Lately, quite a few people have asked me all sorts of
questions about ruffler
foot: how the ruffler works, how to use it, what sort of ruffler they
need, the differences between the different rufflers, and whether the
ruffler they have in mind will fit their machine. The list goes on.....
Seeing that I'm still working on
my own tutorials (which will be hosted on my own YouTube channel -
woohoo!!), here's a quick guide I put together - using found resources
powered by Google - to give you
an overview on ruffler foot - hopfully it will get you happily ruffling for the time being :-)
Ok, let's get started:
First,
consider the "Shank Height" of your machine, because there are TWO variations:
Low
Shank Ruffler
High Shank Ruffler
Most
domestic machines have LOW shanks. Just to give you an idea, we sell
about 10 low shank presser feet to ONE high shank foot.
That
means if you don't know what sort of shank your machine has, it's
probably a low shank. Because High Shank machines are generally "fancy"
embroidery models which are more costly, and those who invest in these
models tend to know exactly what shank type it is.
The next decision is which low shank ruffler to go with?
There are TWO types:
Apart from a few cosmetic or design differences, the only REAL difference is Ultimate Rufflers have an
extra adjustment.
Take a closer look (see pic on the right),
you will see one adjustable screw or "dial".
As you loosen the screw or "dial" in or out, you will be able to
slide the whole foot left or right.
This is where you get to
adjust your foot in relation to your needle position to allow your ruffler foot clearance (so that your needle does not hit any part of the ruffler).
This is only necessary if you have an unusual machine that has a unique needle position which cannot be changed.
This
tends to apply only to really basic, budget machines which has little
or no needle position adjustments (this is very rare). Or older, more obscure makes and models.
For most people, there is NO need to go for the ultimate - I've tested BOTH rufflers and they are functionally identical.
(I'm using my Janome 19110 for demonstration)
First of all you need to remove TWO things:
- Whatever foot you've got on your machine right now
- The Presser Foot Adaptor (sometimes referred to as "Foot Holder").
Almost all of the feet that came with your sewing machine will be the "Snap-On"
type (such as the Satin Stitch / ZigZag Foot, Overedge Foot and our Quarter 1/4
inch Foot) as opposed to the "Screw-On" type (your Walking Foot, Darning Foot and
Binding Foot belongs to this group, so is your ruffler).
Before you do anything, turn the hand wheel towards
you to bring the needle to its highest position (see Figure 4 in diagram
below).
Next you also need to
raise your presser foot, so that
it is AWAY from the metal plate (see diagram below, but don't worry too much about
the numbers).
To remove the snap-on presser foot, push the presser foot release
- a RED button or a lever - located behind the presser
foot adaptor.
The presser foot will come off. Now be sure to put this foot in a safe spot so you
know where to find it later....
Using a screwdriver (the one that comes with your machine is fine) to
undo that set screw on the side of the Foot Adaptor (see diagram below)
If your machine is brand new, and this is the first time you've tried to undo the
screw, it will be fairly tight.....
Expect to use a bit of elbow grease and patience but NEVER
use blunt force, because you don't want to damage the thread on the screw.
If you have a magnetic screwdriver
- the sort that will grab hold of your screw - it will make this job easier.
Remove the Foot Adaptor from your vertical presser bar
(commonly know as
"shank", and sometimes called "the stem")
and keep it in a safe place. You will need it to attach other feet.
DO NOT lose your Presser Foot Adaptor....
Because you NEED it to attach your snap-on feet back on your machine. BUT if you
happen to lose it, Don't Stress - we have some spares on sale in our eBay store....
Put the little set screw somewhere Safe and Handy! You
will need it again in a minute.
Now, your machine will now look something like this:
Now, To attach the Ruffler:
First find the U hook, also known as a "Fork Arm".
This
is the part of your ruffler foot that MUST go around the Needle Clamp
(i.e. that horizontal bar thing that holds your needle in place).
Making sure the top prong of the Fork Arm is ABOVE the Needle Clamp.
Now,
see that "claw" thing with two prongs? That's the part that holds onto
your shank (aka vertical presser bar), where the screw goes back in
(between the two prongs) and fasten the whole foot onto the shank.
Let's put it in place. And move your wheel - slowly - up or down, to align the screw hole between the two prongs.
Make sure your Fork Arm (or U Hook) is still in place, surrounding the Needle Clamp.
This is VERY important, because the up-and-down movement of your needle bar is what "drives" your ruffler.
Now, put your screw in and tighten with the screwdriver. Making sure your ruffler foot is nice and securely attached.
Yay! Your ruffler foot is ready for action.
Now,
be kind to yourself and have patience as you try
to get the hang of mastering this "foot-on, foot-off" action on a regular basis.
While it
might seem a bit fiddly to start with, this process
does become easier - most of my customers have found the above information useful, and they are all happily ruffling away now :-)
As always, please
feel free to ask me any time you feel stuck.
I am happy to walk you through this process so you can get going with the fun part.....
Happy Ruffling!!
xoxox
P.S. Looking for a Ruffler for your machine?
Take a look at our store HERE
and grab yourself a new ruffler foot today!
Congratulations, Kylie Cook from
South Australia!!
