Rolled Hem via Serger

A rolled hem done with a serger or overlock machine is just about the easiest thing ever. Fancier machines will have the setting built in, and all it takes is a flip of a dial. Older machines with manual tension control will need a little more work, but it's still doable if you understand the theory of it!

Rolled hems are great for napkin edges, kitchen linens, skirt hems, and scarves, just to name a few examples. Once you've seen them, you can't help but notice them on many store-bought items.

For a machine like the Babylock Evolution, there are four main steps to get a rolled edge.

1. Put in the right-hand machine needle, and thread for a three-thread overlock.
2. Set the cutting width to 3.
3. Turn the stitch length dial to anywhere within the "Rolled Hem" range (check out the image below).
4. Change the tension to setting D.

But what does all of that mean, and how does that accomplish a rolled hem? Here's the breakdown.

1. Put in the right-hand machine needle, and thread for a three-thread overlock.
A rolled hem is fairly narrow, so you'll want to have just one needle, and just on the right hand side, the side closer to the cutting blade. Thread the upper and lower loopers as normal. The upper looper thread will be the most prominent.

2. Set the cutting width to 3.
For Babylock machines, this means 3.0mm. This is a fairly normal width for regular serging. Slightly larger is usually marked 'M' for Marrow, or 1/4" wide. (I am not completely clear on the etymology, however.) A normal width being cut on the fabric, combined with a narrower stitch while serging, will force the excess fabric to curl as it is fed through. This gives us the rolling effect.

3. Turn the stitch length dial to anywhere within the "Rolled Hem" range
Most modern sergers should have a rolled hem setting for stitch length. On the Husqvarna Viking H-Class 200S I gave my mother (which, by the way, is a great basic serger), there is an 'R' setting on the length dial. (You can see the settings in the manual for the machine.)
This will ensure that the feed dogs move at the right speed (i.e., slowly) and the stitches are close together.

4. Change the tension to setting D.
The mysteries of the A through D lever on my Evolution are rather endless to me, but I think I understand this one. To get the upper looper thread showing the most while overlocking, the tension for this thread should be looser than for the lower looper. This will cause the lower looper thread to pull tighter, and the upper loops will curl around the rolled edge. If you want to use a decorative thread (e.g., wooly nylon), thread it through the upper looper, with a lower tension.

Looking at all this, I have to wonder if the rolled hem came about by a complete accident. Under normal circumstances, one would think the serger was broken if there were obvious tension issues and incorrect cutting widths!


I'm sorry to say that this explanatory post is sadly lacking in photographs. Between being disgustingly sick, followed by a family graduation celebration in Oregon, I have had so little time to sew in the past few weeks! But I fully intend on remedying that this weekend, one of our few weekends at home this month.