On pleating...

*12/11/17

Latest update: A podcast from the man who "wrote the book" on pleating! https://materialisyourbusiness.com/2017/12/035-george-kalajian-of-toms-sons-pleating-writing-the-book-on-pleating/

Re-posting (from 4/23/14... for the love of pleating...)  Note: I still wear the skirt.

I admit to having a healthy dose of chiffonophobia.  You know, large expanses of chiffon move freely when you try to cut them, bias can be an amorphous nightmare, so needle and thread choice, correct cutting, and careful sewing are paramount to success...

I also find it irresistible.

On this project, with some trepidation, I headed into unfamiliar territory.  I knew I wanted to make a sunburst pleated skirt, and I knew who would do the pleating for me, but I had NO IDEA how to plan and cut it.  Because the skirt pattern is a sophisticated circle,  I did not know how to get it to work for the skirt I wanted to make.

I had already scored some fabulous James-Bond-esque golden/black chiffon from Kashi at Metro Textiles, and embarked on the dream.  This is a project you cannot engineer on your own; you need a permanent pleating process to make this work, and I knew just who to call. 

So, I sat down with George of International Pleating.  To do what I did here, you do not need an appointment.  Nope.  All you need is this link, and you can cut it yourself, send or physically take the fabric to International Pleating, and have it pleated.

The wonderful team at International Pleating gave such perfect instructions (with a printable pattern), that this was just as easy as pie to do.  I know, because I've done it.

Oh... and the pattern is FREE.  Yes, I said FREE.

Pleated version, laying beneath the original (unpleated) chiffon.

And the end result is why I couldn't resist the step-by-step instructions for a sunburst pleated bias skirt, provided by International Pleating.

What did I do?

Step 1: I read the instructions.  Note the fabric recommendations, length of skirt, and waist sizes given. You can request help from International Pleating if you need to make something outside of the size/length range provided. The instructions I used can be found here.

Step 2: I printed and assembled the pattern.  Using an ordinary printer. No special equipment or paper required.  The pattern can be found here.

Step 3: I followed the cutting instructions.  Pay attention here - follow the instructions exactly as they are written, for the best possible results.

Pleated chiffon before sewing

Step 4:  I gave it to International Pleating to pleat the fabric.  This is an EXTREMELY affordable service, by the way. $14 per panel for pleating.

I cut my waist out after getting the fabric pleated (I thought I could hang the bias more easily this way) , but if you are at all uncomfortable with properly cutting your waist after the pleating is done, doing it first gives you better accuracy.

Step 5: I followed the rest of the written instructions to complete the skirt.

Step 6: I let the bias hang...


While letting the bias hang, I worried about a "twist" I was worried I couldn't fix at the side seam.

But then I let it hang... and hang...

and hang...

And, because of my busy schedule, it hung longer than I planned, and the side seam "twist" self-resolved!

Awaiting full bias "drooping"!

Step 7: I hemmed the skirt.

A bit of experimentation led me to a rolled hem done with a fine zigzag stitch.  Done here on a test piece on the straight grain,  it gives the hem a bit of a wiry feel, that I wanted to use on this bias hem to give the skirt some energy!  

Step 8: I fell in love with the "dancey" quality of the hem method I chose!

I will wear it over a fitted black stretchy mini-tank dress, that will create my "slip" beneath the skirt. 

Now... Shall we dance?

Custom garment district tour, and an Australian girl's dream achieved!

Showing only the dress, for her privacy's sake...

I am often amazed at how far the tentacles of this little blog can stretch.

Some months ago, a wonderful Australian woman came to visit New York City, booked a quick custom tour with me, and together, we found the perfect fabric, supplies, and notions to create this beautiful dress for her daughter's school ball (like an American prom) gown.

Funny enough, the Australian fell in love with this particular fabric (slightly different from what she chose for her daughter), and bought what became the under-layer for herself, but, upon her return to Australia, her daughter LOVED it, so I went to the garment district to procure a matching chiffon layer for this dreamy silk, and sent it to her in Australia!

*Note: The dressmaker commissioned to make this gown is in Australia, and she did a stellar job!

If you didn't know it already, this effort proves that a mother's love is boundless! What a lucky girl!

The right cut

I hand-draped and hand-sewed this dress for a client,  partially due to cutting fears!

I have long had a fear of large expanses of bias chiffon.  Generally, hearing the words, "...three layers of chiffon skirts" on a gown, would give me the chills. The cutting and stabilizing were nightmare processes I just didn't want to deal with.

I designed and made this organza bolero for a client a few years ago, and cut spiral bias pieces to make this happen. But again, my cutting fears made me cut this in a far less efficient, and trepidatious way...

My current freelance gig in a couture designer's workshop has taught me volumes about dealing with chiffon in particular, and I think this post will help those of you with slippery fabrics fears to conquer the beast!

What will affect your success:

The right cutting surface

Ergonomics is the study of people and their work. It combines engineering, physiology, and psychology to prevent injuries and make work more efficient. Ergonomics focuses on adapting the work, the tools, and the work station to fit the worker instead of requiring that the worker accommodate himself or herself to the equipment. This can take the form of adjusting work heights, modifying hand tools, adding material handling equipment, or a variety of other solutions.

-Sheree Gibson, Ergonomist and Engineer (research for the Wolff company, specifically)

Ideally, a surface that is flat, sturdy, about 6 to 8 feet long, and at least 58" wide would accommodate most garment projects.  The ideal height of the table depends on your height. Try making that happen in an NYC apartment... good luck! We're just talking about getting the ideal situation here. The designer has big industrial tables. In my own space, I use a banquet table from Staples.  Works just fine for me. You may be able to adjust the height of an existing table with bed risers from a home goods store, or you may choose to ignore me entirely, if space, budget or lifestyle don't permit.

Stabilizing your fabric for cutting success

No amount of skill will make up for not preparing to cut your fabric correctly.  Read this post from the Sewing Divas for tips on how to cut fabrics that won't hold still.

All I have to add to the procedure given at the link given above, is that the designer I'm currently working with uses a layer of brown paper to stabilize beneath the fabric, then fabric on top of that paper, carefully lined up against the edge, and then, a layer of sample paper on top (makes it easier to position pieces on correct grain, and you can kinda see through it), on top of which which the pattern would be placed, traced (if appropriate), pinned though all three layers at the edges only, and then cut.  Yes, cut... through chiffon and layers of paper. Using the good shears.

The right shears

If you sew, you probably have  a dedicated pair of shears you use for fabric. Shears (vs. scissors) have a larger handle on one side to accommodate a couple of fingers, so that you may place your thumb on top and several  fingers in the bottom.  The handles are often attached with an adjustable screw for precise cutting.

Many of us who sew in our own homes or small studios cringe at the thought of our precious fabric shears ever being used to cut anything but fabric.  "They'll be ruined!" A bit of a sewing myth, this is both kinda, sorta true, and uhhhh... not really true.  Cutting paper with your fabric shears will not ruin them; it will make you need sharpening sooner.  You'd like to keep your shears specific for their designated task, which is to cut fabric. I know many sewers don't get their shears sharpened often, if at all, really.  The choice to do so is based on the quality of your shears, how much you care, the types of fabric you cut, and the amount of cutting you do.  If yours need sharpening, it is entirely affordable.  Drop them off at Steinlauf and Stoller (that's where I go) or Wesphfal (who offer sharpening services for a variety of industries), and pick them up when they're ready (depends on workload at the shop - could be hours, next day, or could be a few days), and it will only cost you a few bucks, which is totally worth it.  Sometimes shears need more than just sharpening.  Cleaning and re-edging are services provided by some manufacturers, and rust or a loose screw could also be problems you need to solve. It is good to know what the problem is before deciding on what service(s) you will require.

I know some of you likely never or very rarely sharpen your shears.  In that case, for you... "Stay away from paper!".

There are plenty of nice dressmaking shears, and there are lots of great industrial shears.  You need the right tools for the task and for the environment in which you will use them.  They can be quite pricey, compared to the least expensive brands, but they also make great gifts.  ( Tip: Start hinting now for your next gift receiving occassion...) If you care enough, they are truly worth the investment.  Feel free to ignore me if you're laying out your fabric on your bed or carpeted floor, though.  See what I'm saying? The quality of the cutting is entirely dependent upon the hands operating them and the environment in which they are being used. A great deal of study has gone into the ergonomics of cutting tools. One of the biggest reasons for this, has been the rapid increase in repetitive stress injuries to workers, caused by the repetition of a motion or exertion over time. As an occasional or part-time sewing professional, artist, or hobbyist, you may not need/want to put excessive thought into your tools, but if you have seen the walls of Wolff, Kai, Wiss, Gingher and other branded industrial shears in some of the garment center stores and wonder what all the fuss is about, here's your answer:

Better tools give you better results when cutting.  The bent-handled shears allow you to cut more precisely and get the proper angle against the table, the longer blades require fewer repetitive movements, the thin, sharp tips allow you to get into tight corners and angles, and the ergonomically designed handles allow you to grip the scissors in the most ideal position for doing so.  There are also left-handed scissors for the southpaws among us.  Better quality shears have sharper blades, generally made of high grade stainless steel, and are specifically designed to stay sharper longer.

After you've bought them, you've also gotta pay attention to where and how you keep your shears.  Mine are suspended on pegs above my work table, but I do love a good holster attached to a wall or table somewhere, too. Something sorta cowgirl about it, I suppose? Above all, don't drop them, and don't let your kids or well-intentioned others use them.  For that matter, don't let evil-intentioned people use them either. Yes, I know you love them (the kids and others, not the shears), but really, some things are just off-limits.

Where can you buy great shears?  Archer, Pacific Trimming, Steinlauf & Stoller, Panda, or online... I'm sure there are more places.

By the Way...

When you're done cutting, you're not done.  If you've cut bias pieces, baste them as they are meant to be assembled, and let them hang overnight.  You'll have to be the judge of what is appropriate for the garment you're making, but just "sewing it up" without doing this is likely to be a very bad idea.