Learning to Ruffle

I would love to do a great sewing tutorial on my latest sewing project but I think my backspace key would break before I could get through it. One day I'll actually know what I'm doing enough to share a tutorial but it ain't today! This post isn't even really about the bag though. It's about the ruffles. I have been "ruffling" by sewing a basting stitch with my machine and pulling one of the threads to make the ruffle. It works I guess, but this is so much better. I found a ruffling foot at the thrift store in a bag of odds and ends for $0.79. Score! It just so happens that I was going to a purse class hosted by a friend and the purse had ruffles, it was all ruffles in fact, so it was a great time to try out my new foot. What is a ruffling foot you ask? It's this contraption. It looks scary, to me anyway. Once you figure out your machine settings, it works like a charm.

With this foot, you can easily get great ruffles like this

to make a bag like this.

If you want to try a ruffle purse pattern, I found a few on my Pinterst Sew Many Idea's board like this one at Mommy By Day. Crafter by Night.

Do you use a ruffling foot or sew a basting stitch and pull your threads? Check out the link parties where I am sharing this sewing tip this week.