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Posted on: 7/16/17 9:00 PM ET
It's been a long day and I have an infected tooth, so please excuse me if I should understand something that I'm not understanding.

The ruffle I'm attaching to my dress will be sewn to the outside of the dress. As such, the instructions say this: "Gather upper edge of ruffle. To gather, stitch along gathering line, using a long machine stitch."

Since the line of attachment will show, the usual gathering instructions of 2 lines of long machine stitch aren't there. So I just sew one line?

If that's the case, why isn't every gather done this way? What's the point of using two gathering lines if gathering can be accomplished with one line? Suddenly this is bothering me.

And once I sew this looooooong gather line -- just one line -- is it going to actually gather? I guess if it doesn't, I can just add another line of gathering, but then that will look bad when I sew the ruffle on.

By "exposed" ruffle, I mean that it's not attached in an interior seam, it's sewn directly to the outside of the dress, so the top of the ruffle is already finished.

I guess I've never done this type of ruffle before.
  
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Posted on: 7/16/17 9:23 PM ET
I've made ruffles with one line of basting stitch for doll clothes (woven material), for instance, and perhaps when I've been too lazy to sew 2 lines :). I remember thinking that it worked ok. It's also worked for me when one line broke and I could only gather via one line.
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Elna Funstyler (aka Janome HD3000)
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Re: Exposed Ruffle (posted on 7/16/17 9:25 PM ET)
Thanks Linnie! I am going to sew the one line.
My post is really pretty ridiculous. I just happened to think: if 1 line works, why have we forever been instructed to make 2?!
  
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Posted on: 7/16/17 9:26 PM ET
In reply to vivmom63
It'll work. It may not give you the controlled ruffle look that you're expecting, but it will work. I'd try it on scraps first and see if you like it.

Does your fabric needlemark badly? If not, I'd probably do a couple or three rows of gathering, then pull out the extra rows when the ruffle is attached. Or just leave it in, if it gets lost in a busy print.

It's actually pretty rare for me to gather a long ruffle by pulling a single bobbin thread. Seems (seams?!) like every time I try it, it breaks. Instead, I would divide the ruffle into sections that are a reasonable length, and gather each section with a separate line of stitching, so if I break a thread in one section, it's not so much work to go back and do it again.

If the fabric is fairly light, you might want to try a shirring foot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbyJxbv-D5I or a double shirring foot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMqSaI3i47E (good instructions, even if she does say "shearing" instead of "sure-ing").
Or a ruffler, if you have one. Or, if you've got a narrow twin needle, loosen the top tension a bit, then pull the bobbin thread to gather.

Hope your tooth is better soon! Sympathy waves!
-- Edited on 7/16/17 at 9:27 PM --
  
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Posted on: 7/16/17 9:39 PM ET
In reply to vivmom63
Great question - great to take the shortcut if it works from here on out!

Made Everyday has a great little post about this on her blog (2 lines vs. 1)...
Gathering Fabric 2 Ways
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Elna Funstyler (aka Janome HD3000)
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Re: Exposed Ruffle (posted on 7/16/17 10:00 PM ET)
Hi kayl, thanks for the sympathy wishes! And thanks for the gathering tips. This is a quilting cotton, so very easy to work with. And good point about a busy print - which I have. If one row of basting stitches doesn't do it, I can add another.

Thank you and Linnie, too, for the links!


Linnie
  
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Posted on: 7/16/17 10:41 PM ET
In reply to vivmom63
I find that with two rows of stitching, it is easier to get ruffles rather than a rash of flattened pleats or tucks. In fact, I find that two rows produce a smoother effect whenever the fullness to be controlled is greater than what is required for the merest easing.
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Elona
  
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Posted on: 7/16/17 11:19 PM ET
In reply to Elona
What Elona said. I too often do the lazy 1 row gather, but 2 will get you a much nicer effect in the first shot.
  
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Posted on: 7/16/17 11:23 PM ET
In reply to Elona
Also agreeing - the finished result will be more pleasing and you'll be happier.
  
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Re: Exposed Ruffle (posted on 7/16/17 11:37 PM ET)
Yes, I'm agreeing that two rows = better gathers. It's just that this ruffle is stitched on where you can see the stitching. So 1 line of stitching over 2 lines of gathers (or in between them) isn't going to look great, hence the instructions saying to do only 1 row of gathering.

Sewing is a winding path of learning. I thought two rows of stitching were imperative for gathering.

Incidentally, now that I've done the ONE row, there is a marked loss of control with gathering it. It works, but it's unwieldy. I've set it aside until tomorrow. Thank you, Scarlet O'Hara. :)
  
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