Gather - phus phus skirt

I'm using my favorite gathering method - which is 2 lines of basting stitches on top of seam allowance and one below.

For full steps to create phus phus skirt goto phus phus skirt steps.

1. Before we start to gather press the waistband tube in half.

Follow the gathering tutorial if you need detailed steps else continue here.

Mark the center and quarter points like we did in the tutorial marking a little beyond the seam allowance.

 2. Run the 3 lines of gathering with contrast colour. I'm using here different colours for front and back but you don't need to. I'd actually run out of yellow so used blue and then realized it is much easier to pick the threads and gather if they are of different colour.

Make sure the sewn long tails are out of way.

 3. Using pull push method gather the front and back. See that the skirt is wrong side out. You don't have to be perfect as we will do that later. I like to gather a lot and then ease out as required.

4. Now wear the waistband to the skirt (literally like wearing).  Read it like
both wrong sides are looking at you. OR
right side of waistband to wrong side of skirt.

5. Now pin the markings of center, quarter points and the side seams of waistband to skirt. (front or back will do - there is front or back yet for the skirt). When pinning the side seams make sure the seams that you pressed open remain open.

6. You'll notice that the in certain areas you have gathered more and certain areas its way too gathered. Now is the time to straighten it or perfect it. :). If I pin first and then gather I take way too much time because spreading or pushing the gathers after pinning takes much longer. In the gathering tutorial however it was smaller piece so didn't feel the pain. I'll change in the tutorial as well.

7. After it is straightened out meaning the breadths of waistbands to match that of skirt put more pins (2 in between each pins you have already put).

8. Now turn the skirt inside out so the right side faces up or faces you (its just easier to sew without gettings puckers and angles).

9. Right side up.

10. Set to stitch length normal. (2 here) and put the bobbin and thread to matching colour (red here).

 11. Remove the storage box so you can loop around to sew.

 12. Sew at your seam allowance ( 2 in my case) with matching thread. Remember that the side seams pressed flat remain flat while sewing. It just looks neat that way.

 13. This is how it looks.

 14. Now cut the top of waistband at the 2nd sewn line from top.

15. Remove the gathering stitch below seam line by just pulling it or if it doesn't come out you will need to use the seam ripper.

Thanks

Preethi.

If you enjoyed reading this you can either like my facebook page to get all updates and more or you can opt to receive posts via email. Don't forget to activate your subscription though!