How to Start Sewing on a Serger — Setup, Technique, and Tension Guide
CREATIVATE Education
July 15, 2025
Once your serger is threaded for your desired stitch, follow these steps to start sewing confidently and get professional results every time.
Starting to Sew
1. Test on a fabric sample first. Before touching your actual project, always sew a test on a scrap of the same fabric. Make any necessary adjustments — stitch length, width, tension — on the test piece before moving on.
2. Position your threads. Bring all threads over the stitch plate and slightly to the left, under the presser foot. Slowly turn the handwheel toward you to confirm the upper cutter blade moves correctly against the stationary cutter.
If the upper cutter doesn't move properly, check for fabric scraps or waste thread caught between the blades.
3. Hold the threads with light tension. Gather the thread ends and apply a gentle, even tension — not too tight, just enough to keep them controlled.
4. Create a thread chain. Turn the handwheel toward you 2–3 complete turns to begin forming a thread chain. Check that all threads are winding around the stitch finger on the stitch plate.
If the threads aren't winding around the finger, re-check that each thread is correctly threaded through its path.
5. Begin the chain. Continue holding the thread chain and press the foot control. Sew until the chain is 2"–3" (5–8 cm) long.
6. Sew your test sample. Place your fabric under the front of the presser foot and begin sewing. Lightly guide the fabric with your left hand as you go — do not pull the fabric, as this can deflect the needle and cause it to break.
7. Chain off at the end. When you reach the end of your fabric, keep sewing while gently drawing the finished fabric backwards and to the left. This is called chaining off — it secures the thread ends and leaves a tail ready for your next seam.
8. Cut the threads. Use the thread cutter to cut the threads, leaving a tail of 2"–3" (5–8 cm) at the end of the fabric. Pull the threads under the cutter from the back, then toward you.
Thread Tension Guide
Getting tension right on a serger takes a little practice, but understanding what to look for makes troubleshooting much faster. Tension needs vary depending on your stitch type, fabric weight and thickness, needle size, and thread type and fiber content.
What Correct Tension Looks Like
- The upper and lower looper threads are balanced and cross evenly at the fabric edge
- Both needle threads are equally balanced with no loops or pulling on either side
Upper Looper Tension
| Problem | What You See | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too loose | Upper looper thread pulled to the underside | Tighten upper looper or loosen lower looper |
| Too tight | Lower looper thread pulled to the top side | Loosen upper looper or tighten lower looper |
Lower Looper Tension
| Problem | What You See | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too loose
|
Lower looper thread pulled to the top side | Tighten lower looper or loosen upper looper |
| Too tight
|
Upper looper thread pulled to the underside | Loosen lower looper or tighten upper looper |
Left Needle Tension
| Problem | What You See | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too loose
|
Left needle thread forming visible loops | Tighten left needle or loosen both loopers |
| Too tight
|
Left needle stitches pulling and distorting | Loosen left needle tension |
Right Needle Tension
| Problem | What You See | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Too loose
|
Right needle thread forming visible loops | Tighten right needle tension |
| Too tight
|
Right needle stitches pulling and distorting | Loosen right needle tension |
General tension rule: When a thread appears on the wrong side of the fabric, it means that thread's tension is too loose — or the opposing thread's tension is too tight. Adjust one at a time and test on a scrap after each change.