need some help with placing ruffles

[velcromom]

I'm making the Farbenmix pattern "Dortje" - the legs of the pants are pieced (upper, center and lower) and I want to add ruffles between the sections. This isn't like adding ruffles at the hem because it's up higher on the pant leg. Instructions say to add ruffles before sewing the sections together, but then the ruffles would be caught in both the side seam and inseam when I sew the front and back of the pant legs together, I think that would look odd. The book shows photos and it doesn't look as though their ruffle is caught in either seam, they must have used a different method than the instructions give. I just don't know what it is!

[Thyme Mama]

[sewchris2642]

Are you making the purple pants that show 2 rows of ruffles? It looks like the bottom row of ruffles is at the hem and the top row is at the seam between the lower and middle sections of the legs. The seam between the middle section and the upper section is omited and the 2 sections are cut as one piece. Sew up the pants as directed. Except sew the front and back lower sections together. Then sew the lower section to the rest of the pants, putting the top ruffle, right side of ruffle to right side of main section of the pants together. Then sew the bottom ruffle to the pants at the hem.

[velcromom]

The fabric was already cut - I wanted to do the ones shown in the book that have a ruffle at the seam between upper & middle leg sections, and another at the seam between middle and lower, with no ruffle at the hem. I played with it some yesterday and I did end up sewing the front and back sections together the way you suggested, then applying the ruffle and sewing on the lower leg section. I wasn't happy with the way the ruffle on the upper section came out with going around all the curves, so I took that out. I did a ruffle between the middle and lower leg section. So they aren't as ruffly as I wanted but I suppose if I use enough ribbon and rick-rack, I can make up for that!

[sewchris2642]

That was my thought--that the ruffle on the curved seam wouldn't look right. That's why I looked up the pattern online. All the variations on the pattern were very cute. Some of them weren't very practical as play pants but I could see them for other occasions where the child wouldn't be expected to get as dirty.

[velcromom]

Yes, it would probably take more skill than I have to get the ruffles evenly spaced... from the photos I can see it's possible, maybe someday!

I have seen versions of this pattern (without piecing the legs) done in sturdier fabrics without embellishment and it looks like it would be fine as play pants, mine are definitely not, but we do have holiday visiting coming up so they'll get worn. If the fit is good I will be using the pattern many times, so I'm sure I'll be making a simpler version too.

thanks for the help, sometimes I just need another brain to chime in when mine seems stalled!!

[sewchris2642]

Originally Posted by velcromom

thanks for the help, sometimes I just need another brain to chime in when mine seems stalled!!

You're welcome. Everyone can benefit from a different perspective from time to time. I am fortunate to have several people I can turn to irl when I'm stumped with a sewing question. These message boards serve the same function over a wider area.