Bernina dcet 2500 Operation instructions

1999 BERNINA of America
Mastering the
BERNINA
BERNINABERNINA
BERNINA


2500 SERIES
OWNER’S GUIDECLASS
WORKBOOK
SECTION A
LETS START WITH THE BASICS

1999 BERNINA of America page 2
SECTION A – LETS START WITH THE BASICS
MACHINE SET UP
• Identifying the Serger Parts – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Attaching the Foot Control and Power Cord – Instruction Manual pg.____
• Assembling the Thread Stand – Instruction Manual pg.___
• The Waste Collector
• Power Switch – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Light Switch– Instruction Manual pg.___
• The Looper Cover – Instruction Manual pg.___
Loopers – what are they? – Instruction Manual pg.___
Tool Storage
Safety Feature – machine won’t sew when the Cover is open
• Swing Out Presser Foot – Instruction Manual pg.___
For easier threading
For easier removal and insertion of Needles
Safety feature – the machine won’t sew
Use the Needle Stop Button to raise the Needles
Raise the Presser Foot
Swing the Presser Foot to the left
• Free Arm Cover – Instruction Manual pg.___
For serging tubular projects
Slides off to engage free arm
THREADS – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Types to use
• The importance of quality threads
NEEDLES – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Always start with a new Needle
• Match the Needle to the fabric and thread – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Change the Needle often
• Using the Needle Inserter
• Loosening/re-tightening Needle screws
STITCH SELECTION DIAL – STITCH SELECTION PANEL
• Selecting stitches
• Understanding the code – Instruction Manual pg.___

1999 BERNINA of America page 3
NEEDLE STOP BUTTON – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Needle Up - Overlock sewing
• Needle Down – Cover/Chain Stitch sewing
CONVERSION TO OVERLOCK SEWING
• Conversion Chart – Instruction Manual pg.___
• The Converter Arm
Use the Needle Stop Button to lower the Needles
• Removing the Cover/Chain Stitch Extension Plate – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Installing the Knife Guard – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Raising/Lowering the Knife Arm– Instruction Manual pg.___
• Rotating the Upper Knife into Cutting Position– Instruction Manual pg.___
THREADING FOR OVERLOCK SERGING
• Cone Holders and Spool Caps – Instruction Manual pg.___
Cone Holders used for large cones of serger thread
Turn the Cone Holders upside down for the larger based cone threads.
Spool Caps used for “normal” sewing thread and decorative thread spools
• Raise the Presser Foot when threading
Releases the pressure on the tension disks
• The Threading Path – Instruction Manual pg.___
Use the road map inside the Looper Cover as a quick reference guide.
• Threading the First Thread Guide on All Threads – Instruction Manual pg.___
Wrap the thread from left to right to lock the thread into the guide.
• Threading Order
First – Upper Looper
This thread lies against the body of the serger.
Second – Lower Looper
Third – Center Needle
Fourth – Left Needle
• Thread the Upper Looper – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Thread the Lower Looper – Instruction Manual pg.___
The Lower Looper Auto Threader – Instruction Manual pg.___
Rotate the Handwheel to bring the Looper to the right before engaging
the Looper Threader
• Thread the Center Needle -– Instruction Manual pg.___
• The Needle Clamp Guide – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Optional - Using the Quick Needle Threader from a BERNINA sewing machine.
• Thread the Left Needle – Instruction Manual pg.___

1999 BERNINA of America page 4
TEST SEWING – Instruction Manual pg.___
• Lift the Toe to place the fabric under the Presser Foot
• Lift the Presser Foot for thick fabric or when accurate fabric placement
is needed.
• Chain off the fabric.
• Use the built in Thread Cutter to cut the Thread Chain.

1999 BERNINA of America page 5
TENSION THEORY
A BALANCED 4-THREAD STITCH
Instruction Manual pg.___
Serger Library -
Tips and Tricks
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to select “A” on the Stitch Display panel.
•Thread the serger for a 4-thread Overlock stitch using thread colors to match
the Color-Coded Threading Path on the serger.
•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.
•Locate the Thread Cutter on the left side of the serger and cut the thread
chain (from right to left).
•Examine the serger stitch formation and compare it to the balanced stitch
graphic on page__ of the Instruction Manual.
•Read the information under Fine Tuning on page__ of the Instruction 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”
NEEDLES: 80/12 Universal
THREAD: 4 cones of serger thread
(yellow,green,blue,red)
PRESSER FOOT: Standard

1999 BERNINA of America page 6
ADJUSTING TENSIONS
Instruction Manual pg.____
Serger Library – Tips and Tricks
LOWER LOOPER
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to select “A” on the Stitch
Display panel.
•Thread the serger for a 4-thread Overlock stitch using thread
colors to match the Color-Coded Threading Path on the serger.
•Fold each piece of the firm fabric to 1½” X 4” and set aside.
•Locate the Fine Tuning levers on the front of the serger. From
left to right these levers adjust tension for the Left Needle,
the Center Needle, the Upper Looper or Right Needle, and
the Lower Looper.
•Adjust the Lower Looper Fine Tuning Lever to increase (up)
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.
• Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to return
tensions to normal.
• Adjust the Lower Looper Fine Tuning Lever to decrease (down)
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.
FABRIC: 6 pieces of firm woven fabric 3” X 4”
1 piece of light weight woven cotton 3” X 4”
NEEDLES: 80/12 Universal
THREAD: 4 cones of serger thread
(yellow,green,blue,red)
PRESSER FOOT: Standard

1999 BERNINA of America page 7
UPPER LOOPER
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to return tensions to normal.
•Adjust the Upper Looper Fine Tuning Lever to increase (up) 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.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to return tensions to normal.
•Adjust the Upper Looper Fine Tuning Lever to decrease (down) 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.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to return tensions to normal.

1999 BERNINA of America page 8
CENTER NEEDLE
•Adjust the Center Needle Fine Tuning Lever 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 a large loop on
the back of the fabric.
•Label, trim, and mount the sample.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to
return tensions to normal.
LEFT NEEDLE
•Adjust the Left Needle Fine Tuning Lever to decrease (down)
the tension on the Needle thread.
•Serge the sixth piece of fabric cutting off the fold.
•Examine the sample. The Needle thread forms a large loop on
the back of the fabric.
•Label, trim, and mount the sample.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to
return tensions to normal.
Both Needles
•Adjust both the Left and Center Needle Fine Tuning
Levers to increase (up) 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.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to “B” and then to “A” to
return tensions to normal.

1999 BERNINA of America page 9
STITCH LENGTH ADJUSTMENT
Instruction Manual pg.___
•Fold the fabric in half to 3” X 6”.
•Using a Fabric Marker, divide the fabric into four equal sections along the
folded edge.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to select “A” on the Stitch Display panel.
•Thread the serger for a 4-thread Overlock stitch.
•Locate the Stitch Length Dial on the right end of the machine.
•Turn the Stitch Length Dial to 4.
•Serge to the first mark along the folded edge of the fabric, trimming the
folded edge as you serge.
•Turn the Stitch Length Dial, adjusting the Stitch Length to 3 and serge to
the second mark.
•Adjust Stitch Length to 2 and serge to the third mark.
•Adjust Stitch Length to 1 and serge to the end of the fabric.
•Mark the Stitch Length settings on the sample.
•Compare the Stitch Length sample to the Balanced 4-thread sample to see how
Stitch Length affects the balance of the Overlock stitch.
•Trim and mount the sample.
FABRIC: Firm fabric 6” X 6”
NEEDLES: 80/12 Universal
THREAD: 4 cones of serger thread
PRESSER FOOT: Standard

1999 BERNINA of America page 10
CUTTING WIDTH ADJUSTMENTS
Instruction Manual pg,___
•Fold the fabric in half to 3” X 6”.
•Divide and mark the fabric into 3 equal sections along the folded edge.
•Turn the Stitch Selection Dial to select “A” on the Stitch Selection Panel.
•Turn the Stitch Length Dial to 2.5 (normal).
•Thread the serger for a 4-thread Overlock stitch.
•Locate the Cutting Width adjustment Dial.
•Rotate the Upper Knife up.
•Adjust Cutting Width to 3.
•Rotate the Upper Knife down into Cutting Position.
•Serge to the first mark on the fabric, stopping when the Knife edge is on the
mark.
•Adjust Cutting Width to 2 and serge to the second mark.
•Adjust the Cutting Width to 1 and serge to the end of the fabric.
•Mark the Cutting Width settings on the sample.
•Rotate the Upper Knife up.
•Adjust Cutting Width to 2 (normal).
•Rotate the Upper Knife down into Cutting Position.
•Compare the Cutting Width sample to the Balanced 4-thread sample to see how
Cutting Width affects the balance of the Overlock stitch.
•Trim and mount the sample.
FABRIC: Firm fabric 6” X 6”
NEEDLES: 80/12 Universal
THREAD: 4 cones of serger thread
PRESSER FOOT: Standard