If I used a serger a lot I'd have the self threading one. We would eat rice and beans until it was paid for if had to be. The old one I have, it takes me several hours to get it threaded right.

Thanks for the thread. One of my patients had two sergers. She offered one to me. I haven't used it yet. I'll have to try it now.

I have one I bought at Sears about 10 years ago. The last time I used it I was so frustrated by the time I got it threaded:-( (the cat had been inspecting it) I was ready to toss the whole thing! I have a few things that would be easier to do with it, so someday soon, when I am feeling extra patient, I will get it going.(Did I really say that?) :-P

Ditter

if you look at the serger there are 4 places to put the thread through. if you go from left to right - you thread the third first then the forth and then the needles. Always make sure that you thread the needlels last - or the thread will break.

It's one of those "have to haves" that I could have lived without. It works fine after I get it threaded, though I don't use it all that often.

It's one of those "have to haves" that I could have lived without. It works fine after I get it threaded, though I don't use it all that often. It's a Singer that I bought many years ago and it is color-coded so it isn't a real problem. I bought it to use on napkins, etc, but find I like the hemmed edges better. It's great for knits or fabrics that ravel.

They are tricky little machines! I am lucky, mine has the instruction diagram right on the inside of the bottom door. It is color coded so it's easy to see. I would check utube to see if there are any videos you can watch. Good luck to you!

My first serger was a bear to thread traded that one in and have not had any problems since. I love my serger not going to give it up.

I have to take mine to the shop to get it threaded! I've made four garments in 15 years on it, so it was a total waste of money. It just sits in the sewing room, reproachfully.

It's a relief to know other people are having similar problems.
froggyintexas

Threading can be a pain; the easiest way I found to thread is to simply re-thread. I cut the thread close to the spool and single knot the new thread on then slowly run the machine until the new thread shows up in the loops; I do that for each one and then do the #1 thread that goes thru the needle. I always stop before the knot passes thru the needle and thread the needle by hand. I had some problems with the timing on my machine last year (first time I ever had to take it into the shop and it is 12 years old). Needless to say I had to take it back twice 'cause the guy who worked on it wasn't thorough. I was so happy to get her back 'cause she runs like new! It makes a difference in what order you thread your lower loopers 'cause if one thread should be over the other and it isn't you won't get your loops right. I hope that all makes sense.

I understand about the threading of a serger!!! I have had mine for 14 years and still can't do it. I go to my LQS whenever it runs out of thread, they shake their head and thread it for me. If I had gobs of money I would have several sergers with different colored threads.

The secret is not to unthread the Serger. Do you hear me laughing? The trick is to cut the thread near the cones and tie on the new colors, ( I double knot) run the Serger pulling slightly on the end of the thread until your new thread is in the needles. This will be running the thread all the way through to the needles and now you are ready to serge. Every once in a while my thread will come untied but I just thread the needle and continue with my project. Hope this helps. It is simple once you have learned the trick.

My first rule is, if you are having to completely rethread it, is never rethread it at night! I do so much better during the daylight hours. Easier to see the dots.
Mine is color coded and that is a big help.
I try to get by with cutting the old color and tying on the new color. I cut one color at a time. Be sure to double knot it and then pull it tight. The knot can't be very big because you want it to sew through the needle.
Then I start sewing on a scrap. When I start seeing all the new colors on my scrap, I know that it is now rethreaded. Hope this makes sense.
If all else fails, I read the manual. Oh, when rethreading from scratch, loosen the tensions to zero, then when you are done, turn it all the way to nine and then back to your original number. I make a note of where each tension should be set. I wrote it in my manual.

I have a serger singer about that age, I could copy the directions on how to thread it if that would be helpful.What make is it? My serger has the direction inside the drop down. you just follow the color line for each needle. really pretty easy once you do it a few times. I love my serger, so I bought another once recently, and it is not nearly as easy to thread as my old singer

Oh, and a pair of serger tweezers is a must to thread it with!

I'm glad that I'm not alone here.
I bought a serger 10 years ago and took it out of the box read the instructions and put it back in the box.
I finally ask my husband if he could try to thread it. 1 hour later he had it threaded. Now I never change the thread and when it runs out I tie the new to the old and run it through.
But there must be a easier was to thread them.
Mine has red thread where the red instructions go Blue where the blue go and so forth. I rainbow serge but I use it on the cut ends of fabric before I wash it.
Good luck we are all in the same "boat" when it comes to threading the "buggers" kjym Kathy

go on line to the company that sells that brand. Or you should have a diagram just inside your door to the loopers. If not the you should have a color guild loops that the thread goes through.Just follow them with the color on your tension on top . Thread yellow, blue, green, red in that order. Or if all else fails take it to a sewing machine repair shop and have it gone through if it has been that long since you used it. It may need to be oiled and adjusted.

that tying thing just doesn't work for me. Somehow I mess it up. I think it is serger block.

I would be glad to help..always thread the back looper (the first one one the right..then move over and thread the upper looper the second one from right..at this point i always loosen the looper tensions and with presser foot raised pull the looper threads to make sure they are moving through smoothly. repeat: do not thread the needle threads until after lower(back looper is threaded) depending on model and make..usuallin the inside needle is threaded and then the outside needle..again thread them with presser foot up (no tension) to make sure thread gets into tension.

if you wish to take a pic and email me with it i would be glad to help [email protected]

I always make sure that my presser foot is down while I am running the serger. As I said gently pull on the end of the threads that are already attached to the new thread. It really is a simple procedure.
I certainly hope it will work for you. Try again..

Mary Parrish of course the presser foot should be down when serger is in operation..sorry if i did not word that correctly..however even tying on and pulling through sometimes the knot on some models will not get "into" the tension and there will be difficulties/ most models are quite easy to thread and if you use a serger even tie ons break occasionally and you should be able to thread without tying on.

If my lower looper comes unthreaded I tie the end of thread to dental floss.Then thread it. The dental floss makes it easier.

I have an old White serger that has served me very well. Yes, at first threading is difficult, but with practice, it gets better. The lower looper is the hardest for me because of the delicate threading tool used to get the thread through the part below the needles. My old machine (1987) has markers for each thread passage. All I have to do is follow the path of red triangles, circles, diamonds, and squares.

Someone mentioned getting a good stitch after threading. If I don't get a good stitch after I've threaded the serger, I cut the threads and start over. I find I save time by doing this.
Also if I need to adjust the tension knobs, I turn all of them back to zero and work my way back up again.

Open the door on the bottom there is a diagram.

I have a baby lock. You put upper and lower loopers into their perspective holes, push a lever and a miracle happens. They are threaded. Baby lock uses a puff of air to shove the thread through.

does the baby lock puff the threads all the way to the needles, so all you have to do is thread the needle?

No, it is very easy to thread the needles. The puff of air does all of the lower threading which is my understanding the hard part. The thread that goes to the needles only goes through two hooks and then the needles.

I also have one I don't use much. Someone said to break the thread, tie the thread to the new color and pull through until you get to the needle. Hope this helps.

I have a Janome, threading is easy. Although the manual says to thread in order 1, 2, 3 then 4, my thread will keep breaking. I have discovered that if I thread it 2, 1, 3 then four it works every time without the thread breaking. No more frustration, and it only takes about 5 minutes to thread. Might want to try that.

The instructions that came with my serger are also in error. That's one reason I have to take it to the shop to get it threaded! froggyintexas

Wow, I'm relieved that I'm normal!!! I've had my serger for about 15 years and sometimes the threading goes great, smoothly. The easiest way is to attach the new thread with a knot and loosen the tensions pulling the thread through. If your knot is small enough the thread will pull all the way through except the needle. Then I cut off the knot and thread the eye. BUT, when the thread has broken and you can't use this method it is a real bummer!!!
I have spent and hour or more! The "path" instructions are on the
door that drops down but it doesn't show the very last part of the
looper threads, one must go over the other......or it just won't
work right! Eventually I get it, but sometimes it takes a few trys!
Always when I'm in a hurry!!! I love the machine! I wish it was
easier to thread!

Yes, I've wanted one of those for a long time. But for the amount of serging I do now (since I don't sew garments anymore), I'll hang on to my dinosaur and put my money into things for quilting. But IF the dinosaur should just happen to "bite the dust" I'll be getting one of those new geniuses.

I got my serger in 2004 as a bribe. My husband had promised I would not have to move again. He was hired by another company and and we moved from VA to NH. Anyway, it doesn't do some of the fancier stitches the newer ones do but I am happy with it.

Thank you for the site. I have been threading it wrong all this time, I just asked my hubby to pull it out of the shed for me yesterday. So guess what I am doing today. God bless. Penny

Tallulah - I LOL! at your comment about not to thread at night!!! That is sooooo true!!! It always takes longer at night - I will have a more difficult time figuring out/remembering the steps! :) but during the day it seems less painful (LOL, well at least sometimes!!) :)

Ok, have you noticed that if you need light colored thread, the dark will be on the serger, and if you need dark thread, the light will be on? I am a happy girl when I take the cover off and there is the color I need on it!!! lol

LOL!! I was just thinking that!! That always happens!!

Ok, my last thought on this. When my serger was brand new I bought red, navy, cream, white, and black cones. Now even if I need one of those colors, I use the cream or black. Is that lazy or what? Or do I just not care??? ha

If it matches up close - good to go!

When I was doing garment sewing (especially during the summer months when I worked on my wardrobe for the coming school year) I would use four different neutrals and use that for all the colors I was working on. I'd keep the light-colored sewing or the white to work on all at one time. The neutrals I'd use were a medium beige, a lighter beige, and two different grays, one pretty dark and one a little lighter. It worked for me. And after all I was the only one seeing the inside of my garments.

I also considered the colors I was working with at the time. Sometimes I'd notice that most of my fabric was in the blue family, or perhaps in the browns. Then I'd use colors that worked with the particular groups of fabrics. Sounds OCD, huh. Honestly , I'm definitely NOT, but it worked for me.

:lol: