Making Paper Ruffles

Paper scraps are an inevitable with paper crafters. Whether you make cards, journal, scrapbook, etc. you are going to accumulate a pile of paper scraps. But, what do we do with them? Today, I have one idea to use up your paper strips and scraps and put them to use! Making paper ruffles is easy and quick. You can make them ahead of time and use them in your cardmaking, journaling and any other place you might want. Watch the video tutorial down below for all the details!

The Video Tutorial

Supplies You Need to Make Paper Ruffles

Scrap paper strips
Sewing Machine
Thread

Making Paper Ruffles

Vintage Paper Ruffles made by sewing scrap pieces of paper together!

Making these paper ruffles is so simple and it’s very easy to customize them to go with your personal style. Not only can you customize them, but you can use them in a number of different paper crafts including cardmaking, journaling, scrapbooking, etc.

To make the paper ruffles start by cutting some scrap paper (or just paper) into strips. They can be any width, but the thinner or thicker you go it can get a little more difficult to both fold and sew them. For a good beginner width, I like to go with 3/4″.

Then, you fold the strips. To make them “perfect” you can use a scoreboard and scoring tool, but I’m impatient so I just fold them with my hands and make them match as much as possible. Be sure to watch the video for the break down of these folds. It’s really simple and once you get the hang of it you can really whip these out!

Finally, you just sew all of the strips together. You can use a number of stitches. I like to use either a straight stitch or a zig zag stitch. Play around with the tension and length of the stitch. If it’s too tight or the stitches are too close together it can rip the paper or just split it into two. Test your stitch on an extra piece of scrap before you start sewing! Again, be sure to watch the video on how to get a seamless look as you sew the strips together.

Papers To Use To Make Your Paper Ruffles

Paper Ruffles made with glitter paper and sewed onto a flat piece of cardstock with a zig zag stitch

With more and more companies coming out with specialty papers you have so many options of paper to use for this technique. A 65 lb weight cardstock seems to be a good fit for making paper ruffles, but you can go thicker or thinner, just be aware that your stitches might need to be adjusted.

Also, be careful with glitter papers or papers that might jam up your sewing machine. Sewing paper is already kind of hard on your machine, glitter that flakes isn’t a good idea to add into the mix. I did use a Glitzy Glitter paper, which doesn’t flake and doesn’t have individual glitter pieces on it, and my machine handled it as well as any other paper.

How to Use Paper Ruffles

Bright and fun paper ruffles made for a birthday card and were sewed with a zig zag stitch

Paper Ruffles are so fun to use. You can adhere them with liquid glue or double sided adhesive. Foam adhesive works too for even more dimension!

I like to use paper ruffles like I would washi tape. It make a great decoration, border, or separator. You can layer them up or just add one strips.

To store them, I roll them up and secure them with a paper clip for thinner rolls or a rubber band for longer thicker ruffles!

I hope you all enjoyed a look at this fun technique and will make some paper ruffles yourself! If you are interested in any of the supplies I used today, you can find them listed and linked down below! Until next time, happy crafting!

Supply List

Affiliate links are used

SINGER M3220 Mechanical Sewing Machine Shop at: AMZ	Coats & Clark All Purpose Thread 400 Yards White Shop at: AMZ \| SBP	Fiskars SureCut Portable Paper Trimmer Shop at: AMZ	Double-Sided Tape Shop at: AMZ
2 Rolls Double Sided Foam Tape Shop at: AMZ	Sizzix Big Shot Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Thankful for You Clear Stamp Set Shop at: JCS	Lavender Bud Clear Stamp Set Shop at: SB.com
Lavender Bud Die Set Shop at: SB.com	Sunny Studio Stamps – Embossing Folder – Lots of Dots Shop at: SB.com	The Crafter’s Workshop – 6 x 6 Stencils – Plaid Fringe Shop at: SB.com	Imagine Fireworks! Lilac Posies Shop at: AMZ
Lindy’s Stamping Gang Spray Set Shop at: AMZ	Mini Ink Blending Tool Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Picked Raspberry Distress Mini Ink Pad Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Vintage Photo Distress Mini Ink Pad Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ
Versafine Clair Nocturne Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Versafine Clair Pinecone Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Memento Bamboo Leaves Ink Pad Shop at: AMZ	Memento Rose Bud Ink Pad Shop at: AMZ
Buttons Galore Coral Coast Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	We R Memory Keepers – QuickStik Scrapbook Tool Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Ranger Glossy Accents Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ	Microfiber Towel Shop at: AMZ
Mini MISTI Shop at: SB.com \| AMZ \| SBP	Heavy Weight Cardstock Shop at: AMZ