How to Use a Ruffler on a Sewing Machine

Make Ruffles with a Simple Sewing Machine Attachment

I like using ruffles on projects I am sewing but I find making them to be tedious work. I invested in a ruffler attachment and am so glad I did! I can make several ruffles in no time flat! Learning how to use a ruffler on a sewing machine is really easy saving tons of time! Let me show you…

Ruffler attachments (<– affiliate link!) can be a little pricey and if you make a lot of projects with ruffles, it is so worth it. Though the attachment itself looks really complicated, it is really easy to use. The fabric is positioned under a pronged (somewhat lethal-looking) foot that pushes the fabric through the needle creating a tuck.

See the numbers on the front end? This is how often the fabric will be pushed through the needle. In other words, if the attachment is set at 1, the fabric will be pushed through the needle every time it makes a stitch. This creates full ruffles.

If the attachment is set at 6, the fabric will be pushed through the needle every six stitches making less full ruffles. If the attachment is set at 12, the fabric will be pushed through the needle every twelve stitches making very subtle ruffles.

Adjusting the length of the stitch changes the fullness of the ruffles. Using a smaller stitch, especially if the attachment is set at 1, will make really full ruffles. Using a longer stitch, will make less full ruffles.

There is also a little adjustment screw at the front of the attachment. Adjusting this screws changes the depth of the tucks. If the screw is adjusted all the way up, the tucks are deeper and the ruffles are very full. The farther the screw is positioned down, the less deep the tucks will be.

As a side note, I like to use a piece of masking tape as a guide because once the attachment is on the machine, it is hard to see the seam measurement lines. Just determine the seam allowance or the placement of the stitches, and apply the masking tape on the front of the machine bed.

The ruffler can be used with ribbon, too. I find that satin ribbon works the best and I normally position the stitches in the center of the ribbon.

Using the attachment saves tons of time making ruffles for clothing, crafts, home decor, etc. I hope this tutorial on how to use a ruffler on a sewing machine has taken some of the mystery out of this attachment! Have you ever used a ruffler on a project? Leave your ideas below!

Originally posted 2015-06-10 08:00:23.