The Artful Crafter | Crafts | Craft Guide
>Home>Craft Ideas>Sewing>Serged Stitch Removal

Serged Stitch Removal

Quickly Pulling a Serged Stitch

How do you remove seam stitching? I am referring to is the type that they always use on clothes you buy at the store.

This stitch is very hard for me to rip out because it is so strong with lots of thread and stitching. You know, like the side seam on a knit top, or the hem seam in a pair of pants.

Sometimes I accidentally pull a loose thread and the whole pant leg comes undone--but I don't know which thread to pull when I want to undo it ON PURPOSE.

Is there a secret thread that you can cut and pull out the whole thing? I need to undo a large amount of seam stitching and would love to know this secret!

I don't know anyone who is an expert seamstress, but if you can help me I sure would appreciate it. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Christine


The stitch you are referring to is called an overlock stitch and is done by a special sewing machine called a serger. The act of using the machine is called serging.

Over time the stitch has commonly become known as a serged stitch.

Think of a serged stitch as a ladder, with two uprights joined by many rungs.

Serged Stitch Closeup

To remove a serged seam, first cut the ladder’s uprights across the length you want to undo.

You may have to do it in sections if you are undoing a lot of the seam. The photo below shows me cutting the right side of the top upright at the fabric’s edge.

Cutting serged stitch

Below is me cutting the left side of the top upright.

Cutting serged stitch

Next grasp the thread you just cut and pull it out.

Cutting serged stitch

Then cut both sides of the bottom upright in similar fashion. Remove the cut thread.

Cutting serged stitch

The chain stitch which forms the ladder’s rungs can now be pulled away in one simple movement.

Removing thread

Occasionally a seam will have a line of straight stitching for reinforcement in addition to the overlock. You can see one in this example.

Then you’ll have to get out the ol’ seam ripper as usual.


Recommended Reading

These books are excellent resources for sewers of all skill levels.


sewing, sewing tips, sewing patterns

Sew to Success: How to Make Money in a Home-Based Sewing Business

By: Kathleen Spike


sewing, sewing tips, sewing patterns

Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book

By: Anne Marie Soto


sewing, sewing tips, sewing patterns

Sewing for Dummies

By: Janice Saunders Maresh


sewing, sewing tips, sewing patterns

The Complete Book of Sewing: A Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Every Technique

By: Chris Jefferys

  | Top | Sewing | Crafts | Home |

PhotoJewelry


Site search Web search

Please take a brief survey to help us serve you better.


Specials

Free Shipping at Artbeads

Sizzix - Scrapbooking, Cardmaking, Stamping and More!
Free shipping on orders of $100 or more!

Free Shipping on all orders over $75 at Creative Visions

Scrapbook.com: Thousands of scrapbooking supplies. HUGE daily discounts!

Favorite Craft Sites

ScrapGirls
Layers Upon Layers
Scanner Magic
Stamping Mad
Hankering For Yarn
A Creative Journal
Tangled Thread
Quilting & Patchwork
Nanas Attic
Prima Hybrid
Sprague Lab

 



 
 
Craft Supplies
Wooden Letters
Family Stickers


Craft Topic Index

Beading
Candles
Collage
Computer Crafting
Crochet & Knitting
Cross Stitching
Decals
Decoupage
Digital Scrapbooking
Embossing
Fabric
Gift Bags
Gourds
Holiday Crafts
Homecoming Mums
Home Cured Clay
Jewelry Making
Leather
Mason Jars
Paper Crafts
Party & Wedding Planning
Quilting
Ribbon Crafts
Scrapbooking
Sewing
Soap Making
Stamping
Teen Crafts
Wall Coverings
Wood Working

If you would like to see other crafts covered, Contact Us


Subscribe to The Artful Crafter RSS feed

(What's RSS)

While you're at it, subscribe to the free monthly Artful Crafter Digest.

For more frequent craft news and ideas, visit The Artful Crafter Blog.


ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: add to BlinkBlink add to Del.icio.usDel.icio.us add to DiggDigg
add to FurlFurl add to GoogleGoogle add to SimpySimpy add to SpurlSpurl Bookmark at TechnoratiTechnorati add to YahooY! MyWeb

|Newsletter Archives | Site Map |Online Resources |Subscribe | About Us | Contact Us | Privacy |

Copyright© 2004- 2008 The Artful Crafter

Return to top

counter