Can You Straight Sew With A Serger?

If you just bought yourself a serger machine, you may be wondering what all of its capabilities are. More than anything else, people want to know if their serger machines can replace regular sewing machines.

One thing that a regular sewing machine is often used for is straight sewing. In other words, they’re used to sew straight lines and join two pieces of fabric together. What about a serger? Can you straight sew with a serger?

As you are about to find out, although sergers are very useful machines, they can’t replace sewing machines on all fronts. Let’s take a closer look at this issue of straight sewing with a serger.

What Is A Straight Stitch?

The straight stitch is the most commonly used type of stitch in sewing. Generally, the purpose of a straight stitch is to bind two pieces of fabric together in a straight line.

With a straight stitch, you simply pass the needle through the fabric from the top, move it slightly along the bottom, then pass it through back to the top of the fabric. You simply repeat this many times over to form a straight line.

Can You Straight Sew With A Serger?

The unfortunate reality is that while sergers are very useful and versatile machines, they cannot fully replace a normal sewing machine. Normal sewing machines can straight sew, or in other words, make those basic straight stitches.

Remember that regular straight sewing or straight stitching uses just a single thread that moves up and down through the fabric. Sergers don’t just use one thread, which is one factor that makes regular straight stitching impossible.

There is then also the fact that with a straight stitch, to lock it into place, you often go backwards over that stitch at both the beginning and end of the line. This is another thing that a serger cannot do. A serger machine can only stitch forwards. Sergers do not have reverse functions and cannot sew backwards.

If you need to do a variety of multi-thread stitches, then a serger machine is great. However, if you are replacing zippers, sewing curtains and hems, and anything else of the sort, it is a regular sewing machine that you need.

Types Of Stitches Sergers Can Do

Ok, so you can’t straight sew with a regular serger machine. However, there are plenty of stitch types that can be made with these machines.

Serger machines are of course convenient because they perform many jobs at once.

They can stitch a seam, trim the extra allowance, and overcast the edge, all in one simple pass. So, what exactly does this mean and what kind of stitches can you make on a serger machine?

Overlock Stitches

The number one most common stitch made with a serger is the overlock stitch. This is what most would call the fundamental serger stitch.

Usually, sergers all have either three thread and/or four thread overlock stitches integrated. What’s even better is that stitch width can be adjusted, so you can adjust how wide or narrow these stitches are.

Moreover, there are then a few different kinds of overlock stitches you can make. The first is the two thread overlock, which uses a single needle thread and a single looper thread. This type of stitch creates a sealed seam that is perfect for light fabrics and for cutting back on seam bulk.

We then have the three thread overlock stitch. This is often used when creating garments. The reason for this is because it creates a very strong and flexible seam that is ideal for many fabric types. For this overlock stitch, one needle thread and two looper threads are used.

There is then the four thread overlock stitch, which uses two needles and two loopers. This is a great stitch type in terms of durability, and it works great for heavy fabrics.

Flatlock Stitches

The serger machine can also create flatlock stitches. These are flat seams where the edges of the fabric are enclosed. It’s a good option if you need a really strong seam but also don’t want much bulk.

The main use for the flatlock is to imitate the over stitch. This type of stitch is also known as a ladder or safety stitch. Moreover, this type of stitch can be created with two, three, or four threads.

Rolled Hems

If you have fabric that is prone to raveling, then a rolled hem is another good stitch type that a serger machine can do. Delicate fabrics will often feature two thread rolled hems. However, if you need a stronger seam, sergers can also create three thread rolled hems.

Decorative Stitches

Serger machines can also be used to make a variety of decorative stitches. These include, but are not limited to, picot stitches, wave stitches, cover stitches, chain stitches, and two blanket stitches.

Conclusion

As you can see, while a serger is a very useful machine, it cannot quite replace a regular sewing machine on all fronts. Your regular serger machine just cannot do normal straight stitches.