- 1). Mark the cinched insert placement along the wrong side of the neckline fabric with tailor's chalk or a disappearing-ink fabric pen. For example, to put in a 4-inch width cinched insert along the center front of an oversized T-shirt, make two small markings 7 inches apart. Cinched inserts require excess fabric to create the gathered look.
- 2). Make a marking at the midway point of the two markings made in Step 1. For instance, if you are working with a 7-inch distance, make a center marking 3½ inches from the ends. Use this marking as a guide point to center the cinched insert on the neckline.
- 3). Change your sewing machine's straight stitch foot to a gathering foot attachment. This crimp-shaped foot has a pinhole opening in the center. As you feed the neckline into the machine, the gathering foot starts to gather the fabric.
- 4). Hand wind the machine's bobbin with elastic thread, which has significant stretch. Do not pull the elastic thread as you wind the bobbin to avoid distorting the elastic thread and fabric.
- 5). Thread the machine's top sewing needle with polyester thread, which has natural stretch. You can use matching or complementary thread colors for the neckline.
- 6). Change the stitch selector wheel to a long straight stitch. Combine the elastic thread and the long stitch to start the gathering process prior to adding elastic in a later step to cinch the fabric between the two marked points.
- 7). Start stitching from one marked point to the opposite end. The fabric automatically starts to gather and pull in with the gathering foot attachment. Keep in mind, the gathered area reduces the neckline marking approximately 1 inch, preparing it for cinching in a later step.
- 8). Add ½-inch to the cinched insert width dimension from Step 1. Cut a piece of 1/8-inch width elastic using this dimension with fabric scissors. For example, if you are making a 4-inch insert, cut the elastic 4½ inches in length. The elastic stretches along the 7-inch-width marked points. When the stretched elastic returns to its relaxed 4½-inch measurement, referred to as recovery, it cinches the neckline.
- 9). Fold the elastic in half and pin to the midway marking of the neckline with straight pins. Pin the elastic on the wrong side of the neckline.
- 10
Pin one end of the elastic to the left of the midway marking. This is the stitching start point. - 11
Change the gathering foot to the zigzag foot attachment. Change the stitch selector wheel to a wide zigzag stitch. Replace the elastic thread in the bobbin with polyester thread. - 12
Zigzag stitch the elastic from one end to the opposite end. Stretch the elastic evenly along the markings as you continue to zigzag stitch to the opposite end. Remove the neckline from the machine's presser foot and release the elastic, creating the cinched neckline.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -