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From: speranza94
Date: 05-19-2006, 03:19 PM (1 of 7)
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Hi Everyone, This might might not be where I ask this but I need help. I am making a pillow from a cross stitched t-shirt. Cutting the center out for the pillow top. I put a border of cotton fabric around the t-shirt fabric. Oh first I used a light weight iron on interfacing on the t-shirt before I cut it out. But now I want to put a double ruffle around the pillow and I don't know how. I know how to make a single ruffle I THINK!!!!! but definitly not a double ruffle. Help. Please. Thanks Speranza 94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-20-2006, 06:55 PM (2 of 7)
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Your ruffles will be fuller and prettier if you baste on your first ruffle and then baste on the second rather than sewing the fabrics together and treating them as one ruffle. The ruffle will be stiffer and less full if they are treated as one and actually there are uses for both kinds of ruffle, depending on the weight of the fabric.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: speranza94
Date: 05-21-2006, 09:18 AM (3 of 7)
| Thanks Pam for the info but I don't know how to make a ruffle to begin with so I am not quite sure what you mean. I quilt but I do not do much other sewing except mending. I am using cotton fabric for the pillow. Theresa |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-21-2006, 12:31 PM (4 of 7)
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Well, ruffles are not hard. I usually use a folded single ruffle on pillows (so I don't have to hem it and it has a little more body), but the style of ruffle is solely up to you. I usually do my ruffles on the straight of grain also, that makes it a lot easier to figure. You need to decide how much ruffle you want (width) and how you will finish the raw edge. The narrower the ruffle, the stiffer the ruffle and the less length you need. A one inch ruffle, for instance will only stand up 1 inch from the edge of the project and it will be very stiff. A four inch ruffle will not seem as sull, so you will need more gathers but will be limp and floppy. Often ruffles are about 2-2 1/2 inches sometimes 3 on a pillow. To that you need to add your seam allowance. I always use a 5/8 inch seam allowance because I have more control over the fabric and you can always cut away if you have too much "stuff" in your seam edges. So now you have the width of the ruffle plus the seam allowance. If you are going to fold the ruffle in half, that is the first measurment you will need...width + seam allowance X2= width of cut. Now, if you plan to use a hemmed ruffle, you can use a serged edge, a rolled hem by hand or machine, a folded hem, etc...you need to decide what hem edge you want and how much fabric you'll need to achieve that...so for a hemmed ruffle.....ruffle width + seam allowance + hem allowance + width of cut. To decide the length of ruffle. The average length of cut is determined by how full you want your ruffle. A medium width ruffle is normally about 2 1/2 times the amount of edging to which it will attach but ruffles can vary from 2 to 2 1/2 to 3 times that amount, depending on the width of the ruffle and how much fullness you would like (somtimes determined by how much fabric you have too.) So, if you pillow is 12 inches square and you are allowing 2 1/2 times your measurment, your ruffle would be 12inches X 4 sides X 2.5 or 48 x 2.5 or 120 inches of length (if I figured correctly). The length can be cut in several strips of fabric and sewn together...be sure and allow for the seam allowances (in a French seam) if your pillow has a hemmed edge. I would allow 5/8" for each French seam. If you are using a folded ruffle, you can allow as little as 1/4 inch for each seam. French seam. Sew the WRONG SIDES together at 1/4 inch...press on the seam line sharply (no extra fabric and fold on the seamline, press. While the fabric is folded, sew at 3/8 inch to encase the seam. Ok, so, now you have a ruffle. It has been stitched together, hemmed and is ready to gather. Before you do the next step, make a tiny little clip at what should be the corners of your pillow on the ruffle for reference later. Join all ends. If you are using a folded ruffle, join all but the last end, press in half. Then join the last end and fold closed. You can use the pull thread method, stitching at 3/8 and 5/8 inch (and let it break from stress often before you finish) and take all day OR you can use a quicker method. I keep a roll of 2 lb fishing line...but you can use a good crochet cotton (string) or kite string or dental floss...anything like that. Using a 5/8 seam, zig zag over the "line". Do not catch the line. Do the entire length of the ruffle. Using your clipped marks on your ruffle, pin the ruffle in place, right sides to right on the front. If you are going to use piping too, it should already be in place. When the clipped portion is in place, gather and adjust to fit. If you are using a pulled string method, place a pin at the marks and start pulling before you place it on the pillow. Use the pins to help place it on the pillow. When the ruffle is in place and all gathers are adjusted, baste into place. You will need to add extra fullness to the corners to allow the pillow to turn well and keep the ruffle straight...test this after it is pinned into place and before you baste. At this point, if you are going to do a double ruffle, repeat the whole process and place your ruffle. If you elected to do the second ruffle and treat the whole thing as one ruffle, it would have been just layed under the first ruffle and you would gather and apply it as though it were one. Once the ruffle is firmly attached, the threads or cording can be cut or removed. If you use the fishing line, it is hard to see but it is also slick and will pull out easily. Decide where your pillow opening will be. If you are going to use a zipper closing, you would apply the zipper to the ruffled side now and then apply the other portion of the zipper to the back panel before you sew it up. If you are NOT going to use a zipper closing, decide where your opening will be and SEW just that portion of the ruffle into place so that it will be firmly attached to the pillow before you attach the backing. Then, when you hand sew the pillow closed it will have a firm attachment and not likely come loose later. Sew the back panel to your pillow. If the pillow is also piped, this is the time to use a zipper foot or a good cording foot to get as close to the piping as possible. If your pillow is corded, sew from the FRONT side (for sure) to make sure that you get as close to the cording as you can. Trim across the corners of your pillow and any edges that you feel are too bulky. Turn the pillow and stuff. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-21-2006, 12:39 PM (5 of 7)
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One of my favorite pillow trims is not a double ruffle. I like to get 1-1 1/4 inch cording (usually looks loose with a loose net looking cover). I buy a little more than the outside edge length of my pillow. (12 inch square would be a little more than 48 inches). I cut and join several lengths of fabric a little larger than the circumfrence of my cording plus 1 1/4 inches (you can add more length as needed). I cut these on the straight of grain. Then I will place the cording inside the fabric and I will loosely sew along beside it, as I get close to the end of the cording, I will stop and gather the fabric on the cording, then sew some more. When I have an evenly gathered cover on my cording, I will stop, leaving a little more fabric than cord, open at the end. I then sew the cording on the pillow. When I get to the end, I gather as much as possible, fold the excess fabric into itself at the end, overlap it over the cording there so that it is encased well and cut the excess cording...looks great. I like to use this corded finish with a folded 2 1/2 inch ruffle...looks great!
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: VenusElaine
Date: 06-23-2006, 11:29 PM (6 of 7)
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I would just like to say that your explanation of ruffles (along with tips including the zig-zag method) was one of the most understandable I have ever read, and I have been sewing for over 40 years. VenusElaine "Always put as much effort into your marriage as you do into your wedding."
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User: VenusElaine
Member since: 10-22-2005 Total posts: 126 |
From: speranza94
Date: 06-25-2006, 05:37 PM (7 of 7)
| Sorry I did not answer sooner. Thanks for the information. I finally got to try it yesterday and it worked. I was impressed. Thank You so very much for the great instructions. Speranza94 |
User: speranza94
Member since: 03-28-2003 Total posts: 8 |
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