How to make shirring with an elastic thread

Summer dresses Nola and Gloria have an effective and comfortable gathering on a thin elastic thread. Here is a tutorial on how to make this beautiful shirring. This technique is often used in summer dresses and it’s very trendy right now!

Before you start, you need to find a special thin round-shaped elastic thread.

It should be matched to the colour of your fabric, which shouldn’t be a problem since they come in a variety of colours.

How to shirr:

1. Wind elastic thread around the bobbin. Make sure not to stretch it too much. If the hook on your machine is vertical, loosen the tension on the bobbin cap with a screwdriver. In a horizontal hook, there is no need to change it.
2. Use a regular thread that matches the material on the right side. Thread your machine as usual but release the thread’s tension a little. Set the stitch length at 3-3.5 cm. Test the stitches on a sample.

3. On the right side of the piece, mark the stitching lines using chalk or a disappearing pen.

4. Stitch elastic lines on the sewing machine on the right side of the piece, 1cm away from the edge (photo 3). Do NOT backstitch at the beginning and end, but leave long thread tails and tie knots (photo 4).

5. When all the lines are done, gently steam the piece and your shirring is done!