Sewing The Faraway Downs Dress - The Gathered Skirt Ruffles

Welcome back to the final installment of the Faraway Downs Dress Sew-Along! Over the past few weeks, we’ve walked step-by-step through the construction of this beloved Liberty Jane classic—from choosing fabrics and notions to creating the delicate sleeves and beautifully finished placket. Now, in Part 4: Gathering With a Ruffler Foot, we’re thrilled to welcome Shari Fuller back to guide us through the last stage of this journey—gathering the three-tiered skirt using one of the most time-saving tools in sewing: the ruffler foot.This final lesson begins at Step 35 in your Faraway Downs Dress pattern. If you’ve been sewing along with us, you know the bodice is now complete and ready to meet the skirt. The ruffler foot is the key to achieving those perfect, evenly spaced gathers that give the skirt its signature fullness and charm.In the video tutorial, Shari demonstrates exactly how to attach and adjust a ruffler foot, showing how each setting changes the depth and frequency of the gathers. She’ll walk you through gathering each of the three skirt tiers, joining them neatly, and attaching the finished skirt to the bodice. Whether you’re brand new to using a ruffler or you’ve struggled with one before, this tutorial is full of troubleshooting tips to help you get smooth, consistent results.A few of the common issues Shari covers include:What to do if your gathers aren’t feeding evenlyHow to keep your needle from skipping stitches or breakingHow to align each tier so your seams match beautifully all the way aroundAdjusting stitch length and tension for the best results on lightweight cottonsBy the end of this video, you’ll see just how easy and fun it can be to master this handy presser foot. Once you get the rhythm, you’ll find yourself reaching for the ruffler again and again—it’s truly a game changer for any pattern with ruffles, gathers, or tiers. Additionally, if you'd like to learn more about using a ruffler foot, check out this post from Cinnamon's earlier topic: Sewing Machine Presser Feet. Shari referenced this at the end of her video... With the final tier attached, your Faraway Downs Dress will come together in a swirl of motion and texture that perfectly captures the spirit of the Outback Libby Collection. It’s timeless, elegant, and a joy to wear (or sew for someone special!).As we wrap up this 4-part sew-along, we hope you’ve enjoyed every stitch of the process—from cutting your first pieces to the final hem. Our goal has been to empower you to finish your dress with confidence—not just by following the steps, but by understanding the “why” behind each technique.If you’ve completed your dress, we’d love to see it! Share your photos with us on social media using #FarawayDownsDress and #SewingWithCinnamon so we can celebrate your success.Thank you for joining us on this sewing adventure. You are now fully equipped to create your own beautifully gathered dresses—and we can’t wait to see where your sewing journey takes you next.Happy sewing, and congratulations on completing the Faraway Downs Dress Sew-Along!

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