Two things right off the bat. One, there are probably more than 4 ways to make ruffled trim, the kind like I have on the skirt above. And two, there is a reason I did not call the blog post "How to gather" fabric. Although most of these methods involve a form of gathering, three of the four methods I would only use on decorative elements, because you cannot control the length and degree of the gathering on the finished product.
That's okay if you are making trim.
one inch strips
My ruffled trim is made from strips of cotton print, one inch wide and 45" long, cut with the rotary cutter, by merely slicing of the end of a fabric piece, one inch at a time.
I'll cover one way in each post. This post is all about the gathering foot. I think this is by far the easiest way to make this trim. You'll see why in the video.
The gathering foot shown below is the one from Bernina, #16. But most brands make one, Janome, Brother, Singer, etc.. They all look the same. Once and awhile it is called a shirring foot. They seem to cost between $20-$22.
The gathering foot.
To use this foot, you will need to set your stitch length to the longest stitch. If you want less gathering, shorten the stitch a bit.
Place your fabric under the foot, do a stitch or two backwards to secure and then just zoom right ahead, gathering/ruffling as you go.
And in about a minute or two you have your trim! I love this foot!
Finished trim