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Feb 06

Ruched Centerpiece – Benjamin Krudwig

 

Every holiday in my childhood home was a spectacle. Seasonal decorations went up all over the house; no room was left untouched by the festive frock. To me, the table has always been the place where people come together, so it’s no wonder that I am drawn to making home-goods that belong on the dinner table.

As I was pondering this project, I knew that I wanted to make a centerpiece that would provide a textured backdrop for the rest of the Valentine’s Day decorations.

To start, weave 9 Zoom Loom squares. They could all be the same color (as shown) or they could be an assortment of colors. For this project, I used Neota Designs yarn, 50% Wool, 50% Silk, in the “Colorado Red” color-way. The silk added a decadent touch to this project, perfect for the season of romance.

Arrange the squares in a 3 x 3 grid, and seam them together. It is probably best to sew the squares together as opposed to crochet them together to eliminate as much extra bulk as possible.

A 3x3 square of zoom loom squares in Colorado Red

Starting on one of the corners, pull the center vertical thread causing a gather or ruche. Cut that thread in half and tie the ends together in a double knot to prevent it from coming undone.

Inserting a needle to begin the gathering or "ruching" process
a tied-off ruched section of the work piece

Alternate the direction (vertical or horizontal) of the thread that you pull on each square.

alternating the center threads changes the direction of the ruched pattern

Pulling a horizontal thread in square 2.

Snip the tied ends close to the work to clean up the back of the piece. Gently wash the centerpiece, and lay flat to dry.

The completed ruched square of material in Colorado Red color

This project was fun and quick to make, and would be great in a larger scale. Ruching is an easy way to add a little bit of texture to piece of otherwise plain fabric. This project could easily be adapted to any time of the year, and if you choose a color scheme that matches your decor, it could be featured year-round. Make your own handwoven ruched fabric, send us photos on our Facebook and Twitter, and we may feature them!

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