All It Takes is a Ruffle

Sometimes I have a hard time breaking out of my happy routine.  I know what I like and am happy to have it again and again and again.  When we go out to eat--a special treat for us--we always go to the same Thai restaurant and always order the exact same thing every time.  I tried other things, but have settled on my favorite dish.  Anything else is just a little disappointing by comparison.

Same with dresses.  I've made a couple styles, but have settled on my favorite.  I tried branching out from "my" dress and made this Cynthia Rowley dress, which is totally cute, but eventually proved too short to be functional for my life.  (This is what I get for branching out!) I need to be able to bend over at the waist and swing a leg over my bicycle without worrying about being indecent or its just not practical.  Even immediately after making it I knew, deep down, it was too short for me.  I mean, the hem fell above my knee and all, but I figured I could make do with leggings or something.  In the end though, I just never wore it.  It was just too short.  It hung, abandoned, in the closet having been worn just a couple times since completion.  I considered donating it, but am so hesitant to do that with my me-made clothes, labors of love and so unique as they are.

After thinking it over a while I realized that I had some of the blue fabric left.  I pulled it out and lo and behold, there was enough for an eight inch ruffle.  Problem solved.

I cut the fabric into a long strip (eight inches wide plus the seam allowance).  I wasn't sure how long to make it and so just eye-balled it!  And it actually worked on the first try!  Ha!  Look at me go!  I had to piece it together a little from the fabric I had left over so there  are a couple seams in my ruffle, but you can't really tell.

Honestly, I like how it looks better with the ruffle, too, not just the added length.  Plus, its got a nice twirl to it now.

I had sort of convinced myself that I wouldn't try this pattern again.  I mean, I'd hardly worn the first one so I couldn't really justify it.  I've been wearing this ruffled version a lot already though so now I am thinking that I might make it again the exact same way!  Ruffles are fun.