How to Make Flounces for a Wedding Gown

Flounces are wide ruffles that are usually sewn at the hem of a skirt or to update the look of a wedding gown. These are pleats that are added to a plain looking dress to make it to make it more fun to wear. The style has been used for centuries as it adds interest and ornamentation to garments.
Multiple flounces for tiered gowns will look great for balloon skirts. A bigger flounce at the hem allows for ease-of-movement for wedding gowns that feature pencil-cut skirts. You can also add a flounce to the bodice of your dress, especially if it doesn't have embellishments on it yet.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flounce pattern Fabric of your choice (you can use the same fabric as your wedding gown or you can use other types such as lace or chiffon for a more ethereal look) Scissors Sewing machine Tape measure Pins and needles

Instructions

1. Measure the hem of your gown to determine how long your flounce is going to be. The pattern for your flounce is essentially just a long rectangle cut to your preferred width. You can cut patterns in different widths if you want to create tiered flounces on your gown's skirt. Make sure to include at least a 1/4-inch allowance for the seam. Take note that flounces are supposed to be pleated, so add a few inches to the length of the pattern to accommodate the pleats.

2. Cut the fabric following the pattern. After that, there are two ways of sewing the seam to create the pleats. One is to create basting stitches down the length of the fabric still within your seam allowance. Before you make a knot to seal the stitch, gently pull the thread out of the material to make it pucker and pleat. Another way is to create the pleats as you sew through the fabric but this can be extremely difficult because it's hard to space the pleats accurately.

3. Sew the flounce onto the hem of the skirt. Sew the flounce throughout the length of the skirt's edge or wherever you want to place it. You can use the sewing machine for this step so you can create even stitches to keep the two fabrics together.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have the time to create flounces on your own, there are lots of fabric stores that sell ready-made flounces. They usually have tapes basted on them so you can just peel off the tape and attach the flounce to your gown. This is a good idea if you're thinking of using your gown again and you want to preserve its original style. You can add beading and little details on the flounce to make it more interesting. Get iron-on bead patterns that are used before you attach the flounce to the gown.

References

• Pattern for a circular flounce