Aug 18, 2021
sewing, serger
intermediate

Jogger Set

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Cozy up with this awesome jogger set! Create this fun duo on your sewing machine and Baby Lock serger solely with the pattern instructions. But keep reading for some fun tips and tricks to make serging with knits a breeze on your Baby Lock serger! If you have Cover and Chain Stitch capabilities we’ll explore some exciting ways to use a couple of optional binder attachments to trim the pockets or create a drawstring!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS WITH ADDITIONAL PHOTOS.

Supplies:

  • There are serging options in this tutorial for a 4-thread serger only or a 4-thread serger plus a cover/chain stitch machine or an 8-thread Serger
  • Patterns from Greenstyle Creations at https://greenstylecreations.com/
    • Brassie Joggers PDF Pant Pattern by Greenstyle Creations
    • Bianca Pullover PDF Top Pattern by Greenstyle Creations
  • Knit Fabrics – amount based on pattern sizes – I used contrasting fabric for the cuffs bands neckline and pocket binding trims
  • The lovely medium-weight French Terry knits used in this tutorial are from So Sew English at https://sosewenglishfabrics.com/!
  • Supplies for 4-thread Serger Options – Clear Foot Teflon Foot Wonder Clips General Serger Foot with tape guides ¼” clear elastic for shoulder seams
  • Supplies for Cover/Chain Options – Curve Foot or Clear Curve Foot Teflon Foot 28mm Double Fold Bias Binder Attachment 40mm Single Fold Bias Binder Attachment Starch

4-thread Serger Construction Tips: Follow the pattern instructions to stitch/serge your jogger pants and pullover together but see below for some great Baby Lock serger tips!

  1. Look into using Wonder Clips instead of pins so you don’t risk serging into a pin which is never a good thing for the cutting blades on your serger.

  2. Try out the Clear Foot that fits your machine! You can see through the Clear Foot and more easily see exactly where you’re serging! I especially liked this foot when I applied the cuffs and bands so that I could make sure all the layers were together when stretching to fit.

  3. Having trouble with your fabric type flowing smoothly under the machine? Try out the Teflon Foot that fits your machine for smooth stitching! I love this foot for the side seams where the pocket thickness came in to play; it glided right over them!

  4. Support those shoulder seams! Did you know many of the General Purpose feet on our Baby Lock Sergers include slots that you can insert ¼” tapes within to add support to a seam? For any knit top it is a great idea to add some support in the form of clear elastic to those shoulder seams to prevent warping over time. Take a look at the shoulder seams in some of your ready-made knit tops/dresses. Chances are you’ll find clear elastic within the serged seam! It’s really easy to replicate the same thing if your standard serger foot has tape guides. Before placing the foot on the machine simply insert the ¼” clear elastic into the tape guide in line with your overlock needles. Pull the tape under and straight back until it extends past the back of the foot. Ease the foot onto the machine realigning the tape under the overlock needles. With your machine set up for a 4-thread overlock stitch serge the shoulder seams. As you go the clear elastic will stitch into place. This gives the shoulder seam a nice bounce back any time it’s stretched!

*If your standard foot does not have tape guides ask your Baby Lock retailer to help you find one that does and fits your machine!

Cover/Chain Stitch Options:
The techniques and tips below differ from the pattern instructions in that there are some additional fun ways you can bring in the Baby Lock Binder Attachments to either trim the pockets or create a drawstring! You’ll also find some other tips along the way!

  1. Add some contrast to the pockets with the 40mm Single Fold Bias Binder! Because of the single fold this attachment is perfect for this task folding and stitching the binding on top and leaving less bulk with the raw fabric edge wrapped to the back and cover stitched over. I also used the Teflon Foot for this technique to encourage more smooth feeding under the foot! I used a lovely lightweight French Terry Knit from So Sew English for my contrast fabric. Before cutting the contrast strip of knit starch your fabric (this is very important). After starching cut a strip (or a few for practice) from fold to selvage at 1.5” and clip one end to a point.
    *Note: If you add this trim to the pant pockets you’ll need to trim a ½” off to remove the pocket rolled edge allowance. If you add this trim to the pullover top you do not need to remove any seam allowance.

Set your serger up for a Cover Stitch Wide and a Stitch Length of 3. Place the attachment on the cover/chain stitch table with the white set screws that came with your Baby Lock serger. Line up the attachment to where the C3 needle will stitch just inside the folded edge of the fabric coming out of the attachment on top. The allen wrench that came with your machine helps to move the strip through the attachment. Insert the cut point into the attachment (wrong side of fabric facing towards you) and continue to gently feed the fabric to where the top edge rolls under and position it under the foot and then back and under the needle. The C1 needle will catch the lower/flat fabric edge (but will not straddle the raw edge). As the strip feeds through it helps to hold the strip end towards the top of the attachment to encourage the top edge to roll more. Stitch on the strip alone until it looks like it is lined up and has rolled and caught the top edge. It is a good idea to practice before attempting on your project!

Once it’s caught and looks good place the pocket edge of the fabric into the groove. Keep the pocket edge within the groove and constantly touching the binding strip that is feeding through the attachment. It is ok to straighten out those curved knit edges of the pocket (just don’t stretch them out).

The finished edge may look a little warped. Just take it to your steam iron to press it out. You should have two straight stitches on top (one on the binding and one set to the left of the binding) and the overlock serged look on the back. TIP: If it did not come out right all you need to do is clip and remove the last two stitches to come off the machine on the fabric from each straight stitch line on top. Then gently pull the cover stitch underneath and it should unloop your stitches so you can try again. It is important to clip the last straight stitches on the fabric coming out of the machine for this trick to work! Once satisfied trim the binding down even with the side seam allowance. For extra precaution: stitch over the cover stitched pocket ends at the top and bottom (within the seam allowance) with your sewing machine to ensure the stitch does not come out. Trim the raw edge on the back down as closely to the stitch as you can without nicking the stitches.

  1. Cover stitch your pockets in place! It looks so professional and you can make it easier with the Clear Curve Foot (or the Curve Foot)! I followed the same process for the pants and the top. Trace the pockets with a fabric marking utensil onto the garment front where they will be stitched.

Then line up the pocket according to the instructions. I stitched a zig-zag stitch within the seam allowance along the two seam edges to hold them in place. Pin a few extra key areas to secure but that won’t get in the way (or remove before they get to the foot). Set up for the cover stitch (narrow or wide) and place the Clear Curve Foot on your machine. Make sure as you line up the pocket under the foot that the stitch straddles the raw edge of the pocket underneath. Use the traced line to your advantage; I lined my needle up with it. You can see the line underneath your foot to help guide!

You can also cover stitch other areas to help bands sit the way you’d like them too! I cover stitched around the neckline and the hem band on the top. The Clear Curve foot helps so much around those curves but also keeps my stitch lined up exactly where I want it and to match up the end with the beginning!

  1. Try stitching a drawstring with the 28mm Double Fold Bias Binder which fits our Baby Lock 8-thread sergers and our cover stitch machines! I also used the Teflon Foot to encourage more smooth feeding!

Before cutting the drawstring strip that you’ll need starch your fabric (this is very important)! Cut a 1” strip (or several for practice) from fold to selvage. This will give you about a 56” drawstring (if your knit is 60”). If you need a longer drawstring you could cut parallel to the selvage. Regardless make sure your fabric is starched prior to cutting. Set your serger up for a Chain Stitch with your needle in the C3 location and Stitch Length at 3. Secure the Binder Attachment to the cover/chain table on your machine with the white set screws that came with your Baby Lock 8-thread or cover/chain stitch machine. Line the attachment up with the needle so that when the strip comes out of the attachment the stitch will lay just inside the two rolled edges. Clip one end of the strip to a point and insert it into the attachment with the wrong side of the fabric facing towards you. Use the allen wrench that came with your serger to help start and feed the strip into the attachment down by the groove to continually and gently feed the fabric through rolling both edges in. Raise the presser foot and encourage the rolled edges while pulling the fabric up to and under the needle. Make sure it is aligned as best you can. Put the foot down. Start stitching slowly onto the folded edges. Try to catch both rolled edges as soon as possible. Once they are both caught you should be good to go and just continue serging all the way down the strip. Trim and knot each end and you have a drawstring! This one takes a little practice; keep at it and you’ll get it!

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