The Sewing Place

Stitch Width problem

Bertha Badger

Stitch Width problem
« on: July 18, 2019, 18:49:48 PM »
Hi, I have a Brother 4234D overlocker. My problem is that when I set the stitch width to 7mm I get a 3mm stitch on 4 thread normal overlocking stitch! The front dial is set to 7mm, the differential knob to 1.0 and the length to 4mm. I can't understand why I get 3mm stitches with this setting unless I am missing something obvious which is probably par for the course for me!

Can anyone help?

Thanks xx

Ohsewsimple

Re: Stitch Width problem
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2019, 21:53:43 PM »
Silly question but have you got it set for rolled hem?  If so one of the stitch fingers will be retracted giving you a narrow width.

Marniesews

Re: Stitch Width problem
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2019, 22:40:46 PM »
I know this machine. Have you swapped over to the wide stitch finger? Unlike many others, there is no lever to retract the stitch finger on this machine, you have to physically remove them to swap the two sizes over to the appropriately sized one for the cutting width or leave them out completely for the narrow overlock/rolled hem. The manual really doesn't help too much in understanding how the cutting width, tension and stitch fingers work together to create the different widths.

I suspect your loopers may be set at too high a tension but it isn't obvious for your normal stitch because the stitch finger you're using creates a minimum width. When you move to the higher width, you have more fabric that is no longer supported by an appropriately wide stitch finger so the edges are being pulled in by the tension of the loopers.

I suggest:
-- change over your stitch fingers to the wide one, see page 25 of your manual for info on where they are stored and how to remove/swap them over.
-- reduce your looper tension to 3.5 and tweak them until you get a good wrap of the edge at the wider width that isn't so loose it extends beyond the edge of the fabric or unbalanced so it forces one side (upper or lower looper) to be pulled over to the other side.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Bertha Badger

Re: Stitch Width problem
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2019, 12:50:44 PM »
Thank you both.

Marniesews, I did as you suggested and with a bit of twiddling I'm there!!! You are right about the manual, as useful as a chocolate teapot and the video that came with it seems to have been narrated by a 5 year old!!

Thank you for your time, I probably wouldn't have twigged about the stitch finger!

xxx

Marniesews

Re: Stitch Width problem
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2019, 14:21:43 PM »
 :toast:
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.