Okay - so I told you at the beginning of the year that I was going to try some new things. I tried the teflon foot -- and just loved it. Well, the next foot out of the box was this strange looking foot that said ruffler foot on the box...
This presser foot has always "freaked me out" to coin the new favorite phrase of my five year old. It just looks scary, daunting -- and hard. My cousin, Sheri, uses this foot on her Bernina routinely and adds ruffles to quilts, bags, table runners. Jean is always showing me the magic she has done with this foot as her granddaughter Eve always has delightful dresses with perfect ruffles (okay, Jean's ruffles would be perfect no matter what she used to make them...) -- however, I have seen it used - but never used it. So I sat down and attached it - to my surprise it went on rather easily - just like the walking foot. Yes, I usually have to put that foot on twice also -- something about missing that arm that I seem to do routinely.
I went and got a scrap of fabric and sat in a panic for several minutes -- how would this work, what if I ruined it, what if it ate my fabric --- then --- I thought -- this is a scrap of fabric and I throw it out and tell no one --- so I put it in the machine --- and it ate it, I ruined it and I threw it --- and now I have just told all of you -- so much for my tell no one theory. However, all of you have given me the confidence to keep trying these new things -- so back to the cutting table I went -- for a much bigger scrap --- the lesson I had learned is this is NOT the foot to use s little 4 by 4 scrap on!! This time it went much smoother -- and then I started having FUN!!! I started playing with the little adjustment and making all kinds of different pleats and ruffles -- just having fun!!
At that point I did what I usually do -- and decided I had to know if I was going it right (yeah, I know so much for learn it first, do it second...) so to the Bernina website I went. I watched the tutorial on the foot and was amazed to learn that I could apply the ruffle directly to fabric -- to me that seemed great -- I LOVE two for ones....
So I looked over and there was a denim bag I had been working on...the pocket looked sort of plain -- and I had just a little bit of extra fabric....so off I went to cut some strips and with my new found courage I just went for it --- I attached a ruffle directly to the end pockets of my new bag -- it worked and I loved it!!!! I figured I was no worse for the wear since the pattern didn't call for it and the worse case scenario was I spent some time ripping....
Here is the bag and my ruffled pockets:
The pattern is called "The Denim Duffle" and you can use quilting fabric or recycle a couple of pair of Jeans (I used my husband's -- my son said "Daddy is going to be so mad"....and my reply was..."well then he should do his own laundry"...) -- and the ruffles and handle straps are the same as the lining fabric. Jean has these patterns in her shop. And she has the COOLEST zippers in stock - she had me try a two toned one in the bag and it looks great -- check out the sample and check out her supply of zippers!
And, yes I also kept the $5 bill I found in the pocket of these jeans and the 45 cents that was in the dryer after washing them!! BONUS!!
