The Sewing Place

Neckline McCalls 5640

Diane

Neckline McCalls 5640
« on: June 26, 2017, 09:26:11 AM »
Has anyone got any tips or advice on how to gather a neckline to fit the yoke? I've followed the pattern by sewing one row of long stitches followed by a second row and trying to pull the threads but the thread keeps snagging? I've unpicked it twice as it wasn't good enough and I did contemplate using the gathering foot on the sewing machine but wasn't sure. It's been such a long time since I've made some clothes that I'm unsure which direction to go in. I've attached a picture
I’m a fabricholic on the road to recovery. Just kidding. I’m on the road to the fabric store.

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Samantha

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2017, 09:29:56 AM »
Did you sew it by hand or machine? I always do it by hand and it gathers fine - tried it once by machine and it didn't work.

Diane

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2017, 09:32:49 AM »
It was done on the machine (twice) I think your right, by hand maybe the better method, at least I can lengthen the stitches a bit more than my machine allows.
Thanks
I’m a fabricholic on the road to recovery. Just kidding. I’m on the road to the fabric store.

Janome Memory Craft Horizon 9450QCP, Janome 4300QDC, Overlocker Brother 1034d, Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 40

b15erk

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2017, 10:09:07 AM »
I use a very easy method.  Put the fabric under the machine foot, and pull the bobbin thread to the top.  Pull the bobbin thread forward to the length that you want to gather, then zig zag over it.  Take it off the machine when you reach the end of your gathers, leave a few inches of thread, and pull as tightly or as loosely as you need.

This is the easiest I've found, and gives even gathers too.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Diane

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2017, 10:26:57 AM »
I use a very easy method.  Put the fabric under the machine foot, and pull the bobbin thread to the top.  Pull the bobbin thread forward to the length that you want to gather, then zig zag over it.  Take it off the machine when you reach the end of your gathers, leave a few inches of thread, and pull as tightly or as loosely as you need.

This is the easiest I've found, and gives even gathers too.

Jessie

Thanks Jessie
I'll give that a go on some scrap fabric.
I’m a fabricholic on the road to recovery. Just kidding. I’m on the road to the fabric store.

Janome Memory Craft Horizon 9450QCP, Janome 4300QDC, Overlocker Brother 1034d, Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 40

Marniesews

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2017, 02:23:46 AM »
i find gathering around the whole of a top like this just feels like a lot to do in one go and get it well distributed around the whole seam. If you don't get on with Jessie's method and assuming you've already joined all the sleeve seams etc., this is the method I would use:

1. Mark the centres of the yoke front and back, put them together so you can then mark the quarter positions on the yoke (centre of the section that is sewn to the sleeve).
2. Now match each pair of marks to make another set of marks between them so you end up with 8 little marks all equally spread around the seam line of your yoke.
3. Do the same on the body of the dress.
4. Sew your gathering threads between the marks in short sections rather than one or two long lengths around the whole body of fabric.
5. Match the marks on the yoke and body and pin them together (at right angles to the seam).
6. Gather up the fabric between the pins, spread the gathers evenly and pin (at right angles to the seam so you can adjust gathers evenly). You can use lots of pins to keep tiny gathers in place and avoid lumps if needed.
7. Machine. You can pull out the pins as they get right up to the foot and, while lots of people don't worry about sewing over pins like this you can easily break a needle so I prefer to hand turn the machine over a pin if I really don't want to remove it before it's sewn down.

It's not as long-winded as the numbered steps appear and has several advantages. It gives you more control more quickly because it gets the long ungathered fabric attached evenly around the seam right from the start so, being fixed in so many places, it won't hang down with the weight of the full body. It's also much easier to gather short sections at a time rather than pulling long pieces of gathering thread and is much more likely to produce evenly gathered fabric around the entire yoke because you're only pulling through one small section at a time - if you pull hard it won't start pulling it through from the next section.
Hopefully back more regularly! Ballroom sewing may be permanently paused but bag making is the current focus.

Diane

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2017, 05:03:12 AM »
Thanks for all the tips, doing it in small sections is a great idea, had trouble pulling the long threads as it would only pull a short distance. Will have a go at this but it won't be until Friday unfortunately due to work.
Thanks again
I’m a fabricholic on the road to recovery. Just kidding. I’m on the road to the fabric store.

Janome Memory Craft Horizon 9450QCP, Janome 4300QDC, Overlocker Brother 1034d, Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 40

Hachi

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2017, 07:51:54 AM »
If it's the friction between the thread and the fabric that's prohibiting the fabric to gather smoothly, you might want to try the dental floss. Just zigzag over the dental floss (you can use the cording foot, too) and pull the floss to gather.

When the gathering distance is very long, I usually do 3 rows of basting stitches to help even out the gathers and not to break the thread.
I would love to see your finished garment!

Diane

Re: Neckline McCalls 5640
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2017, 08:45:05 AM »
Thanks

All these tips are fab, so glad we now have this lovely sewing forum.
I’m a fabricholic on the road to recovery. Just kidding. I’m on the road to the fabric store.

Janome Memory Craft Horizon 9450QCP, Janome 4300QDC, Overlocker Brother 1034d, Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 40