If I Can Shirr, So Can YOU!! Shirring Made EASY!!

Ever look at shirred fabric and wonder, How in the WORLD do I do that!!?? Lets do it together and let me show you just how easy it really is!!
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[@MortalPortal666]

Thank you so much for this. I was literally crying with frustration after hours of failure but your explanation of the bobbin tension disc is what helped me figure it out, nobody else had mentioned this. You are a gem!

[@stephaniestuff]

Thank you!!! I followed every tutorial and they all failed to mention the bobbin tension discs. I did it your way and it worked ❤❤

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I’m so happy to hear that! Let the shirring magic begin! 🎉

[@Thespiansewist]

Thanks for finer details for this novice Sewing my first dress for daughter birthday learning to sew at 67 Adding shirring

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You’re welcome 😊I hope you are enjoying the journey!

[@veryschick]

I spent all day watching videos trying to figure this out and FINALLY achieved success thanks to your video, Nielsen is absolutely correct!! Tahnk you Thank you!!!!

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Thank you! I am so glad this was helpful!! ❤️

[@lunasmum6869]

Thanks so much for this demonstration. I have been sewing for years but I've never done shirring before but have a pattern where it would be very effective. I feel I can do that one now but I will practice on an offcut of the fabric first! Edited to correct typos!

[@stacysmith3697]

Just ordered the thread and I'm super excited to learn this technique. Please keep the learning videos coming!

[@Kerryatter]

AHAAAAH!!! It’s because I didn’t make sure the elastic went through the tension prong!! Thank you so much for clearing up my ‘loopy back’ when I tried shirring! I’ll try this again in the morning. Thank you, Diane 🧵

[@Kerryatter]

It worked!!! Woohoo! Thank you

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I am so glad!!

[@itsvioletbean]

this is the only shirring video that's helped me actually gather the fabric, thanks so much!!!!

[@karinaclaudio5031]

OmyGOD!! Thank you so much! I watched many, many videos and was unable to make it work. Watching your video was all I needed. 💖

[@sarahedwards8987]

Thank you for this tutorial Diana, as usual, you have inspired me to have a go. I just took delivery of 3 skeins of shirring elastic today so perhaps it was destiny.

[@VickyKumar-nu7em]

2

[@tanjutanju5178]

Thanks for the tutorial. If you do shirring again, try back stitch then 180degree turn the fabric and lift presser foot to the next line down and start again. This way much less shirring thread wasted when your moving lines. I have watched so many shirring videos but have not tried it yet as I'm scared of woven fabrics 🤣

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

thats a great point! Ill keep that in mind next time!

[@hendrikcoetzer7234]

Yes my wife turns around as you described it safe a lot. Thanks for a great instruction. You can also use a width guide on the foot then you don't have to mark it all out. I use the machine winder for the bobin but I hold the elastic in my when I wind it .it take a bit of practice. Good luck

[@candicejohnson9720]

Thanks for this info! I've only shirred once, but now I'm not so nervous.

[@sunnydazewithdawn350]

I've always wondered how this was done. You did very well in showing me how. I am a beginner and am trying to learn all I can. I just sewed my first dress a few days ago! Woohoo....videos like yours help me to learn more and sew, sew, sew....Thank you

[@margaretpitts5462]

How do you estimate the length or width. Do you cut double width to allow for the gather?

[@m3lodr4matic]

Its usually 1.5 times the width. So for example you want to make a top, you take your chest circumference and multiply it by 1.5. Its also possible to multiply it by 2.

[@christinablock4282]

Thank you for sharing your talent. ❤️

[@joannat.5118]

Thanks you so much! ❣️ i’m addicted to your tutos, it helps me. I learned a lot. À fan from Montréal, Québec, Canada 🇨🇦 merci beaucoup pour votre aide!🙏

[@Escape10mom]

I'll have to give this a try!! Your dress is so cute!

[@sarahb9139]

Thank you so much for this demonstration, especially for going into detail about the bobbin and the tensioner catching the elastic thread. My first row was great and after that utter failure. I watched heaps of videos but nobody covered my issue. When I saw this video I immediately realised what I was doing wrong. Fixed that and no more problems! Now I just need more elastic thread and normal thread due to all my failed attempts 😂

[@suzysewsnv4445]

Love this - gonna try it on a sleeve today!!

[@hoabaerg1556]

So cool! Can’t wait to try it!

[@sherriscreativemind]

Well! You took the "scary" out of that process! Thanks so much for the great video. :D

[@rikkib7636]

Thank you for demonstrating shirring, I tried it once and it was a fail, lol. I’d definitely it’ll like to try again and will refer back to your video. Nice to see you’re working with a Brother machine, that’s what I have too (love my brother machine!). Your top/dress turned out so pretty!! I love the gathered look. So lovely & feminine:)

[@marisaandreialjc1007]

thank you!!!! i'm brazilian and i only managed to learn with your way of teaching.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I'm so glad!

[@samv7487]

So helpful...I've always been scared to try...this made it look easy enough for me to do

[@deedeerivera5050]

I have been wanting to learn this for a long time but have been intimated. Not anymore, Diana thank you for this video 😁

[@amandaguthrie7326]

Great tips! Thanks for sharing!

[@Sal9862]

I always thought this was so complicated !!!

[@emma__sews]

I have a question, is it the best idea to hem first? I want to make a dress and couldn't work out if I should sew side seams first before shirring, but I think that's a bad idea. Possibly shirr the bodice front and back and then sew together 🤔

[@stephanieerickson830]

This was awesome to watch! I've read about shirring before, but I've never actually watched it happen. Way cool!

[@JulieWallis1963]

Hey, I can now do shirring, it’s not as difficult as I thought. Thank you for an easy to follow tutorial.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Yay!! I am so glad it was helpful!!

[@brendaceciliadesigns]

Thank you so much for this video!! It’s so helpful 🥰

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I’m so happy it helped!

[@ourevergreenhome]

This was so helpful and to the point! Thank you so much!❤

[@triciawin305]

Didn’t know you can back stitch with shearing , thought you had to leave long tails & knot ! will now give it a go , thank you x

[@MsCjmaxi]

I think it depends on your machine

[@NkemChigbogwu]

This video is so descriptive!! This was such a scary concept to me before I watched this. Thank you!!

[@mdg2085]

This is awesome!! I honestly thought you had to buy material like this! This is a game changer!!!

[@stephaniehuddleston6181]

I always thought you had to buy the smocking machines to do this!

[@terahstearns474]

You make everything look so easy!

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Terah Stearns, I am so glad it helped! Happy Sewing!

[@JohnnyJohnMelvin]

Ah thank you. I've wondered so long now to use sewing elastic, and how to do this instead of thick elastic casings 😵‍💫

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I hope you love it! I find it a little addicting.

[@BTjin-tq4zp]

You make this look so easy. 😅 Very informative video.

[@Jcamren2010]

Thank you for this!

[@kellykranz7652]

Thank you for the info. I always wanted to know how to shir.

[@mlhanlon99]

So awesome!

[@dezzyrampersad9719]

Awesome 👏 I always wanted to try this technique. Thanks 😊

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You’re welcome 😊

[@moondahbeach72]

great! thanks! I'm going to try that!

[@sambasuga]

So helpful, thank you!

[@gloomy-faery]

oh my god thank you so much i was going crazy because i couldn't get my machine to shirr and i had no idea you were supposed to hook the bobbin thread onto a little piece of metal in the machine 😭 why didn't the other tutorials i watched talk about it lol

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You're very welcome! I am so glad this helped!

[@jacqpot9413]

Great tutorial!

[@tinefortypeone7650]

You are so thorough thank you for this

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@angelicagaroy4507]

Thank you for this, such a big help ☺️

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cindywinkler4172]

You're the best! I love your tutorials!!

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

THANK YOU!! ❤️❤️

[@motesc322]

Another great tutorial. Thumbs Up

[@wonderwomanx1268]

Great video, thanks for making it so easy.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You're welcome!

[@jabella]

So helpful and awesome, which patterns use shirring please? Need to make something with it now

[@RegineMorales]

Hi! I have done a lot of shirring and have experienced a lot of problem too. My upper thread keeps on cutting when i shirr. What could be the problem? I am using a Singer Start machine and the settings is 4 and shorter straight stitch. I hope you can help.

[@SusieQtvang]

Oh my thank you, I couldn’t figure out why my elastic thread was getting so messed up. It wasn’t catching the tension latch.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You’re so welcome!

[@kavitadeepchand470]

I have shirring elastic. Looking for the perfect dress pattern. Thanks for the video.

[@Tonia.lynn2411]

Q?: where did you get that fabric? Am where’s the pattern for the dress at the end of the video? I’m totally gonna sew one! Your tips help Thank you so much ❤️

[@elzinawhite3199]

Thanks for the inspiration and excellent tutorial ❤️❤️❤️

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Thank you so much!

[@LTCarlee]

How does this method compare to using a ruffler foot or using a hand Pleater machine like the Amanda Jane?

[@lindajohannesen6035]

Thank you for a great tutorial!!

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

My pleasure!

[@clovisperkins7138]

Thanks. Never did shirring before.

[@daniellecharland-gruhzit1177]

Thanks so much for sharing!!!

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@teresawilliams662]

I've watched other videos on how to shir with elastic thread and they say to take the needle plate off and take the bobbin case out and tighten the screw on the bobbin case. I noticed that you did not do that in this video. Is that not necessary? Can you do it without tightening the screw on the bobbin case?

[@janinebrown9773]

Do you just shir the pattern piece as is or do you need to add more fabric like 25% more or something?😊

[@reneej6579]

Thanks for your demo, I really like that you talk us through every step. Everyone has different “new” things to learn, so please don’t cut down on your verbal explanations. Totally not related, but did you sew your own watch strap? I’d love to know how to do this! Great video, Diana.

[@curtriceennis2924]

I've watched several videos about sirring. Yours is the first I've seen where you put the elastic thread IN the bobbin tension guide. I was wondering why the others never had the elastic thread in the guide and what would happen if you did put it in there. With the way the fabric stretches, I can't really detect a difference between the two "ways" of threading your bobbin. But, the way you placed it in the bobbin tension guide does seem to make a neater shirring on the side of the bobbin. TYSM for showing how the tension guide works when using elastic thread on your bobbin. 🥰❣😻

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I'm so glad it was helpful ❤️

[@smnthhrpr]

Thanks for the info! Diana, can you show us how to sew a 3 piece hood next? 🙂

[@MsCjmaxi]

Used to be that Brother machines would not shir. It was odd. Nice to see they changed that

[@jcl_8601]

my fabric isn't gathering, i did try all of the tensions. It's just like an straight stitch, what can I do with that?

[@kathymattern544]

Oh my goodness I can’t wait to try this ... I have always wanted to do this. Thank you Diana.

[@gigikosior2436]

Where can I buy elastic thread?

[@avonel3423]

I honestly can't believe that I've found a shirring video using the exact same sewing machine I have. 😭😭😭 do you know how hard it was to find one? I've even typed in the model of machine to see how they thread it with the elastic and a bunch of different videos popped up. Thank you soo much love🥰❤❤❤

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

yay!! I hope it was helpful ❤️❤️

[@keeleypowell6121]

Thank you so much! I have pants with a shirred waistband and I had no idea how they were made. I was today years-old when I learned this!

[@aliciabyerly9074]

Thank you so much! I bought elastic thread years ago and never tried it!

[@bixnash1]

What's the calculation of fabric for stirring? Is it double? Nice demo. Bx

[@julieemmerson6862]

just a question...how much extra material do you allow for the "gathering"

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

I usually do 1.5 of your measurements.

[@mpic4192]

Was the sleeve cut from a pattern? If not, how do you know how much fabric to cut? Is there a ratio eg twice the finished width?

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Hi, I like to do 1.5 times the measurement I want to end up with.

[@tammyh.8454]

good video, except my tension had to be a 5 an my width had to be a 5. now it works, great!

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Excellent! I think different machines need a little playing with to get the right settings ♥️

[@louisep1898]

This is such a fab video and really inspiring. Pls can you tell me which fabric is best to use for shirring? Would it be woven material? Thank you so much 😊

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You can use woven or stretch fabric, but woven is used most often.

[@louisep1898]

Thank you so much for all your help 😊👍

[@laychailee2467]

I M struggling with sewing with elastic thread cos the elastic does not stretch. I think the thread was sewn onto the elastic at some point.. Not sure. Both tensions are loosen to the maximum. Even the screw on the metal bobbin case is loosened. What else can I do? Please advice 🙏

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

you need to make sure the elastic thread you are using has good stretch. I like to use a small thread so that it does not get caught in the sewing machine and make it pull tight. Make sure that the thread is actually placed correctly in the bobbin case as well as if its not, this can totally change the outcome.

[@laychailee2467]

@@EllieandMacPatternsLLC thank you for your response. I managed to finish sewing the project. What I did was to tighten the tension slightly n also put newspaper under the fabric. I peeled the paper after sewing some rolls. It worked better.

[@Bt234]

How do calculate the arm circumference and find how much extra fabric you need. Say my arm circumference is 10 inch how much extra fabric should I take ??

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Great question. You would want to double it.

[@Bt234]

@@EllieandMacPatternsLLC thanks!

[@anitamchale9699]

Is shirring same as smocking?

[@Lopescustomdesigns]

I’ve been trying for a week to do some shirring and I cannot do it I have the same gx37 and it just doesn’t work I tried it On my other machine and nothing I’ve changed settings and it’s not working I’m bout to give up 😩 worst thing is I’ve done it before but It’s been a couple years idk how I got it the first time and now I can’t 😭

[@noeleengayjess8416]

Love the video. But how do you know the width to cut the fabric

[@RegineMorales]

Your upper chest measurement then add about 10inches or half of your chest measurement multiply by 1.5.

[@Designer9223]

Nice

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Thanks for watching!

[@AamnaIdrisi]

How much extra fabric should b there ??

[@wendysmith6697]

Do you cut the fabric piece out first then shir? How do you figure the correct size of material you need so the piece fits for the pattern. Or do you just cut the pattern piece/size of material from the shirred material? Hope that wasn't too confusing. By the way, I cannot tell you how much your videos have helped. I actually buy my patterns from your site after seeing what your tutorials are on. These are such a blessing. Thank you

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

Wendy Smith hi!! I’m so glad my videos are helpful!! This particular pattern is already sized accounting for the shirring ❤️ so I cut the fabric to the pattern measurements and went from there! I hope this helps.

[@wendysmith6697]

Yes. One more question. Is there a certain thickness to the elastic thread that you use, or they all a standard thickness? Ok, so technically that was two questions. 🤔

[@glitterandconfetti]

This video saved me! Shirring has never worked for me. Turns out the elastic thread was never in the tension disk 🤦‍♀️

[@xxKaro]

How do you make sure that it is in the tension disc?

[@xxKaro]

Yeah I just shimmied the bobbin around and heard a click and now my shirring is working, so I guess that was it 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

[@aracelislopez6677]

Hi! Thanks for the tutorial. How you calculate the amount of fabric when you shir?

[@JulieWallis1963]

It’s usually One and a half times the required length.

[@aracelislopez6677]

@@JulieWallis1963 Thanks!!!

[@inesgonzalez2010]

Sería bueno el traductor

[@mariaeugeniaarochimorelos8830]

Holaaaaa no hablo inglés pero la explicación está excelente. Desde la CDMX.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

gracias!!!

[@jurinidongkok1432]

Niceee... Finally I know😃😃😃

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

YES!! You can do it!

[@suzannewalker2090]

Thanks for this video I had no idea that it was as simple as sewing straight lines! Please do a tutorial on how to hem on a Serger that doesn't have a cover lock stitch.

[@niccidee782]

Can someone pleasse tell me what size needle to use in the machine for this? TY! :)

[@JulieWallis1963]

I didn’t realise sewing machine needles came in different sizes. I only ever order ‘needles’ and have never selected a size.

[@user-kt1xb8ct6m]

น่าสนใจ

[@Vk-ut9zu]

How many fabric take extra for shirring

[@JulieWallis1963]

Yummy. Word salad, my favourite.

[@KatBlaque]

You make it look so easy. I've had some elastic thread sitting around and I'm so intimidated by it. I'm gonna try.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

You can do it! I hope you love it!

[@brigittepapaix7713]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@ChynelRose]

Thank you! I literally thought fabric came like this😂 silly me.

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

No worries!

[@stephaniehuddleston6181]

Love it! I have a hawaiian dress I need to resheer so this is great to learn. Thanks

[@tahsenyasen2704]

حلوا

[@josefinaolcese326]

Can anyone help me? I have tried shirring several times and my machine needs a high tension like 5 to do the shirring. The problem is that with the tension so high my top thread literally breaks and I can’t even sew a line. 😭

[@EllieandMacPatternsLLC]

maybe try a stronger thread? I have noticed that not all thread brands are created equal and some break way often!

[@josefinaolcese326]

@@EllieandMacPatternsLLC okay thanks! I will try that 😌