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When I first got my serger I pieced a quilt. I think it makes seams so neat, did not notice extra bulk. I loved it. Just had my serger tuned up and getting ready to do another one.

I use the serger for a lot of quilt tops. Making charity quilts it takes less time. Have better luck matching seams with serger sometimes than with sewing machine. Never noticed bulk in any top. The one, I am making now is first in a while that I am using sewing machine.
Serger thread can be bought cheap and why have a machine just collecting dust. First one I did was the log cabin. When you serge you can make table toppers in a hurry. :thumbup:

Denise,
The Viking store where I work, we were taught to piece the store sample quilts with a serger and its easy; once you figure out where the 1/4" seam allowance should be.
Sharon W.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeniseP

I have wondered about this but never asked. I have two sergers and love them for just about any sewing project. One is industrial that can handle anything and the other is a home machine that can only handle cotton. Has anyone ever serged a quilt together? I am tempted to try it, but afraid I will ruin it or will only realize at the end that I should not have done it.

Terry, Sounds like a flat lock stitch. Depending on which side you look at the seam one is a "ladder" and the other is more of a criss-cross type stitch.

I have done some early quilts by taking panels and serging on straight borders. Several rounds of borders to make a throw size quilt.
I may have even done a serger "satin stitch" to finish the edges of some of those quilts. I know I quilted them by using decorative stitches over the seams with decorative threads. <G> the last I saw of some of those they were beginning to look well used. But they have held up for almost 10 years. <G>

Serging would be a good way to do a "casual" type quilt pattern, not a lot of intricate piecing, fairly large pieces, that is to be used as a "summer quilt". Summer quilts don't usually have batting and are just tacked to a backing. Often they are just "pillowcased" and turned to back them. Simple stitching helps hold the back and top together.

Pati, in Phx

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terryl

I wish I could remember which stitch we used when I made my quilt on the serger, the class I took was for a wall hanging, but me, being me, I made a kingsized quilt, just tripled the pattern we were using, anyway seems to me we serged the fabric wrong sides together, then when we opened the blocks out they were flat but you could see the stitches, sort of like decorative stitches. I didn't notice any extra bulk when it was quilted. I'm in the process of moving now so once we get settled (if I don't forget) maybe I'll take the quilt out and see if I can identify which stitch we used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prism99

Come to think of it, I think I've seen blue jeans quilts where the pieces were serged wrong sides together with decorative red thread. The red seams were pretty. The quilt didn't need a backing fabric, so it was lighter than most blue jeans quilts, and of course less work to make because no quilting.

I will have to see if I can find a picture online.

Many, many years ago Kaye Wood did several TV shows using the serger. She would do patchwork with the seams on the outside, serged with decorative thread. If the seams are wide you can treat them like tucks and stitch them down in alternating directions and so on. It is a great way to add some additional color or bling (by using metallic or lame type threads in your loopers) to a project.
A lot of those early projects were used as parts of clothing, but they would also be great as accents or textured pieces in quilts and bags.

Pati, in Phx

Eleanor Burns has a quilt done on the serger
Renda

Today I saw a qullt top all pieced with the serger, the seams were all flat and it really looked nice. This was at a very nice shop.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeniseP

I did a really pretty prayer quilt for my church quilting group. I was great .... that is til one of the women stretched it so the serging showed and then laughed.

Now I would only serge if I completely finish the quilt. I still prefer the sewing machine to the serger for piecing.

ali

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeniseP

I have not done it myself, but this morning on Fons and Porter, a guest not only pieced the quilt with a serger, she quilted it. Never saw anything like it.

I have made many serger quilts. Usually make bigger blocks and have never had any problems quilting them on my HQ midarm. I also serge my fabric edges before washing to keep down the strings. Every year my guild gets together and we make the 6 hour quilts for the local shelters.