Crash course on pleats

find out more

Pleats are folds in the fabric that control fullness. They can be soﬅ or crisp, depending on the fabric used and whether they are pressed or not.

There are three types of pleat: knife edge pleats all face the same direction; inverted pleats, where two folds are pressed towards each other to one placement line; and box pleats, which are two pleats turned away from each other creating a flat section in the centre.
Mark the fold line and the placement line (the pattern pieces will include these, ready to be transferred to your fabric), using a different colour thread/pen so you can quickly distinguish between them.
When making several pleats, snip-mark the lines within the seam allowance at the top and bottom of the fabric, with pins along the line in between if necessary. Again, use different coloured pins to distinguish between fold and placement lines.
Fold the fabric at the line mark along the length, then bring the fold to the placement line. Repeat for all the pleats, then hand or machine tack across the top to hold the pleats in place.
All pleats need pressing to set them. Use a press cloth to help prevent ridges from the fabric layers showing on the right side of the garment. For soft pleats, use a dry press cloth and apply a little steam hovering the iron just above the fabric. For crisp pleats, use a damp press cloth and lots of steam and the full pressure of the iron.

More Helpful Tips...

Give extra shape to frocks and tops with this handy sleeve enhancement. You can easily add interest to the head of the sleeve, and how it travels over the top of the arm, simply by using tucks, gathers, pleats and darts. Each of these will require a sligh

Improve Your Rolled Hems

Guarantee flowing hemlines that hang like a dream. Keen dressmaker Sarah Greeff has colourful memories of her first attempts at making a rolled hem. “I was first asked to make rolled hems for a colleague at Fenwick of Bond Street"

Perfect Your Piping

Know Your Overlocking

Get to grips with the best overlocking finishes for everyday stitching. The overlocker has a different feel to a regular sewing machine. The trick is to let the feed dog guide the fabric. Use your right hand to support the edge of the material, taking car

Master French Seams

Get to grips with a clever seam favourite for a continental finish! French seams are common in clothes for children, where the skin is extra sensitive, as the inside is completely smooth.

Fix a Frayed Pocket

A quick fashion fix with Amanda Bowden's classic miracle mend. The dread of torn stitching can be traumatic. Pockets are a common site of injury for catching on things, to say nothing of natural wear and tear as hands go in and out, and even the continued