Split Toe Shirring / Gathering Foot for Singer Slant Needle (Slant Shank) Machines

Singer Part Number: 161169

This specialized split toe gathering foot is designed for Singer slant needle sewing machines, featuring durable all-metal construction. Automatically create soft gathers (shirring) in a single layer of lightweight fabric, or gather one fabric layer while simultaneously attaching it to a second flat (ungathered) fabric—perfect for ruffles, French puffing, and heirloom sewing.

Key Features:

• All-metal construction for long-lasting durability
• Split toe design with slot for inserting flat fabric layer
• Mechanical gathering controlled by stitch length and tension settings
• Flat area and step-down section on underside for differential fabric feeding
• Simultaneous gathering and attachment in one pass
• Compatible with Singer slant needle (slant shank) machines

Perfect For:

• Creating Gathers: Easily and quickly create ruffles and gathers for skirts, sleeves, and decorative edges without manually pulling threads
• Simultaneous Attachment: Gather one layer while attaching it to a flat layer in one pass—perfect for French puffing in heirloom sewing
• Attaching Ruffles: Gather and attach ruffles to main body of fabric simultaneously
• Shirring with Elastic: Wind elastic thread in bobbin to create textured, stretchy, puckered effect for dress bodices and cuffs

How the Split Toe Gathering Works:

The foot uses mechanical gathering through its unique design. The underside features a flat area and a step-down section that causes the feed dogs to move the bottom layer of fabric faster than the top layer, which is held more snugly by the foot's design. This forces the bottom layer to gather automatically as you sew. The key advantage is the slot on the left side of the foot—when attaching a gathered piece to a flat piece, the flat piece is slid into this upper slot, allowing it to feed through without gathering, while the bottom layer underneath the foot gathers. This creates perfect French puffing and ruffle attachments in one pass.

Using the Foot:

1. For Single Layer Gathering: Place fabric under foot and sew. The bottom layer will automatically gather as it feeds through
2. For Gathering and Attaching: Slide flat fabric into the upper slot on left side of foot. Place fabric to be gathered underneath. Sew—the bottom layer gathers while being attached to the flat top layer
3. Adjust Fullness: Longer stitch length and higher upper thread tension produce fuller gathers. Test on scrap fabric first
4. For Shirring with Elastic: Wind elastic thread in bobbin by hand (do not stretch). Use regular thread on top. Sew multiple parallel rows for stretchy, puckered effect

Adjusting Gather Fullness:

• Stitch Length: Longer stitch length (3.5-4.0) creates fuller gathers
• Upper Thread Tension: Increase tension for more pronounced gathering
• Test First: Always test on scrap fabric to determine gathering ratio before starting project
• Gathering Ratio: Typically gathers fabric to approximately 1:2 or 1:3 ratio depending on settings

Tips for Best Results:

• Works best on lightweight fabrics (cotton, batiste, voile, lightweight silk)
• Test stitch length and tension settings on scrap fabric first
• For simultaneous attachment, slide flat fabric into upper slot smoothly
• Use longer stitch length and higher tension for fuller gathers
• For elastic shirring, wind elastic thread in bobbin by hand without stretching
• All-metal construction ensures consistent, even gathering
• Saves significant time compared to manual gathering methods

Compatible with Singer Slant Needle Models:

301, 401A, 403A, 404, 411, 417, 421, 431, 500A, 503A, 600, 603, 604, 620, 625, 626, 628, 629, 630, 635, 636, 638, 639, 645, 646, 648, 649, 714, 719, 724, 734, 737, 750, 755, 756, 758, 770, 774, 775, 776, 778, 900, 920, 925, 935U, 100G, 1030, 1036, 1060, 1100, 1200, 1411N, 1411U, 1425N, 1425U, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2010, 4552, 4562, 4572, 4610, 4611, 4613, 4617, 4622, 4623, 5910, 5932, 6230, 6233, 6234, 6235, 6244, 6267, 6268, 7000, 7004, 7005, 7011, 7028, 7029, 7033, 7035, 7037, 7043, 7050, 7060, 8019, 9005, 9008, 9010, 9015, 9018, 9020, 9022, 9027, 9030, 9032, 9034, 9044, 9110, 9113, 9117, 9124, 9130, 9133, 9134, 9137, 9143, 9210, 9217, 9224, 9240, 9323, 9334, 9410, 9416, 9417, 9420, 9423, 9430, 9432, 9444, 9900, 30920, 93220, 93234, DX14C

Quality aftermarket part designed for Singer slant needle machines.