In this lesson, I demonstrated how to create ruching and draping on the bias using a thin jersey knit fabric. I started by making a tight power mesh lining base, then ruched the jersey fabric diagonally across the front using hand gathering stitches and seam binding tape.

Lesson Steps:

• Make a tight-fitting power mesh lining base to smooth over the body
• Cut jersey fabric on the cross grain fold for maximum stretch
• Hand gather and ruche the jersey along the desired diagonal line
• Secure ruching with seam binding tape
• Attach ruched jersey piece to lining base, adjusting tightness as needed
• Finish by creating armholes, neckline and closures

I problem-solved when the elastic didn’t create enough ruching by switching to a hand-gathering technique. I emphasized working with the fabric’s stretch and drape to achieve the desired ruched, body-hugging look without side seams. The full dress can potentially be completed in 5-6 hours.