Regardless of the age or brand of your sewing machine and serger, Secrets for Successful Sewing shows you how to teach your machines some new "tricks". The manuals that came with your sewing machine and serger only scratch the surface when it comes to telling you how to get the most from these machines. Secrets for Successful Sewing goes well beyond the basic information in those manuals to give you detailed information about presser feet, accessories, tension adjustments, and stitch options, so you can sew and serge garments that will rival anything found in the best clothing stores. Explicit step-by-step directions tell you how to couch with a blindstitch, serge customized braid, imitate charted needlework with free-motion satin stitching, and even how to use a serger rolled-edge stitch to imitate piping or join lace insertions. In each section you'll know at a glance whether a technique is for the sewing machine, the serger, or both! Plus, each technique includes a listing of machine settings as well as a list of the notions and accessories you need. Hundreds of colorful how-to illustrations and inspiring photographs ensure your success with each technique.