Discovering Creativity with Crafts 

Ruffled Frames

by Arleen "Lee" Jaworski

Looking for the perfect gift for someone? Why not create customized picture frames using your serger, a little paint and a glue gun? These delightful frames go together quickly and easily, are inexpensive to make and deliver a personal message of caring. In fact, they're so quick and easy to make, you'll find yourself with plenty of extras on hand for gift-giving emergencies!

Supplies  -  Directions  -  Sewing Machine Settings

Supplies

  • Baby Lock Imagine serger
  • Baby Lock sewing machine
  • Inexpensive plastic photo or document frame: 1_3 yard cotton fabric of choice per frame-45 inches wide (Double ruffle frame requires the same amount of two separate fabrics)
  • Foster Woodsies shapes (Samples use stars)
  • Delta Ceramcoat acrylic paints to coordinate with fabric
  • Cool Bonder cool glue gun
  • Ribbons in colors and width of choice (up to 1_4-inch wide)
  • Photo mats to coordinate with fabrics
  • Thread (all-purpose)
  • 2 cones-all-purpose serger thread
  • Silky 40 weight rayon thread tocoordinate or contrast with fabric
  • Measuring tap
  • Scissors
  • Paint brush
  • Iron
  • Straight pins

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Directions:

1. Measure the entire outside dimensions of the frame you are decorating. Multiply the outside dimensions of the frame by 11_2 to 2 times. This is the length of the fabric strip you'll use. For a gentle ruffle, use the 11_2-time frame measurement. For a fuller ruffle, use the 2-time frame measurement.
Cutting Instructions:

Cutting crosswise on fabric, cut 3-inch-wide strips, cutting enough strips to equal the desired length.

2. Sew the strips together, end-to-end, to form a large loop. Press seams open.
Serger Settings:

Three-thread narrow rolled hem
Stitch: Stitch Selector D
Stitch Length: 1 to 2
Stitch Width: M
Upper Looper: Silky rayon thread lower 
Looper and Needle: All-purpose thread 

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Sewing Machine Settings:

Construction: 
Stitch: Straight stitch
Stitch Length: 2.5 mm
Needle and bobbin thread: All-purpose thread
Schmetz Universal Needle Size #12
Basting:

Stitch: Basting Stitch (if available on machine) or straight stitch 
Stitch Length: 5 mm
Needle and Bobbin: All-purpose thread

3. Set the serger up for a rolled hem. Thread the upper looper with either 
all-purpose thread for a simpler look, or rayon thread for fancier look. Serge a rolled hem along both sides of the fabric loop. For a single-ruffle frame, the loop should be approximately 21_2 inches wide. For a double-ruffle frame, the bottom ruffle should be 21_2 inches wide, and the top ruffle 13_4 inches or 2 inches wide, depending upon how much contrast you wish to show.



4. With the sewing machine, sew a basting stitch 1_2-inch inside one rolled edge all around the loop. Leave long thread ends for gathering. Stitch another row of long straight stitches 1_2-inch inside the first row of stitches. (These gathering stitches should be off-center.) See diagram. Before gathering, mark the loop with pins in two places equal distances apart. One pin will denote the upper left corner of frame, and the other will denote the lower right corner of frame.

5. Pulling the long bobbin threads from the basting stitches, carefully gather the fabric loop to the dimensions of the frame, adjusting the fullness equally around frame, with a bit more fullness at corners. When gathered, the narrow section of the ruffle goes to the inside of the frame, with the wider section of the ruffle to the outside of the frame.

6. Starting at one corner, use Cool Bonder to glue the gathered fabric to the frame along gathering stitches, adjusting gathers again as you go. 

7. When the entire gathered fabric loop is glued in place, decorate the covered frame with ribbons. You may wish to use 1_4-inch ribbon, twisted and glued every inch or so over gathering stitches to conceal, or 1_8-inch ribbon glued flat between stitches. Set the frame aside.

8. Using acrylic paints, paint assorted stars in several colors to match the fabric colors. For better coverage, paint a second coat. Allow to dry completely. Spacing stars randomly, glue them down along gathering stitches and over the ribbon. If you've added a bow, you may wish to glue a few stars to the bow tails. You may also wish to glue small stars over larger stars for a dimensional look.

9. Place your favorite picture in the frame. 

***For double-ruffled frame, assemble exactly as you did the single-ruffle frame, simply adding a slightly narrower ruffle over the first you glued in place before decorating with ribbons and stars.

This Creative Craft is a Creative Embroidery Idea from Baby Lock (c) 1997 Tacony Corporation. For more information about Baby Lock, call 800/422-2952 or visit their Web site at www.babylock.com

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