Do you want to know how to make ruffles with a sewing machine? You can make pretty ruffles using your sewing machine in a few simple ways. The easiest way is often using a special foot, like a gathering foot or a ruffler foot. But you can also make ruffles using just a regular sewing machine foot and a long stitch. Learning this can help you add fun trim to clothes, make a sewing machine gathering stitch for skirts, or create pretty fabric trim for home projects. Let’s find out how!
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Appreciating Ruffles in Sewing
Ruffles add beauty. They give fabric a soft, full look. You can put ruffles on many things.
* Skirts look pretty with ruffles.
* Dresses get a nice touch.
* Pillows can have ruffles.
* Bags can get ruffled edges.
* Curtains look fancy with ruffles.
Making ruffles makes your projects special. It shows your sewing skills. It is not hard to do. Your sewing machine helps you make ruffles fast.
Picking Your Ruffling Method
There are main ways to make ruffles with your sewing machine.
- Use a special sewing machine foot.
- The gathering foot.
- The ruffler foot.
- Use your regular sewing machine foot.
Each way is good. Some ways are faster. Some ways give you more control. We will look at each way. You can pick the best way for your project.
Getting Ready to Make Ruffles
Before you start, you need a few things.
- Your sewing machine.
- Fabric for the ruffle.
- Thread that matches your fabric.
- Scissors.
- Pins.
- Maybe a special sewing machine foot.
Your fabric choice is important.
* Lighter fabrics gather easily. Think cotton, linen blends, or rayon.
* Heavy fabrics are harder to ruffle. They need more work to gather.
Decide how wide and how long your ruffle will be.
* Ruffle width: This is how tall the ruffle stands up. Add seam allowance to this.
* Ruffle length: This is how much fabric you need to start with before gathering.
How long should your fabric be?
* For a full ruffle, you need fabric 1.5 to 3 times longer than the edge you want to attach it to.
* If you want a very full ruffle, use fabric 3 times longer.
* If you want a less full ruffle, use fabric 1.5 to 2 times longer.
* So, if your skirt edge is 1 yard (36 inches) long and you want a full ruffle, cut your ruffle fabric 3 yards (108 inches) long.
Cut your fabric strips. Finish the bottom edge of your ruffle strips first. You can use a small hem, a rolled hem, or a serger edge. This makes the ruffle look neat when it hangs down.
Creating Ruffles With a Gathering Foot
The gathering foot is a simple tool. It helps your machine push fabric together. This makes gathers or small ruffles. Using a gathering foot sewing machine attachment is quite easy.
Grasping the Gathering Foot
Look at the gathering foot. It has a raised part in the back. It has a flat part in the front. The flat part goes under the fabric. The raised part pushes the fabric behind the needle. This makes the fabric bunch up as you sew.
Getting the Gathering Foot Ready
- Turn off your sewing machine. Safety first!
- Remove your regular foot. There is usually a lever or button behind the foot. Push it, and the foot drops off.
- Line up the gathering foot. Put its crossbar over the machine’s foot holder.
- Lower the presser foot lever. The gathering foot should snap into place. Make sure it is secure.
Stitch Settings for the Gathering Foot
Settings matter when you use this foot.
- Stitch Type: Use a straight stitch.
- Stitch Length: This is key! A longer stitch makes fuller gathers. A shorter stitch makes tighter gathers. Try setting your stitch length to 4 or 5. This is often the longest setting. Experiment to see what you like. Adjusting stitch length for gathering is how you control how much fabric bunches up.
- Thread Tension: High thread tension helps make gathers. Try setting your tension higher than normal, like to 6 or 7. The top thread is pulled tighter, which helps gather the fabric along the stitch line.
Sewing Ruffles With the Gathering Foot
Now you are ready to sew.
- Take your fabric strip for the ruffle. Put the raw edge under the gathering foot.
- Line up the edge you want to gather with the right edge of the foot. The foot’s design helps guide the fabric.
- Lower the presser foot.
- Start sewing slowly. As you sew, the foot will push the fabric together.
- Keep sewing in a straight line. The fabric will gather up behind the foot.
- Sew along the whole length of your ruffle strip.
Controlling the Gather Amount
The gathering foot gathers the fabric as you sew. You can change how much it gathers.
- Change the stitch length. Longer stitches gather more fabric. Shorter stitches gather less.
- Change the thread tension. Higher tension helps gather more. Lower tension gathers less.
- You can also feed the fabric differently. Pushing the fabric a little from behind can make more gathers. But be careful not to stretch it.
Using the gathering foot is a fast fabric gathering technique sewing offers. It makes continuous gathers quickly. This is great for making long strips of gathered fabric trim or sewing a ruffled skirt edge where you need a lot of ruffle fast.
Pros and Cons of the Gathering Foot
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| Very fast | Less control over gather amount |
| Easy to use once set up | Gathers may not be perfectly even |
| Good for long, straight gathers | Harder for curved edges |
| Makes continuous ruffles | Need to test settings for desired look |
Creating Ruffles With a Ruffler Foot
The ruffler foot is more complex than the gathering foot. It is a bit like a small machine itself. It makes pleats or gathers at set spaces. It is a very powerful tool for making ruffled fabric. Using a ruffler foot tutorial can help you see how all the parts move.
Interpreting the Ruffler Foot
The ruffler foot has moving parts. It pushes the fabric forward, then stops, folds the fabric back, and stitches a pleat or gather. You can change settings on the foot itself.
There are usually two main settings on a ruffler foot:
- The Gather/Pleat Depth: This lever or screw changes how deep the pleats or gathers are.
- The Frequency: This setting controls how often the foot makes a pleat or gather. Common settings are:
- Setting 1: Ruffles every 1 stitch. (Makes dense gathers or tight pleats)
- Setting 6: Ruffles every 6 stitches. (Makes looser gathers or wider pleats)
- Setting 12: Ruffles every 12 stitches. (Makes very loose gathers)
- Setting 0: Does not ruffle. (Just sews a straight stitch)
Getting the Ruffler Foot Ready
The ruffler foot attaches differently than a regular foot.
- Turn off your machine. Always.
- Remove the regular foot.
- Look at the ruffler foot. It has an arm that goes over the needle clamp screw.
- Loosen the needle clamp screw a little.
- Slide the arm of the ruffler foot over the needle clamp screw.
- Tighten the needle clamp screw again.
- Lower the presser foot lever. The foot should be held in place by the screw arm and the foot holder bar.
Stitch Settings for the Ruffler Foot
The ruffler foot does most of the work.
- Stitch Type: Use a straight stitch.
- Stitch Length: Use a normal stitch length, like 2.5 or 3. The ruffler foot’s own settings control the gathering, not the stitch length on the machine.
- Thread Tension: Normal tension is usually fine. The foot does the gathering action.
Sewing Ruffles With the Ruffler Foot
This foot can sew the ruffle onto another piece of fabric at the same time it makes the ruffle.
To make a ruffle strip only:
1. Set the ruffler foot for the gather depth and frequency you want.
2. Put your ruffle fabric under the foot. Keep the edge you want to ruffle lined up.
3. Lower the presser foot.
4. Start sewing at a medium speed. The foot will click and move the fabric back to make a gather or pleat as you sew.
5. Sew along the whole fabric strip.
To make a ruffle strip and attach it at the same time:
1. Place the fabric you want to add the ruffle to under the ruffler foot first. Line up the edge where you want the ruffle.
2. Place the fabric for the ruffle underneath the first fabric, but between the ruffler foot plate and the feed dogs. Make sure the raw edge of the ruffle fabric is lined up with the edge of the top fabric piece. The ruffler foot will only catch and ruffle the bottom fabric.
3. Set the ruffler foot for the gather depth and frequency.
4. Lower the presser foot.
5. Sew slowly and evenly. The ruffler foot will gather the bottom fabric (the ruffle) and sew it to the top fabric piece at the same time.
6. This is great for sewing a ruffled skirt edge directly onto the skirt or making gathered fabric trim that is already attached.
Pros and Cons of the Ruffler Foot
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| Makes even pleats or gathers | Can be tricky to set up at first |
| Can attach ruffle while making it | More expensive than a gathering foot |
| Gives control over frequency | Takes practice to master settings |
| Makes professional-looking ruffles | Not suitable for very lightweight fabric |
Creating Ruffles Without a Special Foot
You do not need a special foot to make ruffles. You can use your regular sewing machine foot. This is a common fabric gathering technique sewing method. It is often called the “long stitch method.” It is simple and gives you a lot of control.
Grasping the Long Stitch Method
This method uses your machine’s longest stitch setting. You sew one or two lines of stitches along the edge of the fabric you want to ruffle. Then, you pull the bobbin threads to gather the fabric. This is how to gather fabric with sewing machine settings you already have. It is also a way of sewing ruffles without special foot.
Stitch Settings for the Long Stitch Method
These settings are very important for this method to work.
- Stitch Type: Use a straight stitch.
- Stitch Length: Set your stitch length to the longest possible setting. This is usually 4, 5, or even 6 on some machines. A long stitch makes it easy to slide the fabric along the thread later. Adjusting stitch length for gathering is the main trick here.
- Thread Tension: Use a normal thread tension. You are not using tension to gather.
- IMPORTANT: Do NOT backstitch at the start or end of your stitching lines. You need loose threads to pull! Leave long thread tails (about 4-6 inches) at the start and end.
Sewing Gathering Stitches
You need to sew one or two lines of stitches. Sewing two lines gives you more control and helps keep the gathers even.
- Take your fabric strip for the ruffle.
- Decide where your sewing line should be. This is usually 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch from the raw edge. If you are sewing two lines, sew the first line about 1/4 inch from the edge.
- Place the fabric under your regular sewing machine foot.
- Lower the foot.
- Start sewing with your longest stitch. Remember, no backstitching!
- Sew along the entire length of the fabric strip. Leave long thread tails at the end.
- If sewing a second line, sew it parallel to the first line. Sew it about 1/4 inch away from the first line, towards the raw edge. For example, if the first line was 1/2 inch from the edge, the second line would be 1/4 inch from the edge. Sew this second line exactly like the first, with long thread tails and no backstitching.
Gathering the Fabric
This is the fun part! You turn the stitches into ruffles.
- Lay your stitched fabric flat.
- Find the thread tails at one end. Separate the top threads from the bobbin threads. The bobbin threads are the ones you will pull.
- Hold the two bobbin threads from one end firmly with one hand.
- With your other hand, gently push the fabric along the threads towards the other end. The fabric will start to bunch up.
- Keep pulling the bobbin threads and pushing the fabric. Spread the gathers out evenly as you go.
- Gather the fabric until your ruffle strip is the correct length for your project (e.g., the length of the skirt edge).
- If you used two lines of stitches, pull both sets of bobbin threads at the same time. This makes the gathers stronger and more even.
Securing the Gathers
Once the ruffle is the right length and the gathers look even:
- Tie the thread tails together at both ends of the ruffle. This holds the gathers in place. You can tie the two bobbin threads together, or tie the bobbin threads to the top threads.
- Or, you can tie the threads loosely and adjust the gathers one last time before tying tightly.
This sewing machine gathering stitch method is very common. It gives you full control over how many gathers you make and where they sit. It is perfect for DIY ruffles sewing on any project, especially if you only need a small amount of ruffle or want very precise gathers.
Pros and Cons of the Long Stitch Method
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| No special foot needed | Takes longer than special feet |
| Gives most control over gathers | Can be harder to make gathers even |
| Easy to learn | Threads can break if pulled too hard |
| Works on any sewing machine | Need to handle thread carefully |
| Good for curves or small pieces | Need to sew carefully (no backstitch) |
Comparing Ruffling Methods
Let’s look at the different ways side-by-side.
| Feature | Gathering Foot | Ruffler Foot | Long Stitch Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Fast | Very Fast | Slowest |
| Ease of Use | Easy after setup | Needs practice, setup complex | Easiest to start |
| Control | Some (stitch length/tension) | High (frequency/depth) | Highest (manual adjustment) |
| Evenness | Can be uneven | Very even (pleats/gathers) | Depends on skill pulling thread |
| Special Foot? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Versatility | Good for straight lines | Good for straight lines, pleats | Good for curves, precise spots |
| Attaching | Ruffle made, then attached | Can make AND attach at once | Ruffle made, then attached |
This table helps you choose the best fabric gathering technique sewing offers for your project.
Attaching Your Pretty Ruffles
Once your ruffle strip is made, you need to sew it onto your project. This could be sewing a ruffled skirt edge, adding gathered fabric trim to a pillow, or attaching it to a bag pocket.
Attaching a Ruffle Strip
- Pin the ruffle to the fabric piece it will attach to.
- Place the raw, gathered edge of the ruffle strip onto the right side of the other fabric piece.
- Line up the raw edges. The gathered edge of the ruffle should sit where you made your gathering stitches (or where the ruffler foot stitched).
- If using the long stitch method, make sure your gathering stitches are hidden inside the seam allowance.
- Pin the ruffle in place. Spread the gathers evenly as you pin. Make sure the ruffle is the same length as the edge you are sewing it to.
- Sew the ruffle in place.
- Use a regular stitch length (like 2.5).
- Sew right on top of, or just next to, your gathering stitches. If you used two lines of gathering stitches, sew between them. This stitching line will hold the ruffle permanently.
- Finish the seam.
- If you only sewed one line of gathering stitches with the long stitch method, you can now pull out the bobbin thread(s) from that original gathering line if you want. The new stitch line is holding the ruffle.
- You need to finish the raw edge where you just sewed the ruffle on. This stops the fabric from fraying. You can use a serger, a zig-zag stitch on your machine, or pinking shears. Press the seam allowance towards the main fabric piece, away from the ruffle.
Attaching Ruffles and Fabric Together
As mentioned, the ruffler foot can do this at once. If you used that method, your ruffle is already attached! The stitch line made by the ruffler foot joins the two pieces. You just need to finish the raw seam allowance edge on the back.
Tips for Making Great Ruffles
Here are some extra tips for DIY ruffles sewing.
- Practice: Try making ruffles on scrap fabric first. This lets you test settings for your machine and fabric. See how different stitch lengths or ruffler settings look.
- Fabric Amount: Always cut more fabric than you think you need for the ruffle length. It’s better to have too much fabric than not enough to get the fullness you want. You can always trim extra length after gathering.
- Thread Color: Use thread that matches your ruffle fabric. The gathering stitches might show a little, even if you sew over them. Matching thread makes them less noticeable.
- Pull Carefully: When using the long stitch method, pull the bobbin threads gently. Pulling too hard or too fast can snap the thread. If a thread breaks, you might have to sew the gathering stitches again.
- Use Two Stitch Lines: For the long stitch method, sewing two lines of stitches (instead of just one) makes gathering easier. You have two threads to pull, and the gathers are more likely to stay even.
- Even Gathers: After pulling threads (long stitch method) or sewing (gathering/ruffler foot), take time to spread the gathers out evenly along the length of your ruffle strip. Pin carefully to keep them in place before sewing the ruffle onto your project.
- Pressing: Pressing is important in sewing, but be careful with ruffles. You usually don’t press the ruffle itself flat. You press the seam where the ruffle is attached. Press the seam allowance towards the main fabric piece to make the join look neat.
Making Gathered Fabric Trim
Making gathered fabric trim is just making a ruffle strip and attaching it. You can use any of the methods discussed. Think about where the trim will go.
- For a straight edge trim, any method works well.
- For trim that goes around a corner or curve, the long stitch method gives you the most control to shape the ruffle.
- If you need lots of trim quickly, the gathering foot or ruffler foot are faster.
To make trim:
1. Cut your fabric strip for the trim. Finish the bottom edge.
2. Gather or ruffle the top edge using your chosen method (gathering foot sewing machine, ruffler foot tutorial, or sewing machine gathering stitch).
3. Pin and sew the gathered trim onto your project edge.
4. Finish the seam.
This gathered fabric trim can be added to clothing hems, pillow edges, towels, or bags. DIY ruffles sewing lets you make custom trim for anything.
Sewing Ruffled Skirt Edge Details
Adding a ruffle to a skirt edge is a classic use.
- Decide where the ruffle will go (at the hem, higher up).
- Measure the edge length where the ruffle will be attached.
- Cut your ruffle fabric strip 1.5 to 3 times this length, plus seam allowances and hem allowance.
- Hem the bottom edge of the ruffle strip first.
- Gather the top edge of the ruffle strip using your chosen method. Make the ruffle strip the same length as the skirt edge.
- Pin the gathered ruffle to the skirt edge, right sides together. Line up the raw edges. Match side seams if needed.
- Sew the ruffle to the skirt with a regular stitch.
- Finish the raw seam edge (serge, zig-zag).
- Press the seam allowance up towards the skirt.
This fabric gathering technique sewing applies to other edges too, like sleeves or collars.
Summing Up Ruffling Skills
You now know how to make ruffles using different sewing machine tools and techniques. You can use a gathering foot sewing machine attachment for speed, a ruffler foot for precise pleats or gathers and instant attachment, or the simple sewing machine gathering stitch (long stitch method) for control without special tools.
You have learned how to gather fabric with sewing machine settings and how adjusting stitch length for gathering changes the look. You know how to turn gathered fabric into gathered fabric trim or how to handle sewing a ruffled skirt edge.
DIY ruffles sewing is a fun skill. It opens up many creative ideas for your sewing projects. Practice each method to see which one you like best. Soon, you’ll be adding beautiful ruffles to everything!
Frequently Asked Questions About Ruffles
How much fabric do I need for ruffles?
You need fabric 1.5 to 3 times longer than the edge you want to ruffle. For example, if the edge is 1 yard long, cut a strip 1.5 to 3 yards long. More length makes a fuller ruffle.
What is the easiest way to make ruffles?
Using a gathering foot or ruffler foot is often fastest and easiest once you know how to use them. The long stitch method is easy to learn and does not need special tools, but it takes longer to pull the threads.
Can I make ruffles on any sewing machine?
Yes! You can make ruffles on any sewing machine using the long stitch method (sewing machine gathering stitch). You just need a straight stitch and the ability to change stitch length. Special feet need to fit your machine model.
Why did my gathering thread break?
This happens if you pull the thread too hard or too fast. It can also happen if your stitch length was not long enough, making it hard for the fabric to slide. Use long stitch length and pull gently on the bobbin threads.
Should I hem the ruffle edge before or after gathering?
It is usually easier to hem the bottom edge of your fabric strip before you gather the top edge. It’s hard to hem a gathered edge neatly.
My gathers are not even. What can I do?
Using two lines of gathering stitches helps make them more even. When using the long stitch method, take your time pulling the threads and spread the gathers out with your fingers before tying the ends. With a gathering foot, adjust tension and stitch length and sew slowly. With a ruffler foot, check your foot settings and make sure fabric is feeding evenly. Pinning the gathered ruffle carefully before sewing it onto your project also helps keep gathers even.
What is the difference between gathers and pleats?
Gathers are soft, rounded bunches of fabric. Pleats are sharp, folded creases in the fabric. Some ruffler feet can make either gathers or pleats depending on the setting. The gathering foot and long stitch method usually make gathers.
What fabrics are best for ruffles?
Light to medium-weight fabrics work best, like cotton, linen, rayon, or voile. Very thick or stiff fabrics are hard to gather much. Very thin fabrics might need two layers to look full.