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Member since 5/12/14
Posts: 63
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Posted on: 5/29/14 3:13 PM ET
Hi y'all! I'm playing around on my new serger and I want to create ruffles. I have a BL Imagine, I'm using the ruffle foot, I have my stitch selector on A, both L & R needles in & threaded, length set at 4, width set at 7.5, differential feed at 2. I'm just getting these little dinky here and there gathers. I want a full blown ruffle! I usually use a basting stitch, but I thought heck may as well let the machine do the work. Is this all it'll give me? I've also tried placing my finger behind the pressor foot and it doesn't do much of anything for me either.
  
Member since 12/3/06
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Posted on: 5/29/14 4:15 PM ET
Not sure any serger will give you the results you want without some hands on manipulation.

Nancy Zieman has videos on her site "Sewing with Nancy" and a book, "Serge with Confidence". I prefer books for faster reference, but you may choose to watch a free video first and then decide.

Found this project at the BL website for a ruffled skirt - Click here.



-- Edited on 5/29/14 4:26 PM --
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 5/12/14
Posts: 63
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Posted on: 5/29/14 7:24 PM ET
In reply to PattiAnnJ
Thanks PattiAnnJ! I already went ahead and just did it with a basting stitch on my sm, but I'll play around with it some more and see if I can come up with something! I want a ruffle, not a pinch here and there. What I got wasn't even worth wasting all the thread on!
  
Member since 4/16/14
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Posted on: 5/29/14 8:35 PM ET
laceyworks - wonder if it makes a difference with the type of fabric you are using? The same thing happened to me when I was making a little girl's dress out of interlock knit, and the ruffles were not very "ruffly" so I ended up doing gathers the old-fashioned way. I figured the Imagine ruffler foot did not like stretch knits. I have not yet tried it on regular woven fabric. Just curious, what kind of fabric were you trying to ruffle? Thx!
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Cheryl
"Busy Hands, Happy Heart"
  
Member since 11/26/12
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Posted on: 5/29/14 9:10 PM ET
I use the gathering foot all the time on my janome 644d. I only use it on woves as I haven't been able to work it on knits. I increase my differential feed to 1.5, 2 or 2.5 and The stitch length to 4. These were the recommend settings in the packet wit the gathering foot.
If your still having problems maybe try and increase the needle tensions as this should also gather up the fabric. The other thing maybe worth slightly lessening the pressure foot pressure.
I hope you get It to work for you, it make tired skirts so easy. In fact I have a full length one on my list to make today :)
  
Member since 5/12/14
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Posted on: 5/29/14 9:28 PM ET
In reply to cgmemphis
cgmemphis, it was regular woven. It just was not interested in being ruffled or even gathered! Here is what I got .... sorry the images are so big
-- Edited on 5/29/14 9:39 PM --
-- Edited on 5/29/14 9:40 PM --
  
Member since 5/12/14
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Posted on: 5/29/14 9:33 PM ET
In reply to with love Heidi
with love Heidi, I tried all the tips & tricks that came with the foot and even what was in the inspirational guide, still didn't get hardly anything. My machine has automatic tension, so I'm not sure where I would be able to adjust that, if I even would!

PS - I even double checked to make sure my presser foot was DOWN! Haha, I've been known to sew with it up and wonder why my stitches went all wonky!
  
Member since 3/10/11
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Posted on: 5/30/14 7:01 AM ET
In reply to laceyworks
Laceyworks, I also have a BL Imagine. Your settings are the suggested settings that come with the ruffle attachment. When I set my machine at the same settings, I get beautiful ruffles. Mine are a lot fuller than the pictures you posted.

My machine's ruffles aren't gathered at a rate of x2 like I usually do when doing them by hand, but rather at about 1 1/2 times, which is usually an acceptable ruffle. Does your machine perform okay for other stitching? I wonder if your machine needs to be checked????
  
Member since 3/10/11
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Posted on: 5/30/14 7:05 AM ET
Laceyworks,
I just had another thought. Maybe your machine doesn't need to be checked, but rather the ruffle attachment. Do you have a Babylock dealer nearby that you could take your attachment into them and have them check it using a scrap of your fabric?
  
Member since 5/12/14
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Posted on: 5/30/14 8:26 AM ET
In reply to Sharon Rose
Hi Sharon Rose. I just purchased my machine second hand, the lady said she only used it a hand full of times and had it a year. I do believe her. She said she used the ruffle foot once to make a pair of pants with ruffles. Maybe I am not using it right? I also have a ruffling or maybe it's gathering foot for my sewing machine, but I can't recall using it before. I feel like the problem could very well be me. As I am very, very new to serging. I think I will try my sewing machine foot out and see if I get a somewhat better ruffle, if not then it has to be something I am doing. Perhaps I need to go to the BL dealer and get a class on how to use it. :)
  
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