Paper Ruffle and Pleat by Alecia

Simple Ruffle Tutorial by Alecia from CSDivas...

1. Gather your papers and scrapping supplies: scissors, distresser, inks, sewing machine, and either glue dots or liquid glue.

2a. Cut your strips to the width you prefer. I like working with 1 inch to 1 ½ inch strips most of the time, since I make cards. Remember the strips should be twice as long as the length of your project! If it’s a 5” card, you need a 10” strip, for example. I’m using Cosmo Cricket Everafter wedding papers.

2b. I like to distress and ink the strip edges. I distress first and ink second, but most how-to’s say to do just the opposite and distress then ink. Personal preference, whichever look is more “you.”

3. I make double ruffles as well as single ruffles. Place one strip atop the other before pleating. Here, they are double ruffles with two complementary patterned Everafter papers. The top is folded one atop the other (layering folds), and the bottom is accordion pleat. When I plan to use glue dots or pop dots, or to sew them down, I use layered folds. Accordion pleats are much easier to work with!

4. Fold them back and forth like a fan, crumple them some, then straighten them out. Be gentle, distressed paper tears!

5. I use wavy lines to sew a decorative stripe down the middle of the layered strips. If you have a sewing machine, and not just a handheld Singer like I own, you can actually sew them to the page at this step!

6. Here, I’ve used a 1 ½ inch tall strip that is 10 inches wide to fit a 5” wide card. I used three pop dots to adhere it so it kept its 3D effect.

7. The finished product—add a distressed and inked sentiment, and a embellie for balance. Here, I’ve used a Prima naturals flower and a Cosmo Cricket Everafter die cut.