Sourced from: http://originateandrenovate.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-to-gather-fabric-using-bakers-twine.html
Inevitably, if employ a basting stitch to gather a complete skirt or a large piece of fabric, curse words ensue. At my house. That is my beloved new way to gather fabric on big projects and lets just say it has come in handy since I am sewing 7 women dresses for a wedding day. Test it, you may thank me later;-RRB-
Here is How:
Cut a part of baker’s twine (or any string) long enough fit round the fabric you want to gather and then a number. You want about 4 inches of hangover where you start and where you complete.
Place you sewing machine to some zig zag stitch and make the width and length or your stitch long enough to sew the baker’s twine with outside really attaching it into the cloth. I put mine to a 6 width and a 3 length.
Hold a series set up and zig zag on it (photo 1) leaving tail about 4 inches of string in which you begin. Do not hurry and get it.
It should appear something like picture 2 when you are finished and as shown in photograph 3 leave another tail where the end.
Then simply pull on the string while pushing the fabric in the opposite direction. It is nearly impossible to break the series so that you may be as aggressive as you’d like. Just pull out the string When you’ve sewn your piece that is gathered to the remainder of your job and save it.