how to ruffle…with or without a foot.

Here is a quick and simple way to cute up anything…jacket, shirt, skirt, bag…anything.

I did this cute cozy jacket I picked up from Baby Gap for $10.
You can almost use scrap fabric…if your scraps are big enough.

Step 1: Measure the length of where you want to put a ruffle.
You will multiply that length by 2.

Since this is a jacket and I wanted ruffles on each side of the zipper…
I had to cut two of each length.
So…my fabric strips were 14in by 2in and 12in by 2in and I had two of each.
(disregard that top piece of fabric in the photo)

Step 2: Make your ruffle.
If you have a ruffling foot…I don’t think I need to tell you how.
If you don’t have one…I highly recommend getting one.
The photo above shows my ruffle foot fabric strips ready to go.

If you don’t have a ruffle foot…set your machine to the longest stitch length…and using a straight stitch…sew all the way down the length of the fabric strip…stay as close to the middle as possible.

When you get to the end of the strip…be sure to leave a couple of inches of thread at the end when you trim it off. Ever. SO. Gently pull on either the top or bottom thread and push the fabric down…work that ruffle down the strip and go back to the top…repeat until you get your ruffle down to the size you want it. Your thread may break…this is why a ruffle foot is awesome…you can pull out the stitches and start again when the thread breaks.

Step 3: Once you have your ruffles made…pin them in place where you want them to be.

Step 4: Sew on your ruffles…I stitched down the middle then off to either side about a half inch or so. If you just sew down the middle the ruffles will curl up too much when you wash them.

All done!
You can either give it as is…OR if you are worried that the person you are giving it to will freak out over frayed fabric goodness…you can wash it first. 🙂