Ruffles, ruffles, and more ruffles!

Ruffles are very tedious to make with all the measuring, cutting, gathering, and narrow hems.  I love the look of them, but needed to come up with a simpler solution to creating them. 

I found I could eliminate the need for the narrow hem by cutting the fabric strips on the bias.  For you new sewers out there, this simply means that I cut at a 45 degree diagonal to the finished edges of the fabric.  Much like when you cut the edge of a ribbon at an angle to prevent it from unraveling, you can cut your woven fabric the same way. 

The cut edges don't unravel, but they do eventually get a "fuzzy" look to them.  Considering how much time I saved from not having to put in a narrow hem (I am not friends with my narrow hem foot), I consider it a fair trade-off. 

I have decided that my first tutorial will be on ruffle-making.  I'm going to research tutorial-making and gather some links first, though.  I use this technique so often, in so many ways, that I can't help but want to share it with others.

So please stay tuned for my first tute!

Thanks for reading my blog!