I have two pieces of pleated fabric I’d love to make into a skirt or dress, but I’m at a loss as to the best way to cut it and, the most important part, sew it. I’m wondering if a very simple pattern style would be the way to go. Just while rolling it around a cardboard bolt I found it definitely has a mind of its own. I like challenges and have been sewing for a good many years but this is my first encounter with pleated fabric. Any tips or techniques and, or course, what not to do, would be greatly appreciated. janetpinkpanther
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Replies
I used pleated fabric for my daughters when they were in grade school. I did a straight waistband in the front and an elastic waistband in the back. That eliminated the need for a zipper and gave a little more fullness. It's not too hard to find the right place to put the seam: you want to match the horizontal lines and make the face of the last pleat the same width as the rest of the pleats. Hemming takes some good pressing because you have to get the pressed-in pleat line turned the other way on the back side of the hem. If there's no chance of needing to change the hemline, I sometimes stitched a pintuck on the back edge of the pleat at the hemline. It kept the pleat sharp and in place. rjf
Thanks so much for the tips. I'll be putting them to good use very soon. I've been itching to use this beautiful fabric but was afraid I'd ruin it without knowing more about it.
Janetpinkpanther
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