How To Shirr Fabric With Elastic Thread
- WAWAK Sewing Supplies
- Oct 6
- 3 min read
Commonly used in garment sewing, shirring is a popular technique used to gather and add stretch to areas like waistlines, necklines, sleeve cuffs and even entire bodices. It's an excellent way to create form-fitting, textured areas of a garment—and it's easier than it looks! Read on to learn how to shirr fabric with elastic thread, and download our free illustrated guide below for your reference. Need elastic thread or other sewing supplies to get started? Find what you need at WAWAK.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Light to Medium-Weight Fabric
Sewing Machine
HOW TO SHIRR FABRIC WITH ELASTIC THREAD
Shirring is a great way to make certain areas of a garment more flattering, comfortable and visually interesting. The secret? Elastic thread. Shirring consists of multiple closely-placed rows of elasticized stitching. Using elastic thread in the bobbin of your sewing machine, you can easily create lots of small gathers and add stretch in each stitch.
Working with elastic thread can be highly variable due to the many differences between machines, materials and tension in hand-winding the bobbin. Your shirring might not come out exactly how you want it to look on the first try, and that's okay! You may need to experiment with different stitch lengths and bobbin tensions to create the look you want. Be sure to do a test run on a scrap piece of fabric before starting your project so you can adjust as needed. Let's get started!
STEP 1: WIND THE BOBBIN
Elastic thread should go on the bobbin; it should not be used as a top thread, as it is too thick to run through most machines and can snap if attempted. Wind the bobbin by hand, making sure to avoid stretching or pulling the thread tight as you wind. Do not perform this step on your machine, as it may break the elastic thread.
STEP 2: LOAD THE BOBBIN
Load the bobbin as you normally would, according to your machine's instruction manual. If you have a top-loading bobbin, ensure the thread passes through the thread guide notch; otherwise, the thread will not be under appropriate tension, resulting in loose loops on the back side of your project. Thread your machine's top thread with your chosen sewing thread and bring up the elastic bobbin thread..
STEP 3: BEGIN SEWING
Increase your stitch length to a little longer than usual. For example, on a scale of 1 to 5, try between 3.5-4 and see where you get the best results. Be sure to test on scrap fabric.
If the fabric isn't bunching up enough, you can try increasing your stitch length or the tension on the bobbin case. If it is too bunched up or the elastic keeps breaking, try decreasing the stitch length or the bobbin tension. If you still aren't getting the results you're looking for, you can also try unwinding and rewinding the bobbin with more or less tension.
Sew your desired number of rows of shirring, backstitching at the start and end of each row to secure the elastic.
STEP 4: STEAM
Holding a steam iron just above your elastic stitches can help contract the fabric for a more gathered look. Steam your project, and your shirring is complete!
HOW TO SEW WITH ELASTIC THREAD GUIDE
Save these instructions for later with our free printable how-to guide featuring helpful illustrations. Print or download it at the link below. For elastic thread or other garment construction supplies, visit WAWAK. Let's sew!
SHOP FOR ELASTIC THREAD AT WAWAK
Use this handy how-to guide to learn how to sew with elastic thread.
