Gathering with Elastic Thread How To Wind an Elastic Thread Bobbin in a Top Loading Sewing Machine

In this video, Shari Fuller, the designer behind Thimbles and Acorns, shares an excerpt from the Sewing Perfect Gathers course. Can you believe there are so many different ways to gather fabric? This week, I am going to show you my absolute favorite method for gathering fabric – elastic bobbin thread! This method is demonstrated on a Babylock sewing machine with a top loading bobbin. This tutorial includes how to wind the bobbin with elastic thread and how to create gathers in fabric with it.

A while back, in Sewing With Elastics, Cinnamon demonstrated how to use elastic bobbin thread to create shirred fabric, but did you realize this same technique can be used for basic gathering as well? Simply swap out your bobbin of regular thread for a bobbin of elastic thread and the elasticized stitches will gather the fabric for you. Not only do you end up with fuss-free perfect gathers, but the elasticity makes it super easy to arrange the gathers around curves or make adjustments as you sew. This method works well with specialty fabrics that have a tendency to fray easily because it greatly reduces how much you need to handle the fabric. It also works well with fine fabrics because the heavier weight elastic thread works as a foundation that adds structure and stability to the fabric.

We'll be demonstrating these methods as basic tutorial exercises on small scraps of fabric to help illustrate how the basic techniques and methods are used at a smaller scale. Follow along to understand the process, hopefully watching us in action will clarify any concerns or issues you may have with these types of techniques.

There are a few tricks to using elastic thread that need to be followed in order for this method to work, so watch closely in the video!