How to sew rows of shirring
Long stitch, secure ends.
Step by step
- Set a long straight stitch: try 4 or 5.
- Sew right side up so the elastic ends up inside.
- Sew two stitches, then back tack two, to lock the elastic.
- Sew the row and back tack at the end.
- Stretch the fabric flat as you sew each new row.
- Steam over the shirring to gather it more.
Watch
How to Sew with Shirring Elastic on a Sewing Machine - Sewing for Beginners #21 (4:48)
By Crafty Creature · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 4-minute video from Crafty Creature on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
All guides ›Shirring
Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.