At the Makerspace, you can find multiple sewing machines, a serger, and many useful tools to help with your sewing projects! So, whether you are looking to sew something from scratch, or just hem a pair of pants, our Makerspace has the materials to make this possible!
Sewing
Our Machines:
*Both machines are beginner accessible
Other Supplies:
- Variety of thread colors
- Bobbins
- Sewing chalk
- Sewing scissors
- Rotary cutters
- Rotary mats
- Seam rippers
- Sewing measuring tape
- Quilting rulers
- Pins
- Safety pins
- Excess scrap fabric
- Sewing machine manual
- Irons
- Weights
- Elastic
- Zippers
- Buttons
- Grommets and grommet press
- Stitch Witchery fusible web (also called Wonder Under, Heat n’Bond, etc.)
Serging
Our Machine:
Sergers are a great tool that can be used to finish off raw edges! New to serging? Check out our guides below!
Guides
New to serging? No worries! We have got your back! In addition to being available on our website, we also have printed and laminated copies of the guides in the Makerspace!
Threading the Serger
- Turn off the machine!
- Make sure the arrow at the very top of the machine on the white button is facing you.
- Open the bottom cover labelled MO-654DEN
- Lift and rotate the knife. Unsure how? Watch the tutorial
- Get tweezers (trust us!)
- Thread the BLUE first
- Thread the RED second
- Thread the GREEN next
- Thread the YELLOW last
- For more specific and visual instructions, watch this video from this point until the 11-minute mark
- Tip! Run a thread chain, then test sew on a double layer of fabric to ensure adequate tension
Common Serger Issues
Your stitches should look like this:
Issues:
- If your upper looper thread (blue) can be seen on the underside, increase the tension on the blue dial OR decrease the tension on the red dial
- If your lower looper thread (red) can be seen on the upper side, do the opposite: tighten the lower looper (red) or loosen the upper looper (blue)
- If the thread from the right-hand needle (green) is loose, it will form loops on the underside. To correct this, tighten the right needle thread tension (green looper)
- If the thread from the left hand needle (yellow) is loose, it will form loops on the underside. To correct this, tighten the left needle thread tension (yellow looper)
- If your fabric is puckering, loosen both right (green) and left (yellow) needle thread tensions
- If the issue is at the edge, either curling around (too much edge fabric) or leaving top loops (not enough edge fabric) then you need to adjust the cutting knife.
