Thread wont overlock

Two things make sure your threading it in the right order. your upper looper first then your lower looper then your needles. If your doing that then change your needles and if your using cheap thread on an overlock it just wont sew right. You need to use a good quality thread on overlocks. Hope that helps

I don't know your model in particular but generally this is how you set up a serger/overlocker to create a rolled hem. Remove the left hand needle and thread if 4 threads are threaded). Now there is usually a lever around the stitching area that you slide back towards you to remove the stitching finger back (disengaged). Then you adjust the top looper tension looser (about 2-3) and lower looper tension tighter (7 or 8). Leave needle tension at normal tension (5). You may need to move the cutting blade to the right too. The technique is to cut the fabric wider but with a narrow stitch so the cut edge rolls under within the stitching. You want the top looper thread really loose so it rolls right around underneath up against the needle thread, the lower looper thread needs to be tight and almost invisible, pulling the upper looper thread down. I usually do a few test runs and check the stitching. Once happy, I turn the stitch length right down to 1 so it is very dense. This uses a lot of thread up.

Ideally use a wooly overlock thread on the upper looper as this "fluffs" out once stitched and "fills" in covering the fabric edge completely.
some good images here
Sewing Basics Narrow Rolled Hems with Serger Sew Mama Sew Outstanding...

Your owner's manual should have instructions for rolled hem settings. My Bernina manual has a the following settings:
Medium weight fabric
80/12 Universal needle
3 cones serger thread
Upper looper 3-5
Lower looper 7-9
Left needle (no thread)
Right needle 3-5
Stitch length 1-1.5
Cutting width 2-3
Differential feed N

Can use woolly thread in the upper looper, but the tension may need to be loosened since the woolly nylon thread will stretch.


Make It Handmade Threading Your Serger or Overlocker

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The 335 has a two thread chain stitch (stitch type 401), and the overlock side (right needle side), is a three thread plain overlock. If you are describing the plain overlock as the problem, I would first suggest the following in re-threading:

1. Thread the upper looper
2. Thread the lower looper
3. Thread the needle last (important)

If the needle threaded, you cannot re-thread the lower looper without breaking the thread.
In order to thread the lower looper, the lower looper must pass by the needle thus picking up the needle thread. So, instead of threading the lower looper thread underneath the needle thread, the looper would be threaded on top and cannot sew without breaking the thread.
Make sure that the threads are bedded between the tension disks. Check this by stretching the thread fore and aft of the tension disks as well as visually noting that the threads are not accidentally threaded behind the disks. You can also loosen the tension disks when threading so as to allow the threads to bed deeply between the disks.
Please reply with your observations.

Hello Mary.
By the question, it looks like the lower looper is making loops? If so, check that you are using the correct needles for your serger and that the needle or needles is/are inserted correctly:
- needles must be all the way up into the needle shaft
- needles must face with the flat side to the back and the groove to the front
- use at least needle size 12/80, not smaller

Check these few items, if the loops are still not forming:
- re-thread the serger from the start, keeping in mind to thread in the proper sequence (upper looper, lower looper, needles)
- make sure that the lower looper thread lays on top of the upper looper thread and is passed to the back of the serger and then under the presser foot when threading
- make sure that the thread are securely engaged IN the tension assembly
- make sure that the serger is set for 3-thread or 4-thread overlock (i.e. that the upper looper converter is not engaged)
- check all tension setting
- stitch length should be around 2.5 - 3.5

Let me know how it goes.
Happy serging!

I don't know your babylock well, some of these have automatic tensions and electronic stitch selection. But a rolled hem is achieved on any overlocker in the following way; the actual dials and knobs might vary a bit.

Firstly there is a stitch finger that you need to change or retract so that the thread can roll the fabric rather than staying flat. For a normal seam this finger sticks out in the area where the loopers and needle form the stitch holding the cut edge flat until the seam is made over it. But for rolled hems you want to retract this finger so it does roll.

On the Bernettes this is a little lever in front of the stitching area that you pull back to retract the finger. Have a look around where the stitch forms and you should see the finger. Some machines, its a part you change on the needle plate with a screw driver, or just move a switch or lever.

You want the right hand needle in place, remove the left hand needle.

Thread upper looper with wooly overlock thread, this is a fluffy nylon that pulls flat under tension but relaxes and "fills" out once its stitched into place. Gives that lovely covered look you see on shop bought tablecloth edges. Your regular thread in needle and lower looper. Usually cutting blade to the right side as you want it to cut more fabric than in the seam so it rolls under. Now loosen off the tension on the top looper, (I use 2 on mine but this is something you need to finesse with each machine), and tighten up the tension on lower looper, (about 7). Leave needle tension alone.

Now test stitch on your fabric, and finess the upper and lower looper tensions until you get the lower looper thread almost not showing, it should be right up against the needle on the underside with the upper looper thread completely wrapping around top and bottom, pulling the fabric under.a seam like this.


Test stitch and adjust upper and lower looper until this is happening.

Now, turn stitch length down to close up the stitching, probably 1 or 0.8 if you want a real satin stitch look to the hem.

Because of the stitch density this uses thread so do the finessing first, then turn the length down.

That's it! Now right down the tension settings you used and keep handy for next time.

Rolled hemming on any overlocker is usually achived the following way. Right hand needle only.
Blade over to the right usually to cut wider than normal but you can vary this to suit the fabric and stitch width you want.
Thread in this needle and the upper and lower loopers. If you can source any, use woolly overlock thread in the upper looper, this fluffs out when not tensioned and covers the fabric to give the look of solid stitching. Change upper looper tension to about 2 and lower looper tension to about 6 or 7.

The lever by the plate is usually to control the little stitch finger where the stitches are formed, move it backwards and it should move back towards you?? If this happens, then you want it in the retracted (towards you) position for rolled hemming so the stitching is much smaller and the fabric can roll. Normally this stitch finger holds the fabric firm for the loopers to form the stitch over for your normal 3 or 4 thread overlock.

Now test stitch and see how it looks. Tighten the lower looper thread so it lays right beside the needle on the underside. You may need to then tighten or loosen more the upper looper, you want the upper thread to wrap all the way around to the underneath against the lower looper thread and needle.

The cut edge of fabric should roll to underneath inside your seam. Once you've got this happening, turn the stitch length down to 0.5 or so to close it right up tight. This uses heaps of thread so I usually test everything else, then close it up at the end to minimise waste.

Hope this makes sense, good luck.

no, you need the blade in place and cutting to give an even cut fabric edge. Set up for a three thread using the right hand needle, take out the left hand needle. move blade over to the right so it is cutting wide. Most overlockers there is also a thread finger you need to change on the foot, or a little lever you flick to move this finger forward into the stitching area. Check this on your manual as each make is a bit different.
If you can source it, put wooly nylon thread into the upper looper (knot it onto existing thread and just chain it through, the knot should go through the looper eye fine). Now turn the tension on top looper down so it is looser and tighten up tension on bottom looper, so needle 5, top looper 2 and bottom looper about 7.

Now test serge, the fabric cut edge should be wider than the overlocking seam so the fabric rolls under inside the stitching. Adjust the two looper threads so that this is happening, you want the bottom looper thread to nest right up against the needle stitch and the top looper thread to wrap all the way around too.

Once you've got this happening, turn the stitch length down to 0.5, to close the stitching right up. On some fabrics you'll need to adjust the differential feed too if the fabric is "waving" a bit.

Uneven stitches or sometimes loose when serging could indicate that one of the tension devices is faulting, so if this machine is not new and its doing this, it could need a service. Can you get a regular smooth three or 4 thread seam out if it???

It is always good to just recheck the threading path, make sure the thread aerial is up and that a thread hasn't got caught back on the thread stand somewhere if you're getting something wonky happening, threads stream off overlocker cones through the machine so anything wrong in the thread path will throw off the stitching.

You haven't specified your overlocker make and model but some parts of the set up will be the same; you still need to consult your machine manual to find out the changes needed to the foot. Bernettes have a little switch near the blade that you flick to change how the stitch forms so it rolls.

You need a 3 thread overlock with the right hand needle (I'm assuming you have a 4 thread lock) turn the stitch length down to 0.5 so it is very closed up. And there is usually a little thread finger on the foot that needs to be changed or a switch you flick to move it back.

Then lower the tension down on the upper looper so this thread goes over the edge to the underside and tighten up the lower looper dial so this thread lies against the needle stitch.

Move the blade to the right so the fabric is cut wider than the seam that the threads are forming so the cut edge rolls underneath and is encased in the threads.

It is best to use wooly overlock thread on at least the top looper so this "fills" in the rolled edge.

If you visit you-tube and search using "Rolled Hem" or Nancy Zieman you should find some helpful videos too.

Make sure you have threaded the machine from right to left, it sounds like the needle thread is trapped under the lower looper thread and cannot form a stitch.........start the threading over from scratch like this:

1. Lower Looper
2. Upper Looper
3. Left Needle
4. Right Needle

Is there a diagram for how to thread on the inside of the door ?

Follow that slowly and carefully to make sure you have not missed any thread guides on the way, as each one needs to be followed through to ensure correct tension and thread progression.

If you are certain that all threaded correctly, did you have a fabric jam and pulled it loose ? If so, the timing may well be affected.

Post an update and we'll get this right.

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