Towels used in the decorating industry are usually sheared on the front side. Shearing is the process of cutting off the tops of the terry loops. This process allows the cotton fibers to open up or bloom which gives it a velour feel and produces a flatter and smoother decorating surface.
What is shirring and how is it done?
Shirring is basically decorative gathering with many rows of gathering stitches. Now we mostly hear of shirring done with elastic thread as this creates beautiful gathers rather easily. Elastic thread is wound on the bobbin and then several parallel rows of stitching are done across the fabric.
How do you do shirring with a sewing machine?
Now we mostly hear of shirring done with elastic thread as this creates beautiful gathers rather easily. Elastic thread is wound on the bobbin and then several parallel rows of stitching are done across the fabric. The resultant fabric panel will be beautifully gathered. Another method is to use the gathering foot of a sewing machine.
How to do shirring on fabric with elastic thread?
How to do shirring on fabric with elastic thread. Step 1. Wind the bobbin. Thread the bobbin with elastic thread, winding it tautly by hand ( do not stretch), until the bobbin is almost full. Thread the elastic thread up through the small holes in your bobbin. Wind the bobbin – 2/3 full.
What is smocking and shirring?
Smocking is an embroidery technique to collect cloth or fabric and secure folded or finely pleated fabric using a decorative stitch. Shirring collects fabric using several stitching rows, shrinking the material to a smaller size.
What Is Shirring?
Shirring shouldn’t be mistaken for smocking , which similarly uses stitching to create a gathered cloth appearance. The former uses pleats to fold excess cloth together into a pattern. Smocking also lacks the linear appearance and stretchy quality that makes shirring so beautiful and comfy.
Can you shirr by hand?
For the most part, you won’t want to shirr by hand. While it’s possible, especially with an ample supply of pins, it can be a hassle. Instead, we recommend using any variety of sewing machines. This helps you stay on track and maintain a straight stitch. As mentioned, pins are also very useful to hold the cloth in place, especially the bands of elastic that are added.
What is shirring in sewing?
Shirring is a decorative gathering with many rows of gathering stitches. Now we mostly hear of shirring done with elastic thread as this creates beautiful gathers rather easily. Elastic thread is wound on the bobbin and then several parallel rows of stitching are done across the fabric. The resultant fabric panel will be beautifully gathered.
What material is used for shirring?
Shirring is usually done on bodices, shoulders, sleeve cuffs or waistlines to control the fullness. Light weight fabric shirrs very well. Thin materials like voile , lawn, gauze, chiffon take shirring beautifully well. Light weight cotton, synthetic fabrics like polyester are also best for shirring.
What to do if elastic thread runs out?
If the top thread runs out in between or bobbin elastic thread runs out bring the top thread to the back of the fabric and tie knot with the elastic thread to make sure that the elastic thread does not unwind. Plug the iron on – keep it in the steam setting. Do not worry if you do not have a steam iron.
How to get elastic thread out of fabric?
Plug the iron on – keep it in the steam setting. Do not worry if you do not have a steam iron. Just sprinkle some water on the shirred fabric with a spray bottle and then use a hot iron to press lightly over the top of the fabric (not on the back with the elastic thread). The elastic thread will shrivel up and gather the fabric more than earlier
How to shirr on fabric?
How to do shirring on fabric with elastic thread. Thread the bobbin with elastic thread, winding it tautly by hand ( do not stretch), until the bobbin is almost full. Thread the elastic thread up through the small holes in your bobbin. Wind the bobbin – 2/3 full. Cut away the excess tail on top of the hole in the bobbin.
How to keep fabric taut when sewing?
Keep the fabric taut at all times so that fabric folds are not caught in your stitching. It is ok to go very slow or stop stitching and check everything is ok – you need a flat fabric surface to sew, so keep the gathers of the fabric away with both hands holding the fabric straight as you sew.
How to take out bobbin thread?
Take out the bobbin thread by moving the hand wheel. This is very important and you should do this every time you are starting a row after stopping- this ensures you have a smooth start. Step 5. Start sewing – you will be sewing on the right side of the fabric on the lines you have marked.
What is a shirring?
Shirring means gathering rows of fabric with a combination of elastic and regular thread. Two or more rows are needed to decorate sections of garments like the yoke, bodice, and sleeves.
What is the technique of shirring?
Shirring is a technique that gathers fabric making use of several rows of stitching that shrinks the size of the fabric small thereby providing it with elasticity.
What is the difference between shirring and smocking?
Shirring is gathering fabric to decorate garment sections like the yoke, sleeves, and bodice; while smocking is a technique where fabric is gathered as a decorative embroidery design.
What is a smocking shirt?
Smocking is used for necklines, cuffs, and bodices where there was no need for buttons. Shirring is used for the yoke, bodice, and sleeves.
What fabric is used for smocking?
Both smocking and shirring require a fabric that is lightweight to provide a neat weave and gather of fabric such as silk and cotton .
How long should a shirring stitch be?
Adjust the stitch length from 2.5 to 3.5 or 4.0 to lengthen and get a tight shirring result.
How to shrink a shirring?
After shirring on the fabric, use a hot iron and lots of steam on both right and wrong side to shrink the shirring and set the stitching.
What is shirring in sewing?
You have to collect the fabric in different ways in smocking to get fine pleats. But shirring is collecting fabric from more than one row and in a particular pattern.
What thread is used for shirring?
Elastic thread is required for shirring, and it should be high-quality. Make sure you have different colors of threads to use accordingly. The elastic thread offers flexibility and can fit better.
What Are The Necessary Things You Must Have For Smocking And Shirring Techniques?
The things you will require for smocking are fabric, chalk or removable pen, ruler, sewing machine, thread, etc. These are the basic things, and everyone who sews has all these with them.
What is smocking in embroidery?
Smocking is an embroidery technique to collect cloth or fabric and secure folded or finely pleated fabric using a decorative stitch. Shirring collects fabric using several stitching rows, shrinking the material to a smaller size. By doing so, you can give elasticity to the cloth.
How many rows of smocking and shirring?
Smocking adds an aesthetically pleasing look by altering the shape of the cloth. Shirring, on the other end, takes at least two rows to decorate the section of the fabric.
What is the best fabric for shirring?
To get a neat weave and fabrics, use fabrics like cotton and silk are the best.
Why do people shirr in patterns?
By avoiding fiddling with alterations, shirring helps to add some shape to the pattern. However, smocking is to add in the pattern variably.
What is shirring in sewing?
Shirring is a magical technique that shrinks a piece of fabric and transforms it into something stretchy. It’s great for skirt waistbands, shirt hems and bodices. And all it takes is sewing a few rows of stitches with elastic thread.
How to shirr a bobbin?
2. Use Your Hands to Wind the Bobbin. For shirring, you need to wind the bobbin with elastic thread — by hand, not by machine. As you wind, avoid pulling tightly on the elastic. Then insert the bobbin into the machine as usual and load the top thread as you normally would. 3.
Does voile shrink?
Test out shirring on a few different types of material and you might notice that the more lightweight the fabric, the better the result. Light cotton fabrics like voile will shrink more than, say, a quilting cotton. Fabrics like corduroy, wool and other heavyweights are just not shirr-able. Stick to the lightest fabric you can find.
