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How to Gather With Elastic Thread for a Bed Skirt

Gathering fabric with elastic thread ensures even gathers. When you allow the thread to make the gathers, you do not have to distribute them along the length of skirt. This is especially nice when you are making an item with a long row of gathers, such as a bed skirt. Sew on several lines of elastic thread to make a wide stretch band that will hold the bed skirt firmly in place on the box spring.

Things You'll Need

Sewing machine
Elastic thread
Regular sewing thread
Bed skirt fabric

Instructions

- 1
  Fill the bobbin with elastic thread. Thread the top of the machine with regular sewing thread.
- 2
  Set the machine to sew a straight stitch with a long stitch length. Loosen the needle tension and tighten the bobbin tension. Sew a few test seams on scraps of fabric and adjust the tension until you are pleased with the way the fabric is being gathered.
- 3
  Finish the top and bottom edges of the bed skirt, as desired.
- 4
  Sew 1/2 inch below the top edge of the bed skirt. Sew until the gathered fabric will go all the way around the box spring.
- 5
  Sew four more seams, each 1/2 inch below the seam above. This will form a 2-inch-wide band of elastic gathers that will hold the skirt on the bed.
- 6
  Finish the skirt by sewing the ends together.

Sewing