Questions about sewing ruffles/trim

[Rasabon]

I'm not even sure if I'm calling it the right thing.

I have some fabric that I cannot find any trim for at all. The lady at the fabric store suggested using more of the same pattern to make some ruffles for trimmings, and I think this sounds like a wonderful idea. The only problem is, I'm a self-taught novice when it comes to clothes, and I'm not sure the best way to sew it. I can see that many of you are very talented, so I'm sure someone here knows how to do what I'm talking about.

I have some pictures of what look like 3 different kinds of ruffles to me.

Here's a ruffle over the fabric, the kind I'm most familiar with:


Here's a ruffle on top of the fabric(?):


And this one looks like it's under the fabric?:


Can someone explain to me how I would sew material to make ruffles like any or all of these? Or point me to some online tutorials?

I have a sewing machine, but I prefer to sew by hand if possible, if that helps.  

[kochi~mochi]

Okay, i can tell you how to do the first and the second easily, and when i'm more awake, maybe the third. heart

(On a side note, those are Mary Magdalene, right? They make my soul ache for loli)

The first one, what i do... I use my ruffler foot, though you could hand gather them. Simply take a piece of fabric thats wide enough for your ruffle, and long enough for the amount of gathering. I normally do something like 4-5 times the width of the bottom of the skirt. Hem both sides of it. Gather it REALLY EVENLY. You have to make sure that the fabric at the top is the same amount the whole way across. Once that's stitched in so that what you have is a free-standing ruffle, pin it in and sew it ontop, right side to wrong side.


For the second, what i would do (at least right now, i'm much in the same boat of being self taught) is essentially the same thing. Attatch the longer one first, trim the top excess, and then attatch the shorter one. If i could take a look at the actual dress i might be able to figure out how they did that one, but i don't know anyone with a skirt like that.

For the third, it looks like there's a little bit of trim around the bottom, where the bows are. Perhaps they did something where they sewed in the bottom ruffle to the underside, and then put trim on to hide the stitching?  

[I be me]

damn it!

I made a little video explaining how to make ruffles, because I can't think how to explain it in text, but my computer is feeling a little "special" right now and I can't get the video on to my computer. It refuses to talk to my camera at all.

Hopefully I can get my computer fixed in the next day or so, then I can upload it.
I really can't think how to explain it other pull the fabric along a lose thread then sew in place.
And it is so totally bed time.
I have a chemistry presentation to do tomorrow morning, and I suck at being out of bed in time for the morning bus.  

[dkpuppets]

if you don't have a gathering foot you can just do a loose stitch all the way around kind of like you would as a kid, about an inch apart, and then just pull all the thread to the end.
if you don't want to do it by hand knot a long piece of thread and zig zag over it.
 

[Trinity Quinn]

That third one looks like they stitched the small ruffle onto the hem with right sides together and pressed it down with the seam allowance pressed up on the underside of the skirt. Then they simply placed the longer ruffle behind it so that it was just higher than the seamline of the lower ruffle and stitched right over the seamline of the smaller ruffle to attach it. Then they put the trim and ribbons on the hide the seamline altogether.

I just have a quick tip to add. When doing the loose stitch to gather the ruffle, it's better to do two rows.
The first one you'll do 5/8 or 1/2 inch away from the edge (depending on your allowance). The next you'll do 1/4 inch away from the edge. This creates what I call the "railroad track". It's VERY important that the two lines of stitching don't touch or get too close. They should try to be parallel to each other. When you start to pull the tread to create the gathering, pull on both stitch lines evenly. What this technique does it that it helps your gathering stay more controlled and aimed the right way.

The other tip is to use a thread (in your bobbin if you use a machine) that's a little thicker for the gathering stitch and use THAT thread when pulling to create the gathering. Nothing's worse than having your thread snap while you're pulling in the gathering.