:cry: I have a Serger I brought 4 years ago. I used it once, until I un-threaded it.....does anyone have any idea of how to Thread a Serger, especially the upper and lower loopers> :oops: Instructions are not very clear...

What brand is it? There might be some online help.

What brand is it? There might be some online help.
(sorry double post, how did that happen :roll: )

Here's a couple videos--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ii05...eature=related

http://www.ehow.com/video_4437040_th...g-machine.html

I have a 20 year old Simplicity brand serger (the name does NOT fit - not simple at all :( ). I have to thread the 3rd & 4th before the 1st & 2nd. When it's threaded correctly it works beautifully. When the thread breaks or I want to change color, I can never get it right. It has so few miles on it for that reason. I wish it was easier. They sell self threading ones...sure wish I could afford that one!

Someone gave me a serger - I was excited - until I went to thread it - egad!!! It's going back to them...

I had the same problem and went back to the shop twice to learn to thread it. Then I realized what my problem was.
I had learned to thread it in order of the instructions and I should have focused on learning to thread each looper regardless of the order. So I went back and we threaded each individually regardless of the order and I finally GOT IT. The instruction book should be tossed for what good it is.
When you get it threaded try and be careful and not let the loopers get unthreaded. I am sure you know this but when changing thread, tie the next color to the end of that on the machine. Watch the path as the new color goes thru the loopers. This will reinforce the threading.

Mine takes me an hour to thread. Once is done I tie a knot at the end so there is no chance for it to come undone. When I need it I cut the knot and tie it again when I am done. If I need to change colors I tie the new thread to the old one fo follow the path. Is the only way if I don't want to be there for hours.

Yes they can be tempermental litte devils. When I am changing colours on mine I always allow 1 hour, but if it works right the first time it only takes a couple of minutes, but there have been several times when I needed the whole hour and sometimes more (lol)

When I first got mine I spent a whole day trying to get it threaded. That lower looper .... well, I can't say it here! Then the next day I thougt, give it one more try. That was the day I realized mine was a self-threader and the manual didn't tell me that! It was a manual that was used for several models. :oops:

Arent they the hardest things to thread? But! The manual tells you how, and you must follow the directions. Those darn things must be threaded in the correct order or it just don't work! Ask me how I know! Oh, you casn buy a looper threader that really helps with that lower looper!

Don't give up. Once you get the hang of it, they are WONDERFUL machines. I love mine. My frustration comes from changing needles but I found the neatest tool at quilt show to simplify that.

The posts saying to tie the new thread to the old and let it thread itself (once you get it threaded the first time) is the best advice. Then pray the thread doesn't break :cry: :cry:

I don't have, will never have and have never had any experience with a serger so I don't know if my suggestion is logical. Viewing from the outside as one who does not know anything about them, I am wondering if the thread path would accomodate 'crochet' yarn? If it would, could you thread each path with a different bright color of yarn and photo the thread paths for future reference. ?????????? If the yarn wouldn't work would there be any value in taking a photo of the thread paths when it is threaded with serger thread? Maybe each path in different colors.
If this is just a dumb idea ignore me as one who has no idea.

Thank you all for the suggestions. It is a relief to know that I'm not the only one who has a hard time with this situation. The Brand name I have forgotten, since I put the serger way in the back of my closet. I brought it on HSN.
But I will try every suggestion given to me...
WISH ME LUCK!!!

Thanks Again.

I hate it when the threads break in the serger.

I have problems with getting the thread to go through some of the holes in the bars in the path.

How I "deal with" that - I have some stiff nylon thread - the kind that would scratch if used on underwear - and I run it "backwards" through the holes - and then tie on the thread I want to use and pull it through.

I use the machine a lot - but rethreading it when the threads break is a major bother.

I'm going to dig it out of my Closet, one more time and try again. After I go on UTube, I will be tying the ends togther, so I won't have this problem again...hopefully :thumbup:

what kind is it? so you could find a video or tutorial to watch online

I forget what brand it is. But will search UTube for a Tutorial. Brought it from HSN.....lol

I sold my serger not long after I got it. Too much frustration to thread it. good luck with yours.

Thanks mic-pa.....going to try once again. I hate that this situation is getting the best of me.

I must be lucky. I've never had problems with mine. Each brand has goods and bads. I've found the cheaper the serger, the harder to thread (this is especially true for older sergers). Advice without knowing what your machine is and your specific issue (you might get the needles right but the loopers wrong kind of thing) isn't really helpful. I suggest that you find someone that knows how to thread it, use different colors for each path, then follow the path. Photograph it, draw it out, whatever works for you and write you own personal directions that makes sense to YOU. I can guarantee that any manual I write makes sense to me, but half my readers will be scratching their head going, HUH?

I always refer to the threading diagram on the inside of the cover (opens on the left). Each path is color-coded, plus the number. It is *very* important to thread in the numbered-order; otherwise the thread can keep breaking on you. If I break one thread, I usually have to take all the threads out in order t re-thread in the proper order.

I also loosen all the tension knobs as much as possible before threading to help get the threads seated properly in the tensions. I don't tighten the tensions until everything is threaded.

Once you have it threaded correctly, and want to change threads, the easiest thing to do is cut the old threads near the spools, then tie the new thread onto the old thread. You cannot do this with the needle threads (knot will usually not go through the eye of the needle), but it works *great* for the loopers, which are the most difficult anyway.

My SIL told me always tie the new thread to the old one and pull it through, I have always done this and works like a charm,

And this method works great until a thread breaks in the looper part.
:|

Mine is color coded. For example, for one of the loopers, I have to put the thread that goes around the blue tension knob through everything that is blue, etc., etc. Is yours color coded?

Mine is too and it really simplifies things. Mine is a Toyota and it's 18 years old now so they might be different now.

I have an inexpensive Brother serger, and the threading is colour-coded so not that difficult. I just have to remember to use the switch that brings out part of the lower looper (making it pretty simple).

Threading.......
I always have difficulty threading a serger and blame it on my poor old eyes.

However, I have found a perfect solution for myself.

I simply call my daughter-in-law who has young bright eyes and miracles of miracles, she shows up at my door and problem solved. (LOL, ROFL).

Guess you could say I have to do what I have to do.

Good luck threading, I keep trying before I make that phone call.
Sue

I am on my third serger. The first one I bought when they first became available in the 80s. It was a real pain. The second one was a Bernina basic model. I hated threading it but I used it for at least 16 years. I now upgraded to a little fancier Bernina. It is much easier to thread will even let you do it out of order. It doesn't have the built in cover stitch. I was not interested in the cover stitch. In the last year I have put together at least 250 Linus quilts with it. Almost all commercial sewing is done on sergers.

Ladies, I use to work in a garment factory and sewed on a serger, and I own one now.The loopers are a bit harder to thread but if you have a pair of long tweezers it makes the job a lot easier.My serger has dots painted on the places where the thread goes.
Also for those who have trouble changing the thread, tie on, losen the tension and pull through until you have the color in hand ( you will have to break the thread near the needles, they will pull through but not very easy and you can break the needle) when all is re-threaded just reset tension.Always do a practice sew first.

My sister got a good hint which I follow. Thread from the bottom up and I even pull the thread out of the needles till I get the loopers threaded. It seems that the thread from the needles gets involved with the loopers in a bad way if they are threaded when you turn the wheel to thread the loopers. I usually tie the new colors with a good small knot) to the looper threads as I take off the old colors on top. They pull the thread thru the path. The left looper is difficult, but I have a tweezers to insert the thread into the looper bar that moves over the right looper. I do a lot of sewing on knits and garments and find the serger very useful.

directions should be on the cover were you open it my is hard to thread but if you get it right it sews good

I have a singer that I have taken to the shop 3 times just so they can thread it. Now instead of driving one hour for them to thread it I broke down and bought a babylock serger. NO MORE Threading it does it automatically!

I guess I've never had much trouble threading my serger. It's a White and has little hooks instead of holes for the thread to go through. It also has a color coded threading diagram on the hatch to guide me. Although most of the time I do tie the new color onto the old one to thread it. Once it is threaded, I readjust the tensions, hold on to the ends of the threads & give a gentle tug on each thread above the tensions to "set" the thread in the tensions properly & give it a test sew to make sure everything is working right before starting on my project.

My Huskylock serger was my mom's, purchased before my dad died in 1983...dunno for sure how old it is!
She was good about keeping everything, and it has a threading chart with it. I can thread it fairly fast...about 5 or 10 minutes, even tho I don't use it often. It does help that it's color coded.

One of the things I found most helpful (if the knot comes undone when you pull a new color through, as some have explained) is those little blue dental loops. They are easy to thread becasue the loop is so large, easy to hold as you guide the thread through the proper sequence, and go through all the appropriate holes except sometimes the needle.

I recently bought a used serger off Craig's List - a Toyota. I was so intimidated that I couldn't do anything....I was frozen. I mentioned on this blog that someone had the same Serger and they offered their manual to me. That's when I had to admit to myself that I was just scared to try it. So I took a block of time...couple of hours....and using the manual taught myself to thread the machine and get it to work....then with my heart in my throat, I unthreaded it and did it again....then unthreaded it and did it again. It's amazing how it can be so freeing. Give it a try.

OK I bought a juno serger,(about $200.) could not for the life of me figure out how to thread it. Wanted to toss it out the window, was so mad.
Went to my local Pfaff dealer and bought a ($1100. Pfaff serger) Which had on line threading info and a CD of the same. Was easy to do step by step, so easy in fact that I was then able to thread the juno, (which I later sold)
Now have a lap top computer (which I traded with my sister for my old Pfaff 1229 with IDT) I can have right by my serger, with threading CD and paly it while I thread it. Works for me.

My Bernina 800 has color coded guides for each of the 4 threads. If I didn't have that, I would be frustrated that I couldn't thread it. It still takes me about 15 minutes, lol.

I thank everyone who replied to my problem. All responses are great and gives me hope that I can do this (scratching my head and all...lol)

Thanks a million times over!!