Making Simple Thread Lace With a Serger

If you love the look of lace but don’t have the time or patience to painstakingly craft it by hand, we have a fast and incredibly easy solution that only requires a serger and 12wt thread.

Serger lace is so simple to stitch to the raw edge of any fabric, making it easy for anyone to add that perfect finishing touch to any project. A lot of people don’t know they can use their serger for this, so we’re going to show you how quick and simple it is to make.

If you’d like to watch along while you make your own serger lace, you can watch our YouTube video here!

Apart from your serger, the only other thing you’ll need is a 12wt thread, however this is the most important thing to consider. We’re going to be using this 12wt thread called Accent. It’s 100% rayon and has a bright lustre that looks amazing as lace and is also really soft and flexible to the touch. You’ll want to use the heavier 12wt thread because it’ll fill in the gaps better and look overall nicer than a thinner thread will.

Want to add Accent to your thread collection? You can find it in a shop near you, or online here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/accent

If you can’t get Accent, you can also use a 12wt cotton thread. These two cotton threads are Spagetti and Fruitti, and have an ultra low lint finish so it won’t add a lot of extra lint when running through your machine, or leave a halo of lint around your finished lace.

You can add some visual interest to your project by deciding to use either a solid or variegated thread. Variegated threads will add some depth and colour variation, while a solid coloured thread will add a beautifully finished edge to a project while not taking away from the fabric it’s serged onto if you want your fabric, or the project you’re adding the lace to, to be the star. For a solid thread, you can use Spagetti, our 12wt 100% long staple Egyptian cotton thread. And for a bit more punch, you can use Fruitti, made of the same materials but in variegated colours!

You can find Fruitti online here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/fruitti

And Spagetti online here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/spagetti

1.     Setting up Your Serger.

To begin, set up your serger for a 3 thread wide overlock stitch and thread your serger. Every serger is different, so make sure you check your machine’s instruction guide on how to thread it properly.

We’re going to use our left needle and both loopers. Make your cutting width as wide as possible.

We also recommend that you stabilize your circle, or other shapes, so that the fabric doesn’t stretch out and change shape while you’re serging.

Keep in mind that if you’re serging around a circle, we recommend you turn the fabric slowly, so you don’t miss stitching the fabric evenly. We also recommend doing it on circles at least 8 inches or larger as a smaller circle will be more difficult for the serger. 

2.     Making Your Serger Lace

Once you’re ready to start serging, turn your hand wheel to form a few chains.

Sew along the raw edge until you reach the end. Or if you’re sewing around a circle, reach the beginning again. When you’re ready to begin your second row, locate the mark for your right needle position. We’re going to use this mark as a guide to position the edge of the fabric. Stitch again down the entire edge following this mark until you complete your second row of serging.

Depending on how large you want your lace to be, you can continue these steps a few more times, creating new rows of stitching over the previous. Go slowly and make sure you catch the previous row of stitching, otherwise you’ll end up with holes in your lace. You can always raise the foot and reposition the fabric if you start falling out of place.

This is how our lace looks after 4 rows of stitching. You can shorten your stitch length from 3 to 2 and do two more rows of stitching to create a tighter stitch which will start to create a ruffled edge.

After that, you’re once again going to decrease the stitch length from 2 to 1 and do a few more rows of stitching until the edge gets a rippled look. This rippled edge will add just a hint of visual interest, perfect for giving any project a professional look and feel to it.

At this point you can stop any time when you feel the look is where you want it. That’s actually all there is to it! It’s really just that simple and easy.

If you used the Accent rayon thread, it will sit nicely against the skin for any clothing or worn accessories you add it to because of its soft and flexible finish.

Now that you’ve seen this in action, we’re guessing you’ve got the urge to make a project with serger thread lace! Well luckily we have a few ideas. With a couple of major holidays coming out, why not make some décor to go along with them!

Decorate your mantle with a serger lace stocking! With the adorable pointed toe and lace cuff, this is sure to add Christmas charm to your home this holiday: https://www.babylock.com/learn-and-create/projects/serger-stocking  

Add a bit of flare to your Christmas décor with a thread lace edge to your Christmas tree skirt! This tutorial creates a fringed edge on their tree skirt, but you can follow the tutorial for construction and add a thread lace to the edge with your serger! https://makeit-loveit.com/christmas-tree-skirt  

If you’ll be making your own serger lace, don’t forget to use the hashtag #wonderfil on Instagram and Facebook so we can see your lovely creations. You can find these threads and more in a shop near you, or on our online shop by visiting www.shopwonderfil.ca. You can also sign up for our free newsletter to receive more educational sewing tips, tutorials, and free patterns. Register by clicking here! We’ll see you again next time!