How to gather fabric
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to sew a gather stitch, how to take up the gathers and finally, how to attach the gathered edge to a corresponding piece. This gathering method explains how to sew a gather stitch with three rows of basting, which is suitable for larger gathered edges or for full gathers. This tutorial is taken from the pages of Boundless Style. You can find this tutorial and many others in Boundless Style.
Let’s get started!
Gathering is a technique that draws up fabric along rows of basting stitches to create soft folds. It works beautifully with light-to medium-weight fabric. Make sure to use a strong bobbin thread that can withstand pulling.
Set your machine to 7–8 stitches per inch (2.5cm). Reduce your top thread tension slightly to allow for the bobbin threads to pull easily. Don’t forget to return to a regular tension after sewing your gather stitch. If you are working with a fabric with a heavier weight, it can be challenging to gather and the resulting gathers will produce a fuller body. Instead of gathering this fabric, try taking up the fullness with irregular pleats.
For clarity, I’ve used blue top thread and red bobbin thread.
Gathering to a Corresponding Piece:
Your pattern will indicate where the gather stitch will be sewn. For this demonstration, we will sew a gather stitch in between the notches on the orange fabric, gathering it to equal the notches on the purple fabric.
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Sew three rows of gather stitching along the fabric edge, the first 1⁄4" (6mm), the second 1⁄2" (1.3cm) and the third 3⁄4" (1.9cm).
Do not backstitch on either end; instead, leave a few inches (several centimeters) of tail threads at either end for pulling.
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With right sides facing, pin the two fabric layers together at the notches. Pull the three bobbin threads together at either end of the gather stitch until the excess fabric is taken up enough to equal the length of the corresponding fabric.
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At either end of the gather stitch, wrap the thread tails around the pins in a figure eight. This will secure the gathers and prevent them from unraveling as you work.
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Distribute the gathers evenly along the stitch. Pin the two fabric layers together.
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Sew the final seam with the gathered fabric on top so you can adjust the gathers as you sew, if necessary.
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After the seam is sewn, remove the third row of gathering stitches and finish the raw edges together with a serge or zigzag stitch.
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Press the seam with the allowance turned away from the gathers. Be careful not to press the gathers (you’ll crush them). Finally, press neatly on the right side of the seam.
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