Making Inserts without Serger?

[Tiggs]

Is it possible to just zig zag stitch around the edges of hemp and microfibre to make inserts or it is necessary to have a serger to do do this?

I'm thinking about making some hemp/jersey and microfibre liners but don't want to purchase the material only to find out it's going to fray with zig zag stitching.

I'm a beginner and would appreciate your advice and experience

[AinNJ]

yep! you sure can! i've been sewing dipes & inserts for 2+ years now and i JUST got a serger last month.

lemme ask you something... why are you planning to use jersey? jersey is really thin and you may have a hard time controlling the wave. i'd suggest using a heavier weight hemp fleece. i make my inserts/doublers with 2 layers of hemp fleece and 1 layer of poly fleece. using a narrow zig zag stitch (or overlock stitch) makes a nice finish to the edges.

zig zags would be fine to finish the edge on jersey to keep it from unraveling, but you may end up with a wavy edge.

[Tiggs]

It's funny that you ask why I was planning on using jersey because I had planned on using fleece but changed my mind after reading the material balls up after awhile. I'd really prefer to use hemp/fleece.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. Our machine has 50 different stitch setting so from what you said I'll just pick the narrowest zig zag and see how it turns out.

[AinNJ]

i get my hemp from wildnwooly and i've never experienced the fabric balling up (although i've also read about that). it does lose alot of it's fluff after repeated washing. but no balls here!

[True Blue]

A great fabric would be hemp french terry. It's nice and thick like fleece, but since it isn't brushed up, the fabric doesn't ball up or fuzz off over time.

[gethane]

Or, you can order a knit scraps bag from hemptraders.com . I got some jersey, fleece and terry that I'm currently playing around with. THe jersey is derinitely the trimmest. I don't care for the terry much. Doesn't seem to soak up as well for me. The fleece seems kind of hard in the pocket. But my opinion might change next week

Oh, and I don't have a serger, but my machine has an overlock stitch and foot and that's what I used and it washes up GREAT!

[Tiggs]

Thanks everyone! I'll have to check out my machine to see if it has an overlock stitch...I'm hoping it does but really I have no idea!