Ruffling Foot Attachment - A Review

**This article has been updated. Please see end of post for updates.**

In December 2012 I finally bought a little gadget for my sewing machine that I'd had my eye on for quite a while. It's called a ruffling foot and it's kind of scary looking, like it doesn't belong anywhere near a sewing machine. I got mine at Hancock Fabrics. It's made by Creative Sewing Solutions (but you can only get it through Hancock's).

Crazy, right?

But as I started using it, I realized how ridiculously amazing and time-saving this foot attachment could be. The first project I tested it on was a rather small one - a set of decorative holiday trees to sell at a local craft shop.

It did an amazing job and made super fast work out of making smaller pleats in long strips of beautiful (and thick) jacquard. I think they turned out rather pretty, if I do say so myself (and I do, of course!).

But then I stuck the contraption in a drawer where it patiently waited to be used again. Two months went by and I got it out once again to use on Liv's Sassy and Classy Tutu Dress.

Again, it just amazed me how easy it made the task of ruffling up some tulle for the tutu dress. And tulle is a completely different animal than the jacquard I used on the trees, so I was even more impressed.

You can see the ruffles made with the ruffling foot here.

And all was well and good until I noticed something rather disturbing. I'd gotten something in my hand while I was working on the tutu ruffles and it just kept getting more and more irritated. So I looked at my hand and there was a tiny splinter. I kept looking at it trying to figure out where I'd gotten a splinter and I was thinking that it didn't feel like a wood splinter (do different kinds of splinters feel different to you?), but it did feel like a metal splinter.

So I began to examine my machine and noticed tiny metal shavings on the platform between the throat plate and the housing. "Where the heck did those come from!?" I internally shouted. By now I was actually kind of panicking because I have no idea how to repair a sewing machine with a computer. Then I found it.

This.

And from another angle:

That's my needle clamp screw housing and I'm pretty sure it can't be replaced. How did this happen? Well, in order for the ruffling foot to ruffle, that 'C' shaped part goes on the needle clamp screw housing. As the needle moves up and down, it hits the 'C, which causes the ruffling foot to do its thing. Unfortunately, it really wore on my machine. This is after about ... maybe about 40 yards of tulle ruffling.

And not only did it damage the needle screw clamp housing, but because the table top machine is so lightweight and can't be secured to the surface it's on, the foot actually caused enough vibration to
break the needle loose once or twice. Luckily - as far as I know - it didn't cause any damage to the bobbin area. In addition, the ruffling foot vibrated so much during use that the settings actually changed themselves while I was working so the ruffles would be more like tiny pintuck pleats than ruffles.

Negative stuff aside, I REALLY LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of using a ruffling foot, but this one just doesn't cut it with regard to my machine.

Please learn from this - ALWAYS READ THE REVIEWS BEFORE YOU BUY - if you can find them! It look like this foot has been discontinued by Hancock's. Maybe lots of people have had the same problems.

I would love to hear any feedback on how YOUR ruffling foot does for you!

Good luck with your ruffling adventures!

**Right after I wrote this post, I contacted Hancock Fabrics about the problem. I promptly got a response and they worked with me to find a solution to my problem. In the end, they decided I bought the wrong foot (pretty dang sure I didn't, btw) and told me they wouldn't repair my machine. But they did exchange my ruffler foot for one they said is the right one. It doesn't look different to me. And it didn't look different to the wonderful ladies at my local Hancock store, either. Once I get my machine repaired, I'll give the new foot a go and see if the same thing happens. Then we'll know for sure.**