I sew with knits constantly, and I am a big fan of my little Juki MC-1500 coverstitch. I've had questions from students and customers asking about how to end a line of stitching on a coverstitch machine. I also did a video about this on my IGTV, but for those who don’t use Instagram, or would prefer closeups, here is how I do it. I show this on a flat piece of fabric, like a sleeve that is hemmed before stitching the underarm sleeve (which is my favorite way of doing a sleeve in knit garments), but it works just the same on an in-the-round garment. I show it this way because it’s easier to see what I’m doing on a flat piece.
When you reach the end of your stitching line, raise your presser foot:
Position a thin or flat tool, in this case, the closed end of a sewing machine tweezers, behind the needles between the presser foot and the fabric and feed dogs.
Pull the tool towards you. This will bring the needle threads along with it. Pull it out a couple of inches.
Snip the threads.
Next, pull the garment to the left. This will bring the looper thread along with it. You might need to give it a sharp tug. Don’t worry if you do, it won’t harm anything.
Trim all the threads close to the garment and voila! Your garment is off the machine, and the coverstitch is ready for the next line of stitches!
These pictures are from last year, and can I tell you how much I miss getting my nails done? My nails are a hot mess right now. Sigh. But I'm not going into a nail salon any time soon, so I'll just deal with them.
I hope that helps. Stay well, and happy sewing!
Ann
