This is a blog post on sewing elastic shirring in garments. Elastic shirring is commonly seen in children’s garments. It’s used to make collars and sleeves. As it’s elastic it can stretch easily and at the same time giving shape to the garment. In recent times this trend is making a come back.
Sewing elastic shirring on garments
This is how I make it the elastic shirring after finding what I could on the internet. The pattern of the garment I am making is a dress by La Maison Victor issue no 5/2019. I later made a blouse out of this dress pattern.
You will need some elastic thread. It’s sold in a spool like an ordinary spool of thread from haberdashery shops. Prepare the bobbin with this spool of elastic thread. This is done by winding the elastic by hand onto the bobbin. Yes by hand it wouldn’t work any other way. The elastic thread is quite thick the bobbin will fill up in no time. Load the bobbin the usual way onto the sewing machine.
Transferring markings onto the fabric
Start transferring marks onto the fabric on where the shirring elastic would be placed. Then hem the end of the fabric that goes to the edge of the garment like the collar or the sleeve.
Then start sewing the elastic thread onto the fabric. Sew on top so the elastic thread would be at the bottom or wrong side of fabric. Sew on the gathering stitch setting which is 4.0mm width stitch. You will end up with stitches but not much gathering. To get it to gather I just up pulling/ gathering the elastic thread together. I tie them so as the keep them in place.
sewn elastic shirring 
sewing elastic shirring
Finally, when I finish gathering all of the rows the raw edge is sewn to the neckline or use as a sleeve on the dress.
Thank you for dropping by and reading. Do have a look at my other sewing blog posts like sewing sheer fabric and sewing buttonholes.
