Shirred Fabric: What It Is and How to Sew It

Shirred fabric is a woven cloth gathered into soft, permanent puckers by threads pulled along the grain, giving it a puffy surface and a gentle stretch that makes it exceptionally comfortable to wear. You will also see it sold as puckered or smocked fabric, and the same handling applies to all three. These fabrics are fun to sew, forgiving of small fitting adjustments, and beautiful in summer clothing - with expert tips throughout from sewing instructor Shannon Gifford.

What is shirred fabric?

Pulled threads along the grain of the fabric create the texture; the result is a fabric that appears puffy and soft, and is extremely comfortable to wear.

Puckered and smocked fabrics

"Puckered" and "smocked" describe the same family of textured wovens. Puckered fabric usually refers to a finer, more irregular crinkle, while smocked fabric has the gathers stitched into a repeating decorative pattern. Both sew exactly as described below.

Pretreatment

Depending on the base fiber content, these fabrics can generally be machine washed and dried.

Needles and thread

Use a size 11/70 or 12/80 needle, sharp or universal point, for construction. Cotton, cotton-polyester, or all polyester threads are fine choices for these fabrics.

Seams, seam finishes and hems

Standard plain seams work well with puckered and shirred fabrics. Finish the edges with a three-thread serged edge, or use a fine binding. Hems can be machine topstitched or hand blind-stitched. Another option is a serged rolled hem, which is beautiful for many applications.

Interfacing

Fusibles can be tricky, although not impossible to use, in these textured fabrics. If you choose a fusible, make it the lightest weight tricot fusible possible. A better choice for interfacing is a layer of the fabric itself; the weight is perfect, the fabric will not interfere with the texture, and the color matches!

What to make with shirred fabric

Shirts, shorts, skirts, soft-structured jackets, dresses, summer clothing.

Creative possibilities

Quilt your fabric to a layer of coordinating solid-colored cotton. Use the lines of the shirring or puckers as a guide, creating a puffy, "biscuit" like quilted design. This will give your fabric a bit more weight for use in jackets or more structured garments.

Pressing: the one thing to get right

Avoid pressing the texture out of shape with the iron; instead of pressing, steam the fabric into submission by hovering the iron over the fabric. Remove the iron, and then press the seams and smooth wrinkles with your fingers. Leave the fabric in place until completely cool.

Shop textured fabrics

Browse EOS's woven fabrics and cotton fabrics for shirred and puckered pieces. Back to all fabric care guides. Learn an approach in our casual elegance printed viscose woven tutorial.

FAQ

What is shirred fabric?

A woven fabric with threads pulled along the grain to create permanent soft gathers, giving a puffy texture and a little natural give.

What is the difference between shirred and puckered fabric?

They describe the same effect. Puckered usually means a finer, more irregular crinkle; shirred means more defined gathered rows. Both sew the same way.

How do you sew shirred fabric?

Use a sharp or universal 11/70 or 12/80 needle, standard plain seams, and a three-thread serged edge or fine binding to finish.

Can you iron shirred fabric?

Don't press it flat - you'll lose the texture. Hover the iron and steam instead, smooth seams with your fingers, and let the fabric cool completely before moving it.

Do you need to interface shirred fabric?

Usually not. If you do, use the lightest tricot fusible, or better, a second layer of the fabric itself.