Apron edge to last pleat stitching question

[mycoleptodiscus]

I am in the process of basting and tailor stitching the inverted pleat to the underapron and the last pleat to the apron. I put in a hidden pleat to allow for alteration later. The hidden pleat appears to be in between the last pleat and the apron. Do I baste both the hidden pleat and the last pleat to the apron? The inverted pleat basting to the underapron went very smoothly, but I am having a devil of a time doing the basting and tailor stitching on the apron...

[Barb T]

Just so that we're using the same terminology, if you put in a hidden pleat, you should have put it in before the *first* pleat (the one next to the apron), not the last pleat (next to the underapron). Is that where your hidden pleat is?

So, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "stitching the last pleat to the apron". If you can clarify that for me, I can help! And it would also help if you could clarify what kind of trouble you're having tailor basting the apron.

[mycoleptodiscus]

Yes, the hidden pleat is before the first pleat. My mistake. It's actually deeper than the first pleat. The hidden pleat seems to pucker a bit at the bottom of the fell. I'm on step 5 and 6 on pages 89 and 90. Shaping the right underapron went great. I'm not very "hippy" so there is not much shaping to my kilt. I am trying to shape the left apron. It is very uncooperative. I can't seem to both match the stipes and have the apron be smooth. Does the hidden pleat get based to the left aprn edge along with the first pleat? Thanks for your help. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

[Barb T]

When I put in a hidden pleat, I baste the edge of it to the apron first, matching the stripes. Then I baste the edge of the deep pleat separately, and, last, tailor baste the whole thing. Try that and let me know how it goes.

Also - I assume you're working with wool tartan? If so, it's likely to look puckery until you've pressed it. I've made lots of kilts where I've agonized about whether the puckers will ever press out, and they've smooth out every time when I get to the steam pressing.

[mycoleptodiscus]

Yes, it's 100% Merino from Fraiser & Kirkbright. Thanks for the reassurances. I'll post a pic when I get the tailor stitching done.

[Barb T]

Just be sure that you use a pressing ham underneath the kilt when you're steam pressing so that it's shaped to a curve - don't try to press it flat on the ironing board.