Clarification on Basting the Pleats

**DannyBoy2k** · 22nd November 12, 07:51 PM

Even with Barb's excellent Basting the pleats for pressing thread, this sewing neophyte still doesn't quite grasp the descriptions provided. I copied one of her photos and have arrows to the parts I want to make sure I'm understanding. When you've finished basting, each pleat should be stitched to the pleat immediately before it and the pleat immediately after it, correct?

In the attached photo, the stitches circled in red on the bottom baste the pleat pointed to by the blue arrow to the one pointed to by the green arrow, correct? And the stitches circled in red on the top baste the blue pleat to the purple pleat, correct? And each stitch goes through the two layers of the blue pleat and the two layers of the green or purple pleat, respectively, correct?

Thanks!

~Dan

**The Wizard of BC** · 23rd November 12, 12:04 AM

I think you are over thinking this.

Basting is sort of like pinning. It holds things in place while you work on it. That's it. Just tack things in place.

Green pleat is tacked to blue pleat.....Blue pleat tacked to purple pleat.

You are sewing through four layers each time. One pleat sewn to the one underneath it...stop....move to next pleat......repeat. Quick, down and dirty.

In your picture you are moving from green to blue to purple.

Start at the dot on the green pleat. Sew the green pleat to the blue pleat (two stitches)...move to blue pleat (long diagonal stitch)....sew blue pleat to purple pleat (two stitches)..... move to purple pleat (another long diagonal stitch)...... and so on.

**DannyBoy2k** · 23rd November 12, 05:19 AM

Yes, I'm sure I'm over thinking it, but that's my standard mode of operation for everything.

Given that you're sewing through two pleats at the same time, both of those pleats need to be folded exactly as they should be at the same time, right? e.g. when you stitch the green pleat to the blue pleat, in addition to the green pleat now being fixed, the green pleat can't be adjusted anymore either due to the stitches going through both it's layers too, right?

I found one other method of basting the pleats here that suggested only going through the top layer of the following pleat. That would still allow you to adjust the following pleat when it's time to baste it to the one after. e.g. When you baste the green pleat to the blue, only go through the first layer of the blue pleat. You could then adjust the blue pleat further before basting it to the purple pleat. Anyone else use this method, or it pretty much the standard to go all the way through the following pleat?

~Dan

**sydnie7** · 23rd November 12, 08:45 AM

I think the method you describe would allow too much movement during the pressing process. The point (obviously) is to nail down the pleats in perfect alignment so that you can move the kilt around on your pressing board and not have to fuss with it too much before applying the iron each time. Spend time during the basting process and your pressing will go faster. Skimp during basting and your pressing will go slowly. . . your choice of where to spend the time, but trying to nudge a pleat into alignment while the rest of the kilt's weight is hanging off the board and you are holding a hot iron in one hand is not a recipe for success.

**DannyBoy2k** · 23rd November 12, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by sydnie7

I think the method you describe would allow too much movement during the pressing process. The point (obviously) is to nail down the pleats in perfect alignment so that you can move the kilt around on your pressing board and not have to fuss with it too much before applying the iron each time. Spend time during the basting process and your pressing will go faster. Skimp during basting and your pressing will go slowly. . . your choice of where to spend the time, but trying to nudge a pleat into alignment while the rest of the kilt's weight is hanging off the board and you are holding a hot iron in one hand is not a recipe for success.

You're referring to the second method I described above? Certainly not something I've tried, just read about here

Guess I just need to sit down and try basting to figure out what will work best. I have an 8yd, 16 oz bagpipe band kilt that needs some repressing. Will be the first time I've tried anything like this, so just trying to think of questions before I get need deep into anything.

Cheers,
Dan