the knee lift for faster piecing between units (Did you know that factory workers using the knee lift were 20% faster with sewing) Begin the strip piecing units on a scrap fabric, piece the units and end on a scrap piece of fabric. This eliminates the extra step of trimming all the thread tails
Quilting Tips
Use 505 Spray to spray baste the quilt sandwich together; pin with a few safety pins to ensure the sandwich remains intact especially if you are sewing in a cabinet (level surface) Attach Walking Foot #50 and thread the machine with quilting thread top and bobbin Select the Running Stitch and increase the length as desired Add waved quilt lines randomly throughout the quilt top Use the edge guide sole for quilting in the ditch
©2014 BERNINA of America, Inc.
Page 2 of 3
Binding with Monofilament & the Blind Hem Stitch
Add the binding by Machine Cut strips 2 3/4” wide and join to form the length needed for binding Press the binding in half Use the Walking Foot and move the needle position 4-5 to the right and sew the binding to the runner using the side of the foot as a guide. Check that the seam allowance is the right width per fabric choice—when it flips to the front side, it should cover the stitching Fold the binding to the front side and pin or clip. Attach Patchwork Foot #37 and thread with Invisible thread top and bobbin Select the Blind Hem Stitch and make the following adjustments: Stitch Length = 1.1, Stitch Width = 1.5, Center Needle Position, Mirror Image Left/Right, reduce the tension to around 2, and reduce the presser foot pressure, if available. Stitch the binding to the quilt letting the ‘>‘ of the stitch fall on the binding and the straight stitches falling next to the binding
Binding with the Bias Binder Attachment
Trim the quilt Cut strips of fabric for the 38mm BERNINA binder, 1⅜” wide; they do not need to be on the bias Piece the strips together to get the length needed Zig-Zag the edges of the quilt together Attach Foot #95 and binder #88 Insert the binding, insert the quilt and bind the edge Fabric can move forwards and backwards through the binder, making it easy to miter corners When meeting back up to the beginning, glue in a hem, let it feed through the binder covering the beginning binding.
©2014 BERNINA of America, Inc.
Page 3 of 3
Adapted by Susan Fears
Merge 2 favorite sewing companions—the serger and the sewing machine to create an artful wall quilt.
Supplies
Machine & Accessories BERNINA Sewing Machine BERNINA Serger Open Embroidery Foot #20/20C Patchwork Foot #37/57 or D version Walking Foot #50 Bias Binder Attachment #88 (38mm) Foot for bias Binder #95/95C Pattern Serge & Merge book, Simply Leafy Fabric & Notions Fabrics according to pattern Universal Needles - Size 80 for Serger Quilting Needles, Size 90 for quilting Yarn Chenille Needle Threads 3 cones Neutral Color Serger Thread 2 spools variegated cotton thread Quilting Thread Monofilament Thread
©2014 BERNINA of America, Inc.
Page 1 of 3
Flatlocking Tips
Reference the Serger Technique Reference Book or your serger manual for this technique. Begin by establishing the baseline settings for your serger by threading with basic serger thread for a 4-thread overlock; test the stitch; make adjustments if necessary. These are the baseline settings for your serger; be sure to test on project fabric to get an accurate read. Thread with variegated threads in the looper and needle Attach the 2-thread adaptor Set the serger for a 2-thread flatlock stitch using the right needle to create the narrow stitch and create the flatlocking desired Fold the fabrics right side together allowing for the loops to hang off of the fold during stitching Open the seam and creating the ladder Set the serger for wide flatlocking and add more rows of stitching Add the yarn in the flatlocking as described in the book
Piecing Tips
Select the ¼” foot of choice – standard piecing foot #37/37D; piecing foot with guide #57/57D Attach the straight stitch plate to improve the straight stitch and produce a more accurate seam. Set the stitch plate security as a reminder of the machine settings Attach the knee lift for faster piecing between units (Did you know that factory workers using the knee lift were 20% faster with sewing) Begin the strip piecing units on a scrap fabric, piece the units and end on a scrap piece of fabric. This eliminates the extra step of trimming all the thread tails
Quilting Tips
Use 505 Spray to spray baste the quilt sandwich together; pin with a few safety pins to ensure the sandwich remains intact especially if you are sewing in a cabinet (level surface) Attach Walking Foot #50 and thread the machine with quilting thread top and bobbin Select the Running Stitch and increase the length as desired Add waved quilt lines randomly throughout the quilt top Use the edge guide sole for quilting in the ditch
©2014 BERNINA of America, Inc.
Page 2 of 3
Binding with Monofilament & the Blind Hem Stitch
Add the binding by Machine Cut strips 2 3/4” wide and join to form the length needed for binding Press the binding in half Use the Walking Foot and move the needle position 4-5 to the right and sew the binding to the runner using the side of the foot as a guide. Check that the seam allowance is the right width per fabric choice—when it flips to the front side, it should cover the stitching Fold the binding to the front side and pin or clip. Attach Patchwork Foot #37 and thread with Invisible thread top and bobbin Select the Blind Hem Stitch and make the following adjustments: Stitch Length = 1.1, Stitch Width = 1.5, Center Needle Position, Mirror Image Left/Right, reduce the tension to around 2, and reduce the presser foot pressure, if available. Stitch the binding to the quilt letting the ‘>‘ of the stitch fall on the binding and the straight stitches falling next to the binding
Binding with the Bias Binder Attachment
Trim the quilt Cut strips of fabric for the 38mm BERNINA binder, 1⅜” wide; they do not need to be on the bias Piece the strips together to get the length needed Zig-Zag the edges of the quilt together Attach Foot #95 and binder #88 Insert the binding, insert the quilt and bind the edge Fabric can move forwards and backwards through the binder, making it easy to miter corners When meeting back up to the beginning, glue in a hem, let it feed through the binder covering the beginning binding.
©2014 BERNINA of America, Inc.
Page 3 of 3
