Bernina 1200DA User manual

MASTERING YOUR BERNINA®6/01/02 1200DA/1300DC/1
BERNINA®1200DA/1300DC
MASTERING
YOUR
BERNINA®
MASTERING YOUR
1200DA/1300DC
OWNER’S WORKBOOK
BERNINA®

MASTERING YOUR BERNINA®6/01/02 1200DA/1300DC/2
BERNINA®1200DA/1300DC
MASTERING
YOUR
BERNINA®
Table of Contents
SECTION A Pages 3-17
Let’s Start With The Basics
SECTION B Pages 18-37
4-Thread Techniques
SECTION C Pages 38-59
3-Thread Techniques
SECTION D Pages 60-74
Let’s Experiment
SECTION E Pages 75-89
Cover and Chain
(1300DC Only)

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MASTERING
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MASTERING YOUR
1200DA/1300DC
BERNINA®
OWNER’S WORKBOOK
Section A
Let’s Start With The Basics

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MASTERING
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BERNINA®SECTION A
Let’s Start With The Basics
Machine Set-Up
• Identifying the serger parts – Owner’s manual pg__
• Attaching the Foot Control and Power Cord – Owner's manual pg.____
• Assembling Thread Stand – Owner's manual pg.___
• Power Switch – Owner's manual pg.___
• Loopers – what are they? – Owner's manual pg.___
• The Looper Cover – Owner's manual pg.___
- Safety feature – machine won’t sew when the cover is open
Threads
Owner's manual pg.___
• Types to use
• The importance of quality threads
Needles
Owner's manual pg.___
• Always start with a new needle
• Match the needle to the fabric and thread – Owner's manual pg.___
• Change the needle often; using the needle inserter
• Loosening/re-tightening needle screws
Threading for Overlock Serging
Owner's manual pg.___
• Cone Holders and Spool Caps
- Holders used for large cones of serger thread
- Turn the cone upside down for the larger based cone threads
- Caps used for “normal” sewing thread and decorative thread spools
• Raise the presser foot when threading
• The threading path – Owner's manual pg.___
• Use the road map inside the looper cover as a quick reference guide.
• Threading the first thread guide on all threads – Owner's manual pg.___. Lock thread into guide.
• Threading Order
- First – Upper Looper (Blue)
- Second – Lower Looper (Red)
- Third – Right Needle (Green)
- Fourth – Left Needle (Yellow)
• Upper Looper – Owner's manual pg.___
• Lower Looper – Owner's manual pg.___
• Right Needle -– Owner's manual pg.___
• Left Needle – Owner's manual pg.___

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Test Serging
Owner's manual pg.___
• Lift the front of the presser foot to place the fabric under it before beginning to serge.
• Lift the entire presser foot by the handle at the back when accurate fabric placement is needed.
• Chain off the fabric
Cleaning and Oiling
Owner's manual pg.___
• Clip all threads at the thread guide support.
• Lift the presser foot to release (open) the thread tension disks.
• Gently pull threads from serger. Always remove threads in the direction of sewing. If you encounter any
resistance, stop and rotate the handwheel slightly to release the threads from the loopers.
• Open the looper cover; rotate the upper knife up.
• Using a vacuum cleaner adapter or a 1” cosmetic brush, remove all lint and fluff from the looper, knife
and feed dog areas of the machine.
• Following the oiling guide inside the looper cover, place a drop of oil on each of the two oiling points.
• Remove old needles and replace them with new.
• Rotate upper knife down into cutting position.
Replacing the Knives
Owner's manual pg.___
• Serger knives cut fabric as it is serged; as with scissors, repeated use can dull them. If knives begin to
“chew” instead of cut, consider replacing the lower knife.
• If you serge over pins, repalce both knives.
• An authorized BERNINA®technician will need to replace a dull upper knife.

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TENSION THEORY
Balanced 4-Thread Stitch
Owner’s manual pg.___
• Thread the serger for a 4 thread overlock stitch using thread colors to match the color-coded threading
paths on the serger.
• Adjust as indicated on the LCD screen.
• Fold the fabric in half to 3” x 6”.
• To begin stitching, lift the front of the presser foot with your right thumb and slide the fabric under the
presser foot. Release the tip of the presser foot and begin serging.
• Serge to the end of the fabric.
• Continue stitching off the fabric until you have a 3”- 4” thread chain.
• Examine the serger stitch formation and compare it to the balanced stitch graphic on page__ of the
Owner's manual.
• Read the information under Adjusting the Thread Tension on page__ of the Owner's manual for
information about the stitch formation and correcting any stitch irregularities.
• Make any necessary tension adjustments and serge another row of stitching.
• Trim and mount the sample.
Fabric: Firm fabric, 6” x 6”
Needle: 80/12 Universal
Thread: 4 cones of serger thread
(yellow, red, green, blue)
Presser Foot: Standard
Stitch: #1 (4-thread overlock)

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Lower Looper - Increased Tension
Owner's Manual pg.____
• Thread the serger for a 4-thread balanced overlock stitch using
thread colors to match the color-coded threading path on the serger.
Adjust as indicated on the LCD screen.
• Fold each piece of the firm fabric to 1½” x 4” and set aside.
• Locate the thread tension dials on the front of the serger. From
left to right, these dials adjust tension for the Left Needle, Right
Needle, Upper Looper, and the Lower Looper.
• Adjust the lower looper thread tension dial to 7 to increase the
tension on the looper thread.
• Place the first piece of folded fabric under the presser foot with the
fold to the right and serge to the end of the fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The looper threads do not lock on the edge of
the fabric. The upper looper thread is pulled tightly to the back of the
stitch. The left needle thread may be pulled to the back of the stitch.
• Trim, label, and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.
Lower Looper - Decreased Tension
• Change the lower looper thread tension dial to 2 to decrease the
tension on the looper thread.
• Serge the second piece of folded fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The looper threads do not lock on the edge of
the fabric. The lower looper thread is visible on the face of the fabric.
The looper threads are very loose.
• Label, trim, and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.
ADJUSTING TENSIONS
Fabric: 6 pieces of firm fabric, 6” x 6” each
1 piece of lightweight cotton, 3” x 4”
Needle: 80/12 Universal
Thread: 4 cones of serger thread
(yellow, red, green, blue)
Presser Foot: Standard
Stitch: #1 (4-thread overlock)

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Upper Looper - Decreased Tension
• Change the upper looper thread tension dial to 2 to decrease the tension on the looper thread.
• Serge the fourth piece of folded fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The looper threads do not lock on the edge of the fabric. The upper looper
thread is visible on the back of the fabric. The looper threads are very loose.
• Label, trim, and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.
Upper Looper - Increased Tension
• Adjust the upper looper thread tension dial to 7 to increase the tension on the looper thread.
• Serge the third piece of folded fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The looper threads do not lock on the edge of the fabric. The lower looper
thread is pulled tightly to the front of the stitch.
• Label, trim, and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.

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Right Needle
• Adjust the right needle thread tension dial to decrease
(down) the tension on the needle thread.
• Serge the fifth piece of folded fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The needle thread forms large
loops on the back of the fabric.
• Label, trim, and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.
Left Needle
• Adjust the left needle thread tension dial to 2 to decrease
the tension on the needle thread.
• Serge the sixth piece of folded fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The needle thread forms large
loops on the back of the fabric.
• Label, trim, and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.
Both Needles
• Adjust both the left and right needle thread tension dials to 7
to increase the tension on the needle threads.
• Fold the piece of lightweight woven cotton fabric to 1½” x 4”.
• Serge the folded fabric, cutting off the fold.
• Examine the sample. The stitch is puckering the fabric.
• Label, trim, and mount the sample.
• Return both needle thread tension settings to normal.

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STITCH LENGTH ADJUSTMENT
• Owner’s manual pg.___
• Fold fabric in half to 3” x 6”.
• Using a fabric marker, divide the fabric into four equal sections along the folded edge.
• Thread the serger for a four thread overlock stitch.
• Adjust as indicated on the LCD screen. Fine tune as needed.
• Adjust the stitch length to 4mm.
• Serge to the first mark along the folded edge, trimming the fold slightly.
• Adjust the stitch length to 3mm and serge to the second mark.
• Adjust the stitch length to 2mm and serge to the third mark.
• Adjust the stitch length to 1mm and serge to the end.
• Mark the stitch length settings on the fabric sample.
• Trim and mount the sample.
• Return the thread tension settings to normal.
Fabric: Firm fabric, 6” x 6”
Needle: 80/12 Universal
Thread: 4 cones of serger thread
Presser Foot: Standard
Stitch: #1 (4-thread overlock)
4mm 3mm 2mm 1mm