The Zigzag Gather

Cut a length of embroidery floss, perle cotton, or other similar type thickness cord-ing/yarn that is slightly longer than the length of your ruffle strip.

Position the floss along the top raw edge of the ruffle strip and set your sewing machine to a zigzag stitch. The stitch should be wide enough to cross back and forth over the floss without stitching into it, and spread out so the stitches aren’t too close together.

Decide on the ruffle width. This may be specified by the pattern you’re following (as it is in the “Flower Girls” project on page 50, or you may want to choose yourself. If you’re deciding the width, take into account the seam allowance at the gathered top edge (depending on where you stitch your bast-ing/zigzag stitch, this may be more than the traditional 1/4”), as well as an extra 1/2” at the bottom to create a nice finished hem.

Choose a ruffle length. A general rule of thumb is 2-3 times your desired finished ruffle length. Two times the length will cre-ate a slightly “looser” ruffle; three times (or more) will create a “tighter” ruffle.

Hem the bot-tom edge of your ruffle. You can’t/won’t want to do this after the ruffle has been gathered.

Stitch back and forth over the floss for the entire length of the ruffle.

Hold onto the ends of the floss and gather the fabric. Continue gathering until the ruffle reaches the desired length. Play with the ruffle to spread out the gathers evenly.

The Basting Gather Set your sewing machine to a long basting stitch. Use a heavy-duty thread in the bobbin, such

as upholstery thread or buttonhole thread. Sew along the top raw edge of the ruffle strip.

Hold onto bobbin thread at one end and pull gently. Continue gathering until the ruffle reaches the desired length. Play with the ruffle to spread out the gathers evenly.

(for both options)Pin the ruffle to the fabric it’s being sewed on, and stitch, making sure that your stitch line is below the gathering stitch (either the zigzag or the basting stitch) so that it won’t show on the finished piece. If you used the zigzag method, you can now pull out the floss.

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The Zigzag Gather

Cut a length of embroidery floss, perle cotton, or other similar type thickness cord-ing/yarn that is slightly longer than the length of your ruffle strip.

Position the floss along the top raw edge of the ruffle strip and set your sewing machine to a zigzag stitch. The stitch should be wide enough to cross back and forth over the floss without stitching into it, and spread out so the stitches aren’t too close together.

Decide on the ruffle width. This may be specified by the pattern you’re following (as it is in the “Flower Girls” project on page 50, or you may want to choose yourself. If you’re deciding the width, take into account the seam allowance at the gathered top edge (depending on where you stitch your bast-ing/zigzag stitch, this may be more than the traditional 1/4”), as well as an extra 1/2” at the bottom to create a nice finished hem.

Choose a ruffle length. A general rule of thumb is 2-3 times your desired finished ruffle length. Two times the length will cre-ate a slightly “looser” ruffle; three times (or more) will create a “tighter” ruffle.

Hem the bot-tom edge of your ruffle. You can’t/won’t want to do this after the ruffle has been gathered.

Stitch back and forth over the floss for the entire length of the ruffle.

Hold onto the ends of the floss and gather the fabric. Continue gathering until the ruffle reaches the desired length. Play with the ruffle to spread out the gathers evenly.

The Basting Gather Set your sewing machine to a long basting stitch. Use a heavy-duty thread in the bobbin, such

as upholstery thread or buttonhole thread. Sew along the top raw edge of the ruffle strip.

Hold onto bobbin thread at one end and pull gently. Continue gathering until the ruffle reaches the desired length. Play with the ruffle to spread out the gathers evenly.

(for both options)Pin the ruffle to the fabric it’s being sewed on, and stitch, making sure that your stitch line is below the gathering stitch (either the zigzag or the basting stitch) so that it won’t show on the finished piece. If you used the zigzag method, you can now pull out the floss.

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