A ruffled skirt is fluffy, feminine, and fashionable.The process of making your own is fairly straight-forward.
Step 1: Around your waist is how to measure.
Wrap a tape measure around your waist, keeping it parallel to the floor.You should mark down your waist measurement to make it easier to remember.Measure the area of your body where you want the skirt to sit.If you don't know, your natural waist is a good choice, but if you want the skirt to sit higher or lower, move the tape measure.
Step 2: The elastic should be removed.
You should add 1 inch to your waist size.Cut out the elastic.You can overlap the elastic when you sew it into the waistband with the extra inch.
Step 3: Determine the length that you would like.
Measure from your waist to the point where you want the bottom hem to land.Take the measuring tape to the floor and mark it down.The waistband will add another inch to the skirt.If you want to calculate your ruffle width, subtract 1 inch from your desired length.
Step 4: Decide on your measurement.
Divide your desired length by the number of ruffles you want.It will tell you how wide your ruffles need to be.
Step 5: Take out the ruffle pieces.
Take your waist size and divide it by 1.5 to calculate the length of your connector pieces.If you want to calculate the length of your ruffle pieces, you have to divide the connector length by 2.Adding 1 inch to the width of your finished ruffles will give you the same width as the connector and ruffle strips.If you want the ruffles to be even bigger, make the ruffle strips 2.5 times bigger.
Step 6: Take your fabric and cut it out.
You will need a single piece for each piece.You can cut out the strips of material according to the dimensions you figured them out.If you don't have enough width in your fabric to cut out a full strip, you will need to sew two smaller strips together.The total length of your full strip should be equal to 1/2 inch when the lengths of both strips are added together.The strips should be sewed together with a 1/6 inch seam allowance.
Step 7: The hems can be pressed.
You will need to hem one long side of each strip using a 1/2 inch seam allowance to prevent it from unraveling.Press in place with an iron when folding the material.To cover the raw edge, fold the material under by another inch.If you have a serger, you can serge the edges instead of folding them out.The skirt will be more light-weight.The hems will stay put without the use of sewing pins if you press them.
Step 8: Place the hems.
To sew across the hem, use a straight stitch.To secure your stitches, backstitch at each end.Since the material is still straight and flat, it will be easier to sew the strips in place.
Step 9: Pick up the ruffles.
For each ruffle strip, sew a loose stitch across the long side of the strip.You can do this with a sewing machine.Pull the thread at the end of the strip to bunch up the material.Continue gathering the ruffles until the strips are the right size.The hemmed edge is opposite the "top" edge.You may need to play with the gathers after you shrink the strip down.Simply sew a loose straight stitch across the top edge of the material, making each individual stitch 1/2 inch long or so.For gathering the material, leave a long tail at the end.To sew the gathering stitch using a sewing machine, set the stitch length to its longest position and make sure the tension is high.Pull on the bobbin thread to adjust the gathers.
Step 10: The bottom tier should be sewn together.
Place the first piece below the second piece, right sides together, and line them up at the top seam.Pin the pieces together, then sew them in place.The seam allowance is 1/2 inch.The nature of the ruffles makes it better to use more pins to hold the pieces together.The extra pins help keep the ruffles from moving.When sewing the pieces together, make sure there are no weird folds or bunches.It's not necessary to serge away this connecting seam if you want.
Step 11: Take the tier and fold it out.
The right sides can be seen if you open up the connected strips.To flatten the material, iron the seam.The tier should be above the ruffle if you are spreading it out on your surface.
Step 12: The second ruffle should be put in.
With the right sides facing out, place the next ruffle strip over the piece of the bottom tier.With the right side of the strip facing in, place the next strip on top of that.Line everything up along the top edge, pin in place, then sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.You should use a lot of pins to secure the ruffles as you sew.
Step 13: Put the top piece back in place.
You can see the right side of the material if you fold the second tier up.To flatten it out, iron it along the seam.The rest of the skirt should be above this piece.
Step 14: You can add the rest of your ruffles in the same way.
The second tier should be sewn to the top of the ruffled tiers.The ruffle layer needs to be sandwiched between your previous tier and the new strip.The skirt should face out, but the new strip should always face in.Before sewing along the top edge with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, pin the layers in place.Iron out the new seam before moving onto the next layer.As needed, repeat as many times as necessary.
Step 15: Take the side and put it back together.
Once all of your tiers are sewn together, fold the material in half with the right sides together and the wrong sides facing out.Then sew along the joined edge with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.Stitch across the edge from the bottom up.Don't sew the ends of the piece yet.
Step 16: There is a pocket in the waistband.
If you fold the top piece toward you, it will create a pocket larger than the width of your elastic.Put this pocket in place by pinning and sewing.Use a small seam allowance to sew along the open edge of the pocket.Don't sew the ends of the pocket.You don't need to fold the open edge under the pocket to hide it.The raw edge is already taken care of if you follow the instructions carefully.Once you sew it together, flatten it by ironing out the waistband pocket.
Step 17: Feed the elastic through the pocket.
Attach a small safety pin to one end of your elastic strip.If you want to push the safety pin all the way through the pocket, you have to use your fingers.The large safety pin prevents the other end of the elastic band from working its way into the pocket.
Step 18: The elastic has to be put together.
Put the ends of the elastic together by 1/2 inch.Then sew them together with a needle and thread.
Step 19: You have to close the waistband.
Bring the raw edges of the pocket together by Tucking the elastic ends into the waistband pocket.Stitch them up with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Step 20: Try the skirt.
Take the skirt off and look in the mirror.The elastic should fit against your waist and the skirt should fall out.This is the end of the process.