Figure 2
Turn and topstitch
with a twin needle.

• Cut one front and back and two sleeves.
  
  
• Using a 4-thread, medium-length balanced stitch and serger thread in the needle and loopers, serge the front to back at both shoulders.
  
  
• Stretch the clear elastic several times to remove any future give.
  
  
• Adjust the serger for a long stitch length. Beginning on the T-shirt neckline wrong side and on the right shoulder seam, place the elastic on the neck opening, aligning the raw edges.
  
  
• With the elastic on top, serge it to the neck opening wrong side, holding the elastic taut (without stretching). Don't cut the elastic with the serger knife. This will stabilize the neckline without gathering it. Overlap the elastic ends 1/2".
  
  
• Turn under a neckline hem equal to the elastic width. Topstitch with a twin or single needle on the sewing machine, stretching the neckline slightly as you stitch to prevent rolling (Figure 2).
  
  

• Follow the pattern guidesheet to pin the sleeves to the shirt. Serge with the sleeve against the feed dogs, allowing the feed dogs to ease the sleeve.
  
  
• Serge the side and underarm seams.
  
  
• With a water- or air-soluble marker, draw a line 2" from the shirt and sleeve lower edges (Figure 3).
  

• Using texturized nylon thread in the upper and lower loopers, adjust the serger for a 3-thread rolled edge and a short stitch length. Tighten the lower looper until the upper looper thread completely wraps the edge and looks the same on both the upper and underside (Figure 4).
  
  
• Practice lettucing a raw edge on a fabric scrap first. Adjust the differential feed to the lowest minus setting and serge, stretching the fabric in front of and behind the presser foot. Note: As the fabric is stretched, the stitch narrows and threads may poke out of the stitching instead of rolling within the stitch. To eliminate this problem, adjust to a wider stitch to allow more fabric to roll. The upper looper tension also may be loosened slightly.
  

• If a smooth stitch cannot be achieved, especially with cotton interlock, turn a 3/8"- to 1/2"-wide hem to the wrong side and serge the fold without cutting the fabric. Carefully trim away the excess fabric on the shirt wrong side close to the stitching (Figure 5).
  
  
• Lettuce the shirt and sleeve hems.
  
  
• Fold the shirt and sleeves along the marked lines, turning the previously serged edge to the wrong side. With the serged edge face down, lettuce the fold, being careful not to cut the fabric.
  
  
• Lightly steam and finger-press the lettuced edges to prevent rolling to the right side.
  
  
• Add heart buttons around the neckline, sewing through the stabilized elastic edge.