1. Ways to control fullness in garments
Objective 5.04
Ways to control fullness
in garments

2. What is fullness?
Fabric is two dimensional (has only height and width).
People are three dimensional (have height, width and depth).
So fullness is the loose fabric that results from putting two-dimensional fabric on three dimensional people.
There are techniques used in sewing to control fullness and fit the garment to your body.

3. Key terms
Gathering
Easing
Casings (applied and self)
Darts

4. Gathering
Gathering is taking fabric up into a line of wrinkles. It is soft folds of fabric made by pulling threads to “gather” the fabric.
Generally it is used to form a waistline in pants or a skirt.
Sometimes it is used as a decorative effect.

5. Easing
Easing makes it possible to sew a curved hem or other curved shape to fit the body.
To ease:
1. Sew two lines of basting (or long) stitches 1/4” and 1/2” from the cutting line.
2. Pull the bobbin threads of each seam line until the fabric ends meet and curve into the shape desired.

6. Easing
Easing is used on flared hems, so that the hem will lie flat and not pucker.
This is a very flared hem.
It will have to be eased.

7. Easing
Easing allows you to sew two pieces of fabric that aren’t the same length together.
Easing is used to sew sleeves, waistbands, hems, collars and other places where the fabric must curve and the pieces aren’t exactly the same length.

8. Easing
Sew two lines of stitching and pull at the bobbin threads until the ends meet and the seam lies flat.
Stitch using a standard stitch along the seam line.
Be careful not to stitch in any folds or gathers.
A sleeve being eased to make it fit the armhole.

9. Easing When a seam is properly eased, it should not …
Have a pleat or pucker
Be wrinkled
Have extra fabric at the end of the seam.
When a seam is properly eased, it should be smooth and flat.

10. Casings
A casing is a tunnel of fabric that holds a drawstring or elastic.
Casings are often used to control fullness at the waist of a pair of pants or a skirt.
There are two kinds of casings: self casings and applied casings.

11. Casings
A self casing is formed by folding over the edge of the garment and sewing it to create the tunnel.
An applied casing is sewed separately and then attached to the garment.
When threading elastic or drawstring through a casing – use a safety pin. Pin the elastic, and push and pull it through the casing using the safety pin.
Casings are the one area that is never interfaced.

12. Casings The elastic and drawstring have to be smaller than the casing.
Elastic should be about 1/8” to 1/4” smaller than the casing itself.
When cutting elastic for a casing, measure with the elastic around the waist and then add 1”.
Use of a casing eliminates the need for a button. The elastic or drawstring closes the waistband.

13. End of Notes