I'll start with price.. they can range from $7.50 (on sale) to $79.99. Shop around, check you local fabric store, amazon.com, eBay. I paid $20 from amazon.com, from singer it would have cost $49.99. There are a few none brand names out there that work just fine, the most important thing to know is if you have a low shank machine or high shank.
OK now onto how to use it so you can start ruffing away. The first thing you will need to do is oil the ruffler foot. You will need to check your instructions on how to do this but here is a photo of how some need to be oiled.
Now that oiling is out of the way, it's time to attach the foot to your machine. To do this you will need the screw driver that your machine came with to remove the screw holding your presser foot on, so that only the shank is there.
You will attach the ruffler foot to the shank using the same screw you just removed, also the part of the ruffler that looks like a U will need to hook onto the part that holds the needle in.
WooHoo it's attached :) now to start ruffling!!! All ruffle feet come with 4 setting. 1,6,12 & * and a adjusting knob.The * setting will only sew one stitch and will not ruffle or pleat, the 1 setting will sew a ruffle every stitch making a tight ruffle, 6 will make a ruffle/pleat every 6 stitches and 12 you guessed it will make one every 12th stitch. The screw / adjusting knob on the foot is for how deep a ruffle/pleat you want. Some ruffle's will just have a screw and some have number's, for the ones with just a screw, the tighter the screw the tighter the ruffle, with one that has number setting, adjusting knob to 8 will make a deeper ruffle/pleat.
When feeding the fabric into the ruffler foot you will need to make sure it is between the black forks and under the fabric guide.
There is a learning curve but once you have master this attachment you will definitely be asking yourself the same question..Dear Ruffler Foot where have you been all my life lol
