For those into to working with knits (or even just wearing them), you may have noticed a very specific detail that sets apart commercially made knit garments and your home sewing attempts and that is the hem or finished edge. Look at your t-shirt. Do you see the two rows of stitching at the hem?

When you turn it over you may notice what looks like a serged edge, but yet it’s further away from the folded hem. This was achieved on a machine known as a coverstitch machine. The main thing to remember about sewing on a coverstitch is that you will be sewing with the right side up so the two rows of stitching will appear where you want them. But that leads you to hemming without seeing the underside. My solution is to press lightly, lay the wrong side up to find the most accurate line on the stitch plate and then to sew with the right side facing up.

BERNINA gives you two options for accessing this professional looking finish; the 009DCC and the 1300MDC. The 009DCC is a stand-alone coverstitch machine and we recently got one in for use in the classroom. I’m very excited about this for many reasons but the biggest one is being able to produce such great results so easily!

For anyone who knows me, they know I’m machine crazy. I love pretty machines, vintage machines, you name it. I would personally prefer to have two separate machines-one that sergers and one that coverstitches. But say you’re limited on space and want one machine that can do both? Well then, say hello to the 1300MDC. With a few simple adjusts and a painless rethreading you can serge your t-shirt together and whip out a hem in one great machine.

Think of how often you wear knits. Daily? Wouldn’t you love to make your own? I’m offering another session of Beginning Serger: Knit Skirt Wednesday August 24th at 6:00 and would love to introduce to my newest must-have machine…the coverstitch.

If you’ve missed any of my previous serger posts, check them out here!

Common Stitches

Tools for Sergery

Understanding Differential Feed

Textured Nylon vs Polyester (especially for roll hems!)

3 Ways to Finish your Serged Seam