How to Add a Lace Ruffle to the Hemline of Your Garment

Need to add something to your wardrobe? Try adding lace to the hemline of a top, dress, skirt, sleeve or pant leg. Here's how:

1. Decide upon the length of your hemline. Would you like to add an inch or up to three inches?
2. Decide upon the color of your lace. Would you like the same color or something colorful and contrasting?
3. Buy lace. Buy lace that has not been gathered. It can be found at most fabric and craft stores.
4. Gather your supplies. Bring your garment, lace, common pins and matching thread to the sewing machine.
5. Cut the lace to make a ruffle. Cut the length of your lace one and a half to two times the width of your hemline. One and a half in length will create a slightly gathered ruffle. Two times in length will create more gathers.
6. Pleat or gather the lace ruffle.
   
   • Place pleats equidistantly across the top of the length of the lace. Fold the lace over once to create a pleat. Hold each pleat in place with a common pin.
   • Gather the ruffle. Place a loose running stitch along the top of the length of the lace. Pull on the thread to gather the lace.
7. Stitch the lace ruffle to your hemline. Using scissors, cut your hemline of choice off the garment. Sew the two pieces together, leaving a half-inch seam allowance.
8. Iron the garment. Iron the inner seam allowance towards the top of the garment.

• If fabric is prone to fray, place a zig-zag stitch along the edge of the fabric, prior to stitching a seam.
• Learn to crochet trim onto the edge of finished fabric.
• Lace can be bought pre-ruffled, but it may be a little more expensive. Stitch pre-ruffled lace onto your hemline by hand. Place the small band of fabric, that holds the lace ruffle together, just beneath the edge of your hemline.

• Garment
• Lace
• Common pins
• Needle
• Matching Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Iron