ruffles... frills... what do you call them?

Eep! I'd have to say "ruffles" too. Western Canada Jeanine

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

What Cheryl said works for me-- Lucille

I would call them ruffles (in the USA). If you look at home dec patterns for pillows with the gathered "stuff" around the edge, the pattern calls it a ruffle. This side of the pond, the term "frills" is sort of generic term for any sort of "ruffly" of "frou-frou" type of embellishment. In general, ruffles, ruching, decorative embroidery, beadwork, etc. can be considered "frills". **Usually** it is something that is lacy or very "fainting violet" type feminine. PAX & CiaoMeow Tia Mary >^;;^<

In the U.S., prior to the 20th century, the term was frills. It got changed, somewhere along the line, to ruffles. The term is synonymous, although Webster defines ruffle as a "decorative frill, particularly at the neckline or wrist." Ruffle is also defined as a gathering up.

Dianne

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

My grandmother had an old sewing/dressmakers book with a vocabulary section that had separate terms for ruffles depending upon location (neckline, cuff etc) and the direction of the open side. And all manner of fun, albeit dated, terminology - differences in corsets and other undergarments.

Sadly, I have no clue where the book is now and can't find a similar list on line.

So - does anyone have clue to where to find a similar list.

Cheryl

Here's another page with lots of interesting definitions for the word ruffle

Frills, mostly, in the UK. To me, ruffles are more like the ones sometimes worn at the neck in a sort of fall.

Pat P

Thanks.

I'll continue to call them frills in the knowledge that if people are not immediately familiar with the term, they will probably at least be able to figure out what I mean.

Many thanks!

Yvette