A ruffler saves so much time and the ruffles are evenly spaced. The little numbers on the place where the rounded point thing comes up are 1, 6, 12,*. These refer to the number of stitches between tucks. If you do a sample piece, say 6 inches and then run it through the ruffler at a desired setting, and then measure the seam edge, you can figure a ratio from your beginning fabric to the finished piece. If it measures 3 inches your strip of fabric is 50% of the beginning piece. Then either change the # or adjust the length of your stitches to get a different ratio. In my senior year of high school, I made myself a formal with a gathered skirt of taffeta with two layers of net all gathered with the ruffler, Then I cut 3 inche stips of netting and gathered them and sewed them on the skirt at about hip level.This is when I really learned to use the ruffler. If you have plenty of material, you can just set the ruffler for the amount of fullness and just keep sewing on the strips until you get the necessary length.