Let me put it out there.... I dislike gathering fabric. My thread breaks frequently when i pull to gather (prob cos i don't buy very expensive thread!) or the gathers just don't look even.
But I mean... LOOK AT IT! Gathered dresses ARE GEORGEOUS! By the way, this is the tiered Talia dress from Goober Pea Designs that is FREE when u subscribe to their newsletter.
So here's my dilemma: I love the look of gathers but hate the gathering.
Thankfully, I've learnt a few tricks to gather effortlessly!
1. Use the longest stitch length you've got on ur sewing machine!
2. Increase the tension. (for my machine, brother FS101, that is usually a 5 and it wld gather very nicely (see above!)
3. Stitch at the highest speed (no really, slow sewing doesn't seem to gather as well!)
Oh, to help ur gathers be more even (though it isn't really needed if u are feeling lazy), I usually start from one end, backstitch first then sew to the other end using the settings above, turn clockwise 90 degrees, stitch 1 stitch then turn clockwise 90 degrees again so that I'm parallel to the first line of stitching and then stitch my second gathering line parallel to the first.
I find that the 2 gathering lines help keep the gathers in place much much better and with the backstitch at the start, i only need to adjust the gathers from one end without worrying that the other end unravels (cos then u have to gather again and nobody wants that!)
And that's it! Lovely gathers with zero frustration. Give it a try!
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