A serger is a unique machine with capabilities a typical sewing machine doesn’t have. They use between three and five threads for use with needles and loopers  to work more quickly than your average device, which has one. They also are equipped with a blade that cuts the fabric for professionally finished edges. These additional functionalities leave the intricate moving parts with a buildup of lint that can quickly cause problems. By performing routine maintenance, you can ensure that it will run like a well-oiled machine for years to come.

A Guide to Serger Maintenance

1. Cleaning the Loopers

The loopers work like a bobbin does on a typical sewing machine, locking the looped thread with the needle thread to sew seams. They get clogged with lint, which can affect your seam formation. They sit inside the machine under the needle. Unthread and unplug the device. Remove the presser foot and needles, then open both doors to get to the loopers.

Use a soft brush, such as a makeup brush, to clean the interior around the loopers and feed dog, the jagged teeth-like metal strips by the loopers. Use a pipe cleaner to pull the lint out from the tighter spaces. Keep a small vacuum hose on hand to dispose of the fiber as you remove it, as this keeps it from going immediately back into the machine’s moving parts and clogging them up.  

2. Maintaining the Tension Disks

The tension disks sit on top of the device and control the amount of pressure put on the thread to ensure an even stitch. The tension dials will get bits of thread and fuzz caught in them.

Left alone, this will make your tension setting inaccurate and affect your stitch formation. Use a thick piece of dental floss or crochet thread to floss the disks. Insert the floss in the gap along the length of the dial and move back and forth a few times. There’s no need to open the machine or remove any other components.

3. Replacing the Knife

Most sergers have two built-in knives that cut the fabric and move at the same speed as the needle. If you cut a lot of material – especially a thicker fabric with a lot of lint – then your knife will dull and need to be replaced at some point. Those who use their machine every day need to replace them every two to three months. You know that this needs to be done if the fabric has an uneven edge after cutting. Leave the replacement to a professional, since the blade is exceptionally sharp and needs to be inserted in the correct spot.

The Sewing Center offers a full array of sewing machine repair and maintenance services in Kalispell, MT. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff can service your serger as well as your standard sewing machine. Learn more about what this one-stop sewing shop offers on their website and call (406) 752-7058 today to request professional machine servicing.