How to gather fabric by hand sewing a running stitch.
 

This is a quick and easy way to gather fabric by hand. Here are two other methods of gathering fabric: http://lovetosew.com/hand-gather.htm

It looks and works even better if you sew two closely parallel rows of stitching...makes for a much smoother gather. I learned how to do that for making doll clothes when I was 8. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-basic/shy.gif

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the board. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/s...asic/smile.gif

Ahh, another person who learned to sew by making doll clothes! I had a wonderful grandmother who taught me to handsew Barbie clothes somewhere between 6-7 years old. She was always doing some kind of handwork, and I followed in her footsteps for many years.

I still gather by hand on small items or on very special items (baptism gowns for example). I use two rows of long machine stitches on "regular" items. I do agree that the two rows keep the gathers from twisting and make it easier to have a lovely result.

Pam

I always gather by machine and I always sew two rows of gathering stitches. I think that makes a nicer looking gathering line and the gathers are neater. I think it takes too much time to gather by hand, and I like the tiny gathers that the machine stitching makes.
Sue

Agreed. Two lines of machine stitching really works. Now if I could only have a granddaughter to use those skills with again. My two girls had lots of ruffles when they were little.