Ruffling Technique Basics

This technique is done by first crocheting a foundation mesh, then crocheting around the bars (posts) of the mesh to create the ruffles.

The following instructions and diagrams will give you a basic knowledge of the technique. Drawings by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com. Do not republish elsewhere. Instead, you may give the link to this page on crochet.about.com to anyone who would like to see this how-to.

First crochet the foundation mesh:
The mesh is made of double crochet stitches and of chain 2's.

Each double crochet is called an up-bar.

Each chain 2 is called a cross-bar.

When the mesh is completed, the yarn is reattached within the mesh at the starting point for the pattern. (The starting point varies according to the specific pattern being made.) Double crochet stitches are then worked around the up-bars and cross-bars to form the pattern, for example:

The stitches are easier to work if you keep folding the mesh to the point where you are working. It's also best to crochet loosely, as you crochet around the up-bars and cross-bars.

In the example below, you would join the yarn at the cross-bar indicated, work 2 dc around this cross-bar; swing to next upbar and work 2 dc around the up-bar.

The charted directions for doing this example would look like this:

This technique gives a unique three-dimensional look to the finished article.

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Hearts Hot Pad is a pattern that uses this 3D technique!

Diagrams by Sandi Marshall, copyright 1998 by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc. Free for your own personal use only. Per copyright law, do not redistribute in any form, even for free. Instead, you may give the URL of this page to others, so that they may come here for themselves:

URL of this page is http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa013198.htm

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