Tutorial Time! Adding a Ruffle

I LOVE ruffles!  Once I learned how to do ruffles, I wanted to put them on everything! 

My love for ruffles has actually helped me stretch my daughter's wardrobe, too.  She is a skinny long little thing.  Most people don't realize this because she has really full cheeks.  Often I hear things like "That baby hasn't missed many meals", etc.  Anyway, I'm getting off subject.

The waist in most 12 month pants are still too big for her, but they are getting too short.  I can't go up to 18 months because they would swallow her whole!  So what do I do?

Add a ruffle to the bottom for length!

Step 1:  Measure the width of the bottom of the pants you are using.  Multiply this by 2.  This should give you the total width around the bottom.  Now, you'll multiply this number by 2.  This will be for the fullness. This will be your W (width).

Step 2:  How much length do you want to add?  In this example, I wanted to add 3 inches to the finished length, but I was positioning the ruffle an inch above the bottom of the jeans, so I added 3 + 1 + 1.5 (for finishing)= 5.5 inches.  I didn't want to finish the bottom, so I doubled this so that the edge would be a fold.

Step 3:  Fold your fabric in half lengthwise (wrong sides together) and iron to have a nice crease.  Open this fold and fold it in half widthwise (right sides together).    In the picture below, the fabric is folded.

Step 4:  Staystitch the top edge.  Now you should have a circle.  Fold in half (on your crease) so that wrong sides are together again. 

Step 5:  Baste your top (raw edge).   (Technically, you should sew two parallel stitches in case one thread breaks while pulling for your ruffle-- I rarely do this, though).  Leave enough thread to pull for your ruffle. 

Step 6:  Pull your thread to gather your fabric.  Spread out the ruffle and pin on to pants.  I pinned mine facing upward (with the raw edges facing downward).

Step 7:  Since 12 month pant legs are still quite narrow, I sewed from the inside of the pant leg.  Be sure not to stitch the legs closed! :)

Step 8:  Trim threads, let the ruffle fall towards the bottom and you're done!

 Above, you'll see the Appliqued T-Shirt from last week's tutorial.

Imagine the possibilites now that you know how to add a ruffle!