Shirring (0.5")
Technique: Shirring (0.5")
“Shirring configures fabric with bands of soft, rolling folds released between rows of gathering.” (Wolff, p.28)
Materials: Cotton sateen, cotton sewing thread
Spacing/Size: .5” spacing
Gathering Methods: Parallel rows of machine stitching pulled to gather (longest stitch length), Only pull bobbin thread
Anchoring methods: The bobbin and top thread are tied in a knot on top and bottom of one side; Only tied on one side because the thread breaks under too much pressure on the opposite side
Notes and Reflections: Advantages, Disadvantages, Ideas, Evaluations
• Sample illustrates the repetition of the gathering lines to make shirring with a dark colored thread as the bobbin and light for top stitching
• Marked lines and followed with machine stitching
• Gathers set inside the fabric to create a strip inside of shirring as opposed to entire cloth
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
• Requires patience to not break the thread used to gather
• Difficult to finish the edges gathering without breakage
• Needs a lighter weight fabric (the sateen is a little heavy for gathering/shirring)
Ideas for Exploration:
• Could experiment with stitch direction, pattern
• Method for Shibori
• Use stronger thread (nylon)
• Use lighter weight fabric