How to gather fabric

There are many techniques that one can use to gather fabric. Let's start with the Gathering Foot for Husqvarna Viking machines and then talk about some other ways to gather a variety of fabrics.

1. The Gathering Foot #4127971-45 is a very useful foot - we can gather fabric or gather and attach it in one step. It works best on light to medium weight fabrics f. Set the needle position to the left, straight stitch, and the stitch length between 3 and 6. The longer the stitch length, the more the fabric will gather. Increasing the top tension and presser foot pressure will create tighter gathers.
The Fabric is placed under the foot to gather. To gather and attach fabric to the gathers at the same time, place fabric to be gathered under the foot and the second piece of fabric into the groove on the foot.. Sew smoothly, guiding fabric pieces but do not hold them back.
With this method the gathers are stitched into place and do NOT move.

2. Don't have a gathering foot - you can use your regular A or B Foot to gather. Of course, the traditional way is to use a long basting stitch, and place 2 rows of stitching along the seam line and 1/4" away in the seam allowance. then you need to pull on the bobbin thread to gather up the fabric to the desired length. One advantage, and also a draw back, with this method is that you can move the gathers to the desired location, and the gathers may shift as you sew them to another piece of fabric.

3. Another method of gathering uses your regular B Foot and a narrow zigzag stitch placed over cording such as invisible thread, gimping thread or even dental floss. The cord needs to be a little longer than the finished length of the gathered section.
Secure the end of the cord to the fabric at one end. Stitch over the cord with a zigzag slightly wider than the cord. As you stitch and reach the end of the cord, pull the cord towards you to gather the fabric and continue to sew over the cord. Repeat this process across the fabric. Adjust gathers evenly across the fabric.

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