Pleats and Seams

Hello readers! I recently learnt how to make and stitch pleats and seams and I can't wait to tell you guys! Here are a few things that we need-

1. Muslin fabric

2. Pencil

3. Ruler

4. Ball pins

5. Sewing Threads

6. Bobbin and case

7. Thread cutter

To begin with, lets first know what these two are.

PLEATS

Pleats are a type of fold in fabric that can take on many different looks. A basic pleat is when the fabric is folded back on itself, thereby creating an accordion-like appearance. However, pleats come in many shapes and sizes. Some are evenly folded throughout, while others are all different sizes. Some pleats are ironed and pressed, while others are more fluid.

Knife pleats

A knife pleat sounds dangerous, but it is actually one of the easiest and, we think, prettiest members of the pleat family. In a knife pleat, the folds are pressed to one side in the same direction, which is why they are also sometimes called side pleats. The knife pleat is considered to be the most basic pleat. You create a fold in the fabric at a predetermined width, and press in one direction on the right side of the fabric.

STEP#1

We take the muslin fabric and create guide lines using ruler and pencil.

I took the measurement of 1 inch and continued for as many pleats that I wanted.

STEP#2

Next step is to take the first line to the third line to create a fold. The line next to the third line becomes one. Repeat the same process to create multiple folds and keep pinning them with ball pins.

STEP #3

We steam iron it to make the pleats stiff. Then we stitch it with the help of the machine.

Box pleats

Box pleats are popular for skirts adding shape to the waistline. A box pleat is achieved by folding two lengths of fabric away from each other in opposite directions, meeting them in the middle of the backside of the fold. A standard men’s shirt has a single box pleat at the back, in the center of the neckline.

STEP #1

We take the muslin fabric and make guide lines using pencil and ruler.

For one box pleat, the measurement that I took was 1 inch, 2inch and 1 inch and repeated it for as many pleats I wanted.

STEP #2

We start by folding the fabric according to the guide lines and keep pinning them using ball pins.

STEP #3

Then we steam iron it so that the folds become stiff.

STEP #4

We stitch the pleats using the sewing machine.

SEAMS

A seam is a term that refers to the stitching line where two fabrics are stitched together. It is the basic building block of a garment. The stitching line along the seam is called the seam line.

Flat seam

The flat seam is constructed by having two pieces of fabric that meet precisely at their edges. The flat seam is one type of decorative seam type.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/eac038_e15c1477f24e4707827c7aac76bfd35c/360p/mp4/file.mp4

French seam

A French seam encloses the seam allowance on the inside of a sewn item, so no raw edge is visible. This eliminates the need for another form of seam finish. It's used most commonly on sheer fabric, so the seam blends with the fabric. But it can be used on any fabric where you want to enclose the seam allowance and keep a soft edge.

I did a flat seam first then folded the fabric on the other side and stitched again with the edges inside. This was when we open the two sides again the edge of the fabric will not show.

This is how the final look is of the front and the back.

All the edges of the fabric where secured by overlocking.

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References

Pleats | Fashion A-Z | BoF Education | The Business of Fashion | #BoFEducation (2022). Available at: https://www.businessoffashion.com/education/fashion-az/pleats (Accessed: 4 June 2022).

How To Make Knife Pleats (2012). Available at: https://sew4home.com/how-to-make-knife-pleats/ (Accessed: 4 June 2022).

What is Seam? 22 types of SEAMS & How to sew them - Sew Guide (2022). Available at: https://sewguide.com/how-to-sew-seams/ (Accessed: 4 June 2022).

Flat Seam | Properties And Uses Of Flat Seam In Garment Manufacturing | Textile Fashion Study (2013). Available at: https://textilefashionstudy.com/properties-uses-of-flat-seam/ (Accessed: 4 June 2022).

How to Sew a French Seam (2022). Available at: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/sew-a-french-seam-2978449 (Accessed: 4 June 2022).