Tuesdays Tute: Ruffled Trim and a Contest

We love to use ruffled trim. This is not to be confused with ruching, as it's made much differently. Ruffled trim can be made with knit or woven fabrics. The only differences we've found is the type of stitch used to make and attach the ruffle, and the edge finish of the ruffle. With knit fabrics you use a zig zag stitch when sewing and need not finish the edge. Why? Zig zag stitches allow for some stretch and knits do not fray. With woven fabrics, stretch is not needed so a straight stitch is used, and the edges need finished or they will fray. You can finish a woven ruffle edge with a narrow hem, or a serger. We prefer the serger finish and would borrow a friend's to do it, we like that finish so much. For any of you near to me, you are welcome to serge ruffles any time.
Now for the tute:
1. Cut your ruffle the width and length you'd like it. Our's are mostly 1" - 1 1/4". The length is approximately 2 x what you'll use on the garment. It's totally up to you.

2. Run your gathering stitch down the middle of the ruffle. (you can also run this stitch on a slight wave line to add a little more wimsy) Knit: 2 wide by 3 long works. Woven: a straight 5 is nice. And pull up your threads. Or you can see our Gathering Tute and use the machine tension to pull for you.

3. Lay the ruffle where you want it and pin down. Knit hint: when running a horizontal time line the stretch of the garment may be reduced some. This is why the picture above doesn't have a direct horizontal line on the top. The bathing suit needed maximum stretch so she could get it off and on with ease. The skirt didn't matter, but she wanted a wavy one. We could have gone straight with it, because it didn't need the stretch.

4. Sew on the ruffle. Knit: 2 by 2 zig zag stitch. Woven: regular straight stitch. Sew down the middle of the ruffle, removing pins as you come to them.

We've seen this trim treatment made into flowers, used along, and to hide seams, around a neckline, and run in several rows and prints along hem lines on skirts and pants. We've even seen it wound around on the top of a sleeve. All of this options are very cute. Curly loves it, so you'll see some coming for Spring at our house.

Now, a little SquigglyTwigs business....
We've gained some new followers and are so very thankful. We want to make Tuesday's Tute as useful as it can be for you all. So, please post your tute suggestions in the comments. We have ideas for many, and have found and gotten permission to use many others. If there's something you want to know....ask away. If I don't have the answer, I'll find it and share...
Also, we're going to have a followers give away. When we reach 50 followers we'll give a pattern away to a follower, then we'll give one away after every 25 additional followers. You must be a follower to win...no entry needed. You can help us get to the give away numbers though by telling others we are here and to follow......
Happy Sewing!
Debbie