Hi Penny,
That's a interesting ruff. The setts are round on the top but
creased on the bottom. If you want to starch it, I have instructions
online at
http://www.faucet.net/costume/period/ruff.html
You would probably use the curling iron for the rounded top and, as I
think someone else suggested, iron creases into the bottom.
Putting it together, if you want to starch it, is the easiest thing
in the world. Just gather the ruffle very tightly into the top of a
neckband. It fans out when you starch it to the setts at the outer
circumference. I would not recommend pleating of any kind if you
intend to starch it--pleats get in the way and make life difficult.
However, if what you want is a theatrical ruff that can be laundered
and come out still set, use the suggestions people have sent for non-
starched options (using horsehair braid inside folded fabric for the
ruffle, putting fishing line in the edge), and cartridge pleat. The
problem you'll have is that you want the ruff to be so tall that the
height of it won't fit on the neckband. Cartridge pleats, when done
on a straight strip of fabric, are the same height on the inside edge
as the outside edge. So if you want to do cartridge pleats, you'll
need to cut the ruffle on a curve so that it can fan out from the
neck to the outer edge. I've done the math to figure this out for a
neckline ruffle, and I ended up solving a quadratic equation for two
variables. Maybe someone else has an easier way.
As Sharon noted, starching really isn't that hard, and in this case
it might be much the easier way. The only thing is that due to the
size of the ruff you want to make, you'll need quite a lot of fabric
gathered into the neckband. I recommend a really lightweight
fabric. Also, instead of doing machine gathering, do teeny tiny itty
bitty cartridge pleats (gauge it with two identical lines of hand-
basting--like smocking) by hand. The stitches will probably end up
being 3/16-3/8" long, but you'll have to experiment to get the right
size. This is the method used in extant ruffs as described by Janet
Arnold, and in my experience you can get MUCH more fabric in than
when you do a machine-baste and pull the bobbin threads.
Good luck,
Melanie Schuessler
On Jun 13, 2009, at 8:02 PM, Penny Ladnier wrote:
A first for me, I am making a ruff. I read the ruff advice area on
Drea's website, but am confused if it is better to cartridge pleat
or just gather pleats in groups. Is there a good site with
illustrations about how to make the ruff?
My son and I are making an anime costume http://www.geocities.com/
eyesofaclown/images/Perriot.JPG . Does anyone have advice on how
to attach the ruffles to the band. I followed the ruff calculator
on Drea's site and put in the measurements as follows:
ruff depth: 5 inches
width of each sett: 2 inches
ruff height: 4 inches
Will the ruff height at the band be 4 inches? If not, how high
will it be at the neckband? Will it fan to 4 inches at the outer
edge?
I am also looking for advice on starching a ruff.
Many thanks in advance.
Penny Ladnier
Owner, The Costume Gallery Websites
www.costumegallery.com
11 websites of fashion, textiles, costume history
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