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Quick Tip Tuesday: How to Align Coverstitching

June 17, 2015 by SewMaris 12 Comments

It drives you nuts when you hem a garment “in the round” on your coverstitch machine, and the last few stitches stitches don’t line up perfectly with the beginning stitches, huh? Me too!

How to coverstitch knit hems by Sew Maris

I was hemming a bunch of items the other day, and decided to try marking one of the stitching lines so I could have an alignment guide to help me “join up” the coverstitch. I was using a 3-thread coverstitch, so I drew a little line with my Frixion pen on the center row of stitches (in red above). It really helped! I was able to tweak my alignment so the join was much better.

What tricks do you use to get your coverstitch “join” to line up nicely?

Happy sewing!
Maris

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: coverstitch, hemming knits, knits, sewing tips

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Comments

  1. New Ribena

    June 18, 2015 at 5:49 am

    I have a clear presser foot on my cover stitch machine which allows me to see the stitching line.

    Reply
    • Carrie

      June 18, 2015 at 6:28 am

      I have a clear foot too, which makes it much easier to line up the final stitches.

      I’m hoping you’re going to cover how to avoid the dreaded uneven stitches at thick seams when coverstitching – I’ve started loosening the pressure on the foot and going really slow but it still turns out so ugly! Also, how do you knot-off your coverstitch threads? I must be doing it wrong because after a few wears/washes mine have started to un-tie and ravel.

      Reply
      • SewMaris

        June 18, 2015 at 7:16 am

        I tried loosening the pressure first, but for me increasing the pressure seems to work better. Never gotten the stitching perfect but improved it.

        Reply
    • SewMaris

      June 18, 2015 at 7:14 am

      Lucky you! Those are wonderful, but so far Bernina hasn’t made one. Boo.

      Reply
  2. Annette

    June 18, 2015 at 7:41 am

    Am going to try the Frixion pen as my joins always looks horrible. I have found that starting the coverstitch about 1″ before or after the seam also helps – maybe putting the 2 tips in use will get the right result.

    Reply
    • SewMaris

      June 18, 2015 at 7:43 am

      Oh yes Annette – I NEVER start the stitching right on the garment seam. Definitely a recipe for trouble. Good luck with the Frixion pen trick!

      Reply
  3. Heather

    June 18, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    I am one of the lucky ones with a clear presser foot too, it really helps! I am curious to know how you finish your coverstitching too. Right now I knot the threads at the end, is there another way?

    Reply
    • Cecelia

      February 12, 2016 at 12:41 pm

      I’ve heard teachers online say you can just cut them off but I think they can unravel. I pull the starting threads to the inside and tie a knot before I go over them at the end of the hemming. I tie a knot for those threads as well. So far, I haven’t had anything unravel.

      Reply
  4. Anne

    June 18, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    this is the best explanation I’ve ever seen for ending a coverstitch and it works every time.

    http://stitchesandseams.blogspot.com/2001/01/coverstitch-how-to-end-coverstitch.html

    Reply
    • SewMaris

      June 18, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      Thanks Anne!!!

      Reply
      • Kansas Sky

        June 19, 2015 at 7:15 am

        Those coverstitch tips on Debbie Cook’s “Stitches and Seams” blog site are perfect. She shows how to end a hem sewn in the round by pulling the threads forward and clipping. Then the machine pulls them to the wrong side. It’s perfect. I’ve never had any raveling. Also, I’m a sworn Bernina girl, but my Babylock Coverstitch machine is a marvel. I’ve never had those skipped stitches when crossing a seamline. THANK YOU for the Frixion pen tip. I’m gonna try that today!

        Reply
        • SewMaris

          June 19, 2015 at 7:25 am

          Thanks, Kansas Sky!!

          Reply

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