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From: postcardgirl
Date: 04-26-2005, 09:12 PM (1 of 8)
Does anyone have any step-by-step instructions to teach me how to add a ruffle to a pillow? Preferably with pictures! When it comes to quilting and sewing straight lines I'm all together, but I feel like I've hit a brick wall with this one...  What I'm not sure of (specifically) - after I have a long strip of fabric (folded over and pressed so I have a long strip with wrong sides facing) - how do I start/finish it on the pillow to get a nice finished seam on the ruffle?! Am I making sense?! |
User: postcardgirl
Member since: 05-01-2001 Total posts: 367 
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From: esrun3
Date: 04-27-2005, 07:57 PM (2 of 8)
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Hi Shari, no pics but I usually gather it (the ruffle) and then place it on the pillow (with the pillow square right side up) with the folded side facing into the center of the pillow (make sense?), baste around the edges so the raw edges are all sewn together, then I add the back of the pillow face down and stitch around, leave a space to turn your pillow, then hand sew the opening after it's been stuffed. I usually start and stop my ruffle in the middle of one side rather than at a corner, miter the corners a bit to fit and also overlap the beginning and end of the ruffle a little so you don't end up with a gap. Hope that helps and it's not clear as MUD!! I can see it in my mind's eye but don't know how to draw/add pics here for you. Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 04-28-2005, 08:00 AM (3 of 8)
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If you sew the two ends of the ruffle -- wrong sides together -- before you fold then gather it you will have a nice finish there. Then you are working with a circle rather than a strip. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: auzzi
Date: 04-30-2005, 08:16 AM (4 of 8)
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1. measure the length [x2] plus the width [x2]. This is along the sewing line not the edges of the seam 2. consider how "ruffly" you want the ruffles to be - light material can take more gathering that stiffer materials As an example: a pillow-case of 14" long and 10" wide, soft material gathered or ruffled X2 needs a strip of fabric 96" long 4" wide. Add 1/2" seams all the way around makes it 97" x 5". 3. stitch the two short ends together and press the seam open. 4. fold/press the fabric in half, with wrong sides together. 5. pin a safety-pin on the fold where each corner will be: 0" - 28" - 48" - 76" Here is the trick: 6. take a piece of strong cord - thin nylon cord is good - about 4" longer than the fabric strip 7. set your machine for wide/long zigzag 8. make a small loop in the cord and pin [safety-pin] it securely to the farbic 9. about 1/4" from the long raw edge, commence to zigzag over the nylon cord. Do not snag the cord, because when you have done all the way around the fabric, you are going to pull this cord. It will automatically gather the fabric. The cord will not break. 10. pull the cord to reduce the fabric circle to 48" around. Distribute the gathers evenly for the moment. This takes a bit of manipulation the first time but it becames easier when you have done the full procedure once: 11. Cut a rectangle 15" long and 11" wide [including 1/2" seams] for the front. The other side is cut to allow the pillow to be placed in the case. An envelope-type is easiest. 12. cut a rectangle 10 1/2 long and 11" wide [it has 1/2" seams all around except for one 11" side which will have a double turn hem of 1/4"] 13. cut a rectangle 6 1/2 long and 11" wide [it has 1/2" seams all around except for one 11" side which will have a double turn hem of 1/4"] Sew the hems first - turn under 1/4" then under again 1/4" - sew. Now to lay it out. The two pieces of the pillow-case back overlap to form the 15" x 11" shape [including 1/2" seams]. 14. lay the front on the table with the right side facing you. 15. you are going to match the raw edge of the ruffle and the raw edge of the fabric together. The pressed edge of the ruffle will be lying towards the centre of the rectangle. 16. Match the corners as marked with the safety-pins [see no:5], then pin the ruffle to the fabric. Distribute the gathers evenly with a little extra at each corner. 17. Sew along the edge of the zigzag, a touch under the 1/2" seam line. The gathering stitches will be in the seam. The cord is removed when finished. 18. lay the larger back piece down, wrong side upwards and raw edges aligned with the front's edges. Pin. The hem should be towards the centre of the rectangle. 19. lay the smaller back piece down, wrong side upwards and raw edges aligned with the front's edges. Pin. The hem should be towards the centre of the rectangle. There should be an overlap between the two back pieces. The ruffle is now sandwiched between the front and the back pieces. You should not be able to see any of it. Flip it all over - the front is now upwards. 20. there is a neat, straight line to follow so you can stitch the front to the back. Stitch. 21. Unpin the cord and gently pull it out. Keep it for other gathering projects. Turn the pillowcase outside-in, and you will have a double-ruffled envelope pillowcase, 14" long and 10" wide, with a 2" ruffle. |
User: auzzi
Member since: 10-28-2003 Total posts: 56 |
From: postcardgirl
Date: 04-30-2005, 08:37 AM (5 of 8)
wow...  thanks for the help, ladies! I'll be working on these this week!
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User: postcardgirl
Member since: 05-01-2001 Total posts: 367
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From: Mother in Law
Date: 04-30-2005, 10:37 PM (6 of 8)
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Postcard your children are beautiful. I alway pin my ruffle down to the pillow top so when I sew the top and bottom together around the edges the ruffle don't get caught in the seam especially on the corners where you have to allow some ease for the turns. That happens if it's not laying flat between there. |
User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
From: postcardgirl
Date: 05-01-2005, 08:03 AM (7 of 8)
Thanks, MIL!!! 
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User: postcardgirl
Member since: 05-01-2001 Total posts: 367
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From: Mother in Law
Date: 05-01-2005, 10:14 AM (8 of 8)
Your welcome Pgirl, I love to see everyone's kids. They are so sweet the little ones and innocent. 
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User: Mother in Law
Member since: Total posts: |
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