How to Make Ruffle Sleeves

Ruffle sleeves are a huge trend on NYC’s runways for fall. They are also timeless and flattering! Watch tailor, Erin Hogan-Braker, as she transforms a sleeveless long dress into a ruffle sleeve blouse. As a professional tailor, Erin is often asked to reshape garments to better accommodate clients design preferences. Taking fabric from one area of a dress to create sleeves is a great way to update the style of a garment already in your own closet.

How to make a ruffle sleeve video tutorial

Materials to sew ruffle sleeves

  • Sleeveless dress (should be long enough to cut 2 sleeves, finished length will become a blouse)
  • BERNINA sewing machine, we sew on a BERNINA 350 PE
  • Ballpoint sewing needles (selection based on your garment fabric type)
  • Thread (selection based on your garment fabric type)
  • Scissors
  • Chalk for marking
  • Grid ruler
  • BERNINA Blindstitch foot #5
  • Sleeve pattern piece (any one piece sleeve pattern can be modified for this project)
  • Soft touch with your hands & faith in your project!

How to sew a ruffle sleeve tutorial

Follow Erin as she creates a ruffle sleeve and lining pattern from an existing pattern, modifies the sleeve pattern for design preferences and attaches the sleeve onto a sheer base. Learn about basics of flat pattern design and draping, as well as sewing techniques like under stitching.

How to sew a ruffle sleeve

Erin will show you one version of a modified rolled hem, aka blind stitch. There are so many ways to finish a hem on delicate fabric. Tell us what your favorite method is in the comment section below.

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5 comments on “How to Make Ruffle Sleeves”

  • This was a great tutorial. I need to make sleeves for a flannel nightgown and these look perfect but without any lining. Wish I could have sewed like that at Erin’s age.

    • This is for Harish: I bought some Shweshwe fabric in South Africa earlier this year; the colors are amazing if you like African prints, as I do. I mainly use them for appliqué (they are quite stiff even after washing). What do you plan to do with them?

  • Erin that was a great tutorial; thank you! Can you please go over rolled hems again – I didn’t quite follow how you did that. It was hard to see white on white but since I battle with rolled hems using the foot, I’d very much like to try your way.

    • Hello jenjos, thanks for checking out the How to Make Ruffle Sleeves tutorial! Erin is using a simple method to sew the hems by folding over once and stitching along the folded line. She’s using the Blindstitch foot #5 and moving the needle 3 clicks to the left, lining up the folded edge of the fabric with the blade on the #5 foot. After stitching once, she presses, cuts off the extra fabric, and rolls the edge over to stitch one more time. This is just one method for finishing the edge. Happy stitching!

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