Paper Ruffle TUTORIAL (lots of photos!)

As promised, I've put together a tutorial on how to make these no-sew paper ruffles that look like fabric. I've been using this technique a lot recently because I love the results, they really add fabulous texture and drama to a card. Once you get the hang of the technique you can make them quite quickly. Here I've made a triple ruffle but double and single ruffles look great too. Ok, here we go... I do go into a lot of detail! So maybe get a cup of tea... or coffee! : )

Firstly you'll need a good quality weight of paper, here I've used Prima Botanical papers in strips of 12" by 1.5". You can play around with the widths of paper but I find you'll need at least 12" for the length. You'll also need some water in a spray/mist bottle, I used an old Tattered Angels glimmer mist one and double sided tape.

Spray along the BACK of your strip of paper with water, just a few squirts, don't over wet it or it'll be too soggy!

Using your finger spread the water evenly over the back of the strip. Leave it for a minute or two to absorb in. The water makes the paper much easier to shape.

Flip over your strip and start to gather, pinch along just ONE SIDE of your strip.

Keep hold of as much of the strip as you can, continue gathering, the gathers don't have to be uniform in size. Keep going until you get to the end, it should look a bit like this.

Once you get to the end you can let go. You'll need a tool with a flat rounded end, I used the wrong end of my tweezers. On every other gather use the tool to plump out the pleat by pulling the tool along the back of the pleat in an upwards motion. Do this while holding the pinched side.

It's kind of hard to describe, I hope you can see what I'm doing in the photos. Do this for a few of the gathers.

Once you get to the end, put your ruffle aside to DRY for at least 15 mins. Pinch the gathered side tight before leaving to dry. You need to leave it to dry because the double sided tape won't stick to the damp paper and you'll have a bit of a mess. (Trust me I know!)

You can make your other ruffles while this one is drying! Once dry gently lie the ruffle flat on the wrong side (Trust me!)

Then add a strip of double sided tape to the top of your ruffle (at the back), press down firmly. Remove backing.

Flip over your ruffle. TAKE YOUR TIME doing this next bit. Start to regather your ruffle! Sticking the pleats as you go along, the double sided tape is pretty sticky so don't panic. Just focus on a section at at time.

Work your way along to the end of the strip. Once it's all gathered and secured use your tool to fluff out some of the gathers.

Then repeat for your other strips. You shouldn't need to add any more tape to the back of your ruffles, you should be able to stick them directly onto your card. Just don't forget they're sticky when you put them down somewhere!

I'll just show you how I do the triple ruffle. Stick down your bottom ruffle, gently press the middle down first, make any adjustments so that it's straight. Once you're sure it's straight press the top of the ruffle down firmly.

It's best to trim the ends of each ruffle before you add the next. I cut them flush with the edge. (You'll see why in a minute!)

Add your next ruffle, following the steps as before. It's up to you how much space you want between the ruffles.

Add your final ruffle. (Don't worry, we're nearly at the end!)

Trim the ends with a sharp scissors flush with the edge of your card.

Now tease out the edges of the ends, they should fan out nicely. I do this for each ruffle.

So that's it, your ruffles are complete. It should look a bit like this. Now finish off your card however you like. It's fun to play with the depth of the ruffles as well as the fullness, use shorter strips for less full ruffles. There's so many possibilities!!

I hope you followed all that ok!! I hope you'll give it a try, it's very addictive once you get the hang of it!! Have fun!! : ) Oh yea, the ruffles are also really handy for hiding the sharp ends of trinket pins behind too! 

Supplies:

Card/Paper: White card, Prima Botanical papers

Stamps: Big Day - Additions from Waltzingmouse Stamps

Ink: Black Archival ink, Distress Ink Antique Linen

Other: Seam binding, trinket pins, Spellbinders Fancy Tags, twine, sewing machine, die-cutting machine.