Bernina 334DS serger - RH needle tacks lower looper into seam

Your owner's manual should have instructions for rolled hem settings. My Bernina manual has a the following settings:
Medium weight fabric
80/12 Universal needle
3 cones serger thread
Upper looper 3-5
Lower looper 7-9
Left needle (no thread)
Right needle 3-5
Stitch length 1-1.5
Cutting width 2-3
Differential feed N

Can use woolly thread in the upper looper, but the tension may need to be loosened since the woolly nylon thread will stretch.


Make It Handmade Threading Your Serger or Overlocker

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The 335 has a two thread chain stitch (stitch type 401), and the overlock side (right needle side), is a three thread plain overlock. If you are describing the plain overlock as the problem, I would first suggest the following in re-threading:

1. Thread the upper looper
2. Thread the lower looper
3. Thread the needle last (important)

If the needle threaded, you cannot re-thread the lower looper without breaking the thread.
In order to thread the lower looper, the lower looper must pass by the needle thus picking up the needle thread. So, instead of threading the lower looper thread underneath the needle thread, the looper would be threaded on top and cannot sew without breaking the thread.
Make sure that the threads are bedded between the tension disks. Check this by stretching the thread fore and aft of the tension disks as well as visually noting that the threads are not accidentally threaded behind the disks. You can also loosen the tension disks when threading so as to allow the threads to bed deeply between the disks.
Please reply with your observations.

I dont use wooly nylon on my sewing machine, only my overlocker, as its ideal for lycra and jersey fabrics where you want some flexibility and stretch in the seam. You could probably run it in the bobbin but you may find the machine top tension won't like wooly nylon going thru it. The only time I use it on a woven is when making a rolled hem edge on the overlocker, and I use wooly on the top looper only, regular thread in needle and lower looper. Its pretty expensive thread so I use it for special tasks only.

sergers the most frustrating machines. Every time you change fabrics you go through a tension adjusting phase.

First make sure you have threaded the machine in the proper order. upper looper, lower looper, then needles from right to left. Always thread any machine while the presser foot lever is in the UP position.

If you ever break a thread... you MUST pull all threads and rethread using the proper order.

Ok that's out of the way. Pull all your threads and get out several pieces of the same fabric scrap. Thread each pathway with a different color. This will help you determine which thread is giving you fits. Sew a test strip. Which thread is loose? tighten/loosen that tension. Keep doing this until you have a well balance seam. Then clip the colored threads starting with the upper looper thread, tie off to your proper color for your seam pull the thread through and up through the throat plate. proceed in this manner with lower looper, right needle, left needle. Sew a test seam.

Good luck.

Are you wanting to use the serger to sew a hand knitted sweater together? or do you mean a sweat shirt knit or other knit fabric. If it is the first option, I'd say don't bother, as you can't do it with the blades working because it will cut your knitting and the wool will unravel in the seams.

If it is the second option then I would start with the following settings.

Four thread stitch, so both needles and the upper and lower loopers threaded. Set tension on all four dials to 5, stitch length to between 2 and 3, and differential on zero. Move the cutting blade over to the right for a wider seam. Now test stitch on some fabric scraps double layer and see what the seam is looking like.

Now you want to adjust a couple of things: firstly width of the seam. Is it the size you want? If you'd like it a little narrower, then adjust the cutting blade back a little to the left to narrow the seam slightly - just depends on the fabric weight. For example if it is a loose open weave like boucle you would want a wide seam to make sure it holds the fibres fully.

Now you can adjust the upper and lower loopers to get the thread wrapping around the edge looking nice. Look at the seam and the fabric inside it. Is it tunnelling and pulling up the fabric? if so, release tension on both loopers a half number to put more thread into the seam. Test stitch again and see if the loopers are meeting nicely on the cut edge of the fabric. Upper and lower looper threads should be meeting right on the cut edge so if this isn't happening and one showing on the other side, then tighten the looser one by half a number and test again.

If the threads are hanging off the edge then you have the choice of moving the blade to the right to cut less fabric off, or tightening up the looper tensions to pull in the thread.

That's it, hope this helps you to master your serger.

If you'd like some images and further explanations of other stitching you can do with your overlocker, then Debbie Coswell has some great information on line at www.sewing.about.com, just search "overlocker" to find the specific pages.


Good luck

I don't know your babylock well, some of these have automatic tensions and electronic stitch selection. But a rolled hem is achieved on any overlocker in the following way; the actual dials and knobs might vary a bit.

Firstly there is a stitch finger that you need to change or retract so that the thread can roll the fabric rather than staying flat. For a normal seam this finger sticks out in the area where the loopers and needle form the stitch holding the cut edge flat until the seam is made over it. But for rolled hems you want to retract this finger so it does roll.

On the Bernettes this is a little lever in front of the stitching area that you pull back to retract the finger. Have a look around where the stitch forms and you should see the finger. Some machines, its a part you change on the needle plate with a screw driver, or just move a switch or lever.

You want the right hand needle in place, remove the left hand needle.

Thread upper looper with wooly overlock thread, this is a fluffy nylon that pulls flat under tension but relaxes and "fills" out once its stitched into place. Gives that lovely covered look you see on shop bought tablecloth edges. Your regular thread in needle and lower looper. Usually cutting blade to the right side as you want it to cut more fabric than in the seam so it rolls under. Now loosen off the tension on the top looper, (I use 2 on mine but this is something you need to finesse with each machine), and tighten up the tension on lower looper, (about 7). Leave needle tension alone.

Now test stitch on your fabric, and finess the upper and lower looper tensions until you get the lower looper thread almost not showing, it should be right up against the needle on the underside with the upper looper thread completely wrapping around top and bottom, pulling the fabric under.a seam like this.


Test stitch and adjust upper and lower looper until this is happening.

Now, turn stitch length down to close up the stitching, probably 1 or 0.8 if you want a real satin stitch look to the hem.

Because of the stitch density this uses thread so do the finessing first, then turn the length down.

That's it! Now right down the tension settings you used and keep handy for next time.

Have you used an overlocker before? If not, I'd suggest that you obtain a user manual for it as they are completely different to a sewing machine and at some point you will need to rethread it. You can purchase one from here
http://pages.sewing-machine-manuals.com/173/PictPage/3923709707.html

This machine makes three and four thread seams, which is a combination of two needles and two loopers. For the three thread seam you can use either the left or right needle which gives you different sized seams. For the four thread you use both needles, one goes through the middle of the seam and the other is on the left side securing the seam. On most overlockers you are able to move the cutting blade too and this will reduce or increase the amount of fabric being trimmed from the right side.

This page http://sewing.about.com/od/sergersoverlock/ss/serger.htm will give you some general information on sergers/overlockers too.

So adjusting tension is a matter of changing the tension on the top and lower looper threads to close up against the cut edge, or moving the blade over to make the seam a little wider or narrower. You may also need to finess the left needle tension so that the seam doesn't pull apart, I always test serge two layers and then pull open from the right side and see if the needle thread is showing (it will show a little bit but you dont want it so loose that it pulls open. Only tighten the needles in very small increments though, as you'll break threads and needles if you turn them up too tight.

Hard to explain without seeing what your machine is seaming now. But as a rule of thumb, start with all four tension dials (or 3 if doing a three thread seam) on 5. If the tension dials are correctly calibrated then this should give you a pretty good seam. You may wish to lengthen the stitches, I usually work with stitch length of 2.5 (same as your sewing machine stitch length) Stitch length will be a dial on the right side beside the flywheel or in front of the blade area. The blade adjustment should be a little knob near the blade area too. There will be a lower fixed blade and a moving upper blade which sits against the lower one, they work like scissors to trim the fabric. So to adjust the blade, you will need to take the pressure off the upper blade, then wind the knob to move it left or right.

Different weights of fabric will behave differently on the overlocker so you do need to adjust tension for each new project. For example, if seaming a jersey knit you'd use a four thread seam, this gives elasticity and strength and you can join two garment pieces with this seam. You'd probably make a 6mm or 7mm wide seam, the left needle will secure the fabric and the loopers will encase the fabric smoothly while the right needle secures them and gives extra strenth to the seam.

But on organza for example, I would make a very narrow three thread seam using the right needle as the organza will roll inside the overlocking if you cut the fabric too wide.

And on something like curtains I would neaten the edge with a wide 3 thread seam using the left needle to get a very wide seam, the fabric wont roll so you'd need to loosen the two loopers a little to smoothly encase the cut edge.
For example, on this image above you can see that the looper threads are laying a little off the edge of the fabric in places, particularly the lower looper, (the side that looks like Y's where you can't really see the middle needle thread), so I would tighten the lower looper about .5 on its dial, then test again.

I hope that this makes sense to you, you will need to test serge, and adjust one dial at a time, test again and look at the result, then maybe adjust another thread until you are getting a smooth looking seam.

Can you wind the lower cutting blade to the right to cut less fabric and therefore fill out the stitching? On most sergers the lower blade position can be adjusted sometimes with a little knob or dial. You need to raise the top blade out of the way first, usually you put pressure onto it to release the spring holding it up against the lower blade, then swing it up to do this. Then wind the adjustment on the lower blade and move it to the right to cut less fabric then test serge. Your manual should give you more specific information on this and should be your first 'go to".

I would adjust my looper tensions to suit the fabric and width of the stitch I'm trying to achieve so yes, the settings you've been given are average tensions but its okay to vary these too. From left to right, I'd set 4, 4, 4, 4 and test serge again and see if this pulls the looper threads in against the fabric if moving the blade hasn't tightened up the stitching.

Sergers are more variable than a straight stitch sewing machine so its okay to move tension knobs a bit, just turn each a half number each time you adjust, then test serge and look at the stitch formation. Your needles tension should be fine at 4, leave them alone.

I'd suggest if you can find one, go to a "Getting to know your serger" type class as there is lots of techniques such as seaming on a curve, turning right angles, both inside and outside and making rolled hem edges that are very helpful serger skills to learn along with making adjustments and troubleshooting. Or go to you-tube and search some of these techniques for videos. Also www.sewing.about.com is a great sewing resource and Debbie has pages on sergers/overlockers here too.

When I'm starting a new dressmaking project I will spend 10 mins on the overlocker/serger, changing the thread colour to suit the garment, then test serging and adjusting the stitch tensions to suit the fabric. I have 4 cones of thread each in white, black, beige, grey, pink and pale blue and these threads will give a suitable finish on most fabric colours and prints. Then there is wooly overlocker thread, this is a fluffy thread that you can use for rolled hems as the thread relaxes once stitched and "fills" out the closely stitched edge covering the rolled fabric edge and is another whole area of fun to try out.

Often I'll just use a three thread to neaten the raw edges of a seam I will press open. Or I will assemble a whole knit garment using the four thread stitch, so much faster then stitching seams, then neatening. Jersey knits and sergers are made for each other.

As an aside the D on your machine model would denote "differential feed" too - briefly differential feed is adjusting the amount that the two feed dogs move under the foot and means you can "hold back" the fabric as it is stitched (0.5), or "stretch" it out (1.5 or 2 setting). Really handy for loose weave fabrics that stretch as you serge them, you can compensate using the differential feed setting. And in reverse, you can create a "lettuce" or wavy edge by turning the differential feed up.

I hope that this helps you out with your Brother 1034D and hasn't just confused you. Good luck.

Serger may have a threading diagram inside the front looper cover which should show the various thread eyelets that you need to pull the threads through and they may be numbered one to 4 also to indicate order of threading. The diagram is usually colour coded to match the tension dial colours and serger usually has colour dots on the different thread eyes to help you follow the thread path for each thread.

This video is great and hopefully will help you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zszJYQe2aws&feature=related, it has lay in tensions while yours has dials so just pull the thread around the dial right to left and then across to the next thread eye and this should pull the thread into tension. Dials are usually all set to 5 for normal stitch formation.

On my serger you thread up in the following order: top looper (second from right dial), bottom looper (right hand dial), then right needle, left needle; this video shows all threading going from right to left however, so if you have a numbered diagram inside your thread cover, then certainly use that order. But always loopers before needles.

Raise the thread aerial first before you start, put the cones onto the thread spools and if you have any cone holders (little plastic triangles) put them on the spools first to steady the cones. Now for each thread, take the thread tail from the cone, up through the aerial thread guide, then follow the coloured dots and take this down the front of the serger putting it into each coloured thread guide, through looper then up under the raised pressure foot. Repeat for next looper, then the needles.

Pull all 4 threads out under the foot to the left, lower foot, then chain off a little to start and test sew on fabric, adjusting the tensions if you need to.

Other adjustments are stitch length (usually a knob on right beside the flywheel numbered 1-4, blade position, a dial either left or right of the blade, press on the blade to release the tension on it before you try and move it. And differential feed, this is also a knob numbered 0.5 to 2 usually. If you can't see this on the right by flywheel then open up fabric plate (left cover) and look in there for these two adjustments.

I would suggest you start with tensions on 5, and stitch length of 2-3, and test sew on scraps of the fabric you wish to overlock. You can then either move the blade to cut wider or narrower to suit and adjust the two looper tensions if you need to close up the thread on the cut edge. There is no black and white settings as each fabric will behave a little differently, generally you adjust the looper tensions a bit until the stitch is encasing the cut edge and you have a seam width that suits the weight of the fabric.

Differential feed leave on zero unless you find you need it when a loose weave fabric goes wavy, then turn it down to close up the feeding. Sergers have two feed dogs, one before and after the foot and turning differential knob changes the ratio of feed between the two so either stretches the fabric, or pushes it together as it goes through the stitching sequence. So by turning differential feed up to 1.5 or 2 you are stretching the fabric and you can do a narrow rolled hem edge that is all fluted (lettuce edging).

I hope this helps you out a bit, if you are completely new to this machine and have never used a serger then I always suggest taking a class from a local dealer, it is really worth the money and time as they are quite different to sewing machines but once mastered, really change the dynamics of sewing and techniques are much more like commerical production with flat construction etc.

Has it been serviced at all during your ownership of the serger?

The loopers can be knocked a little out of timing resulting in the skipped stiches on the heavy weight fleece occassionally. It sounds like you have tried all the usual fixes and know what you are doing.

Only other thing that might cause skipped stitches could be using a sharp needle rather than a ball point on the fleece. Otherwise maybe time for a trip to the shop??