How do I use a ruffler?

[Lazy K]

I bought a ruffler the other day on Ebay. I was able to find instructions. It works great when I use an unhemmed, raw edged piece of fabric but when I try to put through a hemmed piece it won't work. Am I doing something wrong? I don't have a serger so hemming is the only way to finish the edge. Or do I need to double over the fabric and hem the edge that is not being ruffled? That's a little bulky and uses twice the fabric. :help :help :help

[Greeneyed Gypsy]

Um...could you ruffle first ten run the ruffled edge through the serger?

OR try pushing past the heammed edge so that the ruffle will end up deeper into the fabric? ( not sure thats helpful)

The only thing I use mine for is the first method, I hem the bottom of the ruffle, then ruffle the top edge ( that still raw) then I run that through a serger, this gives you about two options for laying it on the piece, you can either sew the ruffle on upside -down letting the finished ruffle fall over the serge ( this is how I do underware ruffles that are not attached to the very bottom) OR you can cover the top serge with bias, or lace, braid, trim of some type.

Oh third option, you could do the top edge in a pretty serge, they have the very tight ones like fannie used on her hoop ball gown...very pretty.

[Bloomin']

Lazy K, I don't know anything about ruffling by machine, but I do know that the Silver Anniversary dress you had on in your picture in the Chronicle was gorgeous!!...and I wanted to tell you so! Do you have any other pictures of it and can you describe the fabric, etc. etc. etc.:ty

Bloomin'

[Garnet Rose]

Lazy K, I don't have a serger yet either, but do you have a foot that could do a rolled hem? During last year's convention sewing I discovered my ruffler's limits, too -- it did fine on a single layer, but when I tried doing a double layer it would jam. I pinked the edges of my cancan ruffles because I was in a hurry (I was still ruffling down to the wire -- even took my sewing machine on vacation with us), but I think a rolled hem might have worked.

[Lazy K]

No, the rolled hem doesn't work that is what was getting jamed. Maybe if I make a 1" deep hem that would work. I tried a 1/2 hem but it still jams.

Thanks Bloomin' Yankee. I put up a new thread about the silver dress.

[Desert Jewel]

I serge my raw edges first and then put that end in the ruffler and it works fine.......but if you don't have a serger I am at a loss as how to help you except for you to do a zigzag on the raw edge and then ruffle, that shouldn't make it too thick and should work. Let us know how you solve the problem, we can all use a little enlightment. Good luck!

[Madam Millie]

I have used rufflers for years, and you will never be able to ruffle with the hem in the side where you are sewing the ruffle stitch. It will not take the bulk, and thank goodness the metal piece with the teeth hasn't broken. Ruffler shot then. I would ruffle the "top" edge and then trim loose threads even, and then zig zag, and put onto skirt or whatever, and apply braid over the top. Good luck!!. Madam Millie