There are twoways in which you can perform a gather stitch -
1 – by hand, or
2 – by sewing machine
In this post I am going to demonstrate how to sew a gathering stitch using a sewing machine. (Only by virtue that its quicker than by hand).
What are gathers and gathering stitches?
Gathers are used in fashion sewing to create shape and to aid in the fit within an area of a garment. They add volume to parts such as sleeves, or help to add fullness to a section of a garment such as the bust.
How to sew the gathering stitch –
- Loosen the thread tension on your sewing machine by turning the selector wheel to a lower number (I recommend between 1-4). Remember to reset it to its original position when you have finished.
- Sew two rows of stitching that are parallel to each other. (1cm / 3/8 inch apart). These two rows of stitching allow for the area to be drawn together to create a natural pulling up of the fabric which gives it volume.
- The drawn up area of fabric now needs to be held in place by stitching between the individual rows. Stitch using a 2.5 or 3 stitch length. This is a permanent stitch that holds the gathered up fabric.
Want to see how its done? Watch my video below -
If you have any questions regarding this matter or any other posts, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the contact form below.
Happy fashion sewing
Colleen G Lea
(read more about Colleen at ‘linkedin‘)
