My current project is a blouse with a pleated frill from September Burda. Burda tells you that you should use a synthetic fabric and send it to a professional pleating place to get the pleating done, which is not a bad idea at all. But for various reasons, I chose a silk-linen blend for this project, and I’m putting the pleats in myself. In order to keep these pleats, I will have to do a lot of ironing. I imagine that after I finish making this blouse and wash it, my pleats will end up looking more like ruffles.
This is my Perfect Pleater. I bought it from Clotilde. It is a little expensive for what it is, but I’ve had it for years and it’s pretty handy to have around.
I took a strip of fabric, folded it up once and hemmed it with a zigzag stitch.
I used a ruler to push the fabric into the pleater
I sprayed it with water and pressed it in place
I stitched the pleats down on the part of the pleat that extends below the pleater.
Take the fabric off the pleater. Spray with water and press again
Stitch on the hemmed side, leaving the last pleat un-stitched
Fit the last pleat into the pleater, and continue pleating further along.
Rolling in Cloth 