Can anyone identify this sewing technique? Pleat?

[Darth Mule]

Here's the deal. IN the pic below you can see a sash that has been knife pleated in at alternating intervals at a right angle. I've seen this same method used in Watteau-Back gown skirts, but I do not know what it is called. I need to find a name for it to look up how to do it.

Does anyone know what this technique is called?

 

[iycis]

I don't know what that's called but I would like to win a prize for identifying that as part of the Prince Nuada costume.


I'd better be right too. :lol

 

[padme911]

It is called a Watteau pleat and I found a tutorial here: http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.com/2009/08/half-tutorial-on-watteau-pleat.html

From what I read it is like a box pleat and then you would just angle it to get that look that you are showing.

 

[Darth Mule]

Thanks Padme, but not quite. That looks like the pleat in the back of the gown in that tutorial. I'm looking for the cross pleating.

And yes Iycis. That's a Nuada costume, tho not the one I'm putting together. And no prizes I'm afraid. Just pats on the head.

 

[mdb]

Thanks Padme, but not quite. That looks like the pleat in the back of the gown in that tutorial. I'm looking for the cross pleating.

Watteau pleats are just stacked box pleats anyway- usually, Robes Francaise tend to stick with this though some of the pleats are deeper than they are wide so over lap inside a bit. There was a great page once that described all the parts of a pleat (face, leading edge, return etc.) but I can't find it again. It was perfect to point people at.

In the skirts they are simply knife pleats directed to the back to meet as an inverted pleat (only the CB pleat is inverted all the rest are knife pleats). They don't cross each other. The pleats of the gown side waist tend to be stacked inverted pleats though there is a really yummy exaple of some radiatng knife pleats on a gown in the V&A. The pleats in the above photo are for surface decoration and wouldn't work as a means to control fullness.

In the pic they look like knife pleats arranged to form a herringbone pattern where they meet. Each quarter will be made up and then carefully laid so that the edges of each pleat nest inside their opposite. They may even be tucks to keep them in perfect shape or just be sewn to the inner support by hand as needed.

The sash itself appears to be tacked in place at the back at least, maybe to a support layer (saw a publicity pic that shows the side nicely.)

I recommend The Art of Manipulating Fabric (by Colette Wolff) for information about the various methods of texturing fabric. Her book is very well done and breaks down the basic techniques of each kind of manipulation.

 

[iycis]

I'm highjacking this thread for a sec to say that I just looked at your website, MDB, and I'm in love with your kamfrau dress. I'm obsessed with Cranach's paintings because I love that style. :love

 

[CustomPropSculptorGuy]

It's an angled box pleat, normally done on set quickly with an iron and steam-a-seam on a 22.5 or 45-degree angle. Looks great, easy to make. If anything, just fold the material over just enough to "bluff" the look of the pleat, and then blast it with heat and steam.

 

[Darth Mule]

Thanks Propsculptor. I can kind of see it now. Its like an origami fold. Now if I can find a tutorial or something in a book to make it easier to execute rather than slowly try to figure it out on my own.

-Chris