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Home » How to Unpick Overlocker/Serger Stitches

How to Unpick Overlocker/Serger Stitches

June 4, 2013 by Nanny 30 Comments

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I was making a cushion cover as a part of a’ Grant Your Wish’ last week, when I decided I really wanted rounded corners instead of square.  I didn’t want to just re-do the overlocking/serging around the corners (might do that if it was just for me) so started the unpicking …. and then I thought ah ha!  This is what I should blog about!

Have you ever tried to pull out overlocker/serger stitches and ended up with something looking like this?

Well, never again!  This is one of those things, that once you have seen, you will not forget, and you will wonder “Why didn’t someone tell me?”

I have threaded my serger with coloured threads so we can see them more clearly:

Green – Lower looper (on the back)
Pink – Upper Looper
Blue – Right needle
Orange – Left needle


So to unpick the stitching EASILY:

1.  Snip the Right Needle Thread (Blue) every inch or couple of cms or so – those pieces will pull out easily.



2.  Now do the same for the Left Needle Thread (orange) – you can see it crosses over the loops formed by the Looper Thread (pink) – don’t cut the looper!


3.  Pull the Looper Threads – front

and back!


How easy was that!!

I hope this has helped and that you never have to see that scrunched up mess again!  

Until next time
Nanny xx

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Filed Under: TIPS/TOOLS, TUTORIALS

Comments

  1. thingsforboys says

    June 4, 2013 at 8:57 am

    That’s how I do it (though I rip the needle threads at the same time)! Great tutorial!

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 4, 2013 at 10:03 am

      Thanks Abby – it’s funny the things we ‘just do’ as we go along! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Mel@Mellywood's Mansion says

    June 4, 2013 at 9:33 am

    I did not know that! That will (sadly for me) come in handy often, thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 4, 2013 at 10:01 am

      Thanks Mel and you are welcome! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Nanny@nannynotes2u says

    June 4, 2013 at 9:59 am

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    Reply
    • VickiLorraine says

      June 5, 2013 at 2:08 am

      That is a fabulous tip Nanny 🙂 I also liked that you have used different coloured threads to show the demo off perfectly.

      Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 8, 2013 at 2:27 am

      Thanks VickiLorraine – I actually had it threaded that way for another project and thought Mmm – that’s easier than trying to draw it! 🙂

      Reply
  4. sandy says

    June 15, 2013 at 11:05 pm

    Oh my! What a helpful tutorial! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 16, 2013 at 3:58 am

      Thank you Sandy – you are welcome! I’m so glad you found it useful! 🙂

      Reply
  5. sue morris says

    June 16, 2013 at 3:53 am

    This is awesome!! Thank you so much for the tips!

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 16, 2013 at 3:59 am

      Thank you Sue! I hope you find it helpful! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Miia Hakala says

    June 16, 2013 at 6:44 pm

    Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 16, 2013 at 10:12 pm

      Hi Miia! You are welcome!! 🙂

      Reply
  7. VIANETTE says

    June 16, 2013 at 6:47 pm

    Bonsoir, pourquoi personne ne me l’avait dit…. Que de temps perdu…
    Merci pour ce partage
    A bientôt
    VIANETTE

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 16, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      Thank you!! I’m glad you find it helpful!! 🙂

      Reply
  8. cucicucicoo: ecological living says

    June 16, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    Wonderful! This is so helpful! I generally just get scared off by unpicking serged stitches and just cut them off, but it looks like it’s actually really easy! Thanks! 🙂 Lisa

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 16, 2013 at 10:13 pm

      Thanks Lisa! No more cutting off for you – it really is easy to do!! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Daisy says

    June 17, 2013 at 12:42 pm

    Thank you Nanny – I enjoy using material that is soft and runny (sounds a bit like an egg) and very difficult to unpick if I make a booboo – now you have shown me the way.

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 18, 2013 at 9:57 pm

      Thanks Daisy! I’m so glad you find it helpful – (it did sound like an egg!! lol ) 🙂

      Reply
  10. Patty Virginia says

    June 17, 2013 at 2:06 pm

    brilliant! I never knew how to do this, always ended up getting frustrated trying to figure out which thread to snip and pull. Will keep this tip close to hand. Thanks so much, pinned and shared on my FB page.

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 18, 2013 at 9:57 pm

      Thank you Patty and thanks for sharing!! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Cindy says

    June 18, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    That is a wonderful tutorial, thank you. I don’t have a serger yet, but I hope to get one at the end of the summer.

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 18, 2013 at 9:58 pm

      Thank you Cindy and good luck with your serger purchase!! 🙂

      Reply
  12. jeff says

    July 14, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    I tried to pin to my pintrest account, it won’t work 🙁

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 23, 2014 at 4:23 am

      I’m sorry I hadn’t seen this Jeff but thank you so much – I will have it checked out! 🙂

      Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 23, 2014 at 4:25 am

      Jeff just click on the ‘pin it’ on any of the photos and it will work! thanks again and so sorry I missed your comment before! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Debra says

    June 23, 2014 at 3:43 am

    I’ve been meaning to do a post about this – now I’ll just send everyone here instead! Well explained and photographed.

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      June 23, 2014 at 4:20 am

      Thanks Debra – that would be wonderful! 🙂

      Reply
  14. a la tête de l'art says

    September 13, 2014 at 6:14 pm

    Super ! Explication très réussie avec les fils de couleurs c’est très clair

    Merci beaucoup

    Reply
    • Nanny@nannynotes2u says

      November 8, 2014 at 3:21 am

      Merci! Vous êtes les bienvenus! I hope translate got it right! 🙂

      Reply

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