Quote Originally Posted by Phil Wright
I'm after any more hints & tips even after reading Barb's book. I am pleating 1/2" military pleats with a shallow reduction of about 1/6". Whenever I try sewing them down I get more waves than in the North Sea. Done the pulling tight & hold bit, but especially as it's military pleats, anything other than perfect looks a mess. Any help appreciated.
Phil
Try pinning in a few places in the sewn-down part of the pleat, especially at the ends, where the size of the pleat is determined. I run my pins along the pleat, instead of perpendicular. After you get a bit sewn down, remove the pin, and keep going. You don't have to hold it down too tightly, but enough that the fabric doesn't move as you are sewing.....

I have also taken to pinning a couple of inches below the fell, to hold the dimensions of the pleat below the sewn part, to make sure that it starts out the correct width when I iron.... I also sew several bastings before ironing..... just to hold the pleats down VERY well....

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to sew all summer, all my stuff is still in storage......

Gotta get a place to live soon.......