Guest post by Jessie Rayot of Jessie At Home
Do you ever look at a crochet pattern and think, “That would be awesome with a ruffle!” Or maybe you are working on your own pattern and can’t quite decide the best way to attach a ruffle without having to sew it on. Well, there is a very simple solution. It works for adding ruffles onto a project, or adding a second layer for any reason, such as a double layered flower. Would you like to know how to do this? OK, I’ll share!
It’s really quite simple. First you need to decide where you want your ruffle to go. Say you are making a skirt from the top down, and you want a ruffle 12” down from the waist. You will make your skirt until it is 12” long. Then, as you make the next row, you will simply work in the back loops only. That’s all you need to do to prep your skirt for an easy ruffle application. See the pictures below? You can see where I have worked in the back loops only, leaving a little ridge of the front loops ready for adding on the ruffle.
Now keep going with your project. If you want to add more ruffles in another spot, then work in the back loops only there as well. Maybe you want another ruffle 2 rows below the first. No problem, just work 2 more rows past the first ridge you created, and work your next row in the back loops only as well.
Ready for the ruffles? Easy~Peasy! Look at those pretty ridges you have. They are so easy to find. Now all you have to do is work your first row of your ruffle in the front loops you left unworked, and then keep on making your ruffle from there.
There you go! I made the ruffles seen above as follows:
Row 1: (worked in front loops left unworked) ch 3 (counts as first dc) dc in same st, dc in next st (2 dc in next st, dc in next st) across
Row 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc) dc in same st, dc in each of next 2 sts (2 dc in next st, dc in each of next 2 sts) across
Row 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc) dc in same st, dc in each of next 3 sts (2 dc in next st, dc in each of next 3 sts) across
You can also use this method for many other types of patterns. Here is a hat that uses this technique, and here is a flower that uses it as well.
Now go forth and ruffle!!!
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