A ruffle or a frill is a piece of fabric gathered or pleated on one edge and attached to a garment. A ruffle or frill sleeve is a sleeve formed by a fabric piece that is gathered or pleated.
The best fabric for gathered ruffled sleeves is a thin lightweight fabric with good drape. You can make pleated frills with medium-weight fabrics.
Ruffles are often associated with feminine styles. These sleeves are best suited for tops and dresses intended to have a cute and pretty appearance. Many people seem eager for this trend — read this article which says ruffles are back in a big way.
Frill Sleeves – Type 1
This is the most common frill sleeve style today. It involves an extra-long piece of fabric added to a regular sleeve or drop-shouldered bodice. The fabric is gathered before attaching it to the sleeve edge.
You can follow the tutorial for making a drop-shouldered top with frill sleeves to create this style.
| Best Fabric for a gathered frill sleeve | Chiffon, voile |
| Fullness Ratio | 2:1 |
| Visual Effect | Soft feminine gathers |
| Construction Note | Use lightweight fabric to reduce bulk |
Frill Sleeves – Type 2
This is a short ruffle added to the sleeve hem. You can add this type of ruffle to an ordinary t-shirt sleeve to transform it into a frill sleeve. Follow the post DIY T-shirts for details.
Frill Sleeves – Type 3
You can create this kind of frill by cutting a circular ruffle. Check out this post for making a ruffle like this or this tutorial for making a similar sleeved top.
| Best Fabric for a circular frill sleeve | Rayon challis, satin |
| Fullness Ratio | Geometric flare |
| Visual Effect | Fluid cascading movement |
| Construction Note | Cut on full or half circle |
Frill Sleeves – Type 4
This kind of ruffled sleeve is very popular with frocks for kids. A simple fabric strip about 2 inches wide is pleated and attached to the armhole as a frill sleeve.
| Best Fabric | Cotton poplin |
| Fullness Ratio | 1.5:1 |
Frill Sleeves -net – Type 5
You can add gathered lace or net fabric to the sleeve hem for a cute frilly sleeve effect.
Frill Sleeves – Type 6
Take a wide chiffon fabric cut on the bias, fold it in the middle, gather it slightly, and attach it to the armhole for a fluttery frill sleeve. This style is especially suitable for girls’ tops and dresses.
Frill Sleeves – Type 7
You can add a small piece of ruffled fabric to an ordinary sleeve to give it a frilly appearance.
Shirred Frill Sleeves – Type 8
This ruffle sleeve is made frilly with simple shirring. Wide sleeves are cut and then shirred along the hemline to create a frilled effect. You can find the tutorial for shirring with a sewing machine here.
| Best Fabric for shirred sleeve | Lightweight cotton |
| Fullness Ratio | Elastic controlled |
| Visual Effect | Textured gathered edge |
| Construction Note | Use elastic thread in bobbin |
This sleeve is frilly because it is shirred from the top of the sleeve almost to the hem.
Elastic frill Sleeves – Type 9
You can create the look of frills with the help of elastic threaded through casing along the sleeve. Checkout this post on sewing elastic cuff sleeves.
Frill Sleeves – Type 10
This sleeve has a band along the hem with ruffles both below and above the band.
Related posts: Balloon sleeve tutorial; All the different types of sleeves · How to draft and sew sleeves · Sewing tips for puff sleeves
Very helpful. Thanks