How to Make a Dust Ruffle

Dust Ruffles add a finishing touch to your bedroom decor and they conveniently hide anything you store under the bed. There are many styles of dust ruffles on the market, such as pleated, flounced, ruffled or scalloped edges from which to choose. You can even make your own dust ruffle and save money. Read on to learn how to make a dust ruffle.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Sticky-backed Velcro
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Select your fabric. You can choose something that matches your bedspread or curtains or something totally different. Solid colors are good and so are small prints. Avoid strong diagonal prints as they can fool the eye making the dust ruffle look crooked.

2. Measure around the three sides of your bed, excluding the side behind the headboard. Add four inches. Next, measure from the top of your box springs down to the floor. Add two inches for the hem.

3. Cut the exact measurements from your fabric for a straight, form-fitting dust ruffle. You may place the fabric strips on one width of fabric if there is enough room. If you do, each time you cut a separate piece, add two inches to seam the pieces together.

4. Sew the strips together with a 1-inch seam and press the seam open with an iron. Make a hem at the top by folding over one half inch and sewing a seam. Make the bottom hem by folding the fabric over 1/2-inch and seaming, then folding it another inch and sewing for a finished hem. Make a small seam at each end of the dust ruffle by folding over 1/2-inch and sewing.

5. Cut 2-inch lengths of Velcro from the roll. Keep both pieces together at this point. Starting at the top of one side of the bed, hold the top seam to the top of the box spring. Make sure you check to see that the length is where you want it. Peel the backing off the Velcro and apply the piece to the box springs. Peel the other side off and carefully fit your dust ruffle on. Let it stick for now. Repeat this procedure all the way around the bed, carefully fitting the ruffle as you go.

6. Remove the dust ruffle from the bed, with half the Velcro tab attached and reinforce by sewing it on either with your machine or by hand. Now you have a beautiful ruffle that you can easily remove to launder.

Tips & Warnings

• You can apply lace or trim to your dust ruffle, if desired.

• For a super easy, no-sew, variety, try using a flat sheet one size larger than your mattress. Put it on top of the box springs and use safety pins to pin up the excess before replacing the top mattress.