Project: How to "gather"

For the longest time I would refer to my sewing skills as "I can sew a straight line?  Nothing fancy like gathering or anything like that though..."

If only I had realized how EASY gathering is!!  I was terrified to try.  But it is so simple its almost painful.  So here's how.

Set your stitch length to the longest possible stitch.  I don't know how it works on the new machines.  But on my old Bernina that I inherited from my Grandmother (they last forever!)  You twist the knob - 4 is the largest, 0 gets you nowhere  :0)

 Start your stitch, depending on how much you want sticking above your gather.  I was sewing mine onto something else, so I didn't want a lot.  Note:  DONT BACKSTITCH!  You know - what you do at the beginning and end so your seam doesn't come undone?  Don't do that....at the beginning or at the end!

When you are done, take a look at the end.  You will see that you have one thread above the fabric and one below it.  (Bobbin thread and top thread).  

Take a hold of the bobbin thread - thats the bottom one - with one hand, and slide your material away from it with your other hand.

 And you have a gather!
Continue to work your fabric through along the thread.  If it gets too bunched up work from the back and loosen them up.

When I get close to the end, I switch sides and gather the end up.  That way I don't accidentally pull to hard and start to pull my thread out!

Tah-Dah!  See, wasn't that easy?

A few things to note.  If the material isn't sliding, DON'T pull harder.  Go to the end of your gathers and slowly work through them until it starts moving again.  If you break the thread you have to start over!  Also, the tighter you pull it, the tighter the gather.  I know that's kind of a "duh", but its worth mentioning.  And lastly - like I mentioned before, don't pull too far and pull your end thread into the stitches.  You have to start over then too.

OOOHH!  I can't wait to show you what this was for.  Its pretty much awesome!