At 11:15 02/04/2008, you wrote: > > What I am trying to get down is how to do knife pleating. I have read > > many different instructions on how to make the pleats, but how can one > > acheive a sharp pleat that holds through the whole length to the bottom > > edge? The material I am using is like a lightly woven, delicately > > stiffened, cotton linen with mild sheen to it and can imagine it would > > crease well but how can I get it to hold the shape? I have heard of > > permanent press, is there a chemical used professionally to create > > permanent creases? > >I've made several fully kilted or pleated skirts and there are a few >tips I'd recommend. > >Make a yoke to hang the pleats from. It's how it was done at the time >and makes it easier and hang better. >http://costumes.glittersweet.com/historical/bella.htm >http://costumes.glittersweet.com/historical/absinthe.htm >http://costumes.glittersweet.com/phantom/wishing.htm > >These are my three Victorian pleated skirts. The first two are >stitched down at regular intervals down the length of the skirt. >That's how they keep their shape. I pleated as much fabric as I was >able and then treated that as a single pice of fabric that I cat to >shape at the waist and that is how the skirts are rather full. >The third is box pleated and the pleats need to be pressed anew each >time I wear it. But the pleats need to be left open. > >Permanent pressers generally only deal with polyester (maybe a few >other man made fibres) as it can be permanently pressed with heat. >Cotton and linen will eventually lose the crisp edge.
It may be worth looking for somewhere that does permanent pleating professionally. I use a firm to pleat my fabrics if I want the pleats to be permanent - they do it by machine and weight I believe. My firm will pleat anything, including silk organza, silk and cotton. They all keep their pleats. If I am hand pleating, I press in the pleats, down the entire length, baste each one, and steam iron again. (A long and boring, but satisfying process!) Suzi _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
