# Piecing with a serger?



## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

Since I am really, really new at this quilting and piecing stuff I have a really silly question, can you do your piecing on a serger? I don't know if it would even be possible but my serger has a 1/4" seam setting. Sorry if this is an old question but I was just wondering.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I've been thinking about giving it a try. I've read here or somewhere else that someone has done it before.

It would pretty much need to be straight seams until you/I'm good at it.

I may have to give the log cabin style block a try. 

Angie


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## sewtlm (Mar 22, 2006)

short seams are hard to do on a serger but Yes you can piece on a serger. If you are an accuracy nut then you won't be as pleased with the results because you can't sew right up to the pin.

I like to do strip quilts on the serger (Quilt in a Day). My dd quilt (QID Double Irish Chain)is also 95% serged/quilted in the Fast, Fun and Done method. The only regular machine sewing was the final stitching on the binding.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

A friend of mine regularly uses her serger for quilting. 
Usually because she's putting something together out of a new fabric line and she intends to just hang the top in her store, rather than finishing the whole thing out.
But from the front you'd never know it was serged rather than sewn.


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## Shepherd (Jan 23, 2005)

OK I gotta ask - what's a Quilt in a Day? Some method of actually putting together a quilt in one day?!?


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## sewtlm (Mar 22, 2006)

Quilt in a Day was patented by Eleanor Burns is a method of piecing together the top using 45in strips sewn together and then cutting them apart into smaller pieces and re-sewing to form bocks.

And YES I can cut and sew together a quilt top in one 8-hour day using this method. The simplest are Irish Chain, Double Irish Chain, Log Cabin, Trip-Around-the-World, Amish style, and Split Rail Fence. I have even done a Raidient Star and a Broken Dishes Star in 1-2 days depending on if I screw up the angled cuts.

Can you tell I don't sew slow?

The only time that I don't finsh a quilt top, with fancy cutting, in 1 week is if I have to work at school alot or I desire to do Embroidery fussy squares. I have actually taught this to people but many get hung up on the cutting so I always recommended that you cut the strips one day and sew the next so it will take 2 days when you start.


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## Glenda in MS (Sep 15, 2007)

I did a blocky crazy quilt for hubby for Christmas a few years ago on my serger. IT turned out ok. I used facric scraps and peices from fabrics we had used in decorating our homes through the years. IT was fun and meaningful- 
Pretty? Not so much!

I don't think I would do another one on the serger. I love peicing in my 6500P.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I've always found it rather perplexing why someone would piece on their serger over a sewing machine? That's a lot of extra thread!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

reason: faster and sometimes "neater" , and could be interesting with loopers in verigated threads and seam on top?


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## cc (Jun 4, 2006)

Thank you everyone, I was just wondering if it was "better" or just different. The idea of putting the seams on top with a special thread in the upper looper would be something to do later.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

The serger, or the way I run one, wouldn't be able to piece the intricate patterns very well. I ditto the extra thread issue too. The seams would be heavier for quilting through also when you get the piecing done. But I have done it. Dont tell- one quilt I made a very simple long strips of different colors. I _tore _the fabric strips and used the serger to get rid of the 'strings'. 

Serging tip: if you put pins in from the other direction - pointy end towards seam allowance rather than from the outside into the fabric; and set it back behind the seam
allowance, you don't have to worry about running over them with the serger or even taking them out. Now I put my pins in that way even with a regular machine.


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## Garnet (Sep 19, 2003)

I think it's overkill for most pieced projects. The only time I used a serger for piecing was for a diamond star skirt. I wanted to protect the seam edges from abrasion when the garment was worn.

Since a pieced quilt top is enclosed and stabilized with quilting, there won't be fraying along the seam edges.


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