Wolff -The Art Of Manipulating Fabric

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Fabric
Colette
Wolff
The
Art
of
Manipulating
Fabric
Colette
Wolff
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fmbroidcn·.
bv
Deborah
Gc,ncl
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Embdft,hmo:t-

Addmg
Glamour
to
Garmrnt>.
by
Unda Fry
Kenzie
(r<lllllcnh
'"'"
.\t>lc, b•· \lary
:' !ulan
jan
ScwnJ,·•s'
\\'ardrobc
Qurck-Fu:cs.
by
J.m
S.1unders
I.Jjt
Is
\'m
A
Dress
Srzc.
by
Rita
Farro
Madt
wtth
Leur.

by
Gmny 8ams10n
More
Swcatshtrts
wuh
Style.
by
Mary
\!ulan
Pattern-Free
Fashions,
b)' Mary
Lee
Trees Cole
Sew &
Ga
Baby,
by
jasmine
Hubble
Sew
& Ga.
by
Ja,mme
Hubble
Se"·
Any
Pauh
Pocket,
by

Clane
B.
Shaeffer
.So>
Any Set-In Pocket.
b)'
Clatre
B.
Sh;w(fer
5o•
s~nwtwnal
Gifts.
by
t'aomi
Baker
and Tammy Young
Shtrlry Adana' &It
Ba~aar
by Shorle)'
Adams
Snap
It
Up!,
by
jeanone Twtgg
Stlftch &
St-w®
Gurdt to Stwrng
on
Kmts,

by
Ann Person
Sw((Jl\hlltS
"'th
5tylr by
~ary
\1ulan
Tecuh
rout~cl{.\1a(htnc
Embroidm, by
~us:m
Rock
1 c;cturf
wtrh
To.:ttlrs,
by
l~nda
\ftCrrhrc
Your
'irwrn :
Ma<
hrnr b)' Jan S.1undcrs
All(·,
u/
\t•ry,lrtg
/1y
lam
my
Young and
I

1<11
llollotn
Dhtm(l"'
:>trgtt
c;r/h &
Crafts,
by
"\.:''"l1
S.tkcr
.mc.l
Tammy
Young
1
""''''<HI\t
5<'X~'
1
h·
hv
Ga1l
Brown
:md
r.unmy y,)Ung · "
Nt'\\'
C
tt'<lllv_c
.Scrgm~
lllu\ltatcd.
by
P~m
f'alml'r •

G.trl
llrown
and
Sue
Green
J\
Ntw Sn!(r Ill
Wearable
Art, by
Ann
ll<lycc
Sc·w
&
Scrgt
Ptllowsl
Pillows'
Pillows',
by
Jackre
Dodson and
Jan
Saunders
Sa~tc
a
SIIIIJ~<
ProJW.
b}'
Tammy
Young
and

Naom1
Saker
Scrg
rt
m
un
Hour
or
IL<S.
by
Cindy
Cummm~
Scr~c
Somohmg
Suptr
for
Ym.r
Kids.
by
Cmd)· Cummin>
S.·" &
Scrg,·
Terrific
Tocrurcs.
by
Jack•e
Dodson and
Jan
Saunders
Sergcd

Garments
m
Mrnutcs.
by
T
amm)·
Young and
Naomr
Saker
Vlumatf
Sal(p
Answer
Guide,
by
Naomi Baker.
Gai
l
Brown
and Cindy
Kacynsk1
RIBBON
ART
Glorious
Rlbbons.
by
Christ.ine
Kmgdom
Morr
Rrbbon
Embro1dtl)

by
.\fachmc.
by
\1anc
Duncan
and
Betty
Farrell
Qut(k
and
Edsy
\\'ays mrh
Ribbon,
by
Cen
Johnson
Rrbbon
f:mbrordrry
by
Machme.
br
Mane
Ounc;tn
and
Beuy
Farrell
Sea<Oncd
Crtatlon,, by
Marie
Duncan

and
Bell)'
Farrell
Sec
ret\ of
Ft~<luomng
Rrbbon
Flowas,
by
llclcn Glbb
QVIUING
All
Qutlt
Blc~
bar
\ot
Square,
by
!Xbrot
Wagner
Bnt-f.tn d O.·")l."<'".
U>IIC<llon
Quttk·
_., ,
Qur/1<,
by
Amends
Top
r>.:~rgnn>
(crt Qwlh

ctll.l
(rcrfts.
hy
Ll\'cr.l
l

tf'l~~:lll.Ul
(<llllf>ll'tr
/ltk>ll
of
M<l<htn<"
Qwltlll,~.
b)
f!uhlur .md Ttlll)' I ,utmng
(
omtrlr·tr·
Mlni<ltrll<'
Qurlt
B<~>h,
hy
llm,rh lr,l\'1'
Cor~l£mpor~•)
Qutlri!.g
TtU""f.US,
by
P;nnu;~
C.anns
Crt~tlw
lrwnglcs
Jor

Qullr<rs.
by
Janet
B
Uwrn
Dyr·lr•
Pwntlt'
Qurlr
It'
by
Joy<e
Mon
.rnd
Cynthia
M)·erberg
l'asl
Patch®
Kids
Qurlrs.
by
Anua
Hallock
fa•l
Patch®.
by
Amt<t
Hallock
Hnrloom
Qu1lts,
b)·

rhe
cduoro of
Workbasket
)apunt>e
foldrd
Patch,.~rk.
by
\lary
Clar<
Cl.uk
Mogt<
of
Cr"'y
QuriMg.
by
Mama
\hchler
NCI\
Work
of
Our
Hands.
h)·
Mac
R<xkland
T
upa
Pmhwn l'lc«d
Qrulrs
u.srng

rht
found<uron
Mtthod.
b)·
Jane
Hall
and
i)rxre
ll.iywood
Q111lr
As
You
Go,
by
Sandra
tl-hlleu
Sadnko
and
Beyond.
by
Sarkoh
Takano
Scrap
Q111lrs
Usmg
Fast
Patch®.
by
,-\nua
Hallock

Shrrln
&~,f,nd's
Daddy's
T1<s.
by
Shrrlev
Bot:.ford
Stars
Gcllorc
and
Ewn
\lore
by
Donna
Po<ter
Stot<h
·n
Quilt.
by
Kathleen
fawn
Super
Stmpk
Qurlb.
by
K.1thleen
E.lton
T
t<hniqu<>
of

)aponese
Enrbr,,.da~.
by
ShuJ•
Lunur.1
Tlua-Dtiii<'IIStonal
Prw•c/
Qrulrs.
by
jodre l);wi>
Tmrllllmlcll
Qurlts.
T,><lav's
Tt(hmtfU<".
by
O~bra
\\',r~ncr
l'lttmate
:>oar
Qurlt.
by
Joyce
\\on
ADDITIOML TOPICS
(
1.1fh
(
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f'I,"Wr>

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Cn.tm~e>-
£\'ll
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J<'wclrv-
K1ds
C r.llh
Kmlh1.1h-
r,nnted
Wood
1\>tlrn
1'.11"-'1'
(ra[\s
Acknowledgments
L
ookmg
b.lek. I rcmemb.:r
wnh
the

detp<"-1
gr.unudc
;~II
1ho-e
fncnd'
who
l"tened
The'
let
me
t;t\k
.tbom
"h,u
''"'
and
"'II
".m
oh'c'"W
.md r.uher
passtonatc
p~o.:cupauon
\\'lth
1hc
subJeCt
ol
cloth
"'
mampuhtt•o•"·
.md
;~II

the r.umfiCi\Uon' thereof
They
allowed me to let off st(•;un·
so
I cottld return to
1hc
'olll.l!j'
pursun
re-energized
Wnh
>pec1al
acknowledgmenh
It>
Ann Bradlc)'·
Dee Danlcy·Br<>wn. Norma Ellman.
Sylvia 1'1>hman. Alnnnh Palinka>.
lv
Su>;~n
Prokop.
and
Dee Dee
Tnplen.
who
were
111
positions
10
c"cnd
help
of

a more tangtble
kmd.
thank
vou
one
and
all. I
would be >cnously remiss if I didn·t
thank m)' husband. Ted Wolff. for
all those cafre
lanes
during
late
mght
umes
of
stress.
My
thanks
to
the crca1ive team
who
worked
10
gc1
1hi
s book
mto
print: To Michael
Kagan. whose eye for lighting

and
insistence
on
black-and-white per-
fection produced
such
outstanding
photographs: to Rosalie Cooke.
whose pauent and con«•tntiOIU
ednmg
challengtd me
1o
'go llut
extra distance· to Ro al'n
u~·
'
·~n.
who
a,.;:mbled the
ma1cnal
,.
11
h
computer mag•c mto
1hc
lund'<()lll(
pages thm follow 10
my
hi-<Oil>Lil
editors. Kathy Conover m

Pennsylvania
and
Robb1t
Fannmg
in Cahforma, who
coordma1cd
ever;•thing-bul
parucularl)·.
r

and
last. 10 Robbie. who
kepi
the
faith,
and
then some.
and
mort
A
C
KNOW
L
E
DG~
I
E
NT
S

iv
FO
IIUWO
RD
vi
PR
I:I'ACI!


.



.

.

.


.
vii
GETm\v
TilE M OST
fR
O
~I
T li!S B
oo

K viii
PII
RT
O
N
~
(O'\T
ROLLED
CR
US
HI
NG
C
hapter
1
-G
ATHE
RI
NG
3
•
Ga1
hc
l'i
ng
Ba
sics
• S
in
gk -E

cl
ge Gathering
•
Op
posilc·Edge Gatbe
ri
ng
• A
ll
-S
id
es
Ga
the
ri
ng
Chapter 2- SH
tRR
lN
G 19
• Shirring
•
rauem
Sh
irring
PARl
Tw
o
SurrL
E

~
l
E
I\'T
A
RY
FULLN£55
Cha
pt
er 3
- MAKING RUFF
LES
43
•
Ruffic
Basics
•
Ga
thered
Si
ngle-
Edg
ed
Ruffic
• G
aL
hcrcd Do
ub
le-Edged R
uffic

• P
lc
:11
cd Singl
e-
or
Doubl
c-
Ed
g.:
d
Ru
ffl
e
Chapter 4
- M AKI
NG
fLO
UN
CES 67
• C
ir
cular flounce
• Controlled flounce
C
hapt
er 5
-M
AKING GODETS

81
• Godet
Contents
P
ART
T HR
EE
SY
STE
M
AT
IC FOLDING
C
II
APTO\ 6- P
J.
EA
TI
NG

89
•
Plca1
ll.1sics
•
fla1
Plca1s
•
Paralal
Pleats

• PrO
JC
Ciing l'leats
• Accordion Pleats
• Wnnkled
Pleating
•
Do
uble-Controlled
PleaiS
Chapter
7-S
MOCKING 125
• Smocki
ng
13a
s
ic
s
• IZng
ll
sh Smocking
• Dirccl Smocking
• No
rL
h A
me
r
ic
an Sm

oc
kin
g
• ha
ll:m
Smocking
C
hapt
er 8- T U
CKJ
NG

H 9
•
Tuck
ll s•cs
•
St.1ndard
Tucks
• Cur\'cd
Tucks
• Shell
Tucks
• Contoured
Tucks
• Sln,hcd
Tucks
• Cro ,·Stitched
Tu
cks

• Cross· Tuck
ed
Tu
cks
•
Pu
rtiu
lly
Se
amed 'li•c
ks
•
Sea
m
less
Tucks
• Pa
1L
C
I'I1
Tuc
kin
g
PA
RT FOUR
Fll
.
LED
RE
LI

EFS
Chapter
9-CO
RDING 187
• Cording Basics
• Hand
-S
e\\,. Corded Quilting
•
~lnchme
·Se
wn
Corded Quilting
•
Surfoce
Cord
in
g
Cha
pt
er
10- Q u n.TING

2
0S
• Qu
il
ting
Bas
ic

s
• I
lun
d Quilling
•
~
l
aclu
n c
Quilting
C
hapt
er
ll
- STUFFING
229
• Stuffing ll sic.
• Stuffed
Quilting
• Stuffed Applique
• EJe,
·Oied
Applique
• llnlf-
Ro
unds
•
Co
nn
ec

ted
Rolls
• Ui
tk
Pi
ll
ow>
• Bisc
ui
ts
• Pea
ks
an
d
VA
ll
eys
P
AR
T f i
VE
Snt
ucru
R
ED
Su R
FACES
C
hapt
er 12

-
US
I
NG
D AR
TS
- .267
•
D:m
lktsics
• Single-Pornted
Dart
• Double-Pointed Oar!
P
ART
St
x
M
IX
ED
MA
,
'\
IP
Ul.i
\TlONS
Chapl
cr
13
-

CO
Mlll
N
Ar
l
ONS
283
• Techni
qu
e
Va
riatio
ns
• Cr
c:
ttiv
c Con1binations
APPI!N
DI
X 295
•
Ha
nd Stnches
•
Gloss.1ry
• Selec•ed Blbhograph)
•
CosiUmC
Exlubitions
• Endnote

INDEX

.



304
T
he
A
rt
o f
Mon
i
pu
lating Fa
bri
c
v
/.
P
erh•'l"
you·re f.llluh.u
wnh
the
volume
of
lcucr.
!><tween
""w

ell l'cr\ m,, the f,lnlOU'
Scnbncr'
cduor
.md
,urh
author.
as
I
Scott
fuzger.1lcl ancllcrnc't
Hemmgw.w
rm
thmkml\
of
pub·
hshmg
a
'mular
one
for
the
lcuc"
and
phone
calb
between me
.u>d
Colenc
Wolff
on

thb
lx>ok
h
\larted
innoccllll)·
enough
1n
th
e early 1
980'
Cokuc
owned a
mail
-order
catalog m New
York
Cuy
called
Platypu<, wluc h
pubh~hed
her
t
oy
and
doll
de"gn<
amJ
sold
supplies
I wrote a

column
for a
magazmc called
Nrrdlc and Tlurad
My rrader> told me about
her
cata·
log
; I wrote for a copy ;tnd was
m1pre>sed.
I rncnuoncd
the
catalog
m a
column;
and
:.he wrote
10
thank
me
We
became
long-d"'''"'"
friends
Over
the
)Car>. I
""
conunually
bowltd

over
not
onl)
wnh
the
qual-
It)"
of
her
work.
but
11\
'<Opc-
qUihmakmg.
topnakmg,
dolhn.tk·
mg.
co\lummg
W;h there .In)
thmg
thts
woman
could nut
do-and
do
well>
Furthermore.
,he
h.•d
the

mrc
tJient
of
bemg
not
on
I)·
J
con,um·
mate
crafl\pcrwn
but
a l(tftrd
graph"
J<lt\1
an
cxn·ptttlnall)
dcM
wnter
and
;Ill
oui\IJndtnl(
I
til<
her
In
the
tmddlr
I
<)ll(h

I tnlltatcd
,1
.cnc~
of
huuk'
for
Cluhun
lluok
Company
N•tlltrally, I appro.ll ht·d
Coll"llc .1buu
1
dout~
,\ l)(mk
~ht•
had
Wrtlttn
,1
"""of
quth
,
lllt
llt•'
nn
thrt·t.··dllll('ll\1011:11
f.tb
l
l\
rmltl'-
and

felt th.u
wr
nr
cdt•d
,,
hook
•hi>W
IIIJ(
,t
ll!
lll'
Jlll"lhthlll''
uf
tnallti>Ui•llll~
f,ohllt IIIJl.
llll
lt"d
hy
lt"duwl
01
' In
du·
1 .
ul
y
~~~IW''t,
WI'
Foreword
oiled
the

book
Falmc
111
Relief.
undoub~rdl)
d forcshadowong
or
uur
£cchng
,.,~hen
1he
book would
finall) be fmi<hcd.
One
of
my early
notes"
dated
june
22.
1987.
·colclle
s;l)'>
>he
can be
done
with
the
book
by

june
1988."
1 advanced
her
$100
for materi-
ab.
an enurcly laughable
amount,
con<ideri
ng
that
20
yards
of
materi-
al wem
in
to
the pleating samples
alo
ne
. Anot
her
note
in
my
file says,
"ju
ly 1989

-G
W received
anocher
200 yards
of
unb
l
eached
m
us
lin."
rhe
defining
characteristic
of
consumma
t
e.
gifted, exceptional,
Olll~
Canding
talent is that they
do
not
skim
the
surface. If the)' discov-
er
a s1dc
channel

and
it
opens
into
another
maJOr
nver.
they follow
the
curre
nt
And
that's
why
thos
book
turned
11110
Niagara Falls.
Coleue
would
pronnse
a
ddivery
date,
then
wmc.
·t
keep
pronusing

myself that
I
won't
add
an)·
more
samples
or
techn1qucs,
and
then
something
.1ppcar
and
must
be
included.
and
><>
11
go"
Pcnod1call). I \\Ould
be
in
the
'arne
town
J'
Coleue
and

,he
would
>h"''
me
the
.amplcs.
Alwa)
>.
I
would
be staggered at
the
workm.1nsh1p
and
the
possibilillc>
Who
but
Coleue
could
have made
d,orh inltl work>
of
.~rt?
I began to
dra!:
other
p<•oplc
mlo
the

meet-
Ill!('·
Ill<' rei)'
roo
the
·p
tc.O>urc
of
watc:hm)t
th
l'lr
f.ll.:l
''
.t
he
pulll•d
uul

unH'
\O,&mpk.,
Ae
tml'
pomt
'""ll'<llll'
.11
(
luhun
a,
ked
her

to
,
lupl
ct'
l
,,
unp
k'
lo
l'luladt'lphut l
t>1
.o
otll
'<'lilll(. Colt'
lh
' puhh·l)' ,l,k<·d,
"A
ll
ll
hnM·,I"
VI
Tht
Art
<of
Mauljwlalln& f
abrlt
Uke
the boxes. the book
greo.
and

grew.
The
due
date were po-tponcd
then agam.
As
we approached the '
end.
I
had
a sudden case o! the
willies. What
tf
she
got
hu
by
a
crazy
Ne"
York
taxi and her hu,.
band gave
;~II
her samples to
Goodwill' I called htrn and madt
him pro1mse to will
me
the
<.1rnple.

if
anything
happened to her.
Then
the payoff carne: I
had
the
extreme pleasure
of
edt ling a
m>nu-
script
that
'""
s nearly perfect A
seminal
book
like th
os
one
comes
along
on!)• once
or
twtcc m
an
edt·
tor
's lifetime. And thai was
b(lore

seeing Michael Kagan\ photos.
So
here tl
is-finall)'!
I
wosh
I
could
watch your
face
and
e>'<>·
drop
as
)"OU
look through
th"
boo
k
Are
you
drawn to
cuntla
r fonn',
as
I am? Look at rhe yo-yos
go>nt
ku-ku
on
page

21
or
the
cutul.r
smock1ng over pleat>
on
l"'&t
135
Perhaps you
hke
an
undcrh-m~
grid Look how
,he
nude
pk.u'
o>n
a Perfect Plc.uer, backc<lthrm
""h
iron·on lmrrf.lnng. (Ul
thtm
mto
squares
.•
1nd rca 'i(mble.lthtm
""~
a
block
on
Jlii):C

123.
But
I tuU!ltt
return
tc.'
m~·
\\<'Irk;}'
''"
ednor
The
foN
ncm
''"
the
agcnd.1
,,
10
rcuund (
<>kllc
th.ll
t\pnl
8.
Ill&\.
,he"
n>lC.
'Rehd
t~chnutut:'
t.tk\~
tlw
<l'"h

U\
''":h
new
dncw<>n'
th.ul
kcl
h>ll''""
1
~
htb1u
"'
Rrli<1
"nh
.t
'«''"'t.u••
1
"ll,tlkr
hll<>k
J>,UIIlltl,\1
h
(<ll
lJIIII
trr' 1

,,
rip\'
u\(.1
\hu~.
~
~'"

th.
tt
,\l
·'
(
,\h'l
llll
W "
Robbit·
Ftmnin!t
"''Ill''
1-thll>l
T
ho<
o<
a
book
of
tdeas
about
scwmg
cloth
The
tdca> arc
tcchmquc> that change
the
look
and
feel
of

a
ptCCC
of
cloth
wuh
the
aso.tstance
of
a threaded
needle
1
hn
tcxtunze.
cmbcll"h
·
mOatc,
and
support
The)· create
pu,kcl'>. fold>. w.lvt·,, purr,. prnlcc·
tiono. •lnd
openmgs
Wuh
sutch
ing
by
hand
or
mach me. thC)' resurface.
reshape.'

.
r('c;trucwrt".
omd
rccon
StrUCt
a Oat.
supp
le
lliCCC
or
cloth
into
cloth
wuh
an entirely diiTcrem
dispOSIItOn.
Mo~t
of
the'c
tcchmque
s materi-
alized
somcwne
dunng
the
long
history
of
cloth Along
the

way, per-
sons
who
handled
cloth modified,
varied,
and
altered
the
elemental
techntquc;,
mto
more
t
echmque'
The
techmquc.
"'qutred
tdcnufymg
names
like garlt<ring, plrarmg. ruth·
mg,
;modmtg, qtultmg.
word'
that
are
now
pari
of
our

everyda)·
vo,ab-
ulatj
fhc
tcchmqucs
have bt>tOI)'
and
longeV~t)
they are
J>
\Jhd
now
ao
they
'.ere
back
then
Tod<l)'.
an)
one
ontcrc,ted
on
the
wh.u,
wh)·.
hen.
and
how
of
the'<

tcchmques
can
fmd
mformauon
-,.c~tttrcd
4111
over
the
pl•cc
tn
pnntcd
matertab
and
actUal
;.cw
n-cloth
ex;Jmplt'
Some
yea"
.1go
. I
nredcd
to
re.carch
tutk'
for J
prOJC<I
and
confronted
,111

o'er
the
pi:Kr
when
1 >tarlt·d loukong
Abu
from
th"
bonk,
a lot from that houk.
due'
[rum
"'cong
,lttual
.oppht.o
uon <·vt•ntu.olly
1
tn
llt·
rtcd
·'
m."'
of
tnfonnauun
A
ft•w
uf
thr
turk'
I

dt"OV<rt!d dtdn't
'CI'II1
like
Ill(
k'
JcJ
undt'r~lo.uuJ
dJ"-IIIlfUOii,,
I
111Vt'

11)¥ttcd
plt·.ol\, thnt
kd
"'
ll
ll
ill,ll)'
Preface
about ;mocking.
shimng.
gather-
mg.
and
how
they
rela<e.
Always
lht
sources

were
a bit here. a
lo1
there. wuh clues
from
pictures
and
pre:).enlations-and almost always
the
~ourccs
associaled a techmque
wllh
one
parttcular
usage.
1
was frustra1cd because the
informa1ion I needed wasn't
put
together in one place in a manner
that allowed me to pick and choose
and
make
my
own
decisions rcgard-
mg
applicati
on
. Embroiderers

and
nccdlepointers have
any
number
of
manuals
that
show
and describe the
stitches
or
their craft, isolated from
anyth
in
g those stitches are used to
produce.
Similar directories exist
for those
who
knit,
crochet,
knot,
and
weave. I wanted that kind
of
comprehensove, order!)• reference
for
the
scwong techniques tdenttlied
wuh

rabric
manipul:nion.
So
1 set
our
on a journey to
sew.
wnte.
and
draw
this book.
1
had
a
working
objecth·e:
To
ca1alog fabnc manipulatton tech-
mques,
emphasizing what they are.
"hat
the)·
do
to a ptecc
of
cloth.
and
how
tt'>
done.

de~nched
from
.b~iations
,

tth
product
For
mt.
domg
thai mean1 generalized
m

truclions ,

uh
enough
specifics
to
be
,
1
gutde for you.
1he
reader, to
con>uh when
adapung
a techmquc
to
the

project
of
your chotec h
me.nll doagrams
to
clartf)' the dorrc·
110
,,.
and
photograph'
''"'"
mg
t.•x.
unplt
~.,
or
lhr
tc:-chmqut~s
wuhout
rcvtillm~
any
parucul:ar
envmJI\·
11H'nt
II
~•l'u
nu Ull
fandang
·'
~urro

g.&h'
for
a
he
ovct
,,
lu.·
lnun
g
1o.mp.r
ol
Ju
l
uk
pm.'>tiHIHk
om·
P,l'IU ~rk
fo\b·
nc
that would
adju~t
to
ahr
rrqutrc·
ments
of
dtlfenng tcchmque-
•nd
present
those

techmqun on
t\·en
tenns.
I chose a medmm-wcight. cvtn
weave,
100%
colton unblrachtd
muslin.
To
ancrease
the
mu)hn\
softness
and
mana.geab•ht)'•
It
was
washed
with
dcu:rgem.
~put-dncd,
dampened, and
oroncd
before
U>C.
When
sewn
lnto
samplts.
it~

plam.
smoothlr
woven
surface
doesn't
di~~
tract
from
the
mam
pomt,
the
manipulation.
It>
bland color
proved exceptionally recepttve to
the light and shadow of hlnck and·
while photography.
The subjects In
1he
book dttect·
ed
their
own
organlz.tmon.
The
Chapter tttles whtch break down
in1o
techniques. the tcchmqu< dell·
nuions

thou
expand
anto
Procedurt~
whtch arc 1hen amphftcd w nit
Note.
and stretched wnh
Varianons.
J.nd
tht
techmcJI
mfor
matton
perunem
to
nt()rC
th.m
c:mt
techmqur
collec-ttd
under
&'tl'
.u
the bcgmnmg
of
1hc
ChJpttr-
-tht
stntcturr
be<.ame

ob\·t()U'
~
w(lrk
progress.:d The poctun
du,ttred
ahtr
thr
how-to\
t:\pl.unm~
ccn~
MMICIIOO
tn•
group<d
t~;1gtlht"r
tn
~utnC"t ,
that
rmph t a:.t
rtl.mc.\n·
~ht(kt-
1
,,
,mttd
to
rn.tke:
u "'uJ.lh
convcntrnt
for
\'(Hl
tP

c.\h"'t~l'\
t
~\
p.uucul.n
nt.mtpul.uu.ln
·''
n
tiC''
d ·
<,~
.md
dMn~W'·
w
th.n
'"-'"
~;;
.m
m.tkr
dt,('()\'l'11l''
\)r
\(.~\l(
~;\\\ll
The
Art
of
Manipulating
fabric
vii
Getting
the

Most
from this
Book
S
tart
with
the
pu.:turc-

R•ffic
through
the
P·'f.e<
unnl
om·
or
a
c\u,ter
of
the
photo
graphed
nl.lmpul.u1on'
l.Udle'
vour eve
'-'top.
'on,1dcr.
t•wn
l<l<lk
at

the
dr

\wmg

relc,·.lnt to
y1.Htr
unmedi~lll"
mtcrr't
hnd
out
1£
1herc
.uc
uml.u
mampuhuion"'
C'l-•cwher~
in
the
book.
Comp.ue
S.ilfch for connt·c·
tions
and
conlr;l~h
that
'Polfk
each
other
Bmld combinauon<.

When
)'OU
need to know. rrad
the
mstruc·
tlon~
ror
your
chchl'fl
technique:,.
tr
you're
so
mchncd. )'OU can
ccrta
mlr
>tart at
the
begmnmg
wuh
the tllus·
tratcd text and rclcr
10
the
ptcturt'
as
you read.
but
take
11

m
,mall
do>e.
Tlus
" a
book
of
tdea~
about
sewing
doth
[or you
tO
interpret
as
)'OU
sec fit
·ru
mcJnmg
·proper
beconung,
'uu;lblc
. . td)U\t·
cd
or
altered
to
the
sub-t.lncc, form,
or

:,IZ.C
requared
•
I:Ht\
fr<htu'lur
m
thiS
book
h
Jll
bt~
c lwngnl, mMt' m
In~.
b)
hh(U
)CIU
IHIII~
tc>
11
Jrdm
OIH·
srdc You'll
need
to tntcf.r.llc tht·
tt{hmquc
you\·c
dlO'>Cn
\\llh
the
-,uuauon you

\\Jnl
to put u m ,
omd
the
fahnt·
)<IU
hJ\C
m
nund
Quahfte<IIIUth th.u wtll.1Uect
the
fu
of
.1
tt·<
hnrqu<' u1dudt•:
fabnc
A
tedmrquc
'·'P''"·d
to tht·
wcrght
.<nd
phahrht) of
tht
•
unhlc.rd~<·d
llltl\hll tl'l'd
111
th"

hook
m,t)'
IX"
wrttnl(
fm
tht
•
J.rh11r
111
ynur
h.md I hl'll
"*""·
)<1111
fothnc
c.ould
tl.lll,fnrm
,1
ll'c.h
fiiC{Ul'
lUlU
o,cuJit•thlfiH
"t
l
>t't
ml
OJ
you
t ould m.ln.tgt' .UI Ullti,U,,I
vui
Jhe

Att
of
Mtnlpulatln&
fabric
111<'1')\Cr
of
f.lbnc
and
ttchnique
for
~m
unr.xpcctcd
and
umquc
result
.
Color/texture/pattern
.
I
he><
be.•uuful
dtstracuons
:tffcct
hght
and
shadow
and
the
nouccabil11y
of

a manrpulation
in
ways
that
can't always be fore·
seen. Some techniques
wHI
be
overwhelmed by
the
color/tex·
Lure/pattern
in
the
fabric. Some
will
be
intensified.
Design.
The
vbual.
bas-relief
elements
of
a manipulation
need
to be
arranged rnto a pleasing
compo·
suion.

Depending
on
1 he
tech·
niquc.
>titchmg. scam lines. folds.
proJections. depressions. edges.
and
opemng>
are
components
of
manrpulatcd
design.
Scale
and
proportion.
1
hmk
ahout
juxtaposing
b1g
and
\OI.III
rn
adpcent
techniques.
or
d"torung
the

customan·
rela·
llonshop
of
>tZC between a tech-
mque and
ItS
sttung. \lsuali:ze a
tcchmque
expanded
to
fit
wrthm
·'
grgantrc format
hke
a
hangmg
for
tht•
Jlnum
of
a skyscraper. or
behn
.1bl)
muuJtunzed
to
doll
huu"'
and

doll
frgure >tandards
Pr".lctrc 11
apphcability
Wrllthe
tcchmque
beh,l\'e
when
lh
moved>
~
'ill
normal han
dhn~.
'lf.lltt,
or
prc'!>urc .1ffcct
tht•
tnhruquc
.od,cN•h?
\\'rll
11
'm'
•' c l.nmdcnng or
dr)·
dC'.m·
mJt'
'"
'llltht•
hrmnr

~.
•n~ut
~
'"'"
·"'
'"'tl(ht
.oddt'<l
hr
the
lt
't
hlll<jlll' «llllrthtlll'
l<l
tht•
(lUI
"""'
llllt'lllkdl
Skill.
Sewmg
craftsman~h1p
~fleets
tit(
mstallanon
of
a ttchmquc
for
bttter
or
worst

!VIt>haP'
inevitably occur.
but
wh•n
th~
do.
don't
gwe
up
. Booboos
ar<
•
mnovauons m
dtsgmse.
\ktween
the techmquc>. undtr·
neath
the
descnp\ton>. and around
the
procedures descnbed
in
thi<
hook,
there are devmnons and
mutations
wailing
to
be
di~overtd

I
nvent
)'Our own
modtlkauons.
Imagine •·what would happen
1£.

Test
and
experunent. Cloth and
what
we
do
with
it
i\
il
rc~lless
study.
as
restless
as
the cloth
11"'\f
Approach
wuh
a <pmt
of
ad\'tnturt
Controlled

Crushing
PART
G
a
thering
convert~
t~e
edge
of a piece
of
fabnc mto
mini-folds bunched together
on
thread stitched close to the edge.
Gathering
shonens
the fabric at
the stitching line. Beyond the
gathered
st
itching, the full extent
of the fabric erupts into irregular,
rolling folds.
A field
of
fabric gathered only
at the top drops in spreading,
fluctuating folds to a floating,
lower edge. When fields
or

strips
of fabric are gathered
on
opposite
sides, variable folds flow unfas-
tened between constricted edges.
Fabric shapes gathered all around
project loose folds that inflate
into the center.
GATHERIN
1
Gathering
GAT
HERING
BA
SICS 3
Ga
thering
Mcthods 3
Hand Gathenng 3
Machine Gathering 4
Automat
ic
Gatheri
ng
5
Ela>tiC
Gathering .5
Channel Gathering 6
Stab

ili:ing G:nl>ered Stitching 6
Binding 6
Extension 7
Fo
un
da~lo
n
St
n)'
7
Star
s
f:lt
ing 8
Ru
(ll
cd edge

8
Stops 9
Fu
iT
O\V
i ng 9
SINGLE-EDGE
GA1
'
11
ERI
NG

10
Proce
dures




I 0
No
tes
&
Vnri~t
i
ons

10
Draped single-edge
gathering

! 0
Co
ntour
ed
>inglc-cdgc
gathering
10
Sta)
cd
single-edge
gathcrmg

!!
Tiered
single-edge
gathering
!!
OPPOSITE-EDGE
GATHERING 16
Procedures 16
:-Jotcs & Variations •
~
16
Draped
opposite-edge
gathering

16
Pu
f
fed
opposite-edge
gathering
16
Skewed opposite-
edge
gn
th
ering 16
Cu
rved
op

p
os
ite-edge
gat hering

16
Circular
op
posite-edge
gat
hering



17
A
LL
-S
IDES
GAT
HERI
NG

21
Pr
oced
ur
es

21

No
tes & V
ari
ation
.s
21
Puffs

21
Puff gatl1cring
22
YO
•)'OS

.

.

.

. 23
Note: Th
is
chapter begins
wi
th
BAS
ICS, indicated
by
a gray b

an
d
l
oc;nt
d und
e:
rn
ealb
1.
bc
rclevanl
col
um
ns.
G A
TH
E
RI
NG
BASICS
G AT
HERING
M
ETHODS
T
here
are
flv
e
ways

to gather:
by hand,
by
ma
chine. auto·
ma
tically, wllh clastic.
and
L
hro
u
gh
c
han
nel
s.
I
htnd
t
mnchane
,
automatic, and one
kind
or
cluslic
gat
her
ing
are
standa,·d, s

tit
ch
ed
·
thread met
ho
ds. Other k
in
ds of
clastic gathe
ri
ng
and
channel gath·
cting a
rc
spcdahy
vari
tJt
ions
lh:u
use dilfcrcnt means
to
gath
er
.
Th
re
ad-
based

h
and
and
ma
ch
in
e
gat
he
rin
g involves
1wo
pr
ocedures:
(l)
stitching across t
he
designmcd
edge or tltc fabric
wi
thin th
t·
sco
m
allowance;
(2)
pulling
on
the
loose

tluead
dangllng
llll!>c
curcd
fr
om the
end of
the
stitching \\1th
one
hand
while us
in
g
the
other
hand
to
push
the
fabric
imo
it>clf along the tautly
held thread.
The
sparsity
or
dcnsilr
of
the

mim
·folds created
by
the
gathering. in combmauon
wuh
stitch
length. determine fullness,
which
is
the
amowu
and
depth
of
the
folds liberated
from
the stitches
Long stitches tightly gathercd
release
th
e most
abundam
fullness.
fland gathering
de1><:nds
on
ntn·
tling stitches.

Because
sewing
tltrcad
15 vulnerable to breaks undtr ten·
sion.
use
doub
l
ed
or
c~tm
-s
trong
thread in the needle. Anchor
U>
c
firs
t stitch with a good-;ized knot at
t
he
end
of
the t
hread
. For
pl
ain
hand
g
ath

ering. draw
tl
1c
fabric
up
Ol1l0
Ul O thread of a s
in
gle 1'
0\V
or
C\'en rmming stitches (
rig
. 1-1).
GATHERI
NG
BAS
ICS 3
4
LhrNd
·g.llhered mmi-folds are
''"mP'·
!h
e fullness produced in the
,.,L
o
iL
he fabnc
wi
ll

be
. sligln.
Pknttful, dose mini-folds produce
gencruU>
fullness. llowever. fabric
llrmly crushed imn copious mini-
folds
on
a
~inglc
row of running
sLucbcs
Lends
LO
muddle at the gatlt·
ered edge, espeaally if !he
sLilches
are
enlarged. S
Lroking
imposes order
on
>Uch
dense
gaL
hcring. Sliding !he
Lip
of a blunt needle up and under a
sur
f

nce
S
Lh
dt.
"s
troke" and straight-
en the
groove
of
fnblic
beneath
th
e
st
ll
ch
fro
m
<h
e top edge of 1he
fabric
down. O
ne
:<f1cr
1 he other, stroke
1h
c
groove; behind adjacent stitch
es
in<o

sha
ll
ow, leveled. tidy
fold
s (Fig. l -2).
Fig. I ·2. Stroking running-stitched
gathering into orderly folds.
Rq
;;u
l
ar
hand galhcling accunm-
l
at
cs
o
rt
two
or
th
ree
rows
of
eve
n
running s
ti
lches.
The resulling mini-
fo

l
ds.
n
en
t and mo1
·c
c:~sily
comro
ll
cd
than th
ose
for
med
on plain hand
g
aLh
ering.
n11
n hand
as
wide
liS the
combmed
rows
of stitching, usuaUr
sp:O<td
Y
•"
(6nnn) or l

ess
a pan
(
Fig
. 1-3
).
Gauging is a
vari.1Lion
of
regular
h.1nd
g:uhering used when
C.\tra\'2j\3nt
fullness
is Lhe goal and a
loug length
of
fabric
must
be
gat
h
ered
10
a
VCI)
'
shortm~;burc
mcn
L

Oolu
ging
st
itches
nrc
un
e,·c
n shon
on
the
1iglll s
id
e and
lo
ng on
rh
c wrong side
of
th
e
mm
cri
al
. The
Sl
it
ch
in
Tho
Art

o f
Man
lpulacing Fabric
•
F.g
1·1.
Equa/ly·
spaced
mn
-
ni
ng
sfjrches,
paroally
garhered.
Ftg
. I
-3
.
Fabnc
garhered on too
rows
of
hand
or
machin&-stitching.
fron1
ser:e;
the
dis1anrc

between mini-
folds;
<h
e
sLilch
in hack sets
Lhc
depth.
Sew
111
least
rwo
, preferably
Ll1re
e,
par.lllcl rows of identically
spaced and
vcr
l
ica
ll
y nligned s
ti
tches
a
cros>
the
fab
ti
cs

cdg•.
Pu
sh the
fa""
ri
c
1111
the
Ll
u
ea
ds imo
L;ghtl)
'
J
X•cked
, uni
fom1
fol
ds
Lhat co
ll
apse
10
one s
id
e in naucn•d
la
yers
when

Lhc
ga
u
gc·!(3t
hercd
edge
is seamed to
ano
th
er
piece
of
fabric
(Fig. l
1).
(
for
an addilional g:mged gathering
Lcchniquc
, rcfer to "Buncd Cartridge
Pleats"
011
p.~gc
10
7.)
Fl(l. 1
·5
. Two
rows
of

zigzag
stitching encas9
one gathering
cord caught
with
stirchos where
each row srarts.
GAT
H
ERI
NG
BAS
ICS
Me~chinr
gnt
lt
c
,.ln
g is fus
lcr
than
hand g•thcring. Like hand gather-
mg.
SLn
ch length affects fullness.
lo
nger sutch
len~:ths
g:11hcr
imo

deeper
mmi-fold~
"hLch
rei=
more fullness in
Lhe
fobnc berond
the sLhclung. For straigb
t-sLi
Lched
machine gathering. gather the
fab
·
ri
c onto
Lhe
bobbin
1
hre~d
of one,
tWO, or
t h
ree
rows
or
:,.1
raight S
tit
c
h-

ing scwu wilh t
he
llppe
r Lcnsion
loosened.
Us
e cxtrn s
<rong
thread
in
the bobbin 10 improve
br
eak rcsis·
l
tll'lt:C
.
Zig::tg mnchlnc
g:11
hcring
!Oier-
ates the
Stnti
n of length)' or heavy•
fabric gaLhering when e,•en strong
sewing thread
In
the bobbm snaps
from
Lhc
pulling and pushing. The

fabnc
slides imo
ga~hers
on
sturdy
string
or
cord loosely confined
instdc a
Lunnel
of
:ig,.g
smchcs
(
Ft
g.
1-5).
To
increase the cfficiencr
of
~i
gzag
gathering:
(I
) Color-mark
the
su-i
ng OJ' cord wilh aft
er
-gather·

ing
rar
gc
l
me:~surcmc:
n
ts,
on
e.
mrll'k
indicating a
po
int 10
he
anchored
to
tbc fabric. a second marl; indicating
Lhe
L:trget
length for the gathering.
(2) Start sewing
b)
' c:uc
hin
g the
anchoring mark on
thr
string or
cord wtth a coup
le

of smught
smchcs: change
10
a
:ig20g
<hat
encloses
Lhe
stnng or cord inside
thread for the length of
Lhe
SLitching
Une
. ( 3)
GaLher
until the
Largct
mark
Fig.
1·4.
The
deep
gathers produced
on
I/Jr99
rows
of
gauged hand
srltching look
/Ike

fine pl9ats.
on the
soing
or cord
app
e
aTs
.
An
other
:ig:
ag-gathcring meth
od.
I
C>S
strong
than
the
abon
•, utilizes
bobhln thread: {I) Stop aft
er
the
first
stit
ch
and
bnng
the
bobbin.thread

to
the surface; (2) pull
the
bobb
in
thread
out
to
the
lengtl•
of
the
fabric
to
he
gothcrt-d:
(3)
z
ig
zag
over
the
bobbin
th
read; (
-t
) ga
th
er on
th

e
bobbin t
hr
ead.
Whcthor gathering
on
hand
or
m
uch
inc
~
th
c
h
in
g.
fa
b
ric
ca
n
be
pu
sh
ed
along
fr
om the
un

secur
ed
end of the s titches
to
the b
eg
inning
where the gathering thr
ea
d is k
no
t-
ted, ti
ed
,
or
anchore
d-<>r
t
he
fabric
ca
n be worked into
ga
thers by push-
Ing
it in townrd
th
e center from each
end

or
the gathering thread.
both
un.<;ecured
.
To
gather a very
lo
ng
piece
of
Iabrie. di\'ide
the
length
mto
managt,.ble segments and stitch
and
g.1thcr each <;egmtnt separate!)'
Whe
n gatheri
ng
stit
ches cross
>c
u
ms
t
luu
join t
wo

pi
ec
es
of
fabric
together,
th
e e
xtra
layer of fabric at
the
scn
m
:>
llowa
n
ces
tl1ick
cn
s
th
e
g
at
hering. To de
ta
ch the s
eam
a
ll

ow
ances from the stitching, notch
L
he
sca
m a
ll
o
wa
nc
es to the point
where machi
ne
-
sew
n ga
th
e
ri
ng
stitches cross, or
;uspen
d machine
<ewing on
ci
th<r si
de
of the seam
allowances
(F

ig
. 1-
6)
.
If
ban
d
St\\
ing. continue without
ca1ching
the scam allo\\·
•nces
in
the
stitches.
After gathering
to
the tatgct
measureme
nt
. secure
th
e
ga
th
eri
ng
(1) with tiny st
uchcs
ov

ercast in
place (l
mnd
scwing
);
(2) by
t)in
g the
bohhln
thr
ead to the needle thread
(
ma
chine sewing). in
clud
ing
any
zigzagged s
uin
g or cord
in
the tic;
OJ
by "1nd
in
g
th
e thread
fi
gm

e-8
style
~
t
ro
u
nd
n pin in
se
rt
ed into
th
e
Iabrie
at
the b st stitch
(a
te
mp
orary
fnsten
mg)
. G
ath
ers an:
us
ually
di
s-
tnbutcd

C\
'enly along
the
len
gth
of
the stitching,
bu
t
ouay
also
cha
nge
from hglu
to
hca'')
~
tf desired.
GJ
thcnng
rtmains
adjusmble
with
its thread
ba.<e
susceptible
to
breaks
untilu
i>

pcm1ancntly stabiliz<
-d
(refer
to
"Stabilizing Gathered
S
tit
ching" on page 6).
St
abilizing is
-
· m
-·-·

·

·

.


_
_:__


-

~·
(a
)

(b
)
F
ig
. 1
-6.
When machine-stitching
to
be
gather
ed
crosses structural seam
allowances: (a) Not
ch
the seam
allowances
in adVa
nc
e. (b) l
nte
tnJpt
the stitcNng to free t
he
sea
m
allow
ances
.
C!tSier
10

manage
when
the
seam
that
conncc~<
the
gathered edge
to
an
oth
-
er piece of
fab
ric
run
s
he
v.
veen
l\
\'0
" '"
"'
nf
gathering, one
(o
r two)
inside the
sc"m a

ll
ow
ance and one
ju
st ou
tsi
de the s
e:am
allownncc.
After
<e
am
in
g, remove 1 he
gat
hered
stitching
thr
ead that sh
ows
in front.
Fo
r some p
ur
po
ses,
aut
o
matic
,

elastic, and channel gatheri
ng
ma
y
be more r mclic
nlth
an
rhe
hand
and
mnchine ga
th
ering
met
h
ods
pre\1-
ously de<eribcd. With
aut
o
nwti
c
gatiJtrlng, the qualil)•
and
quantit)'
of
the bunched mini-folds is
ma
c
hmc

-
se1
ht
hilr
sewing
rarh
er
rhan
arrnngcd
b)
r man
euvering
after
sewi
n
g.
Two attachments, the
easy
-
to-usc
gm
hering f
oo
t (Fig.
1.
-7)
and
the o
nort
cn

mp
licat
cd
, but versatile,
rulll
cr
(Fig. 1-8),
co
m
•e
rr
Oa
t f
:o
bric
In
to ga
th
ct
-e
d or finely pleated f
abr
ic.
F.g.
1-7.
The
gat
hering f
oot
is

as
easy
to
use
as
a reg
ul
ar presser foot.
The
longest stitch length
ccmb
ined
with ti
ght
e
ned
upper tensi
on
pro
-
du
ces the fullest gathers.
Fig.
HI
.
Th
e rulfler attachme
nt
tra
ps

puc
k
ers
or
pleats Into
st
itches
as
it
sews. II generates fullness ranging
from sllg
/!1
to lavish with
di
fferent
stitch lengths combined
with settings
s
el
ected
on
the attachment.
Both
lock
a
bit
of extra fabric
into
the st
it

ches
ns
sewing
pr
oceeds.
With
the
gathering foot or ruffier
tounched
to th
e
ma
c
hme
,
sew
until
the
automatic:oll)'
gathe
r
ed
fabric
reaches target size.
To
estimate
the
fabric rcqulremem,
au
tomatically

gat
her
a
short
sa
mple
of
t
he
fabric.
m
easure
bdurc and
after
ga
1hering,
an
d use 1hose measureme
nt
s in
th
is
formula:
(u
n
ga
the
o
ed
sa

mple l
en
g
th
+
oa
th
e•od
sam
pl
e le
ng
t
h!
~
taipe
i m
eas
u
reme
nt
•
£sllmate
d
fabrJc
umgth
Automatically gathered fabric m
ay
also
be I rimmed

to
size
by
securing
tl1c
thread
''here
it's
cut
\\~th
tiny
dabs
of
fabric glue.
Although
auto
-
matic gathering traps extra fabric
wi thin
the
slitches,
th
e gathe
rin
g
ret
ain
s some n
dj
ustabilit)' until

sta
-
b
lli
m.l.
Elastic gath
eri
ng with clastic
thread, d :tstic
co
rd
,
or
clastic bands
adds st
rc
t
cha
hl
ll
ry
to
'lu
to
matic
full ness.
(l)
Strnigh t stit
ch
in

g wi
th
elastk thread In the bobbin
gat
hers
the
fab
ric
so
ftl
y:
Wi
nd
the elastic
around
the
ho
hbin b)• h
an
d,
s
tr
etc
h-
ing
it
>light!)·; while st
it
ching, h
old

the
fabric
taut
before
and
behind
the
needle. {2)
The
fullness created
by t'Ord clastic caught inside a
zigzagged
scam
mcreases
10
the
degree the cl:tslic is
stre
t
ched
du
r-
mg
su
tching.
and
th
e fab
ric
is g

ath
·
ered on
th
e
dast
ic •
ft
er
st
it
ching
.
Ch
apt
er
I
GA
THERI
NG
5
ci~
cnttoor
-""'"'
~
lm.:th
!he
&bot
,.,th
-:f=ac.

p:b<r;
if
!he
ci:L<-
bl->c lcns:rh d
ur
-
~~
Fig 1-9
•
1-a!>rk
"""
.
1 ,
be
gath<red
on
dame
bbatai
mto
a
cl=md
of
bbric
··-

-·
·····

__

_____
_ .
(d)
~======
==
::::=::::::==::::::1
' I '
Fig. 1-10. (a) Gathering
on
a
rod
ills
e
rled
through a
hem. (b) Casing
o/
U!pe
sewn
around
a tube
of
fab·
ric
. A
dr
aws
tring
pulled

through the casing with a
bodkin
or
saf
ety
pin
wUI
gather
the
tube
. (c) Loops
caught
in
the
seam
joining
fabric
and
facing wlff
be
slipped over a
rod
an
d
pushed
closer to
ga
ther the
fabric. (d)
Hemmed

edge
prepar
ed
for gathering on
ribbon woven thro
ugh
but-
ton
hole p
erfor
ations .
Ftg. 1
·9
. Length
of
elastic, divided
into qustters,
pinned
at
tho divisions
to
Iabrie, also divided i
nto
qu
stte
rs.
To
sew, replace the pins with
machine
basting that crosses

the
elastic. Segment
by
segment, stretch
the
elastic to match the Iabrie while
zigzag stitching.
One kin<l
of
cluumel gculu:ring
starts
with a casing
fonned
ei!her
by
a
hem
at
the
edge
or a tape
ap
j
>lic
d acro
ss
th
e fabric.
Open
ings

at the e
nds
or
httcrnal slits
:1
ll
ow
access
mto
the
cha
nnel
cn:atcd
between
!he
two layers
of
fabnc.
The fabric
slides
in
to g
ather
s over a
ga
th
ering elcmcm- a
leng
th IJf
string.

cor
d. tape. rilibon. elastic.
rope
.
chain
. wire.
dowel
,
or
rod
-
m
o,
•
ed
t
hrougb
the
hem
or
tape
casin
g.
To f
ad
ll
t:llc g
ath
e
rin

g. the
ca<
i ng
chan
nel s
ho
ul
d
fi
t
loo~ely
around
the
element
inside.
6
Another
k;nd
of
ch
a
nnel
g.1lher-
ing
ex
poses
the got hering clement
to view.
A r
ow

of
l
oops
attached
co
the
fabrics
edge
.
or
holes
or
slots
!hat
pierce
the
fabric. create
chan
-
net. wit
lt
open
sp
a
ces
through
wh
ich the gathc
ri11
g

clcnmil
moves
in
nnd
O
UL
Tw
o
re
anucs
excl
usive
to all
channel
gathering
:
The
gath
-
The
A
rt
of
Manipulating Fa
bric
aGIDODDDB
1 . ·
····
··
·

·-
-,-

····-··

H
'
et·s
may
be
adjusted an<l r
e-
adju
sted
at
any time,
ond
the
g,•thering cle-
ment
may
be
removed
a1
an
y
lime,
re
turn
in

g
th
e fabric to its
un
gath-
er
ed
s
ta
re. (
Fi
g.
1-10)
STABILIZING G ATHERED
STITC
HING
Su>bilizing
fi
xes
hand und
machine
ga
th
<ring.
It
ends
chc
shifti
ng
of

gathers
on
th
e thread.
preven
ts
th
e gathering thrcnd from
s
napping
, and
conc
eals t
he
ga
t
her
·
ing stitche
s.
Stabilizing
mar
be
'isil>lr-a
hlndil>g,
ex
t
en
s
io

n , foundation sta
y,
or •·ufn
cd
edge
, or
i 11
vi
s
iiJ
it~
a
stay
or facing.
Where
th
ey
co
nne
ct.
th
e
stabilizing fabnc
match
es
the
gath
-
ered
stitching

in lcngt
l1
and
s
hape
,
nnd
th
e
sta
b
il
izing fab
ri
c u
dd
s one
or more Inver
-;
10 a fabric
:.drca
dy
thic
kened
by
bunched
gathers
.
During
the stabiliz

ing
pr
ocess
, the
gat
hering
.rh
ches dis
ap
pear from
sight.
GATHERING
BASICS
A bind
in
g visibly stabilizes the
gathtring
and
encloses the stil.
ching
ond
seam allowances front and
back
inside a tunnel
of
smooth
rn
bri
c. A
bound

edge
is neat and
fi
rm,
an
d
adds three
or
four b yers
of
bindin
g
fabric
to
the
bulk
of
the
gathering
.
Bi
nd
ing
a ga
th
ered edge with a
lon
g,
narrow S
lli

p of r
ab
l'iC
Is
a
lW
O<-
Sl'a
m opcrotion. To
prepare
the
bi
nd·
ing
strip
for
methods =I
and
::2,
turn
the seam allowance
alon~:
one
lengthy ed
ge
10 the b
ac
k nnd press.
For
meth

od
# l , sew
th
e
umu
m
ed
edge o{ the binding to the gathered
edge with
rig
ht
sides together. Bring
Lhe
binding
up
and
o
ver
th
e scam
"llow"nccs, Lh
cn
ba
ndscw 1 he t urncd
edge
of
the bindi
ng
to th
e

jo
ining
se:tmlgathering
in
back
(sec (a}
in
Fig. 1·11 ).
For
meth
od
#2,
sew
the
unn
m
1ecl
ed
ge
of
th
e bit1ding,
wJ
vll.~
s
ide
up. to the
wmng
side
of

the
gachering.
Bring the htnding
up
and
over the
sc-nm
allowance~
10
l
he
from
~
covering all previ
ous
stil
ch
ing.
a
nd
edg
es
titch next
to
the mrncd
edge
of
the binding (see (b)
in
fig.l-11

). To prepare for
method
=3.
which rcmm·es one layer of fabric
from the binding. serge
one
long
edge of the binding strip. \'\lith
ng
ht sides together.
sc"
·
the
unse
~&td
tdge
of
the
binding
to
the
ga
th
ered edge. Fold
the
se~&ed
edge
to
th
e back. pulling

it
dom1
below
the s
tltchmg
.
\\~th
righ t side
up
,
~
•it
c
h
in
the
ditc
h, again
st
the
fo
ld
of
the bind
in
g. catching
th
e scrged
e
dge

ol t
he
binding in
th
e
se
am
(sec (c) In
Fi
g. I-l l
).
N
ot
e thm a
fin
ish
ed
binding wid
er
tiHtn the
~
cum
~•
ll
owaoce-s
w
ill
fe
el
em

pty
above
the enclosed scam
allownnc:cs.
(a)
(
b)
(c)
Fig. 1·
11
.
Bind
i
ng
a gathe
red
edge:
(a) With
no
stitching
vi
s
ib
le in front.
(b) With
edges/itching visible
in
front.
(c) With
"in t

he
ditch'
sti
tching hi
dden
in
front.
An
extension
of
fabric
covers
tltc
scam
allowances
and
gathering
stilc
he-;
in
front,
but
not
in
back.
To
tldd
an extension.
either
(l

)
sew
the extension
to
the gathered fabric
\\1
th
tdgcs
Dllltching
and
right
sides
together,
or
(2) cdgcstitch
next
to
the
turned
edge
of
an
cxtc~;o
n
plnced
on
t
op
of
the

g<~
thc
rin
g
smc
h
c.s,
or
(3)
co
mbine
(I
) and
(2)
(Fig. 1-12). 1\vo
or
more rows
of
cdgcstitchlng reinforce
the
sc-am
and add
nmme.<.s
while compress-
ing the
bunched
gathers in
the
sc
am

allowance underneath
(a)
(b
)
Fi
g.
1-1
2.
Ga
th
eri
ng
stabilized
by
a
fabric extension attac/1ed (a) wi
lh
an
Invisible seam. (b) with visib
le
edge
stitching.
A foundation
stay
surrounds
a
con
·
toured
and

gathertd
insertion
•<-ith
fabric. Method
"1
Ill
Is
a
cutout
in
the foundation fabric
with
a
gath
-
ered
inscr11on. Sew
the
turned
edge
of
the
cmout
o•
·
er
the
g<~thered
edge
or

the inserti
on
wi
th
edgcstitchfng by machine or b
li
nd-
st
it
ch
in
g
b)
•
han
d
(F
i
g.
1·
13).
For Method #2, fabric shapes
gathered
0
11
opposite sid
es
or
all
aro

un
d nrc appliqucd to mat
ch
in
g
<mtlincs
ma
rk
ed
on
the
su
rface of a
foundation
~Lay.
Edge.s
gathered
ou
straight machine stitc
hing
are
the
easi
es
t to manage. Before gathering.
turn
th
t edge
under
ou

the
stitch·
ing
and
heat
press
or finger crease.
(a)
(b)
Fig
. 1-13.
Sewing
a
gathered
in
se
r·
lion
into
a
cutout
In
a foundation s
tay
with (8) edges/itching
and
(b)
blin
d·
sti

tching. Edgeslitching emph
as
i
zes
the outline
of
the
cu
t
ou
t;
fo
r more
emp
hasis,
sa
t
in
sti
t
ch
ov
er
the
edge stitching.
Aft
er
gathering, blindstitch the edge
to
the om llnc: Catch the gathering

thread
an
d scvct
·a
i thr
ea
ds
of
the
fab
ri
c In the needle before pushing
it th
rough
th
e foun
dat
ion and o
ut
V.
" (3mm) ahead,
jus
t
in
front
of
th
e gathered
edge
, ready for

th
e
next
smch
(
see
(a)
in
fig
. l -H ).
(b)
Fig
. 1-14.
Gathered
applique
option
s:
(a)
Blindstltch
an
edge
gath
ered
on
machine
stitching. (b) F
lut
e an
edge
gathered

on
hand
sti
t
ching
.
Chapter
I
GAT
HERIN G
7
8
Flu1ing
is a hand-applique tech·
mquo
unique
to
hand
-gathered
edges.
It aiTanges
gathers
into
gTOO\'CS
betw«n
standing
folds.
G•thtr
the already
turned

edge
of
the
fabric
on
the
thread
of
cquallr
sp.1cod
nmning
stitches (
the
larger
th
o
st
itches,
the
hig
her the
•
nut
cs"), Distribute
the
ga
th
ers
even I
)'·

Start
eac
h tacking
sti
t
ch
by
Sl roking 1 he groove with a n
eed
le
from 1 he insi
de
out
to
the
edge;
at
th
e edge, cat
ch
sev
era
l threa
ds
or
th
e lab
l'i
c
in

the need
le
before stab-
bing
It throu
gh
the
outline on the
foun<l:uion. Bring the needle
up
in
front
ol
the lleXt groo
ve
a
nd
conLill·
ue
(sec (b) m Fig. 1-14). RemO\·e
the
gathering
thread
when
all
the
groove~
have lx-en t.u:-kcd.
t
\n

Invisible
sray
is
an
underlin-
mg
that controls gathering before
it
is stabilized
in
a finished
manne
r.
If
th
e fabric is
soft
and
s
li
nky, a partial
S
tOI)
' s teadies the garhc,·ed edge
before binding
or
addi
ng
an
ex

ten-
sion. 1\ full edge-to-edge stay makes
n ga
th
ered
in
se
rt
iotteas
ier
to
han-
dl
e
wh
il
e sewing
in
to
a
cu
tout
in
side a foundMiun
May
(F
ig. 1-15).
When
th
e layer

of
fabric
added
by a
permanent s
ta
y
is
undesirable.
use
a
temporary
st.~y
-
paper
or
a
com·
mercia!
product
de,-cloped for
the
purpos.:-whu
;h
can
be
tom
awar
whtn
ItS usefulness

is
o\
·er.
The
Art
of
Monipulo:rcing
Fabric
(a)
(
b)
Fig. 1·15. (a) Target-s/zed stay
fora
gather8d
square
(b) which is stayed
when the
two
are basted together
An
imisible
faring
is a linillg
that
stabilizes;~;
wcU
as finishes a
gathered edge. Sewn to
the
gath

ered
f
:t
bric wlth edges matc
hin
g
and
rig
ht
sides together, a facing,
wben
turned
over
to th
e
ha
ck. also
turns
the gnt he r
ed
seam allowance to t
he
insi
d
t~.
A
f11c
ing for single-edge
gath
cr

ln
JI,
has a loose edge in back;
opposite-edge
and all-sides
gather
-
ing need full edge-to-edge facings
(Fig.
1-1
6).
(a)
F'19.
1·16. (a) Pattie/ facing stabiliz-
ing a gathered edge. (b) Gathered
edge
of
a fabric circle surched to a
target-siz8d facing before (c) turning
right side out through a slash in the
facing.
The
gathered circle rolls
at
the edge and inflates.
GATHERING BASICS
The
rujJicd
edge
is a decorative,

frill)' finish for
th<
' ga
ther
ed
edge.
When
the
stitehlng
to
be garhercd
is
St "-''
'n a distance
a\Yay
f
.ro
m the
fabncs
edge
, the
stnp
of
fabric
hen,·

n
tht
stitchmg
and

the edge
breaks
into
a ruffie after
g:<tbe
ri
ng
.
To smbilize: ( I )
Wllh
the
edge
of
an
extension slipped
beneath
the
gath-
ering
sticc
hcs. topstitch over
t11c
,
g:uhcring Stitches.
th
en cover them
wilh d
ccorn
ll
ve stitching or

an
applique.
Or
t
ops
lli ('h next 10
the
~at
h ering
stitches
nhd
remove
the
gat
hcling L
hn:acl
~t
it
er
topslhcb
ing.
(2)
Sew a stay
or
tape
to
t
he
back
of

the
go1
h
ering
stitches. (Jaunting
tbc
gathers for decorative effect
in
from
.
(3)
Sew
a decorath·e 513)'
of
ribbon.
tape.
or
br:ud
on
top
of
the
gather
-
ing
stitches
in from (Fig. 1-17
),
(Refer
to

"E
dge Finishing for
Ruln<'S"
on
page
43.
)
(c)
Fig.
1-17
.
SUJbilizing
a ruffled
edge
:
(a)
With
an extension slipped under-
neath /he satfn·Stitched gathering
stitches. (b)
With
a tape handsewn
to
the back
of
the gathering stitches.
(c)
With
s tape edgestitch
ed

over
th
e
gathering
stitches.
:::mg
gathe
red stitc
hi
ng"
appl)
to
srrttc
hable elastic
C::.~=it.
but
tf
the
elastic
is
inside
:,_"-'=
· u nteds srnps
to
prevem
IDlO
tho
channel
Other
:=:=:1-gothtnng

elemen
ts
of
fiber,
.as
•tnnl!,. cord, tape,
and
rib-
1
•tOps
as
well. Depending
clemtm :md the silttation.
n>d.
can
be
stoppe
d by fas
ten
-
the f,tbric,
or
the
)'
can
be
~«<
bc)·o
nd
cha

nn
el capacity
i<noL.<,
bead.s, msscls,
or
o (
Ftg.
1-18). For encircling
wb.
the
en
ds c:m be tied
or
.J
toget
her
,
or
COIUICC
LC
U with
>ll.lp>. buttons, or
Velcro
.
••bcr gathering d ements
such
m.
\\'1~.
dowel.
or

rods
are
,d
"uh
suitable hardware
• 1·18. Stops
at
the ends
of
a
• Stnng
block accidental removal.
A s:cp could
be
a large
knot
or,
as
own.
a
bead
held
in place between
•
ots
F URROW
ING
With tin)' tacking
stitches
furro"

1
ng
creatc,
a controlled
relief
of
meandering.
suirling
grooves
and
crests from
the
fabric
that balloons between all-sides-
gathered edges appliqued to a foun-
dation
StO)'·
The
tacks sian widely
spaced
and
get
closer
and
closer,
al
wn)'S
reducing
th
e innmcd fabric

le
ft
bct
wcel1
previous tacks,
ad
di
ng
more t·
idg
es
10 1 he d••,•cloping maze.
Mn
rl
<
th
e surface
of
a foundation
stay
wit
h the outline of
the
gath-
ered slwpc 10
be
furrowed. Cut the
fabric 10 be gathered
and
furrowed

two tunes larger than the oUi
lin
e
on
the
foundauon.
even
larg~r
for
dense furrowing with deep crc,1n-s.
Dot
lhe
fabric
in
the
ce
nter
and
at
equally
~paced
points
between
the
center
•nd
the
edges.
Mru:k
the

back of
tl1e
foundation
s~1y.
behind
th
e om line. wi th similarly spaced
dots. Stretch the stay
in
a hoop.
Gather the fnbric and
ap
pliqu
e
it
to
t
he
outline
ma
rked
on
t
he
s
ta
y.
r
ush"
threaded needle straig

ht
up
and
out
1h
rough the
ce
nter dot
marked 0
11
the smy
in
back
and
the
center
doL
marked
on
the swelling
fabr
ic above.
Take
a
stitch
three or
four threads-of-the-fabric
wide
and
push

lhc
needle str•ight
down
through
the
St3)
and
out
the
back.
Pull
on
the
thread
10
bring
the
fab-
ric
down
to
foundation le,·el.
Secure
\\~th
a
second
stitch m·cr
the
first. In back. muvc
the

needle
to
an
adj:occn
t
cl
ot position and make
another double-
tncl<
, pulling the
dot
above
and
th
e
clot
bel
ow
togcthct·.
When
a
ll
th
e
dots
have
b
ee
n
-:

m
chorc:
d,
refine
the
remaining
bulges with more t
acks
tO
make
new
furrows.
Use
the
needle's
point
to
assist
the
grooving
as
tacking
conunucs.
(
Fig
. 1-19)
(a)
(b)
Fig. 1·19. (s) Furrowing a puffy. gath·
ered app/iqu6 with double-tacks.

(b) When tha furrowing
is
finished,
thread crisscrosses the found
at
ion in
back.
The height
of
the crests between
funows diminish
es
as
the
num
be
r
of
l
n~k
s
Increases. With a
den
sely
furrow
ed
surf::tce,
the crests
h:wt·
JiuJc

1'00111
[or collapse, but 3
Ja)'Cr
of
bauing
or
loose
fiberfill
insencd
between
the
guthcrcd fabric
and
the
foundation sta) adds su
ppon
.
End
of
GATHERING
BAS
I
CS
9
Sr
NG
L
E-E
DGE
GATHERING

-one
side
of
a piece
of
fabric
reduced
to
a smaller
measurement
when
crushed
onto
pulled
thread
stitching. elastic.
or
over
channelled
elements. Below the
gathere
d edge.
the
loose
fabric
drops
and spreads
in
graceful. unstructured folds
to

a
flooti
ng
l
ower
edge.
PR
OCEDURES
1. Decide
how
much
fuUne.ss
the
r~hrlc
be
l
ow
th
e ga
ther
ed
edge
<hould
displar-<light.
moder
·
ate.
generous
,
abundant

.
Set
an
aftcr·gatherlng target
measure-
ment
for
the
gathered
edge. To
csumatc
the
length
of
uogath
·
cred
fabric needed
to
produce
the desired full n
ess
in
the
gath-
ered
fubric
, tnuhipl)
1
the r

arget
m
e-as
ur
emen
t
by
Lhc
amount
indi
ca
t
ed
in the f
ollowiog
chan:
silghtlu
lin
ess
• (
targe
tJ
x 1
~
mo
der.
ne
iu
llness
• (

tnrgeq
x 2
generous
luliness
•
(la
rgetJ
x 3
abundant
lullness
• J
target]
x 4
(+more)
As
the
tlo!Tcrcncc between
the
target mcru.urtmcnt
and
the
length
of
the fabric
gathered
to
match
that target mcreases,
the
fullness relea.ed

br
the
gathering
also
increa!>cs.
2. Add
111dth
to the estimated
len
gt
h for
th
e tongathercd fabric,
<tn
d
cu
t
the
fabric. If nece
ss
ary,
piece
the f
abric
to
ach
ieve t
he
n
ecCSSIITY

len
gt
h.
3.
Di\1de
th
e e
dg
e to be gad>ered
into halve
s,
quar
Le
rs, or eighths,
:mel
rnark
Lhc
divhions
between
segments \\1lh pins. nips, no<eh-
es,
or
chalk
.
Equate
to
similar
but
>mJUcr tli\'isions
on

a
g:mgt-a
ntler
, a
snip
of
paper
or
fabric-
that
represents
the
target
measurement.
4.
Gat
h
er
t
he
edge
(refer
to
'Gm
h
ering
Methods'
on
page
3),

segment
b)•
scgmcm.
to
fit
the
target
mea_~uremem.
Distribute
the
gathers
as
desired.
5.
Stablli:e
the
gnthcrlng (refer
to
"Stabilizing
Gathered
Stitching
"
on
page 6).
NOTES & VARIATIONS
The <tnndard for
•l
ngle-edge
gathe
ri

ng Is "c
ut
, s tit
ch,
and
ga
t
her
on
t
he
strni
gh
tgrnin
of
woven fab-
ric
: st
abili:c
horlzon
uoll
y ;md
s
traight
."
Al
so,
"st
it
ch

ing
on
the
crossgrnin b preferred O\'cr stitch-
ing
on
the lcngthgruin because
the
folds released from crossgrain
gath-
ering
hang
more ruuurolly
than
folds from lengtl•grain
gathering
.·
tlowc,
•
er
, de,1atlons from
these
:aandard~
to
~uh
spedf1c
circum
~
stances are
normal

for
gathered
applicnrions.
l'or
example:
Drtopetl
sh
ogle-
rdge
gathering
ex
t
ends
to
two
adj<Occnt
edges
of
a
squ:orcd
pie
ce
of f:obric. As a result.
th
e
rdea
>c
d folds t
lmp
e

toward
t
he
ce
nt
er
,
an
d
ch
e n()ating edge, witb -
OUI
t
he
ripples
and
w
·cs ty
pical
of
stra
i
gh
t-han
ging
folds.
descends
to
a
point

(see
(a
) In Fig. 1-20).
Stabili=ing
tl1e
gathered
edge
at
an
angle tighter
or
,,;dcr than tht orig-
inal
angle
alters the curYe
of
the
draping
•nd
the
length
of
the
poi
nt
.
For
co
nc
ourrd slngle-«lge

gatlo-
tring
, the
ga
th
ered
edge
veers
from
the strai
gh
t uncl horizontul while
retainin
g.
noatin
g edge
that
ripples
and
wav
es. A straight, g
athered
edge
ma
y be swbilized
to
sl
an
t up
o1· down,

and
, h
ec
nusc
of
Its
il
cxi-
bilir
y,
to c
ur\'
e:
or
ang
le.
\Vhen
a
s
traight
, gathered edge is stabilized
to
arch
or
ang
le
upward,
the
fol
ds

releo
scd
from che
co
nt
oured
stabi-
lizing
deepen
and
swell.
and
1he sil-
houcnc
of
che
noating
edge
imitates
in
reverse
the
contour
at
the
top
(
sec
(b
) In

Fog
.
l-20
). Straoghtening
the
floating edge
br
tnmming
places
it
o
ff
-gr.un.
10 Tho
Art
o(
Manipu lari
ng
Fab
ric
SI
NGLE
-EDGE
GA
THERiNG
FI!J.
I -20. Single·edge gathering vari-
ations:
(a)
FOlds

released
from
adja·
cent·edqe gathering drape.
(b)
Straight, gathered edge stabilized
at
an
angle.
(c) Straight, galhered
edge stabilized
to
cutve.
(d)
Straight,
gathered edge stabilized in a flat cir·
cle
becomes
e
ruffle.
Stabilizing n straight,
gat
her
ed
e
dg
e to clip in a c
ur
ve stretches
folds

Olll
of t
he
0onting
tdgC,
mor
e
so
as
the
dcplh
or
t
he
cu
rve
increa.s-
es.
unless
(1) t
he
f
abric
Is
lengthy
and
weighty
enoug
h
to

hung
straight
down
from the
gathering.
or
(2)
rhe
\\~dtnlng
silhouette
of
che floating edge
1S
considered
in
advance
(
see
(c)
in
Fig
.
L-20
).
Instead
of
the gathered-edge target
measurement,
u~
the silhouette

of
th
e noacing
edge
us
the
target
measurement to
es
timate
th
e
length
of
ung
at
h
crcd
fabric
needed
to
produc
e the d
es
ir
ed fu
lln
ess
in
a

fl
o
at
ing
edAe
hanging
from con-
cave s
rnhili
zing.
When
ao1
•P
illiCnt
io
n r
equires
a
stra
ight.
on-g
ra
in.
lloaung
edge
wuh
th
e
desired
fullness

hanging
perpendicular
and
even
from a
contoured
gathering
{-dgc.
the
fab-
ric
needs
to
be
cue
from a
pattern.
(I
)
Mak•
• full-
slu
p•ttcm.
";th
-
out
a
scam
allowance
.

of
the
target
shape
the
gathered
fabric
is
co
match
.
(2
) S
lo
sh
•
copy
of
that
p3l
·
tern i
nl
o
s
trip~
.
cuui
n
$;

in
the
tlirec-
rion t
he
folds wil l hnng.
(3)
Tape
the
\
tnp
s
to
ano
t
her
pi
ece
o[
paper
,
'P"'~d
~p•rt
I()
stretch
out
the
pat
-
tern

~nd
a
dd
the
desired ful
lness
-
a!
cr·g
Jlh
ering
to
the target edge.
~
(o
mtl
:
ting
the
separated
strips
"'"h
1
m~.
re-draw
the
outline-
,.
htch
beco

mes
the
pattern
for
the
• >bnc to
be
gatltered. Va
ri
ation:
"J>r<
ad the
strips
more
at
the
hot-
tom
thon • • the
top
to
add Oare
to
the
fo
ld
s released from t
he
gathered
edge (Fig. 1-21 ). A

dd
a seam
.tltownncc
tO
the
fi
nal patt
ern
.
ro
r
app
li
caticms so large t
hat
·'
or
kmg with a
£u
ll
·s
izc t
argc
L
pa
l-
tern
ts
unprnnical.
red

u
ce
the
target
dtmcnsions
and
shape
to
a
wo
rk-
l>te
;c
ole for
panern
dr-afting
pur-
.
"'"PC"S
Record
actual-size measure-
··
1rn
b on
the
~:tied
-
down
gather-
'"~

pottem
and
opply
those
mea-

ur.:nu:
nb
when cuuing the
fabric.
StaJ
rd singlr-ttlge gatlreri11g
dcx.~
n
·t
hxwe
a lloating edge. The
dtmcn<ional folds released from
th
e
1\J
thcrinp. stitch
es
diminish
an
d t
lb
-
.t
p

penr
at
the
o
pp
osite edge which
1>
"retc
h
ed
smoo
dt
an
d
sta
yed Oat
co
preve
nt
rippl
es
n
nd
mo
ve
mcn
L
To
maintain a nat. straigh t. stayed
edge.

the
opposite edge
can
be
~•
th
c
red
only
up
to
the
point
where
the
>1dcs
begin
to
drag
the
stayed
edge O
Ut
of
nlignmcm. Too much
~athc
ring
\\ill force
the
stayed

edge
to
cu
rw
up
.
\\'hen
one
edge
is
<t.tyc
d
In
a curw
that
encircles. like
• t
ube
of
f3bric
sewn
to
a circular
c
ut
o
ut
in a foundation,
the
opposite

rdge. tightly
ga
thered,
clos
es the
ctrc
ubr
ope
n
ing
with fol
ds
fhat
r-
.1dinlc
fr
om
''
cennal
p
oi.
m
-
pr
o~
mled
the wid
th
of the tube
equal

s
th
e rndi us
of
the
cir
cu
l
ar
cut
out.
Lc>
> than tht' radi
us-an
ope
nin
g
'
urr~unded
by
ga
th
ers: More
than
the mdiu<- thc
ga
t
he
r
ing

closes
but
puff; (
rig
. 1-12).
(a)
(b)

« -
IS
/~
~
8
-
~
~-
!!.
~ ~ ~
/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
r
::::~s:::
t::
~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
~~~~~~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
(c)
Fig.

1-2
1. Slash-and-spre
ad
pat
te
rn
drafting lor an Inset gather
ed
on a
contoured edge: (a) One-ha
ll
of
the
miffOr-lmage target pattern
(b)
slashed imo narrow strips
which
are
sp~ead
out
on
folded paper.
The
re-drawn outline is the gathered inset
pattem.
(c)
Adding optional flare to
the
floating
edge

by
increasing the
sp~ead
at
the
bonom.
Fullness multiplies
with
each
addition to a
buildup
of
tkrecl
s
ln
gle-e
cl
gcc
l g
atl
tering
beca
use rhe
ung
athcrcd edge
of
one tier
sta
bi-
lizes

t
he
gnthercd edge.
of
th
e n
ex
t
tie
r.
Tlte gutltere
cl
edge
of
fa
bric
s
tr
ip
#2
Is
sew
n to
th
e ung
ath
er
ed
edge
of

strip
#I:
gmhorcd tier :;3 is
sew
n
tu
the
unga
t
hcred
edge
of
(icr
#2:
and 'iO on.
Each
tier
increases
the
length
of
the
gathered edge for
the
next
tier {Fig. 1-13). If
the
11ghtnc~
s
of

the
gathering
is also
increa~ed
for
successive tiers, full-
ness
wi11
increase
e:xrravag.antl}~
(a)
(
b)
(c)
Fi
g.
1
-22.
(a)
Gathering limited
by
the
opp
os
ite edge
wh
lc
ll
is stayed flat
and

straight. (b) Tuoo stitch
ed
into a
circular
cu
tout will
fla
tten
a
nd
almost
close
In
t
he
center
wh
en tightly gath-
ered. (c)
Tube
stayed ov
er
a rigid
form
with
the
end
of
the
tube closed

by gathering.
Fig
.
1·23.
From
tightly gathe
re
d
stitching
at
the
top,
fullness increases
gradually but dramatically when gath-
ering
is tiered.
Cha
pt
er I
GAT
HER
IN
G
II
An01hcr
va
rh
uion
of
sta

yed
sin
-
gle-edge
gothen
ng
invohes
pauem
drafting to enlarge the edge
LObe
gathered. hut
not
the
oppostte edge.
The Meps followed when
drafting
the
panent
duplit'tltc those
described for Fig. 1-21
\\lth
a c
ru
-
cial difference-
instead
of
slashing
the
ta'l\CI pattern

into
strips.
lh
c
cuts
sto
p
!lio
" ( 1.
5mm)
from the
edge opposite 1
he
edge to be gmh-
cr
ccl.
Stlckl
11
g the sl
ashe
d
wr
gt l
pauc
rn
LO :m
ot
h
er
piece of

pap
er
,
fa
n
<>Ut
the s
tr
ips to enlarge the
edge designated
fo
r gathering.
Filling
in
the spaces.
out
line the
gathering p:tttcrn (Fig. 1-H ). U
se
the
ongina
l "''llct pattern
as
a stay
for
the
g.1thcrcd piece. Add seam
allowance>
to
final patterns.

(c)
Fig.
1-24
. $/ash-and-spread pattern
dmtting
for stayed smg/6-edge gath-
ering:
(a)
One-half of target pattern A
(t:J)
stashed
t:Jut
hinged
at
the oppo-
Site
edge, fanned
out
on folded
paper
to
enlarge the edge designat-
ed tor
garhering.
and
with
the
expanded edge re-drawn. (c) Pattern
C
cu

t out and marked wi
th
a notched
e
dge
th
at, when
ga
thered,
wit/
match
th
e notch
os
on
pa
tte
rns
A and B.
12
Th
e
Art
of
M
an
ipu
l
ating
. Fab

ric
I 1-
L<)]IItly
fiatncted
on
mrJCtooroed
so<chmg.
m1.1Si1fl
etllarged
r
1
1}
(1tr1t~.S
tile
torger
dJn1Cn5!01i
npples
!.O[tly
ot
rho
fl!kolirog
ed~o.
SINGLE-EDGE
GATHERING
I 2
Mu>!•n
!l"fho•
ed
moderoteiy
(ull

on
macht11e
sewn
sr1tchng
loses
50%
at
as
ong~ ,a:
length
<lose
gmi:enng
on
lhrco
f!lQChrne
sotcl11r'lg
rcducrn.
sfln
ro
one.lhJrd
•
t.s
ongml
ttl
ar.d
re.•toase:;
gMtrous
/illds
below
lloe

;«Jih•rmg.
~
J.c,oSJ>
fullneSS
Wlrh
deep
IOld$
deS<end
;
hancJ.s~tdled
~ougod
eorl>cnne
wl>och
"'ttndenSlf.J
the
mus!rn
tJS!d
{ot
rtus
samp.
1
.e
to
7¢:
cr
1cs
ai$"011et>R:I>.
-

'

SINGLE-EDGE
GATHERING
1-5
The
drap!'d
(oJds
com<i
I>}'
;;ct'lei.M
~~""'
e
dges
Oj
0 mliS1,n
SC'jurJre
tO
ha,fihcif
length.
Chapter
I GATHERING
13
I 6 Garheted
t'M\
\\1th
a
cornOUI"ed
r.eoc1ing
sc:
~ruo
o

MM
.,
o
(~lOfl
stay
(for
ihe
P<metn
see
Fig
1-71)
SINGLE-EDGE
GATHERING
14
The
An
of Mal
li
pulacing Fabric
1-
7 Gm/le<ed
fior"
<!~
tKJ~el
o(
mustw\
twO
{Cl>-s.'l :>e<l
oppl,ccrJcr.s
·• m

suJyed
~es
sho:>e<I•"UO
""'~
CO<>tl»led
by
o'le
deJoS>ty
of
th
e
goth"""~·
l~ut
(tom o
pottem
eni<Jf!1cd
for
gc!henng
on
one
W.
orxJ
Stated
honzontafiy.
lhe
loose,
lower
edge
of
!he

gcth<>recl
sample
(ails
•n
to o
cu vo
~9
-
T/rte
llers.
eoch
&<'fT /
(t/4
than
rho
I>C<
<lbooe,
ctOOSe
~
"'tu
mterence
of
lhe
flooong
edge
e
xtro,r~gam!y
'"lhou
t
bulky

ga
lh<)rs
1!1.~k
erong
d1e
blrl<Nnll
at
lho
lOp.
SINGLE-EDGE
GATHERING
I·
I
~
"D
runf<a/tJs
P<lth."
a
110'J,1Janol
pmchw
otk
pattern
.
w•lh
parcloes
dmens'Oil(Ji,<fd
by
folds
lha;
"'""""

(rom
a
a >«1
(iG!i>e-ed
""""'11>!
f/Oii><'«<
retches
1\tre
sro;
«I
be{Ote
assemi>Y,(For
the
ponern.
sec
F1g.
I
24.)
I
11
-
Stnps
w1~1
one
edge
ser
'""' a ''""'or
cutout
before
tijihtly

gmllet"'!!lhe
Of!POS'!C
ecr,e.A{rer
gat~><~
Coe/i)
0
SO>:>

>~ode
than
me
rud s
of
the
curcut
letMS o
cc111er
open•og;
(ceotor)
o
str
•t>
os
wide
as
d1e
rod:us
re'eos
es
{old>

til!lt""d•OI~
(."'m
a
ce<>tnJI
p.,,pa,nc(ni/lt)
a
""0
,,<Jer
than
lhe
rod>us
'll;iole;
lllO
musl.n
IIIIo
o
<brr.e.
Ch
op
tcr
I G
ATH
ERI
NG
IS
OPPOS
ITE
-E
DGE
GATHE

RING
'
~
!o;;:.
~
~
·

·-
I
-
-
.
-:::;;:
-=
_
:;;
Fig.
1·25.
Opposite-edge
gathering beforo
stabilizing
to a
shorter
stay-
which will cause
the long, loose
horizontal folds
to drape .
<>

pposi
te
sides
of
a piece
of
fabric
made
sma
ll
er
when
crushed
onto
pulled thread
st
it
ching
. elastic.
or
over
cha
nne
lled inserts.
Th
e freed
fabt·ic
betw
een
the

gathe
red
edges
co
ll
ects
into
var
i
ab
le, dir
ected
folds.
~


~
PRO
CEDURES
To
g3ther
the
opposite
edges
of
a
length
of fabric. adapt the
proce·
dures

described
fo
r "Single· edge
G•thcring" on page 1
0.
NOTES & VARIATIONS
Oppos
it
e-edge gathe
rl
ng
requires
opposhe·cdgc
smb
ili
ting
to nnchor
both
gathe
red
edges
and
maintain
the released folds
in
a directional
and
taut
or
slack condi11on.

The
folds
can
mm
•e
straight
between
the
gathered edges,
or
1 h
ey
c.1n
drape,
puff. radime.
or
skew.
The
forma·
liOn
of
the sc
ulpt
ed
fol
ds
th
m arc
li
bemtcd

between t
he
ga
t
hered
edges
is
t
he
pr
i
mary
design focus of
opposne
-
edge
gathering.
When
opposite
·
gathered
edges
are
~!itched
to
a
star
that
b >mallcr
than

the
g3thertd
fabric
,
the
cramped folds
in
between
either
dmpe or puff. For drapctl
OtJ/JIISitc·
cdgr gathering, t
he
r
clc.1secl
fo
l
ds
mu
s1 be ho
ti
zomal
~nd
lengthy
enough to
droop
of their own
we
ig
ht

when
th
e gathered edges
>rc
St:t
bi·
lizcd closer
together
(Fig.
1·25)
.
For
pujf<d
o
pp~~
sit<·<dgc
gmltering.
the
folds
released
between the
g,'tth
·
cred
edges
must
be
rel:uh·el) short.
as
they

are
between the gathered
edges
of
a narrow
s1rip
of
fabric.
lrtstcad
of
drap
ing,
1h
e folds thrust
upw
ard
when the
gat
he.ring stitches
arc
tOP·
s
tit
ched
to
an
even
nan'Owcr
st
ay,

br
Clt
king
up into
sw
irling
ridges
und
peaks
(Fig. 1-26).
Th
e dmpcd
or
puiTtd effect grows more pronounced
as the
st:t)'
becomes
smalkr.
Unlike
draped opposite-edge
g31hcring.
puiT<xl
oppostlc-edge g3thcring c:tn
be
rotated
in
an
y direction,
'md
the c

le
·
vnnons
collapse
u
nder
preswrc.
~
·-
-
Fig. 1-26. Strip of Iabrie gathered on
opposite
edges, stabilized
to
a stay
that's
smaller thsn tho strip is
wide
,
puffs up into craggy folds.
Skewed Ol'l'osilr·rtlgt gcult
ering
fixes
tbe
folds into a chagonal rela-
lionship
\nth
the
edges. After
stabi

·
lizing
the
left edge by
basting
the
gathering
stitchc.
10 a stay, pull
the
right edge
downword
forcdully
before
ba
sting t
hat
ga
thered
edge
to
t
he
st.~)
'
To
prov
em the pulled edge
fro
m

wandt:ring
w
hi1
c
tops
Li
Lch
ing,
mat
ch
the l'dgc to n guideline
marked
on
the
stay
(Fig. 1-27).
Skewing
decreases
the
original
\\idth
of
the
gathered
fabric.
16
The
Art
of
M>nipulatln

g Fabric
OPPOSITE-EDGE GAT H
ER
ING
,
Fig.
1·27. Opposite-edge gathering
skewed
by tugging
th
e right edge
down
to
angle the folds before bast·
ing
to
the
stay.
Cwwd
opposite·
cdge
g(ttltuing
arc>
anU
I
urn
s.
C
ur
v

atur
e is
ro1'
Ct
d
by
g:
11
he1i ng
~
segment
on
on
e
si
de
of t
he
fnh
ri
c strip t
ig
htly (t
he
in net·
curve). the
segment
direct
ly
oppo·

site lightly (the outside curve). and
stabllizmg
the
edges
according!)'
(Fig.
1·28).
Fig. 1·28. Strip
of
opposite-edge
gathering that
CUNeS
when SIIC·
/iolls
ol
ooe
edge
are gathered
lighter than the
sections
immedi~
ately opposite.