According to wiseGeek.com the definition of Ruching is:
Ruching is a French term which means to gather, ruffle, or pleat; the term is a sewing technique in which fabric or ribbon is gathered in a repeating pattern to form ruffles, scallops, or petals. The technique has been used for many years to decorate clothing, accessories, and quilts; since then, modern technology has allowed seamstresses to use multiple tools to create precise, even ruching that has kept the technique current. Today many items can be ruched for added visual detail, including wedding dresses, flower appliques, pillows, and blinds. The technique is a detailed technique that should be learned, but it basically consists of evenly folding, stitching, and gathering a length of material until reaching the desired result.
I recently learned how to do this technique and would like to show you how to do it.
You can use any size of fabric you like. For this tutorial I used 1 strip from a Jelly Roll. It measures 2 1/2″x44″. Feel free to experiment with different sizes and widths to get the desired look you want.
I hope you have found this tutorial to be helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment.
Let’s Go Sew!
Kristin