How To: Serger Cover Stitch Pintucks

We have serging on our minds this week! Our newest DVD, Serger Workshop: The Serger Caddy, releases today, and we just wrapped up our Serger I Martha Pullen Teacher Licensing event over the weekend. To celebrate, we'd like to share the following guide for making "mock" folded tucks on your serger. They're fast, easy and look great:


1. Set your serger for narrow cover stitch (middle and right needle), and an extra accessory foot - the pintuck foot and guide finger.

2.  Attach the pintuck foot and guide pin (photo 1). Photo 2 shows the bottom of the pintuck foot. See the groove? 

Photo 1 (left) and Photo 2

3. Mark a line on your fabric for the first tuck. Place the fabric on top of the "guide pin" and under the foot with the mark in between the two needle marks on the foot. Serge (photo 3). 

4. Because the fabric is on top of the "guide pin" and the foot has a groove in the bottom, excess fabric is pulled up between the two cover stitch needles, creating a hump in the fabric (photo 3 - look at the back of the presser foot).

Photo 3

5. To make a second tuck, place the outer edge of the foot against the previous tuck (photo 4). Serge. The second tuck will be a "foot's width" from the first tuck. Repeat for the number of tucks needed.

Photo 4

6. Press all of the excess fabric in one direction. The pressed fold will hide one of the needle threads, creating a mock folded tuck (photo 5). 

Photo 5

For more great tips, check out the Serger Workshop: The Serger Caddy DVD now. Or, pre-order our Serger Workshop: The Sarasota Clutch DVD, where master serger educator Missy Billingsley will show you how to make the fabulous Sarasota Clutch. You too will be a serger master when you discover all of Missy's serger tips and tricks!

Serger Workshop: The Sarasota Clutch includes: 

• Notions, Cutting and Marking
• Creating the Tab or Wrist Strap
• Chain Stitch Gathering
• Creating the Pockets
• And more!

Sew On, Sew Well, Sew Beautiful,
Kathy and Amelia