Easy Peasy Ruffles

Have you been seeing a growing trend for the use of ruffles? I’ve seen ruffles on everything from window treatments, decorative pillows, camera straps,  shower curtains, and more.  

Do you want to know how to make a quick ruffle…….

• with very little sewing experience?
• without buying a special ruffling foot for the sewing machine?
• and be able to adjust the amount of fullness in the ruffles?

Start with elastic cording and ribbon. {one could use a strip of fabric but I’m using ribbon in order to keep it “Easy Peasy”}

Set your sewing machine to a zig~zag stitch.  Then adjust the width to a wide setting and the length to a long stitch.

Place the ribbon upside down with the elastic cord centered on top. 

Note:  I left the cord a little longer than the ribbon.  This will help when you are ready to make your ruffles.  Also you don’t want the cord to slip out from under the stitching while you are sewing.  You could pin in place if you felt it necessary.

Drop the needle down manually.  The needle should be on one side of the cord and then as you slowly, by hand, walk the needle forward one stitch and it should finish on the other side of the cord.

                           {zig}                                                       {zag}

         Needle started on the right.                 Needle finishing on the left.

 Once you know that the zig~zag stitch will clear the cord.  Stitch down the center of the ribbon.

Note:  The rule of thumb with ruffles is to use TWO ~ to ~ THREE times the length needed.  If I needed a finished length of12 inches then I would need to start with 24 to 36 inches of material.

Holding the end of the cords, simply pull the ribbon along the cord to create ruffles.

Note:  If  you accidently sewed on the cord and it won’t pull, there is an easy fix! Just clip the stitch and the cord should slide and stretch easily.  {Ask me how I know?} 

Play and adjust to your liking.  Once you have it where you like it you can pin the ends in place and sew…. or….. you could sew a straight stitch down the center.

How did I use my ruffle?  I tied the ends together and placed around a rim of a jar.

As I promised…… Easy Peasy Ruffles!!!

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Come back to see the rest of this project!

Carrie