Has anyone done this successfully and if so-------------I need tips ASAP. Trying to make ruffles for an Irish dance dress for my DGD

Are you using a serger? Also, are you really using fishing line? Or is it an invisible nylon or polyester thread?

I'm no expert, but I did some lettuce edges years ago on my serger. The fabric has to be a knit or else cut on the bias. This is because the edge must stretch in order to get the lettucing effect. As I recall, I set the machine up for a satin stitch (narrow stitch that is close together) and set the differential feed to stretch the fabric the maximum amount.

You don't need invisible thread to do a lettuce edge. Any type of thread will do it. Are you intending to use fishing line inside the stitching? I never did it that way, but I think the trick would be to feed the line in such a way that it is not cut by the blade but still enclosed within the stitches. I would think you need a special foot for that -- something similar to a pintucking foot with a guide for the fishing line to be fed in. For a serger, that might be the foot used for adding pearls-on-a-string to a garment.

I did some ruffles for a square dance costume using fishing line. It was fairly easy to do.
I used fishing line that was about the size of a pencil lead. Zig zag over the line to cover. Try different stitch width and length until you find the setting best suited for your needs.
If I can be more help let me know.

i have done this and the fishing line is to make the ruffle stand up remember to use heavy weight fishing line for the best results

In order to obtain the best effect, does the ruffle need to be a highly gathered one---in other words I guess what I am asking is do you get better curling if the ruffle is made with as much fabric as possible to ruffle?

If you are referring to the lettuce edge itself (not the gathering of fabric to make ruffles), then the amount of curling is really dependent on the ability of the edge of the fabric to stretch. The more the edge stretches while you are serging, the more curling you will get. If you are inserting fishing line within the stitching, then I would say the more fabric there is in the ruffle the more curling you will get with the fishing line, because there will be more fishing line to make half-circles.

Clear as mud?

Sorry, if I knew more about Irish dance dresses I might be able to respond more intelligently......

Don't know what kind of material you are using, but several years ago, I used fishing line to do a lettuce edging on wedding veils, made of tulle. The heavier the line, the higher the curve. It was very easy to do -- just lay it under the pressure foot and use a zigzag stitch the same color...

Thank you---this helps as the stuff on line and the lady I know who has made one says use the serger. I have a serger but it is not cooperating on this one. I am using a very light weight see thru fabric with little silver specks on it. My other machine does a great ZZ stitch so this is what I thin I will do. Do you have to fold over a little hem?

To be absolutely honest, I don't remember. I think that I just laid the line down at the edge of the tulle, and the zz brought the fabric over... try both ways... like I said, I'm not sure.

Thanks for your help.