Triple Ruffle Tutorial

I accidently made a pair of double ruffle pants for a friend too short, so I changed them to  triple ruffle pants.  She loved them so much she later asked me to make another pair the same way.

Want to make your own? 

Step 1: Gather your pieces.  Pictures shown with step 2.

• Start with any basic pair of pants, you can even use store bought pants, just cut the bottoms off.  You will want the length to be about where the ruffles start.  
• You also need 4 strips of fabric (2 for each leg of the pants).  Each strip should be about 2" wide and the length should be equal to the width of your pants leg.  An easy way to do this is cut the strips directly from the bottom of the pant leg prior to sewing.  My strips were 15".
• If  you cut the strips from the bottom of store bought pants, open the inside seam.  Also you will want to cut the pants slightly shorter as the ruffles add additional length.
• For the ruffles cut a strip of fabric 3" wide and 1.5 times the length of your fabric strips, mine were 23".  Don't worry if it isn't exact.  If you want your ruffles fuller, make your strips longer.

Step 2: Hem the bottom of each ruffle and gather the top using your preferred method, I used a ruffler foot.

Your pieces for one leg, I sewed my side seam before snapping the picture.

 Step 3: Sew a side seam along the short edge of the ruffle that will be your top ruffle.

Step 4: Attach one of your strips to the middle ruffle.  Start by sewing the along the top edge with right sides together.  Press open.  If you are not using a serger, zigzag along the edge to help prevent fraying (not shown).

Step 5: Top stitch about 1/8" from the seam.

Step 6: Sew up the side seam.

Step 7: Repeat steps 4-6 with the bottom ruffle.

Your ruffles ready to be stitched together

Step 8: Now you will attach the strip of the bottom ruffle to the middle ruffle & strip. Fold your middle ruffle along the long seam so the right sides are touching.  Place the bottom ruffle inside the middle ruffle matching up the side seams. Sew to the bottom ruffle.

Step 9: Flip the strip out and top stitch.

Step 10: With the right side of the middle ruffle/strip facing out, place the top ruffle (the one without a strip attached) over the middle ruffle/strip.  Aline the top edge of the ruffle with the top edge of the middle strip, lining up side seams.  Stitch in place.

Step 11: Turn the ruffles inside out and place over the bottom edge of the pants.  The rights sides should be touching.  Line up the side seams.  Stitch in place.

Step 12: Top stitch one last time and you are finished!

Notes: 

• My directions are for a pair of size 12-18 months, adjust your measurements accordingly.  
• All seam allowances are 1/4" unless noted otherwise. 
• Press between each step, it makes for a neater finished product.
•  If you are making these for an older girl, you can make as many rows of ruffles as you want using this method.  I'd love to see pants with 5 or 6 ruffles on each leg!  
• You could also use this same method on a dress or skirt.  
• Try cutting the ruffles on the bias for a little different look.