How to Retime a Consew Serger

Timing your serger keeps it smoothly.

Sergers stitch, bind and cut fabric to create a neat seam. The machine has more moving parts than a regular sewing machine so a serger has more opportunity to break down. In a serger, a hook below the fabric grabs the thread from the needle and pulls a loop of needle thread through a loop of bobbin thread. When the timing is off, the two loops do not match up and the stitches do not hold.

Things You'll Need

• Tweezers
• Needle

Instructions

1. Open the bobbin case of the machine. You will see the bobbin. Around the bobbin is a ring with a hook on one end. Remove any lint present with the tweezers.

2. Unscrew the finger screw holding the needle in place. Remove the old needle.

3. Hold the outside of the hand wheel with your left hand and rotate the inner wheel of the hand wheel counterclockwise. This unlocks the hand wheel and loosens the gears.

4. Turn the center wheel until the needle is at its lowest point, then raise the needle slightly, until the tip of the needle is visible under the feed dogs.

5. Rotate the outer wheel of the hand wheel until the hook lies below and slightly behind the tip of the needle.

6. Hold the outer wheel steady to keep the bobbin and needle configuration secure and turn the center of the wheel clockwise to tighten the gears.

Tips & Warnings

• Always change the needle when retiming the machine. The needle can become bent over time and may lead to setting the bobbin hook in the wrong area.

References

• Consew Serger Manual
• Singer: How to Retime a Serger