Machine stitched pleats-Help

[NorCalPiper]

Hey Gang-
Mine and my brother's new Bobilicious kilts are machine stitched (Extremely well done I might add). How exactly do you machine stitch the pleats? I've inspected the kilt and it looks as if the stitched from the wrong side of the pleat...Which makes sense, but how do they make sure the stripes line up? Any info on how to do this? Thanks

[pdcorlis]

I think I'll stay tuned to this one - I'd love to know the answer too!

[bear]

Hey Gang-
Mine and my brother's new Bobilicious kilts are machine stitched (Extremely well done I might add). How exactly do you machine stitch the pleats? I've inspected the kilt and it looks as if the stitched from the wrong side of the pleat...Which makes sense, but how do they make sure the stripes line up? Any info on how to do this? Thanks

Pins. Lots and lots of pins.
First, baste the pleats so you have lots of room to stitch the fell. I only baste/pin 1/3 of the way up from the bottom.
I use anywhere from 5 to 10 pins on each pleat on the inside of the fell, depending on the tartan and how many horizontal lines I need to pin. Place the pins on the edges of the horizontal lines, so the fabric can't slip in the feet of the sewing machine and get misaligned.
I put the pins horizontally and sew right over them. You'll bend a few pins and occassionally dull a needle, but it works pretty well.
The tricky part is the vertical alignment. You have to push the pins through in a way that will let you sew the taper and keep the vertical striped straight. Do the top and bottom pins first. Then a tug will line up the rest of the pleat close enough to guide the pin through exactly where you want them.
And I do one pleat at a time because I'm sick and tired of sticking myself with the pins on the other pleats. Hehe.

Is that making any sense? if not, it will when you try it.

[ForresterModern]

All of my kilts, with the exception of my newest which has yet to be reviewed here (be patient) are machine sewn, and the pleat stitches across the fell in back are invisible from the outside, just like my new handsewn, with one exception. I bought an inexpensive (okay, cheap) 8yd casual PV from fredonline123 off ebay that has what appears to be (if my memory of sewing lingo holds out) topstitching along the edges of the fell portions of the pleats, something not seen on my other kilts. I take it, since this is a budget end kilt, that this sewing from the outside (so to speak) must somehow be easier and therefore less expensive way of sewing the fell pleats than from the inside of the kilt like my other machine and hand sewns?

If folks have questions about what I am describing let me know and I can post a picture or two tonite.

jeff :ootd:

[Pleater]

The top stitching method is faster, as it is possible to do with less preparation, and by applying more or less pull on the fabric the horizontals can be aligned as the sewing is done.

As long as the sewing thread blends in well and a bit of care is taken the method is not all that detrememtal to the finished product, it is just that when compared with a kilt which is machine sewn with a greater investment of time, or expertly hand sewn a bit of craft envy creeps in.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: