So we know that MJ and I both have children. A small army, really, of minions we created. And with that comes the countless hours of Disney movies and references in our lives. And you know what, I am okay with that.
With that in mind, we have a daily battle with ourselves to "work" and balance the needs and wants of our children without going completely batty. So when we first started sewing all of these ruffley confections, there were moments, as we sat amidst miles and miles of fabric strips and mounds and mounds of ruffles, we would call each other in despair. This child has run off with my thread, that child has unraveled that ruffle, and on and on. And we would console each other and calm each other down, and one day, when the outlook was bleak and I thought I would never, ever, ever finish this dress, it came to me. It was Ellen DeGeneres' voice, embodied in a little blue fish named Dory, and it said, "Just Keep Ruffling". And so I began to hum it. And then sing it to myself. And then, I SHARED IT. With all the people like me who were trying to master this art of creating volume and fluff with bits of fabric. Because that is what we do, MJ and I. We share things, ideas, solutions, recommendations, recipes, jokes, patterns, loves.
And since we talking about ruffles, let me explain to you as briefly as I can what we do. Now we have tried just about every tutorial and method there is out there, and the best, most consistent way for us to do it, is to literally pin the life out of it. We use what is called a basting stich, a long loose stitch that goes the entire length of ruffle (which at times can be 13 yards or more!) then we begin pinning, evenly spacing the pins by taking the fabric in half, then in half again, and again, and again, and so on and so forth until there is almost nothing left to pin. Then we pull the magic thread, and then sew. Yes there are ruffle feet, and they work beautifully, but they make more pleated ruffles than gathered, so the use of the ruffle foot is for more specific purposes. I have a gathering foot as well, and it works well, but, it still isn't as good as the method we use. We are sticklers for consistency, to the point that one or both of us may eventually need a therapist, but for now, we think it is a special gift. A quality that sets us apart from the nonsense at the stores. Like MJ said before, we care, and we take the time to ensure that everything we do is as perfect as our human hands can achieve. And that is why I think it is so important for us to "Just Keep Ruffling". For you, and for ourselves.
Until next time!
With that in mind, we have a daily battle with ourselves to "work" and balance the needs and wants of our children without going completely batty. So when we first started sewing all of these ruffley confections, there were moments, as we sat amidst miles and miles of fabric strips and mounds and mounds of ruffles, we would call each other in despair. This child has run off with my thread, that child has unraveled that ruffle, and on and on. And we would console each other and calm each other down, and one day, when the outlook was bleak and I thought I would never, ever, ever finish this dress, it came to me. It was Ellen DeGeneres' voice, embodied in a little blue fish named Dory, and it said, "Just Keep Ruffling". And so I began to hum it. And then sing it to myself. And then, I SHARED IT. With all the people like me who were trying to master this art of creating volume and fluff with bits of fabric. Because that is what we do, MJ and I. We share things, ideas, solutions, recommendations, recipes, jokes, patterns, loves.
And since we talking about ruffles, let me explain to you as briefly as I can what we do. Now we have tried just about every tutorial and method there is out there, and the best, most consistent way for us to do it, is to literally pin the life out of it. We use what is called a basting stich, a long loose stitch that goes the entire length of ruffle (which at times can be 13 yards or more!) then we begin pinning, evenly spacing the pins by taking the fabric in half, then in half again, and again, and again, and so on and so forth until there is almost nothing left to pin. Then we pull the magic thread, and then sew. Yes there are ruffle feet, and they work beautifully, but they make more pleated ruffles than gathered, so the use of the ruffle foot is for more specific purposes. I have a gathering foot as well, and it works well, but, it still isn't as good as the method we use. We are sticklers for consistency, to the point that one or both of us may eventually need a therapist, but for now, we think it is a special gift. A quality that sets us apart from the nonsense at the stores. Like MJ said before, we care, and we take the time to ensure that everything we do is as perfect as our human hands can achieve. And that is why I think it is so important for us to "Just Keep Ruffling". For you, and for ourselves.
Until next time!
Jen
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