any joy with gathering foot ?

Dear Robb,

I haven't used a gathering foot for years, but as I remember, I quit its use because it didn't gather enough to suit me. At any rate, are you putting the flat fabric under the contraption, and the piece to be gathered to it beneath the foot that pushes the fabric? That's the only suggestion I have, unless you might try turning the work around so that the seam allowance side is to the right of the machine.

Teri

That's been pretty much my experience with them.

How have you been gathering? There are about 11 jillion ways to do it, and my two favorites are crimping and using the differential on a serger. Especially on a heavier fabric, I like sergers.

Kay

to do it,

a serger.

the method i have been trying to use is sew two rows of stitching. Sew one row next to the seam line and the second row a

1/4" inch away from the first inside the the allowance, Tie one set of thread ends around a pin set at the gathering end point. Pull the loose side bobbin thread and slide the gathers evenly along the taught thread. Pin the gatherd part to the flat piece and sew.

My trouble is the evenly gathering along thread. the ends will slip or the middle will flatten out with bunches of gathers un-evenly distributed. The funny part is the more i move the gathers around the worse the problem gets. Seems like the first tight gather and wisk it out looks the best not great but it does not get any better with fiddling. When sewing the finish/seam i usually get a few pleated gathers rather than a nice symetrical even spaced gathers.

Being an amateur i have not done many gathers. My current pattern has them around the yoke/bodice , the sleeve and shoulders. So tryinh to get them to look good.

thanks for the help,

robb

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Thanks Teri,

By the looks of it i will be stopping use of gathering foot shortly as well.

I tried the single gather and the duel feed gather and neither looked promising . Of course i tried with a variety of thread tension and stitch lengths but none looked any better than my tedious manual gathering. If it looked as good then i could at least say it was faster (time saver). The foot was mostly just inconsistent. I suppose i would need to trin myself to use. it.

I have this vague recollection that my singer T&S machine did a pretty good gather with it's gathering foot but i was not a sewer then i just liked fixing them. The only sewing just tested the functioning of the machine.

thanks again robb

Wow, you all are making this more complicated than it is. My gather foot technique: Put the machine on a basting stitch (or lengthen a stright stitch to its max), turn the feed dog tension up to max, That turns the fabric into 1/2 of its original length, to get more gather, either turn down the presser foot tension, or gather it again. If it doesn't seem right, break the thread and ungather it, and do it again.

Jon

Robb, I use the following method, and I'm always very happy with the way gathered garments turn out:

*Lengthen* the stitch length, I use about 7-6 stitches per inch, but it depends on the weight of the fabric and how much it will be pulled up. LOOSEN the top/needle thread tension. With the fabric piece rightside UP (so that the bobbin threads are on the wrong side), sew two rows of gathering stitches, one either just shy of or beyond the seam line (depends on whether the removed gathering stitches will leave marks in the fabric) and the second row 1/4" away in the seam allowance. *Without* pulling up the gathering stitches, pin the piece-to-be-gathered to the second (receiving flat) piece, once at each end, and at least three more times in between but at least every four inches of the ungathered part, keeping the gathered section evenly spaced as well. This is called "quartering", but for long seams you can put in as many additional pins as needed, evenly spaced, to keep the work manageable.

Now, starting at one end, gently pull up the gathering (bobbin) threads, pushing the gathers along toward the middle pin until all the excess fabric is gathered. Secure the gathering threads at the end pin, using a figure eight around the pin several times, and then slipping the end of the pin back into the fabric. Do exactly the same thing at the other end of the piece.

Now, *before sewing* distribute the gathers between each set of pins, carefully adding additional pins if necessary. Be sure to watch for any parts of the gathered seam allowance which have not remained flat between the gathering stitches.

Starting at one end *with the gathered fabric uppermost,* begin sewing the seam, using a long sturdy needle to keep the gathers from pushing ahead of the presser foot, or wandering out of the seam line. Sew slowly, keep watching the gathers, keep using the needle to push any wayward gathers into place. Et Voila! Perfect gathers.

In this picture,

'm sewing the top edge of a folded and gathered tulle ruffle for a petticoat to the taffeta base, but you can see how the gathers are smooth, and sewing them down is no problem. Beverly

Beverly, I've been reading this thread with great interest. I find gathers a beast. When you say to use a long sturdy needle to keep the gathers from pushing ahead of the presser foot, do you mean to use it as a stiletto and keep it right in front of the presser foot? Juno

Yes! Right in front of and if necessary push them *under* the foot to maintain proper gathers. I tweak the gathers with a darning needle along the entire length of the seam as I sew it.

Also I should have added, before starting to sew the actual seam, change all machine setting back to normal, that is stitch length 10-12 stitches per inch and needle tension normal for your machine.

I have gathered Yards-and-yards-of-tulle(tm) using this method and always get perfect results.

Gathering is yet another instance of shortcuts=poor quality AKA garbage in=garbage out. I have seen suggestions for the "zig-zag-over-dental-floss" gathering method, I'm pretty sure (without doing any actual research) that it NEVER produces satisfactory results. A single line of gathers would be impossible to sew down properly. The double row of gathering stitches provides a nice flat area *between* the stitches for sewing.

Beverly

Beverly

It's been a long time since I have made anything gathered. I have saved your directions, Beverly, for myself to become re-acquainted with the skill, and for one of my DDs who has decided to learn to sew at age 53. Thank you for posting them. Emily

You're more than welcome, Emily. I have developed (probably re-inventing the wheel several times along the way) so many sewing techniques by trial and error, I no longer even think about how I do them. I had to really think through the whole process for writing that message.

Beverly

Dear Robb,

We don't really mean it when we say to pull the threads; we hold the threads tautly in one hand, and slide the fabric along the threads. Pulling the threads makes them break, and the language that follows the snapped thread should not be heard. And Beverley, I go one step farther; I sew three rows of gathers in everything that won't be marked with pinholes. The third row assures that the gathers don't get caught under the foot as you sew. This doesn't work with all fabrics, but the ones I use all the time for gathers are cottons that are not marred.

Teri

It is worth your time to play with the ruffler to do this -- if you have yards and yards to gather. You can set it for teensy "pleats" that are indistinguishable from gathers, especially once sewn, and it's fun to watch the yards of fabric go under the needle and come out perfectly "gathered." All in one swell foop.

Exactly, I never thought of it any other way, but I can see how a novice sewist might.

And even using the utmost care, one in a while a bobbin thread will break! @#$^%#@ That also means taking out the entire line of gathering stitching and sewing it again. It also means I should have used buttonhole twist or upholstery thread in the bobbin, I keep one filled for just that purpose.

Me too! I just didn't want too scare Robb off of trying this method by telling him to sew three rows. Funny how some people think sewing the best way is the hardest way. Actually, for me, just the reverse is true. ;-)

I sew on just about all types of fabric, and if there's any question about thread holes showing after they are removed, I test.

Beverly

I suppose, but I find it hard to believe that the ruffler would apply *exactly* ten yards of tulle to *exactly* 1 yard of petticoat, and do in in the round, not flat. If I make DGD's wedding gown (in another 10 years) I'll probably have to give it a test.

Beverly

Therein lies the rub. But if you have yards and yards, and can adjust - or have enough to gamble, it's great. Or, if you do a length and measure it, because the ruffler is adjustable for bight and you can plan it out so that you end up with the right amount or very close to it. Sort of like doing a tension swatch for knitting.

You can also do a zigzag over a length of perle cotton, nylon monofilament, or other strong thread. Dental floss?

Pogonip wrote: Snip>>

Ok, OK, one of these days I'll test it! Right after I finish this jacket...and the kilt...and the purple jacket I just learned I've been recommended to make for one of the other girls in DGD's dance class... and....... and........... ;-}

Beverly

I know, I know. When you get a round tuit.

All my tuits are square.

Beverly