An overlocker has no reverse, so the thread chain at each end has to be secured some other way. Four methods, in rough order of neatness.
Cross it with another seam. The simplest and most common. If the seam end will be crossed by a waistband, a hem or another seam, that crossing locks it. Leave the chain, trim it, and carry on.
Thread the chain back through the stitching. Use a large-eye needle or a loop turner to pull the chain back through the inside of the overlock stitching for 3 to 4 cm, then trim. This is the tidiest method and it is what ready-to-wear does.
Knot and dab. Tie the chain in a knot close to the fabric, trim, and put a very small amount of fray stopper on it. Quick, secure, slightly visible.
Sew over it. Run the chain back under the presser foot and overlock over it for a few centimetres. Fast, and it produces a slight bulge.
What not to do: simply trim the chain flush. It unravels, and it usually unravels after the garment has been worn and washed a few times rather than immediately, which is worse.
Leave a long chain at each end while you sew — you need something to work with.
Questions people actually ask
Do I need to secure both ends?
Both ends of any seam not crossed by another. Ends that will be crossed can be left.
Can I use fray stopper alone?
On a knot, yes. On a raw trimmed chain, it is not reliable — there is nothing holding the threads together underneath it.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11