Creative Needle Online

Materials * "Virginia" by The Children's Corner * Nashville Cotton Co.'s Bitty Buds Pink for dress, see pattern for yardage requirements * Spechler-Vogel's pink pima check for ruffles and piping * Seven pink 2-hole buttons	"Virginia" by The Children's Corner is in Bitty Buds Pink by Nashville Cotton Co.
Fun with Ruffles By Judy Kroulek, Creative Needle Senior Contributing Editor
Ruffles add femininity and a bit of whimsy to any garment. They are easy to apply and do not need any special equipment or skills. Hemlines, sleeve bands and cuffs, pockets, yokes, and front plackets are the usual areas for ruffles. Instructions 1. Cut ruffle twice the length of the seamline and twice the width of the ruffle. Fold ruffle in half, with wrong sides together and long edges meeting, and baste. Note: To reduce the bulk of a ruffle over 4" wide, cut width of ruffle plus 1/2". Hem one long edge with a narrow hem by folding over 1/4", then 1/4" again, and stitch close to edge. 2. Divide garment seamline and ruffle into equal quarters and mark. 3. Lengthen a straight stitch to the longest stitch possible. Stitch just inside seamline on the ruffle, then 1/4" away in seam allowance. 4. Pull up bobbin thread and distribute the gathers evenly. To prevent bobbin thread from pulling out from one end, wrap the top and bobbin threads around a pin. 5. Adjust gathers so quarter marks align. Stitch with regular straight stitch along seamline. Alternate Methods for Gathering Ruffles 1. Stitch a zigzag stitch over a thick thread or narrow cord just inside the seamline. Pull up the cord to gather ruffle and stitch as above. 2. Using a smocking pleater, pleat three rows. The center row is positioned on or just inside the seamline. Adjust pleats to align quarter marks and stitch. Remove pleater threads. 3. Some machines have a gathering foot or a ruffler attachment. See CN Nov/Dec '04 "FootPrints" for more information on these specialty feet or CLICK HERE.