Let's Learn How To Sew Ruffles

The ruffle is easy to do if you how. It is great for decoration especially when you need to make the project looks more feminine. They can be used on garments, home décor, and crafts.

Here I will share with you a method I usually use to make a ruffle. What you need to have at hand is a sewing machine, fabric, and you are ready to go. You don’t need a special sewing machine for this. A good sewing machine for beginners can handle this project with ease. So use the best basic sewing machine that you can afford.


Preparation

First, you will need a strip of fabric for making a ruffle. The length is about 4 ½”, the width depends on the project and how wide you want the seam allowance to be.

Now think of the length of the finished ruffle and make out a certain number. Multiply this number by 2 or 3 and you have the length you need to cut.

If you want the ruffle to look more gathered and fuller, multiply by 3\. If you just want to gather it slightly, 2 is quite enough.

For the raw edge, you will need to finish them to prevent fraying. A narrow or rolled hem works great in this situation. For the latter method, what you want to do is to fold in ¼” and then another ¼”.

A roll hem foot will make the process a lot easier. I have one goes with my sewing machine when I bought it. You can find one like mine in this guide about !) good sewing machine for beginners available on the market right now. I have read it and this is a well-written article.

Some people want to leave the edges unfinished because it has their own unique look.


How To Sew Ruffle

Turning your strip of fabric into a ruffle is quite simple.

If you don’t want to keep the raw edges, finish them before you do anything else. If you forget this step, once the ruffle is done, it is ways harder to add a hem then.

First change the setting of your machine to basting, which means increasing the length of each stitch and lowering the tension. When you are done, leave a long tail so that you have somewhere to hold on to. You want to stitch about ¼” from the edge.

Take the strip out and locate the bobbin thread. When you find it, pull the thread to make the strip gathered.

Keep pulling until the ruffle achieves the length you want. Go slowly at the first time to avoid pulling the thread all the way out.

Normally you will need just one line of basting stitches but I usually do two because this seems to produce a more gathered and good-looking project.

When you are done with the first line ¼” from the raw edge, sew another ¼” from the first. Remember to leave a tail.

Now hold both bobbin threads and pull, don’t pull one thread at a time as it might make your ruffle look unevenly created.

These basting stitches can be made on any machine you have, even by hand. In case you don’t have a machine and are looking for one at a low price, check this article about the best cheap sewing machine for beginners to help you.
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