How to Add a Ruffle To a Skirt Slit

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Do you have a skirt that could use a little makeover? You can easily transform a simple skirt into an exciting ruffle skirt if you know how to add a ruffle to a skirt!

The original skirt is from my 3-panel mermaid skirt tutorial, and I decided to add ruffles to upgrade it.

In this video, you’ll see how to add a ruffle to a skirt slit and how you can upgrade a skirt you already have. Let’s get started!

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To add a ruffle to a skirt slit, you need:

About 1m (1yd) of lightweight fabric per layer – You can make 1 layer of ruffles to go on both sides of the slit with about 1m (1yd) of fabric. If you want to double the layer, you need about 1.5m. You can use any type of lightweight fabric like chiffon, lace, and lightweight stretch fabric, but both sides of the fabric will show, so it’s best to use fabric that looks the same on both the right side and wrong side. 

Exact amount of fabric needed to add a ruffle to a skirt

Fishing line – Get a clear color fishing line that has a nice body to it. This type of fishing line comes in different weights. I recommend you get a fishing line that is at least 30-40lbs. And they come in big spools, and a spool like this is more than enough to make ruffles or do the fishing line hems for a bunch of skirts.

Fishing line needed to add a ruffle to a skirt

Matching color thread

How to Add a Ruffle to a Skirt Slit

Cut Ruffle Strips

So these ruffles are flounce ruffles. You can learn more about flounce ruffles in my other tutorial, but this is basically a piece of fabric in a donut shape. When it’s opened up, it becomes a strip of ruffles. 

Here, I’m using a pattern like this. The diameter of the inner circle is 15cm (6in), and the width of the flounce is 20cm (8in). 

Total measurements needed to add a ruffle to a skirt

This makes a strip that’s about 95cm (37in) long, which should be long enough for the slit of a skirt for most people, but if you need it longer, make additional circles, or make this diameter larger. 

You can make a pattern for it, or here I folded the fabric twice, then measured the 15cm (6in)  diameter from the corner of the fabric directly onto the fabric. 

Diameter needed to add a ruffle to a skirt

Then from the inner circle, measure 20cm (8in) to make the outer circle.

Additional diameter needed to add a ruffle to a skirt

Cut along the lines, and you have a donut shape. 

Cut out the fabric to add a ruffle to a skirt

By the way, if you don’t have enough fabric, you can cut out half-circle panels using the same measurements, and sew them together to make a whole circle.

And cut it open in a straight line. Now, this can become a strip of ruffles.

Cut a line through the fabric to add a ruffle to a skirt

Make another one for the other side of the slit. I’m making 2 layers of ruffles on each side of the slit, so I made 4 flounces in total.

Do this for every flounce needed to add a ruffle to a skirt

How to Make a Flounce Ruffle with Fishing Line

Now for each strip, finish the inner edge with whatever method you like, so it won’t fray. You can do a zigzag stitch over the raw edge or if you have a serger or overlocker, use that here. If your fabric doesn’t fray, you can skip this step.

Final look of the finished fabric to add a ruffle to a skirt
Not all fabric will require a finished edge to add a ruffle to a skirt

Then trim one of the corners round like this. 

Curve the edges to add a ruffle to a skirt

And take it to your sewing machine. At the rounded end of the strip, place your finishing line about 5mm (1/4in) from the edge. And leave about a 20cm (8in) tail of fishing line here.

Add the fishing line to the skirt to add a ruffle to a skirt
Leave some of the fishing line out of the sewed edge to add a ruffle to a skirt

Fold the fabric over the fishing line, and place it under the presser foot.

Fold fabric over the fishing line to add a ruffle to a skirt

I’ve set my sewing machine to do a regular zigzag stitch, with a shorter stitch length of 1.2mm, and a regular stitch width of 5.0mm.

zigzag stitch over the fabric to add a ruffle to a skirt

And make sure the needle falls on both sides of the wrapped fishing line. Start stitching, and you can see the stitches create a casing for the fishing line and keep it in place. Pull the fishing line from behind the needle if it gets stuck.

Continue sewing to add a ruffle to a skirt

From time to time, slide the fabric along the fishing line to make sure it’s not bunching up. This also makes the edges curlier. Keep wapping the fishing line and keep stitching until the end.

We’ll have to trim this strip later, so there’s no need to finish the end now. Leave another 20cm (8in) of the fishing line and trim it.

No need to finish the edge to add a ruffle to a skirt

Repeat this for all the strips you have.

Final ruffles to add a ruffle to a skirt

And now the ruffles are ready to be attached!

How to Add a Ruffle to a Skirt Slit

If the edge of your skirt is finished like mine, undo the stitches. I also like to open up the slit up by about 5cm (2in) because the ruffles will cover the slit and it’ll appear shorter.

open the slit on the finished skirt to add a ruffle to a skirt

Then place your strip of ruffles on the right side of the skirt and make sure the round end is at the top of the slit. I’m making 2 layers, so I placed 2 strips of ruffles here. Align the inner edges of the ruffles and the raw edge of the skirt.

Sew the ruffles to the edge of the skirt to add a ruffle to a skirt

And do a straight stitch with a 1cm (3/8in) seam allowance.

Sew the edges together to add a ruffle to a skirt

Repeat for the other side of the slit. Align the ruffles to the slit, and do a straight stitch.

Now we need to trim the excess ruffles at the bottom of the skirt. Take one of them, and make sure you can see it very well so you won’t cut other parts by accident.

Separate the layers to add a ruffle to a skirt

Then from 5mm (1/4in) below the skirt hem, trim the end of the strip in a round shape. At the fishing line, pause, and just snip the fabric and thread around it. Don’t cut the fishing line. 

Snip the fabric to add a ruffle to a skirt
Reveal the fishing line to add a ruffle to a skirt

Then reveal the fishing line, and trim it leaving more than enough to finish the rest of the ruffle edge.

Trim each strip the same way.

Now back at the sewing machine, wrap the fabric around the fishing line in exactly the same way as we did before, and finish up the rest of the ruffle edges.

Refinish the new edges of the ruffles to add a ruffle to a skirt

Once you finish all the ruffles, trim the excess fishing line down to about 2.5cm (1in). And at the top of the slit, bunch up the excess fishing line and hide it inside the seam allowance of the skirt panels above the slit.

Gather the snipped fishing line edges to add a ruffle to a skirt

And sew the seam allowance closed so the fishing line won’t scratch you when you wear the skirt.

Sew the snipped fishing line edges to the inside of the skirt to add a ruffle to a skirt

Similarly, at each side of the slit, hide the ends of the fishing line inside the seam allowance of the hem, and sew it closed.

Snip the fishing line edges at the bottom to add a ruffle to a skirt
Sew the snipped fishing line edges at the bottom to add a ruffle to a skirt

And now your skirt is beautifully decorated with ruffles! I’m in love with the bouncy ruffles, perfect for dance costumes or fancy dresses!

Final look to add a ruffle to a skirt

Here’s another idea for upgrading your skirt. You can use the same technique and add ruffles to the seams of your skirt like this. Check out the tutorial for this version here!

Another look when you add a ruffle to a skirt

And if you want to make these skirts from scratch, you can! This pretty mermaid skirt is from my 3-panel mermaid skirt tutorial, and the belt is the Swirly Belt.

add a ruffle to a mermaid skirt

And this gorgeous one is from my Belly Dance Costume Workshop.

Belly dance costume workshop

The workshop enrollment is actually opening up very soon, so if you want to try creating an advanced mermaid skirt design like this and the rest of the belly dance outfit like a perfectly-fitting bra top and belt, make sure to check out the workshop at SparklyBelly.com/bdcw.

Hope you liked this ruffle tutorial, and if you did, please share this tutorial with your dancer or costumer friends!

And if you’re new to belly dance costume making, check out my free email course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101! It’ll give you a great introduction to costume making and beginner-friendly projects. 

Click here to join my FREE course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101!

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling!

P.S. Pin this image on your skirt idea board 😉

Pinterest add a ruffle to a skirt

Like what you read? Want to make more costuming bits yourself?

Learn more and sign up for my free email course, Belly Dance Costume Making 101 here!

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