Previously, beautifully finished seams could only be made in a garment factory or atelier. At home, seamstresses could only sheathe the edges with a zigzag or hem of the fabric. Now, thanks to the latest technology, you can buy an overlocker for the home. If the sewing machine can only make a lock stitch, then the overlock with the help of loopers and needles forms various chain stitches. But it will take some skill and a lot of spools of thread to work with it.
In the case when a person is not professionally sewing, it makes no sense to buy an overlocker. It is enough to purchase an overlock foot. It is suitable for many kinds of machines, both domestic and imported. When buying an overlocker, you will need to pay a tidy sum, even more than for a typewriter. When buying a foot for overcasting, the costs will be minimal. Learning how to use this device is quite simple. What does the overlock foot look like?
Which car is better to buy?
If you decide to purchase a sewing machine, and buying an overlock is not included in your plans, then be sure to stop your choice on a device with an overlock foot. It is also called an overlock machine. Includedthere is at least one sewing foot. The higher the category of the sewing machine, the more accessories it comes with.
But if you don't have enough money for a cool car, don't worry. Then you can always buy other paws. It's not a problem. In specialized stores of sewing equipment or on the Internet, you can order any foot you need. If the device you purchased already has attachments for several overlock stitches, then in the near future you will easily do without an overlock.
How does the overlock foot work?
The special foot has a stem and a spring plate. The plate presses the edge of the cut fabric against the foot and allows you to overcast it right along the edge. The pin holds the thread, which slips off the pin with each stitch step, without tightening the fabric.
The overlock seam will be neat and tidy with the presser foot. The stitches will be sewn along the edge of the fabric. By increasing or decreasing the tension of the upper thread, the threads will be intertwined closer to the edge of the cut fabric. Each seamstress, by trial and error, will be able to set the tension in the desired position, especially with a foot with a rod, this is not difficult to do. The seam will look like a real overlock. But in order for it to serve for a long time, you must always duplicate it by making just a straight line next to it.
Run overstitching
Before you start overcasting operations with the overlock foot, you need to sew the details of the future product and carefully trim the remaining seam allowance. scissorsit is necessary to cut the desired width and protruding threads. After that, install the presser foot on the machine. In modern units, it is no longer necessary to unscrew the screw holding it. To do this, just lower the lever located at the back. We take out the foot that is not needed at the moment and insert the overlock foot.
You should hear a click, and then raise the presser foot lever up. When set correctly, the sole of the foot will also rise up. After installing the foot, you need to put material under it, while the limiter will control the specified direction of fabric movement. Then the overcast line is sewn.
Tips for overcasting different fabrics
1. Overlock stitch, suitable for heavy fabrics or areas of the product where seam reinforcement is needed and most similar to overlock, requires several stitches. In this case, the sewn fabric must be fed back and forth.
2. When sewing, the fabric does not need to be pulled forward, it must move automatically, otherwise unwanted wrinkles will occur.
3. If you are working with a thin fabric, such as chiffon, then the material can be rolled up. After processing, a wavy sloppy edge will remain. To avoid this, you need to wipe the edges of the material with a starch solution, then iron it through any cotton fabric. After that, calmly sew and overcast the edges, they will hold their shape and not curl. Without any effort, the seam will lie flat.
4. For delicate fabricsit can be advised to use threads that make decorative embroidery. For colored materials, you can take not only threads of the same color, but also matching in tone.
How to choose a sewing foot?
Previously, sewing machines used a zigzag stitch for overcasting, but when the fabric was pulled, it could burst in several places. When sewing on an overlock, the product stretches easily in all directions, and the seams do not diverge. The presence of an overlock foot in modern machines contributes to the similarity of the seam to a two-thread overlock. True, it will not be able to withstand strong tension.
Since overlock feet come in different shapes, it's best to have any foot from your machine when buying. Then it will be possible to compare the fastenings and measure the height of the legs. You can also select these elements based on the name of the manufacturer of the machine.
A convenient option would be to buy a universal overlock foot. It becomes on most types of sewing units, and also makes a decorative finish on the edges of the product. At the same time, it performs reciprocating movements. The stitching is dense and beautiful.
Different types of paws
When buying a machine, it comes with several paws. These are the basic devices necessary to perform the simplest operations. For example, a foot for sewing on a snake, universal, making a zigzag stitch (one of the most popular feet among seamstresses), semi-automatic, for making buttonholes. In a set of expensive cars there are an order of magnitudemore, 10 to 15 pieces.
In addition to the standard feet that are sold with the sewing machine, you can buy separately a whole set of 32 pieces. Most of them are metal, but there are also combined ones, consisting of plastic and metal, as well as Teflon. Descriptions of some products from the set of sewing machine feet are presented below:
- to work with curly stitches. Thanks to her, beads are sewn, it turns out neatly and evenly;
- for hemming fabric (2mm, 4mm, 6mm);
- for sewing on snakes (universal);
- for the formation of elongated loops on the product;
- for sewing on buttons, but only flat ones;
- for sewing on one or more ropes;
- making assemblies on matter, attaching a ribbon with such an effect;
- for curly embroidery;
- for basting details (does curly stitch);
- for the piping line;
- for invisible snake;
- for hiding seams in voluminous fabrics;
- roller. It is used in the processing of leather and knitwear. Special round rollers help the presser foot move freely through the fabric;
- teflon glides easily over leather, suede, nubuck, velvet;
- for machine art embroidery designs;
- for overcasting fabric, only with a brush that instantly cleans the dust generated during the overcasting process.
Edge cutter
There is one more foot for the machine that you need to have in the kit, namely, the overlock footwith a knife. When overcasting the edge of the fabric, the side knife neatly cuts off the excess fabric. The process takes place simultaneously, while the tissue does not shrink. The structure of this element includes a wide sole, a hook and 2 knives. The hook is responsible for the consistency of the needle and the upper knife. The knife at the bottom is rigidly fixed on the sole of the foot.
Before starting work, you need to prepare the material for overcasting. To do this, parts of the product must be fastened with pins across the drawn line of the future overlock seam. Use the utility foot to sew a straight stitch. After that, the part changes to another, overlock with a knife. To properly install it, you need to put the hook on the needle holder. Only then will the presser foot and needle holder work in sync. If the presser foot is set incorrectly, the fabric will not be cut.
Working principle
Unlike the regular sewing foot, which causes tangles, shrinkage and uneven stitching when overcasting, the overlock foot does not tangle the threads or jam the fabric. This happens due to the presence in the middle of the slot for the needle of the tooth, on which, when overcasting, several stitches in a row lie down. The seam is formed around it and the edge of the material. Thus, the fabric does not shrink, and the stitching is neat.
Pros and cons of this foot
Buying an overlock foot, any craftswoman can save a lot. A real overlocker is expensive, and dealing with its connection and a huge variety of seams is also not easy. Having instead of onesewing machine two devices at once, it will be necessary to allocate a lot of working surface for this technique. In preparation for work, a lot of time is spent on threading threads. When using the presser foot, you do not need to do all this.
The disadvantages of working with a foot can be called the fact that over time the seam will begin to crumble, in contrast to the overlock processed. Yes, and you need to cut the edge yourself or change the nozzle on the foot with a knife. The seam is designed for calm wear, as it is not very strong and can crack when stretched.
So decide for yourself what is more profitable for you to purchase and use in your future work.
