446 Part 5 Sewing Techniques Use hand basting in detail areas where pin basting is not secure enough and machine basting is too diffi cult to do. It is also best for sheer or slippery fabrics. Easing Easing is the process of joining two edges of fabric together when one edge is slightly larger than the other. Easing should not cause visible gathers or pleats to form in the seam line. After stitching, the seam should be smooth. Use easing when making set-in sleeves, joining shoulder seams, and attaching waistbands, 26-4. To ease two edges together, follow these steps: 1. Stitch one row of machine basting close to the seam line in the larger piece of fabric. 2. Stitch a second row of stitches ¼ inch away from the fi rst row of stitching in the seam allowance. 3. Pin the ends of the two pieces together with the eased side up. Pull the threads and distribute the fullness evenly. Pin in place. 4. Stitch along the seam line, carefully avoiding the creation of any tucks or folds. When there is only a small amount of fullness to ease, you may be able to use pins only. To do this, pin the ends of the pieces of fabric and the exact center together. Then pinning as you work, distribute the fullness of the larger piece evenly across the shorter piece. Gathering Gathers are tiny, soft folds of fabric that form when you sew a larger piece of fabric to a smaller piece. Puffed sleeves and gathered skirts use gathers, 26-5. Gathers are fuller than easing. To gather, follow these steps: 1. Sew one row of machine basting (6 to 8 stitches per inch) next to the regular seam line in the seam allowance. 2. Sew another row of machine basting ¼ inch away from the seam line toward the cut edge. Leave long threads at both ends. 3. With the right sides of the fabric together, pin the edges together matching notches, seams, and other markings. 4. Gently pull both bobbin threads, gathering up the full edge until it lies fl at against the shorter edge between the pins. Fasten these threads by wrapping them in a fi gure eight around the pin at the end, 26-6. 5. Repeat from the other end of the machine stitching. 6. Arrange the gathers evenly and place additional pins perpendicular to the stitching. 7. Stitch the gathered piece to the matching piece with the gathered side up. Backstitch at the beginning of the seam to secure stitches. Stitch slowly as you hold the gathers to prevent any folds from forming in the seam. Remove pins as you sew. 8. Backstitch to secure the end of the seam. 26-4 Set-in sleeves are eased to fi t into the armhole of garments. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher 26-5 The extra fabric in puffed sleeves is gathered to fi t into the armhole seam. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher