Embellished Ruffle Top

There's a reason why ruffle tops are everywhere: they're SO EASY to make! This one really just took a few minutes. It's the perfect project. Ruffles are adorable. T-shirt knits don't fray, so no tedious hemming. And ruffling a strip of a t-shirt is the easiest thing you can do with a sewing machine. Seriously, I can't think of an easier thing to make.

Just change your machine settings so the tension's at the highest number, and the stitch length the longest, and sew straight down the center of the strip of fabric. It'll ruffle as you go, and is all ready to be pinned and stitched to a plain top.

I think ruffles are the best on a colored shirt, but I like the way mine looks with a cardigan. Who am I kidding, though? I like the way everything looks with a cardigan.

I started with one of these plain black tops from Kohl's. We all know the type ($4-6, for sale in every color). I also have another too-big black knit top that I picked up at the Dollar a Pound thrift store. I've been cutting chunks off it here and there to make ruffles, which is what I did for the ruffles on this one.

 I'm not posting a tutorial for the ruffles because of the vast amount of them on other blogs. But here's a link to some of my favorites. Like I said, easy easy easy, and there's infinite ways to arrange the ruffles. Part of me wants to go ahead and do this to every shirt I own. :)