How to Sew a Ruffle on a Towel

Perk up your towels with a few ruffles.

Purchased hand, bath and kitchen towels are functional, but are also boring. Ruffles attached to the edges or stitched across the width add a little interest and texture, while giving you the opportunity to mix in another color or a festive print. With purchased trim, the project takes no more than a few minutes. Even when you make your own ruffles, embellishing your towels is a project you can finish in a single afternoon or evening.

Things You'll Need

• Purchased ruffled trim
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Fabric

Instructions

Adding Purchased Ruffled Edging

1. Open the trim at the top of the binding.

2. Slide the edge of the towel between the open layers and pin them together. Extend the trim 1/2 inch past the towel on each side.

3. Stitch close to the opening of the trim.

4. Fold the extra trim to the back of the towel and hand-stitch it in place.

Adding Purchased Ruffled "Flat" Trim

1. Cut three pieces of trim 1/2 inch longer than the width of the towels.

2. Fold the towel in half, as you would hang it on a rack.

3. Fold 1/4 inch under on each end of a piece of trim. Center it on the front half of the folded towel and pin it, taking care to pin only through the top layer.

4. Pin the remaining two pieces of trim 1 inch to 2 inches above and below the first piece, again folding the ends under for a neat finish.

5. Stitch a line down the center of the trim.

Making Your Own Edging Ruffles

1. Measure a piece of fabric twice as wide as you want the final ruffle to be. Add 1 inch to the measurement. Mark that measurement on the wrong side of the fabric.

2. Measure the width of the towel. Multiply it by 2.5; add 1 inch. Mark that length on the back of the fabric.

3. Cut out the rectangle you've made on the fabric.

4. Fold 1/4 inch under on each short side of the fabric rectangle. Fold the same amount over again. Pin them in place and stitch down the center of the fold. Press the creases flat.

5. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise, with the wrong sides facing each other. Pin the raw edges together.

6. Set your machine for its longest stitch and make a stitch line 1/2 inch from the raw edge. Repeat the line 1/4 inch from the edge.

7. Tie the bobbin threads together at one end of the fabric. Gently pull the top threads to gather the ruffle until it is the same width as the towel. Tie the threads and trim them.

8. Pin the finished ruffle to the back of the towel and stitch them together.

Making Your Own "Flat" Ruffles

1. Measure three pieces of fabric 1 inch wider than you want the finished ruffle to be and twice as long as the towel's width. Add 1 inch to the length. Make rectangles matching your measurements on the back of the fabric and cut them out.

2. Fold 1/4 inch of each of the long sides of the fabric strips to the back. Fold the same amount over again. Stitch down the center of the fold and press the hem flat. Repeat for the short sides.

3. Set the tension on the sewing machine for the longest stitches and make a stitch line down the center of each fabric strip.

4. Tie the threads at one end together to prevent pulling them out. Gently pull the top thread at the other end until the ruffle's length matches the towel's width.

5. Attach the ruffles by pinning them to the towel and stitching down the center.

Tips & Warnings

• Gather flat lace for ruffles in the same way that you would the fabric rectangles.

• Reset the tension on the machine to shorter stitches before attaching your handmade ruffles to the towels.