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From: abcameo
Date: 07-20-2006, 07:10 PM (1 of 13)
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I'm getting ready to ruffle and stitch a hem using my gathering foot for 2 separate projects. One is attaching a ruffled border to a hem, the other is attaching a waistband to a really oversized pair of pants I'm making. I've used the gathering foot before, but only for small projects, and it's worked perfectly, but I was able to cut off any excess ruffle without affecting the pattern. With these projects, in both instances, I'll have notches to use as guides for where the sections should be matching up so that both the pant waistband and the length of the ruffled hem come out fitting in properly--so there's no fabric leftover at the end with nowhere to go. Please give me some hints on how to match notches and have the gathered sections meet up with the ruffles' notches as I go around the circumference of the pants waistband and the skirt hem. I hope I've explained this so that you can imagine what I'm trying to do. Many thanks, Amy |
User: abcameo
Member since: 11-02-2004 Total posts: 131 |
From: weezyrider
Date: 07-21-2006, 11:08 AM (2 of 13)
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Why not take a fabric pen and mark from the notch all the way down the ruffle from the serged edge to the hemmed or doubled edge? Weezy |
User: weezyrider
Member since: 08-19-2003 Total posts: 218 
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From: abcameo
Date: 07-21-2006, 11:21 AM (3 of 13)
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I'm not sure I understand what you're saying will solve my problem. So far, I have no serged edges... The serger gathering foot automatically gathers the fabric I want ruffled up at the same time it stitches it down to the flat fabric to create a joined seam. Is there a way to ensure the fabric gathers and feeds to the straight edge so that the notches to match sections meet up while stitching? If you gather and then pin it in by hand, you can sew in the fullness to match the notches, but using the serger foot, how do you control that the correct amount of fabric will feed in so that as you sew the two fabrics to create the (gathered on one side/straight on the other) seam, the notches match up evenly? Amy |
User: abcameo
Member since: 11-02-2004 Total posts: 131 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-21-2006, 12:08 PM (4 of 13)
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I don't know that I would worry too much about notches but I would sure want the seams to line up properly with the gathers nice and even. I, too, wonder how to do that with a serger. Seems like it would be easier to just use the sewing machine. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: abcameo
Date: 07-21-2006, 12:51 PM (5 of 13)
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Hi, Dorothy: One way to do it would be to gather using the serger (it works like a dream) and then just sew it on, but I feel like that would be defeating the purpose of using the gathering foot since it's designed to gather and join at the same time. I guess I'm just a brat about learning and using my new serger. Heck, after all the research I did and money I spent, I hope to make this baby sing as I continue to improve my sewing skills.  Amy |
User: abcameo
Member since: 11-02-2004 Total posts: 131 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 07-21-2006, 06:28 PM (6 of 13)
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Amy, I hate to disappoint you , but you are looking for a miracle that is NOT going to happen.. You cannot find a gathering foot for any machine or serger that will automatically fit the gathers to your flat surface.. This is an impossible expectation.. I don't mean to sound blunt.. , But it just is not going to happen.. So, if you want a perfect fit, do it in 2 steps just like the rest of us always do... Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: Tom Land
Date: 07-21-2006, 11:59 PM (7 of 13)
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Amy the machine you have should do this beautifully (and I'm not a Viking lover). 1.You will need to figure how much ruffle you want. (for example 2 to 1 which is a common ruffle). 2. First set your machine on the longest stitch. Then set the differential feed to 2. (The Stitch length may shorten itself. If so don't be concerned). 3. Do a test ruffle on the fabric to make sure you don't need to adjust for the fabric by measuring a length... say 24" and see if it gathers up to 12". If not, adjust your differential feed or stitch length to obtain the proper amount of gather. With that machine it should come out very close to a true 2 to 1 without adjustment (or whatever ratio you have chosen). If you want to make sure the notches meet make sure the notches on the piece to be rufffled are space properly for the amount of gather you are wanting. Again if it were a 2 to 1 the notches would be twice as far apart as on the other piece. When ready, be sure to place the piece to be ruffled under the seperator on the foot and the other fabric on top. It isn't nearly as hard as it sounds and the 936 does it beautifully A lot of sergers are just not precise enough to do this easily but yours is. Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: abcameo
Date: 07-22-2006, 04:28 AM (8 of 13)
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Tom: Super--many thanks for the tip. I have used the gathering attachment, and I do love it. Oh--do you have any tips on how to start the two fabrics so that they feed together right from the start? Is there a trick to that? I've been using something pointed to try to line them up evenly under the sections of the foot when I start sewing. Should I be doing something different--maybe pinning them (to the left of the foot) to hold them evenlly when they first start feeding? My instruction binder tells me to override the differential and set it to "5" for gathering. This has worked beautifully on the small projects I've done. I'm going to take your advice and take two test pieces and sew them to check the ratio. My math is pathetic but, going by inches, I think I'll be able to judge how the ruffle is running to the main fabric piece. I should then (well, in an ideal world) be able to measure the notches to get them and also the side seam to match. I'm happy with my Huskylock except that (1) I find the back needles are awkward to install and (2) I know how to thread it, but sometimes I can spend an hour threading, checking if it's chaining, redoing & rechecking, even though I'm following the same paths as I'm supposed to be doing. Then suddenly, after about a million attempts, it will finally work. By then, I'm usually so frustrated and set back timewise, I don't even feel like sewing anmore.  Still, I would rather have this model than a self-threading version because I think the options for the loopers are limited in those jet air models.Amy |
User: abcameo
Member since: 11-02-2004 Total posts: 131 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-22-2006, 08:31 AM (9 of 13)
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Tom -- Will that formula work on my Pfaff 4862? but sometimes I can spend an hour threading, checking if it's chaining, redoing & rechecking, even though I'm following the same paths as I'm supposed to be doing. Then suddenly, after about a million attempts, it will finally work. Amy, I was EXACTLY the same way when I got my serger. I would mess with the tension for the needle that wasn't working right (always the same one) and it would make absolutely no difference. That's how I figured out I wasn't getting it between the disks. Now I am extra careful with that particular tension and if it doesn't work the first time it works the second! I also make sure the presser foot is up when I thread just like the sewing machine although the dealer said that's not important on the serger it seems to be -- at least for the needle. The good thing that came out of it is now I can thread with my eyes closed because I got so much practice at first. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 07-22-2006, 09:35 AM (10 of 13)
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[QUOTE=DorothyL]Tom -- Will that formula work on my Pfaff 4862? Dorothy, It should. The 4862 and 936 are comparable models by the same manufacturer. I'm ashamed to admit it but I have not sewn much on the 4862 eventhough I have one on my floor. That formula is supposed to work on all sergers with differential feed but many lesser grade sergers don't really gather at the selected ratio, so they require a lot more trial and error adjustment. I'm glad you asked. I am going to make it a point to get more familiar with the 4862 today. Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-22-2006, 09:49 AM (11 of 13)
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Tom -- I've noticed mine is much more user friendly if you say kind words to it before you make it work hard. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Kylnne2
Date: 07-22-2006, 06:31 PM (12 of 13)
| Tom, you know your stuff and I do not mean to question you but you posted that the Pfaff 4862 and Viking are from the "same manufacturer"??? Well, we do know that Viking owned Pfaff and now Singer owns both but Pfaff and Elna Coverlocks use some of the same feet which are not the same feet as the Viking's and I had heard that Elna and Pfaff coverlocks were made in the same factory in Japan..and I thought the Viking's were out of Taiwan? Somebody once posted that the manufacturer of the White sergers was the same manufacturer of the Viking sergers. Thought it was Jaguar??? |
User: Kylnne2
Member since: 07-10-2004 Total posts: 629 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 07-22-2006, 06:33 PM (13 of 13)
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Tom -- I've noticed mine is much more user friendly if you say kind words to it before you make it work hard. Dorothy That is because they have started puting tiny ears in the machines. They are right next to the eyes that watch the expressions on your face when its not cooperating. Later this year they will have a mouth to mimic the words you mutter at it. Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
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