21 April 2012

DIY Ruffle Skirt: Step 4: Making the Ruffle

Now we are ready to gather the bottom part of the skirt to make it into a ruffle. If you are using a lining of some kind, pin the long sides of your fabrics together right sides out. If your fabric has a top and a bottom, make sure to put the pins along the top.

Next, put the stitch length on your sewing machine to the longest setting. I have mine set to 4. Sew two seams along the top of the fabric, one 1/4 inch and one with 3/4 inch seam allowance.

The image to the left shows what the stitches should look like at the end. 

Next, we are going to gather the fabric using the line of stitches you have just made. Grab on to the threads of fabric just on the top side, and gently begin pulling the threads to force the fabric to gather. Make sure to do this gently, as breaking the thread will require ripping the whole thing out and sewing a new one. See picture below if this description is unclear.

 Continue gathering the fabric, pushing the gathers evenly along the fabric until the width of the gathered material is the same as the width of the bottom of your yoke (see below). 
Next, pin the gathered fabric to the yoke as pictured below. For those with a different color lining, pin so that the right side of the yoke fabric is touching the lining material.
Make sure you pinned the gathered material to only one side of the yoke, as pictured here. 
The sew along the pinned area to attach the ruffle part to the yoke part. (Make sure the stitch length is set back to normal (2-2.5 on my machine).
Tip: Sew with the gathers facing down, as the sewing machine will help feed the extra fabric through more easily. 

Fold the other side down and tuck the edge under, securing with pins.  

Sew a seam close the edge, as close as you can to without missing the edge.
Now you are ready to add the zipper and hook to the skirt and finish with a hem!

Go back to the beginning
Add the Zipper!



 

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