Serger Shirring: 2-thread Chainstitch - Sew Decorous (2024)
Here in Florida, mid-January, I’m still wearing shorts most days, and I love it. No complaining from me! I am really liking rayon shorts with stretchy waistbands lately, which makes shirring a fun option.
I’ve done shirring with my sewing machine (see post), but this time I used the chainstitch on my serger. It works so well! Not all sergers are capable of making a chain stitch, but if yours can, you should be able to achieve similar results.
My serger is from the early ’90s, and I have a great workbook for it. In it are all kinds of useful and decorative techniques including shirring. Even though the chainstitch is used, the result does not look like the classic chainstitch on the underside. The elastic looper thread stays straight and the needle thread loops around it. It is not bulky and very stretchy. I did try different settings to achieve the normal chainstitch look, but it was bulky and not as stretchy.
I’m always observing my store bought clothes and wondered why store bought clothes with shirring do have a chainstitch look on the underside. Zooming in to look closer at the stitching, it became obvious the chainstitching on my store bought shirt is different than a serger chainstitch. It isn’t bulky and it looks like an embroidery chainstitch.
I did some research to understand why. A serger, and coverstitch too, makes a chainstitch with two threads, but store bought items are made with a single thread chainstitch. I found this video below which illustrates how a single thread chainstitch machine works. It would be amazing to have an affordable home machine capable of this, but shirring with the serger chainstitch is a great substitute.
The settings for shirring are roughly the same for basic chainstitching, with differential kept at one and a stitch length of three. Both needle and looper tensions may need to be lowered, though, to achieve the best results.
After the first row, stretch the fabric flat as additional rows are sewn. I found it helpful to use scrap fabric at the end of each row so that fabric is always under the foot. The needle thread broke every time I did not do this. Once all rows are sewn, give the shirring a good steam.
I played a little with my coverstitch, but haven’t been able to replicate the results. I’ll keep trying every once in a while.
Depending on the type of fabric, I use 5-7 tension (out of 10) and a 3.5-4 stitch length (out of 5). Again, I'll talk about some troubleshooting tips at the very end of the post to help you adjust the settings perfectly to your machine! Also, you need to GO SLOWLY.
The thin elastic thread on the backside of the fabric creates the shirring, so if the fabric is too thick, the elastic will be too weak to gather it. Great fabrics to shirr include voile, double gauze, lawn, and rayon challis. Avoid heavier fabrics such as flannel, canvas, and wool suiting.
The serger chain stitch is made up of two threads – one from the needle on the top (just like a sewing machine) and one from the looper on the bottom (instead of a bobbin). The chain stitch looks just like a sewing machine lockstitch on the top side of the fabric.
The Gathering / Shirring Overlocker Foot is most suited for gathering when sewing tiered skirts, yokes, cuffs and frills on skirts etc. This foot is also suited for sewing two fabrics together and gathering the bottom fabric in one operation.
If you have issues with your elastic becoming “spaghetti like” on the back of the shirring line, something is likely wrong with your tension. While it is normally recommended to hand wind elastic thread on your bobbin while applying no tension, this issue calls for rule breaking.
The only extra thing you really need, aside from your regular sewing kit, is shirring elastic to go in the bobbin case. One or two spools should be enough for a small amount of shirring, such as on the Mabel sewing pattern, but you will probably need a few more if you're shirring a whole bodice, for example.
Start by holding your top thread and elastic bobbin thread tightly, once you are at the end of the row pull your fabric out leaving thread tails. Snip then tie these threads together to prevent your shirring from unraveling. Do this for each row. You will need to stitch a couple of rows to see the effect of shirring!
The most basic serger stitch is the overlock stitch. A 4-thread or 3-thread overlock stitch is the most common stitch used for seams. The 4-thread overlock is perfect stitch for sewing knits because it is strong and flexible. Using a 3-thread overlock is a great way to overcast and finish raw edges of woven fabrics.
There are several different thread options for sergers: 2-4 thread, 3-4 thread, 5-thread, 8-thread. The more threads, the stronger your finished edge will be. More threads also equate to a wider seam allowance and more elasticity. Each thread on your serger performs a different function with the edge you're sewing.
You should set the stitch length longer. Mine is about 3.5 mm long. Now that the machine is set up to go, let's jump to the fabric that you are shirring. Here I have a sleeve that I want to shirr at the wrist.
Sew with Your Serger (It's Not Just for Finishing!)
If you think that your serger has a place in your studio just for finishing woven fabric edges, think again. Sergers can also be used to sew seams on knit fabrics; in many cases you don't even need to plug in your sewing machine to completely sew a knit garment!
The dial settings run from 0 to 9, so 4.5 is generally the 'default' position for normal straight-stitch sewing. This should be suitable for most fabrics. If you are doing a zig-zag stitch, or another stitch that has width, then you may find that the bobbin thread is pulled through to the top.
It's very likely that you'll need to lower the tension of your sewing machine when you sew jersey. Most fabrics can be sewn at a tension of 3-5, but I've sometimes dropped my tension as low as 1 or 0 when using jersey.
If the top thread shows at the bottom, the tension is too low. If the bobbin thread shows at the top, the tension is too high. If you can't see the bottom thread on top, or the top thread at the bottom, the tension is just right. It is also just right if you can see a teeny bit of each thread on the wrong side.
Address: 569 Waelchi Ports, South Blainebury, LA 11589
Phone: +9958996486049
Job: Sales Manager
Hobby: Web surfing, Scuba diving, Mountaineering, Writing, Sailing, Dance, Blacksmithing
Introduction: My name is Prof. Nancy Dach, I am a lively, joyous, courageous, lovely, tender, charming, open person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
