Technical Posts

Best Panel Shapes for Pleating

This is the second post in a series on fundamental pleating concepts.  I would recommend reading The ABC’s of Pleating prior to reading this post. This one discusses the two basic panel shapes you ...

How to Make Pleated Ruffles

There are many different types of pleated ruffles, and many ways to make them. Below you will find examples of three garments all pleated in the same style, yet with very different looks.   In this...

More on Cutting Chiffon Bias Circles

This post mainly applies to chiffon and satin charmeuse fabrics. These have more of a stretch on the bias whether pleated or not. Once in a while, you may find that you don’t have enough fabric to ...

Why Your Seams Don’t Seem Sew Good

This is part two of the anatomy lesson from the last post!   A classic mistake we see on a regular basis with pleated sunburst accordion skirts has to do with the side seams and the center back zip...

Three Methods Used to Pleat Fabric

There are three basic methods used to pleat fabric: hand, pattern and machine. These methods can be used individually or in combination in various ways to yield different results and textures.

What is the difference between Fortuny pleating and mushroom pleating?

We are frequently asked this question. The short answer is: Fortuny pleating is more expensive than mushroom pleating. The long answer has to do with the fabric used, the pleating techniques as wel...