Maggiemay

When I did a lot of garment sewing I used to make 2 or 3 rows of gathers. Lately I sew a zig zag over dental floss then gather. That stuff is strong!

patdesign

I teach sewing basics, and this is one of the things I always show my students, 3 rows of stitches 1/8 inch apart, on the basting stitch setting, leave long tails on each end, and wrap the ends around a pin at the end when done pulling up to make a figure 8, like a cleat. Now for the pulling part, do the seam line first (usually 1/2 to 5/8 inch), then do the one closest to the cut edge of the fabric, last do the center one, The trick is to support the fabric at the point you are gathering it on the thread, which means you are constantly moving your fingers down the row of stitches, DO NOT go past the center, instead go to the other unsecured end and pull back to the center, if you feel the fabric pulling hard, STOP and ease the jammed fabric open a bit, then continue pulling. You can make very long ruffles this way.

riutzelj

I have found over years of clothes sewing for little girls, the best gathering is done by running two or three rows of stitches. If the area is very long, break it up at a seamline otherwise run one line at 6/8, another 1/4 " in and then another 1/4" in. Pull on bobbin thread, not top line. You can also sew over crochet thread or dental floss with a zigzag stitch. you do have to go back and take out the gathering lines outside your seam line but it is worth it for how nice it looks.

MargeD

I learned that the best way to get ruffles is to sew a large zig-zag stitch over a piece of quilting thread or other sturdy thread, dental floss, etc. I do have a ruffling attachment, but it's for a Singer, which I never used and I don't have that machine any more. Hope this helps.

matraina

I used to do 2 rows of zig zag stitching over a heavier thread. When you're done sewing - on one end wind the threads back and forth across/around a pin so you don't pull the threads out. Pull the zig zags at the other end and try to even out the gathers as you pull the threads. You could divide the ruffle into 4's and mark with pins. Do the same for whatever you're sewing the ruffle to and mark the pins. When you pull the threads to gather, match the pins on the ruffle and the pins on whatever you're sewing the ruffle to.

teric

For gathering I use Jenny from Missouri Star Co. way.....go her web site, find Tut for The Adorable Charm Pack Skirt...go to 6min40sec...approx. and you can give it a try....no harm no foul.....good luck

maviskw

I love doing ruffles. But making the tension tighter is just the wrong thing to do. You want to make it looser. The top tension is easiest to change and change back when you are finished. toolazy #8, and drickman #15 have good instructions. I found that three rows of long stitches works well. Sew each about 1/8 inch apart so that the stitching line is under these gathering lines. Now pull on all three threads of the bobbin thread at the same time, twisting them together so that they act like one. Push the gathers over to the center and then start from the other side. If the three threads aren't pulling equally, pull back on the gathered portion until all threads are even again. Twist up the three threads again and continue until that portion is the correct length. Wind the gathering threads around a pin and do the other portions.
Now put your tension back where it belongs. Sew these gathers to your garment or purse or whatever so that the seam line is somewhere in the middle of the gathering stitching.
It is so much fun watching the beautiful gathers take shape.

Janie67

I zig zag over crochet thread and it works great.

kidhauler1948

This is the way to go I used to make square dance dresses that were ruffled and tired 10 yards at a time. If you go slow you should have no problem but one row of stitching will break every time leaving you to do it all over this way if one does break you can keep going. It is really easy keep trying,Good Luck.