Aserged Internal Seams: What Is It?

Sewing is a hobby that involves creating structure and shape in clothing and other items. There are various types of seams, including flat, French, felled, overlocked, and bound seams. A serger (overlocker) is a machine that trims the edge of a seam with a built-in blade to make it neat and tidy, then stitches multiple threads.

A seam is the join between two pieces of fabric, typically stitched by hand or on a sewing machine. A serged seam is an edge-finishing method that takes the right sides of fabric and stitches them together on the edge, leaving a visible seam line. The serger cuts the edge of the fabric off and stitches over the edge with a multi-thread “overcast” stitch.

A plain seam or layer is a basic sewing technique where two fabric pieces are joined together by sewing along their edge. The double layer serged seam is fast and works well for side seams of blouses and pant legs. Sergers, also known as overlockers, sew with an all-in-one finish, sewing the seam, trimming the seam allowance, and neatening the seam with an overlocking stitch.

Sergers make a professional-looking seam by locking around the seam to prevent fraying and cutting off the seam. Shims are used under the foot of a sewing machine or serger to help it over a hump. Some people suggest serging the whole fabric before starting, while others suggest serging after cutting the pattern.