Serger Thread: What to Buy and How to Use It
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Buy serger thread on cones and follow your serger manual's chart. A university guide notes that "Standard threads can be used for sewing regular seams", but a serger "uses much more thread than a conventional machine", and cones of more than 1,000 yards are "usually less expensive than regular sewing thread".1 Brother's chart for its 1034DX, 3534DT and 655D sergers moves to a heavier thread for heavy fabrics and to woolly nylon in the loopers for rolled hems on fine fabrics.2
Which thread for which fabric
Brother’s manual gives a thread and needle chart for its compact sergers. The thread numbers are Brother’s own labels; the manual does not define “Spun” or “Tetron”.2
| Fabric | Stitch | Thread | Needle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine: georgette, lawn, organdy, tricot | Overlock, 2.0 to 3.0 mm | Spun #80-90, cotton #100, Tetron #80-100 | 130/705H #80 |
| Fine | Rolled hem | Needle: spun #80-90 or Tetron #80-100. Loopers: woolly nylon, spun #80-90 or Tetron #80-100 | 130/705H #80 |
| Medium: broadcloth, gabardine, serge | Overlock, 2.5 to 3.5 mm | Spun #60-80, cotton #60-80, Tetron #60-80 | 130/705H #80 or #90 |
| Medium | Rolled hem | Needle: spun or Tetron #60-80. Loopers: woolly nylon, spun or Tetron #60-80 | 130/705H #80 or #90 |
| Heavy: tweed, denim, knits | Overlock, 3.0 to 4.0 mm | Cotton #50-60, spun #60, Tetron #50-60 | 130/705H #90 |
Brother adds: “Decorative thread will work best in the upper looper for fashion sewing.”2 NMSU lists metallics, silks and perle cotton among the threads you can use on an overlock.1
Cones, spools and the thread holder
A serger takes thread from a thread stand behind the machine; on Brother’s models it is a telescoping thread tree with a thread holder above each spool pin.2 For regular sewing spools, Brother says the spool cap “should be used”, with the notch at the bottom, and it recommends the supplied net over loosely spun nylon thread “to prevent the thread from slipping off the spool.”2
Needles for serging
Brother’s compact sergers take “a standard home sewing machine needle”, 130/705H in #80 or #90.2 Other sergers use the ELx705 system: SCHMETZ says to use it “only as recommended by the machine manufacturer”, and that twin needles “are not suitable for sergers”.6 Your manual names the right system.
Five serger threads
Coats & Clark Surelock
- Fibre
- 100% spun polyester
- Weight
- 40
- Length
- 3,000 yd cone
- Needle
- 11 or 14
- 3,000 yards per cone
- Sold in Canada and the US, per its Canadian page
- One weight only on the page
Good fit: you serge seams, raw edges and rolled hems and want one thread in every position.
Skip it if: you want a soft, textured edge: look at a woolly or textured thread.
Maxi-Lock (A&E)
- Length
- 3,000 yd and 6,000 yd cones
- Colours
- 72
- Fibre, weight
- not stated on A&E’s page
- 6,000 yd cones for heavy users
- 72 colours
- Fibre and weight not on the maker’s page
Good fit: you serge a lot and want large cones in many colours.
Skip it if: you want the fibre and weight in writing from the maker.
Gütermann Miniking No. 120
- Fibre
- 100% polyester
- Thickness
- No. 120
- Length
- 1,000 m
- Needle
- NM 60 to 80
- Made for household, overlock and coverstitch machines, per Gütermann
- North American availability not confirmed
Good fit: you want the same thread and colour in your sewing machine and serger.
Skip it if: you serge long runs: 1,000 m reels empty faster than big cones.
Gütermann Bulky-Lock 80
- Fibre
- textured polyester
- Thickness
- No. 80
- Length
- 1,000 m
- Needle
- overlock NM 70 to 90
- Can go in the needles and the loopers, per Gütermann
- North American availability not confirmed
Good fit: you serge stretchy fabrics and want a soft, dense edge.
Skip it if: you serge very fine fabrics: Gütermann points to Tera 180.
Gütermann Tera 180
- Fibre
- polyester, continuous filament, semi-transparent
- Thickness
- No. 180
- Length
- 2,000 m
- Needle
- NM 60 to 70
- Made for fine overlock and coverstitch seams, per Gütermann
- Fine needles only
- North American availability not confirmed
Good fit: you serge chiffon, lining and other light fabrics.
Skip it if: you serge heavy fabrics or want a decorative edge.
The Coats & Clark page for Surelock says to combine three or more threads “For added durability without adding bulk”.5 Surelock’s page is on Yarnspirations: Coats sold the Coats & Clark brand to Spinrite, which runs that site, in 2019.7 A&E says Maxi-Lock’s “consistency, beginning to end, makes it easy to set and maintain tensions”.8 Gütermann’s overlock guide describes Bulky-Lock 80 as “excellent when used as needle and looper thread” and Tera 180 as the “specialist sewing thread for fine overlock and coverstitch seams”.3 Lengths, thicknesses and needle sizes come from each Gütermann product page.4,9,10
Questions
Serger thread vs regular thread: what is the difference?
You can serge with regular thread: NMSU says "Standard threads can be used for sewing regular seams. There also are threads specially designed for these machines."1 The practical difference is quantity: a serger uses much more thread, so cones of more than 1,000 yards are usually cheaper.1 Gütermann even sells one thread, Miniking No. 120, for both household and overlock machines.3
What is the best serger thread for knits?
Brother's chart puts knits with heavy materials: cotton #50-60, spun #60 or Tetron #50-60, with a 130/705H #90 needle.2 Brother adds that its 130/705H SUK #90 ball point needle "can reduce the occurrence of material breakage".2 For soft, stretchy edges, NMSU mentions a low-twist nylon thread "that allows seams to stretch", and Gütermann makes Bulky-Lock 80, a textured thread for soft serging.1,4
What thread for a Brother 1034D?
We did not find Brother's own manual for the older 1034D. Brother's manual for the 1034DX, 3534DT and 655D gives the chart on this page: #50 to #100 thread depending on the fabric, and a 130/705H needle in #80 or #90.2 Check your own manual first.
Which serger thread uses the most?
We found no maker or university figure for which of the four threads runs out first, so we won't guess. What NMSU does say: the whole machine "uses much more thread than a conventional machine, so plan ahead."1
Do I need a serger thread holder for cones?
Your serger's thread stand should take both. NMSU: "The thread stand should have adaptors for the use of cones or spools of thread."1 Brother's 1034DX, 3534DT and 655D come with spool caps for regular spools and thread nets for loosely spun nylon thread.2
Can I buy serger thread in Canada?
Yes: the Canadian page for Coats & Clark Surelock says "Available Only In Canada and United States".5 We have not checked Canadian stores for the other threads on this page.
Bottom line
For most serging, buy one cone per thread position of a single serger thread in the colour you use most, and follow your manual's chart for the weight. Add woolly nylon for rolled hems and soft edges on knits, a fine thread for sheer fabrics, and use spool caps or nets when you serge from regular spools.
Related guidesWhat we checked, and what we didn't
- Thread and needle chart, spool cap and thread net in Brother's 884-B02/B03 serger manual
- Fibre, weight, length and stated use on each thread maker's page (Coats & Clark via its brand owner, A&E, Gütermann)
- NMSU Extension guide on overlock machines
- How each thread sews on your serger: we have not tested them
- Which of the four threads runs out first: no maker or university figure found
- Fibre and weight of Maxi-Lock: not on A&E's page
- Which Canadian stores sell the Gütermann and Maxi-Lock threads
Sources
- Guide C-218, Selecting an Overlock Sewing Machine (revised 2019) · New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service
- Operation Manual, Compact Overlock Machine, 884-B02/B03 (1034DX, 3534DT, 655D) · Brother
- Overlock and coverlock seams · Gütermann creativ
- Bulky-Lock 80 · Gütermann creativ
- Coats & Clark Surelock Serging Thread (3000 Yards) · Yarnspirations (Spinrite, owner of the Coats & Clark brand)
- FAQ · SCHMETZ needles (US)
- Coats sells North America Crafts business (2019) · Coats Group plc
- Maxi-Lock Serger Thread (consumer products) · American & Efird
- Miniking · Gütermann creativ
- Tera 180 · Gütermann creativ
Revision history
| 2026-11-10 | First version. |