Gather (sewing)

Gathering is a sewing technique for shortening the length of a strip of fabric so that the longer piece can be attached to a shorter piece. It is commonly used in clothing to manage fullness, as when a full sleeve is attached to the armscye or cuff of a shirt, or when a skirt is attached to a bodice.

In simple gathering, parallel rows of running stitches are sewn along one edge of the fabric to be gathered. The stitching threads are then pulled or "drawn up" so that the fabric forms small folds along the threads.^[1] ^[2]

Gathering seams use to mean tedious hand sewing of basting which took up much time, and if you had thick or heavy fabric your thread would break, and you'd have to do it all over again. Those days are done. A quick and easy way to gather is to use a wide zigzag stitch. Pull both upper and lower thread long and place in front of the sewing machine. Carefully sew zigzagging over top of the two threads trying not to catch the threads as you sew. When you get to the end pull the two threads and your area will automatically gather. The gathering comes out perfect and sturdy every time. ^[3]

Types

Pleating or plaiting is a type of gathering in which the folds are usually larger, made by hand and pinned in place, rather than drawn up on threads, but very small pleats are often identical to evenly-spaced gathers. Pleating is mainly used to make skirts, but can have other uses.(See main article Pleat.)^[4]
Shirring or gauging is a decorative technique in which a panel of fabric is gathered with many rows of stitching across its entire length and then attached to a foundation or lining to hold the gathers in place. It is very commonly used to make larger pieces of clothing with some shape to them.^[5]

References

^ Caulfield, S.F.A. and B.C. Saward, The Dictionary of Needlework, 1885, facsimile edition, Blaketon Hall, 1989, p. 219
^ Picken, Mary Brooks: The Fashion Dictionary, Funk and Wagnalls, 1957. (1973 edition ISBN 0308100522)
^ LovetoSew.com Garment Construction: How to Gather Fabric http://www.lovetosew.com/seamgathering.htm Retrieved on 2011-12-28
^ Caulfield and Saward, The Dictionary of Needlework
^ Caulfield and Saward, The Dictionary of Needlework, p. 220

Sewing

Techniques	Basting Cut Darning Embellishment Fabric tube turning Facing Floating canvas Gather Godet Gore Gusset Hem Heirloom sewing Lining Pleat Ruffle Shirring Style line

Stitches	Backstitch Bar tack Blanket Buttonhole Chain stitch Cross-stitch Embroidery stitch Hemstitch List of sewing stitches Lockstitch Overlock Pad stitch Running Sashiko Tack Topstitch Zigzag

Seams	Armscye Seam allowance

Notions and trims	Bias tape Elastomer (Elastic) Eyelet Grommet Interfacing Notions Passementerie Piping Rickrack Self-fabric Soutache Trim Twill tape Wrights

Closures	Buckle Button Buttonhole Fly Frog Hook-and-eye Placket Shank Snap Velcro Zipper

Materials	Bias Yarn / Thread Selvage Textiles / Fabrics

Tools	Bobbin Dress form Needle threader Pin Pincushion Pinking shears Scissors Seam ripper Sewing needle Stitching awl Tailor's ham Tape measure Thimble Tracing paper Tracing wheel

Trades and suppliers	Cloth merchant Draper Dressmaker Haberdasher Mercer / Mercery Sewing occupations Tailor

Sewing machine manufacturers	Barthélemy Thimonnier Bernina Brother Industries Elias Howe Janome Jones Sewing Machine Company Merrow New Home Pfaff Sewmor Singer Tapemaster Viking / Husqvarna White

Patterns	Butterick Clothkits McCall's Simplicity

Glossary of sewing terms