Wondering what I did with those new fangled ruffles... I made a tutorial for you on how to make ruffle stripes. Remember them on this purse?
First of all pick out several fabrics you want to use. They could all be in the same color family, or mix and match. Cut them to the width you want for your ruffles and two times the length you need.
Then ruffle them with your sewing machine using these directions. Make sure to leave long threads on both ends! (We'll pull them out later.)
Next, iron your ruffles flat. This makes them much easier to sew.
Place your ruffles onto the surface you will be attaching them to. Make sure you have made plenty of ruffles to cover the entire surface. Find the color order you want your stripes in.
Making sure to keep the strips in order, remove all the ruffles except for the first one on the left side of your suface. Pin the first strip in place. Sew 1/8 inch away from the edge of both long sides of your ruffle (not the top and bottom edges) making sure not to sew over the long threads from the ruffling.
Pin your next ruffle strip in place by placing it right next to the one you just sewed. You want to try to cover the surface so that you don't see the surface fabric peeking through. Continue sewing strips in place until you have completely covered your surface.
At this point your surface should be covered with stripes and have a ton of threads at the top and bottom.
Find the long ruffling threads on each strip and pull both the top and bobbin thread out. Usually they come out easily, but if you have one that's giving you a hard time, gently use your seam ripper!
Now cut all your top and bottom threads.
If you're adding these to something that already has a defined shape, like the flap on a purse, sew the top and bottom edges of your stripes 1/8 inch away from the edge of your item. Then cut your stripes along the edge of your shape.
There you go - ruffle stripes! I did a little something different with my group of turquoise stripes. Next up, the reveal (and another tutorial)... a mini ruffle stripe series!
