The Sewing Place

Gathering Tulle

Greybird

Gathering Tulle
« on: June 10, 2018, 15:51:11 PM »
My task for today was gathering on tulle. Gathering is not something I have done much of and I didn't want to mess this up so I looked on Youtube for guidance. I don't have a gathering foot but I found more than one tutorial that told me to turn to the maximum stitch length and the tightest tension. On their examples it gathered up beautifully behind the needle. Back downstairs I go and confidently begin. Only it didn't work - it stayed as flat as before.

I have done it now, just by using a long stitch on standard tension, although I wouldn't want anyone to inspect it too closely for eveness. Can anyone tell me why it didn't work or what I did wrong?

Iminei

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2018, 17:37:47 PM »
DF is your go to gall for this as I recall GB
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Yellowfeather

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2018, 19:20:24 PM »
If you have some, use fishing line and use a fairly large zig zag stitch over the top.  Then when you have finished, just slide along the fishing line to gather up.

DementedFairy

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2018, 20:19:10 PM »
fortunately on this occasion the tulle wasn't gathered.  And I will be avoiding using at all in future.  The devil's invention
C'est moi!

Greybird

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2018, 22:13:20 PM »
@DementedFairy -I'm inclined to agree, although I have promised to do a second dress in different fabric. I shall obtain some fishing line and take your advice @Yellowfeather! I would still love to know though how those Youtube people did it.

Gemma

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2018, 01:33:51 AM »
You can also use dental floss to zigzag over - might be easier to get hold of quickly

eclectic

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2018, 10:29:12 AM »
@Greybird , I use fishing line and zig zag too as that is the easiest and you can then gather it to any size you need ... sometimes for the top layer of the skirts when I want it to look a bit more 'perfect' I do two rows of zigzags one above each other with a bit of a gap in between .. my stitch length and width is on the widest and longest .. I then pull the two rows together at the same time. 

b15erk

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #7 on: June 11, 2018, 10:37:09 AM »
I do something similar to the fishing line/dental floss, but without using a seperate thread.  I fetch the bobbin thread up, and pull it to the length I need to be gathered, lay it on top if the fabric, and zig zag over it.  I suppose you could wind fishing line/dental floss onto the bobbin, but I find ordinary thread does the job.  The advantage is, that the starting end is anchored and doesn't have loose threads, which I find much easier if there are a few skirt pieces to be gathered.

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.

Greybird

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2018, 11:17:48 AM »
Thank you all for the advice. Jessie, I saw a tutorial using that method and when I tried it it worked well, but I had about 3 meters to gather and I couldn't see how I could pull that much up? I shall try the dental floss/fishing line method - I think I need to practice a lot before I plunge into the second dress!

mammafairy

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2018, 18:45:15 PM »
Ok, I do a fair amount of this so, here is the advice.
'Scrabble it!'

What I mean is, yes, by all means have a long stitch length, but as you feed the tulle under the presser foot, push more fabric in as you go. Go at it quite fast, as well, and just keep pushing it in.
The result you get, as a sewing perfectionist, will look rubbish, but when it is pinned onto the mount- yokeor base- it will come together and no-one will know!

This is much the quickest way to do it, but you do have to watch out for the edge of the tulle veering off sideways, and not following the line you want

I was taught this by a lady who did a lot of costume making, on a semi professional basis.




Greybird

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2018, 22:32:46 PM »
OK @mammafairy - I am going to have to take a deep breath before doing the second one and I will give this a try. My only worry is whether I shall be able to do it with all my fingers crossed?

Thank you!

mammafairy

Re: Gathering Tulle
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2018, 07:19:40 AM »
Then, when you pin it onto it's base, do it by eye, pin the sides and centre, and work in the excess, by pinning, before you sew. Don't spend hours pulling up the threads and making grooves in your fingers!

 :D