Yesterday I guess we had FORK pleats and today we are making KNIFE pleats… I don’t know of any way to make pleats with spoons… so we are almost done! :o)
I’m not sure if making pleats this way is easier than using the fork, but if not, it’s a very close second. You don’t need anything except a piece of cardboard or a strip of plastic as wide as the pleats you want to make…
I made these 3 samples in less than 2 minutes. I know they are just short pieces but I wanted to show you how quick and easy this way of making pleats is. Also take a look at how straight they are!!
Here is a short video of how these pleats are made…again there is an advertisement from Emeril that you can dismiss by clicking on the “skip ads” button on the right edge when it pops up after a few seconds.
The fabric she is using is much thicker than anything I would use for a doll skirt and I would never fold over my fabric… BUT I need to mention here ALWAYS hem your piece first.
She mentions using some kind of slick cardboard or stick so it slides out from between your pleats easily… it’s true… you need to do that. I first used the end cut off a card of buttons but it wasn’t long enough and then used a piece of cardstock doubled over with shipping tape wrapped over it… this is what mine looked like…
Here is a sample in blue using the method at the sewing machine…
Lay the strip of fabric down and make your first pleat by measuring the width of your paper piece. Hold the cardboard in place with your fingers.
Then you push the fabric up over the carboard piece and line up the top edge of the fabric with the top edge of the cardboard.
Slide your cardboard out holding your pleat in place and stitch to catch the top edge.
Just keep butting the cardboard stick up to the last pleat, folding the top over to line up the edges and sewing them down.
It only looks like it takes skill, it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it, and it goes really fast.
It should look like this…
…and then after a nice pressing…
If you feel intimidated by doing this at the sewing machine I decided to see if it could be done “off” the machine by pinning it in place and then sewing it. I’m pleased to tell you it worked just as well…
Here it is shown in pink done flat, held with pins and then stitched across the top.
Lay your cardboard on top first…
Then push your fabric up over the cardboard and line up the fabric with the top edge of the cardboard.
Slide your cardboard out, holding your pleat in place…
Pin that pleat in place…
Place the cardboard up against the bottom of the first pleat and do the same thing again..
You’ll end up with something that looks like this…
And then pressed…
Well, that’s it for today’s lesson on knife pleats… almost done… but I think we might have something from Linda on Saturday and then one more day of pleats… the way I made Nyssa’s pleats in her dress! :o)
See you soon,
Blessings, Jeanne
Very clever way to make pleats, and you could make them any width you desired, and for any purpose. Thanks for the good pictures, and for the link to the video, too–fascinating!
Hi Charlotte,
Yes, the beauty of this method is custom sized pleats! I love them!!
Blessings, Jeanne
And here I thought there was only one way to make pleats, Jeanne!! I will say that since I learned to sew at a young age, by hand, my first instinct is to do things by hand, not relying on any machine or thing-a-ma-gig! I would think those of you who started sewing later in life, would not think of doing things without some sort ot attachment or even machine! When I see the newer machines they have now that are digital, I just cannot imagine even trying to figure them out, and they would have completely turned me off to sewing! So these do it yourself methods with a fork or cardboard strip are right down my alley!!
Hi Linda,
I do have the gadgets, but these are SO simple to make and nothing but a fork or a piece of cardboard to get them just right. Who would have thought ….
Blessings, Jeanne
Joy, and whoever else commented after I must have fallen asleep (!) last night, you asked how big the doll I wanted was. Well, let me see, my dilemma is, I was 7 years old, and the doll was high up on a shelf behind glass doors, so I’m just guessing here! Maybe she was like 10 to 12 inches. She wasn’t a story book doll, I had those too, and she wasn’t as tall as AG dolls. Ginny dolls weren’t made then, but I do have mine that I got later with her trunk. I made a lot of her clothes, by hand!
I remember the sales lady getting different dolls down from the shelves, and me saying,”no”, and pointing to the doll I wanted. I guess my mother told her not to get the doll down from the shelf to show me! She was just too expensive! She had a red plaid pleated skirt and blonde braids. I never wanted a doll looking like me! And for sure, I still don’t now!!😂. So if any of you are looking at 50’s dolls, they are too new!
Hi Linda, I had fun looking at lots of 50’s dolls yesterday so today I’ll get to look at the 40’s. Saw a few Terri Lee dolls. That was the one I wanted but never received. Oh, those memories.
Hi Joy,
A friend just told me the other day she found her Terri Lee doll and had no idea she was so collectible. Surprise. Surprise!
Blessings, Jeanne
hi Linda,
Oh, if only your mother were alive today and could see HOW VERY MUCH you wanted that doll…she could have bought it and never bought you another thing for the rest of your life and you would have been happy.
It’s nice that NOW when and IF you see a doll you can get her.
I hope someday you find her.
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, my friend Mr. Cardboard. Now this looks like my kind of pleat method. I’ll keep my eye out for some slick pieces to try this pleating. Only problem I can see is that my machine might decide to move the pleat as it sews on to the next one. We’ll see if it does that or not. Mine would definitely have to be pinned I believe.
Still sewing on snaps and buttons for some dolly camp shirts. Should I ever get a crazy idea again, I might just hand sew them closed onto the doll to avoid the dreaded snaps/buttons. 🙂
Still battling smoke here. Pretty restricting not being able to go for a walk outside.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Joy,
I had a feeling you might like this way of making pleats!
Oh, the thrill of never ending snap sewing! I know that’s keeping you busy!! Have fun! Stay jnside! Stay safe!!
Blessings, Jeanne
Clever! I use template plastic for a lot of things I do and it would be perfect for this because it has a grid at 1/4″ intervals so the pleats could easily be whatever width I choose, but I was wondering if the thickness of the piece you use to make the pleats is important. It seemed to me it wouldn’t be, but I may be missing something.
I’m on my way to a memorial service this morning. One of our Chorale members passed away this week. He was on the second treatment of his second round of chemo treatments when his heart just gave out. We lost another member just a few short months ago with somewhat the same situation. It was like they were there one day and gone the next. The woman who passed away a few months ago was my singing buddy. We rehearsed and sang next to each other in the concerts. The man who passed away this week was a bass who sat/stood behind me. If we ever get back to rehearsal and performing, the space around me is going to seem terribly empty.
Hi Barbara
I don’t believe the thickness of the plastic or cardboard would make any difference. I hope you’ll give it a try…
Oh, I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend.
Blessings, Jeanne
Very easy looking way to achieve crisp pleats. I like videos of how to do something because I am a very visual learner. Show me how to do it and then let me give it a whirl.
Looking forward to the treat from Linda tomorrow.
hi Laura,
I like simple things too… they are usually a time saver as well.
I’m very much a visual learner too! :o)
Thanks Laura
See you tomorrow
Blessings, Jeanne
Dear Jeanne, the non-sewer says, kudos to whomever conceived of the idea of “cutlery” pleats. One uses what one has (laugh).
Hi Dorothy
How right you are!! Just doing my part to keeping things simple.
Blessings, Jeanne
I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing these different methods of making pleats. I will have to have a try, I especially like the fork method so will definitely try that one.
The ladies at my patchwork group loved the doll outfit and said I should put it in the ‘other’ section at the exhibition so that is what I will do, they loved the name too. I’m still not happy with her hair though it looks better than it did. What I need is a small hair piece with ringlets that I can attach to the back of her head but not sure I can find anything like that especially in the time frame.
I was born in 1945 in England. There was very little in the way of toys (or money in our household) until 1954 when rationing ended. All my dolls came from Woolworths. My Grandad worked on the road sweepers and had access to the local rubbish dump. He used to take stuff home to his little shed at the bottom of the garden and made toys for the children in the neighbourhood things like scooters and trikes and stuff. After we were born he included myself and my brother. Just after the War the mayor was Mr Roberts who was Margaret Roberts father She became Margaret Thatcher! I went to the same school as she did but not at the same time I hasten to add! Grandad’s toy making activities were reported to the council because they seemed to be very communistic and they couldn’t have a communist working for them.
Looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what treat Linda has for us.
Hi Anne,
I hope you do give the fork pleating a try… wasn’t that fun to see?
I LOVE the stories you shared about your grandad…what a nice guy..but an unhappy ending for all the good he did.
I hope your doll dress gets the recognition it should…
Blessings, Jeanne
I just went back and read your reply to my comment yesterday. I am thinking of selling the outfit after the Exhibition in October (we are really hoping to be back in level one by then). It would be a waste of time here, dolls are considered only for children, my friends think I am mad playing with dolls at my age lol! I have never used E Bay but think that might be the way to go. I plan to buy a box to put it in then an international post bag and get them weighed at the PO to find out how much shipping would cost before I put it up for sale. I also have to fill in the form from Pixie Faire for permission to sell it as it is copyrighted to them. It won’t be a problem as they are happy if you just sell from home they just like to know about it. IRD won’t care either, as long as your profit doesn’t exceed $1000 a year you don’t have to declare it. I try to keep all my receipts and judging from the amount I spend my profit will probably be non-existent lol.
Sam was a bit disappointed that I was selling it as Caitlin loves the porcelain dolls and she felt she would love the outfit. Since I have the pattern I can easily repeat it for her, not much point at the moment while she is sharing a room with Ashley! It would take some adjusting to make it for the dolls she has though.
The financial side troubles me a bit. I do have a PayPal account for buying but not sure if it works for selling. Also people don’t know me so they may not want to pay for something from the other side of the world in case it is a scam. Worry, worry, worry lol
Hi again Anne,
I know getting started selling on Ebay can be intimidating. But just take it slow and you’ll figure it out…
You might be surprised though…there could be some doll lurkers right there in your area that you just don’t know about who might be interested in your doll clothing. You should do a search on Ebay of the sellers nearest to you and see if any of them are selling doll things…
Hope you figure it out…
Blessings, Jeanne