Friday Fun Fact: The math and logic of pleats

Hey folks, it's Elizabeth here, and I'm so excited about this fun fact!

Today we're talking about making pleats. Specifically, the math and logic of pleats.

Let’s begin with basic pleat structure. If you’ve never made pleats before, here’s a quick tutorial.

If you are working from a pattern, you’ll often see a marking of a solid line with an arrow connecting it to a dotted line (top right picture).

To make the pleat, fold and pick up the fabric on the solid line and bring it to meet the dotted line. There’s your basic pleat, or knife pleat.

Sometimes you’ll just baste across the top of the pleat, other times you might edgestitch along the length of the pleat. You can do whatever your pattern suggests.

Often, when I’m working with pleats, I’m not using a pattern. That means I get to figure it out myself! Generally, I am pretty easygoing about pleats. They definitely don’t need to be perfect! If my pleats vary a little, I do not care. But there is a little bit of math we can do to take some of the guesswork out.

In these examples, let’s suppose we’re trying to fit a big piece of fabric - such as the top of a skirt or a ruffle - into a finite, smaller measurement - like the skirt’s waistband, or whatever you’re attaching the ruffle to.

A pleat makes a Z-fold in your fabric, which means that you’re creating three layers out of one. That means your pleated fabric takes up only 1/3 as much space as your original fabric.

If your pleats just touch each other, your starting fabric length should be three times your desired finished length. 3” of fabric will pleat into 1”, or 30” will pleat into 10”, and so on.

That’s the simplest way. But let’s explore some other examples, starting with spaced out pleats.

Check the diagram below with 1" pleats and 1/2" spaces. That places each pleat one half pleat width apart.

We can count up the finished length of three pleats plus three spaces to equal 4 1/2". Then we can count up the total fabric length to get 10 1/2". 

4.5 x 2.333 = 10.5

So, if your pleats are one half pleat width apart (like our example above) cut your fabric 2.333 times your desired finished length. 

If your pleats are one pleat width apart (for example, 1” pleats with a 1” space in between) cut your fabric 2 times your desired finished length. (This example is not pictured.)

Sometimes we want our pleats to be even closer than just touching - we want them to overlap. This is common when pleating a very full skirt.

We generally can’t have pleats overlap by one whole pleat width, because then we’d just get a giant stack of pleats that went nowhere but up! So let’s move on.

For pleats that overlap by half the pleat width, cut your fabric 4.333 times the finished width you need. (I didn't draw this one, so you'll just have to trust me.)

For other kinds of spacing, you can sketch it out on paper and experiment! Spoiler alert: that’s all I have done to figure these out.

It’s crucial to remember that the size of the pleat DOES NOT MATTER for these formulas. A 1” wide pleat triples the fabric, and so does a ½” wide pleat. We’re using a 1” example just to make it simple.

Okay, now that we’ve done all that math, it’s important to remember that fabric and human hands are not mathematically perfect. Fabric moves and stretches and wiggles, and there is a limit to the accuracy of human hands. 

So if you do all this work and your pleats are still not perfect, don’t despair! Here are a few more tips:

- With most fabrics, your pleats will have a tendency to “grow” or spread out, so I always make mine spaced slightly closer than I need.

- It’s easy to go back and adjust one or two pleats to get the fabric to the desired length, and it generally won’t be visible in the finished garment.

- Box pleats are two knife pleats facing each other, so when doing the math for box pleats, you just count it as two pleats.

Another great resource for this kind of thing is the book The Art of Manipulating Fabric by Colette Wolff.

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: process vs. product

Hi folks, it's me Elizabeth here, and today's Friday Fun Fact is more of a Friday Fun Opinion. Come along, let chat.

A topic we’ve been discussing lately in class is process vs. product. Are you a process creator or a product creator? Let me explain.

At one end of the spectrum is the process creator. A process creator sews (or knits, or paints, or chops logs, or whatever) purely for the enjoyment of doing it. The process of creating is itself enough to keep them engaged. The satisfaction of the doing is its own reward. 

Process creators might still enjoy some tasks more or less than others, but overall, the point of the creating is just in the doing. 

At the other end of the spectrum is a project creator. Project creators could not give a darn about the experience. They want the end result!  Why bother making something if you don’t care about the finished item? 

A project creator might enjoy making, but overall, the making is not the point. The point is getting the thing.

Now most of us aren’t going to fall all the way to either side of this scale. We might rate ourselves as 20% process and 80% product, or the other way around, or a straight 50/50.

Here’s why this matters: understanding your motivations for sewing will inform the decisions you make as a creator. 

A person who leans more toward the process side of sewing might choose a technique based on how much they enjoy it. Do they enjoy the challenge of welt pockets? Or maybe they love sewing lots of long, straight lines. The choice is based on the feeling of the doing.

Someone who’s more on the project side would probably choose the technique that gave them the result they wanted most, regardless of how the experience of sewing it felt. If they wanted a welt pocket, they would make a welt pocket. If the seam finish just has to be serviceable, they probably won’t bother with a fancy one.

Plus, where you land on this scale might change with every different thing that you sew!

In our sewing, we are faced with decisions all the time. Even the strictest direction-follower still has to make choices. Understanding where your motivation lies can help you figure out which choice to make and which path to take. And that will help us all enjoy the process - and the product - even more.

Friday Fun Fact: the fabric swirl

We're back! And today we're talking about the fabric swirl.

You’ve probably noticed the way I like to swirl the fabrics when I take photos for our shop and emails. It looks pretty to show the fabrics this way, but there are other, more practical reasons why I do this!

The first reason is drape. A crisp fabric will stand up by itself, while a soft, draping fabric will fall in softer folds.

Compare the crisp pink linen fabric above to the drapey green fabric below. Notice how the linen holds itself up, while the green fabric puddles.

The next reason is to give you a better idea of what the fabric will look like when you're wearing it. Fabric never hangs perfectly flat on the body, so a flat photo doesn't help much.

Twisting, swirling, or creating folds changes the way the fabric reflects light, so you can see what it would look like draped over a body, like the velvet below.

Of course, sometimes the swirl can obscure a printed pattern or design. That’s why with prints we always make sure to include alternate views on each product page: swirled and flat, so you know exactly what you’re getting.  

Friday Fun Fact: Making a Mockup

Hey it's Elizabeth, and today we're talking about making a muslin mockup.

Some sewists just call it a muslin, others a mockup, but either way, it's a basic test version of your garment used to check fit.

Mockups are basic, made of cheap fabric, and are never meant to be made into completed garments. Use old sheets, thrifted fabric, or any basic, stable woven. Machine sew them together, and don't bother with seam finishes, hems, facings, pockets, or tidy details.

You'll try the mockup on and see where changes to the fit could be made. Often this involves pinning, cutting, and drawing on the fabric. My favorite thing to do is take pictures - it's so much easier to analyze the pics than just look in the mirror!

When everything looks good, you'll transfer the changes to your paper pattern.

I am often asked about when a mockup is necessary, or whether I make one for every single garment I sew.

I personally make mockups for about 80% of my projects. I'll skip one if my project is made from a knit or if it's very loose-fitting, such as pajama pants.

I'll also do a mockup if I'm not sure about the style of the finished garment and want to check it out before I commit to sewing.

Want to know more? Michele and I will cover tons of common pattern adjustments in our Fitting Starts Here class! 

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: Moths

We talked about caring for wool a couple weeks ago, and that always brings up the annoying nuisance of moths.

It's true, sometimes moths eat holes in your wool! It's awful, but there are things we can do.

As with so many things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Moths are particularly attracted to soiled spots, so clean all woolens before storing for the season. You CAN hand-wash all your wool items, including sweaters and cashmere. See our wool washing tips here!

Putting wool items away fresh and clean will make them much less vulnerable to moth damage.

Moths prefer dark, musty spaces, so let air and light into your closet frequently, and keep the closet floors and corners free of dust.

But what if it's too late and the moths have already gotten in?

First we're gonna get rid of them. Sealing up the affected garments in airtight bags with mothballs is an effective method, but mothballs are toxic so you'll need to be careful and follow the directions.

Dry cleaning, airing, and ironing can also rid your clothes of moths. Learn more at this article here.

Next, we want to mend those holes. There are lots of creative ways! You can mend invisibly with matching thread or get colorful with embroidery and patches that make it artsy and intentional.

Our Decorative Mending class shows you plenty of options for fixing holes, whether they're caused by moths or just normal wear and tear!

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here! 

Friday Fun Fact: Worn book review

Today we have a book review from Treadlette Laura! Worn  A People’s History of Clothing  Sofi Thanhauser (2022)  Worn is a history of fabric and clothing. As a sewist and a teacher of beginning sewing, my favorite part was the author’s lessons learned from attending Woolfest in Scotland, “Things can be mended, they must not be rushed, and their imperfections are an intrinsic part of their value.” (p. 259) This is the message I try to communicate to students and remember as I sew.

The book dives into the ecological and human costs of how linen, cotton, silk, synthetics, and wool are produced. The author describes the ongoing pollution caused by fabric and garment production as well as how the industry relies on exploited laborers.  I liked how this book shared many stories and details about the value of garment workers and how that has changed through history. I also enjoyed how the author highlighted how micro-communities, textile manufacturers, and clothing makers around the world are using ancestral and ethical methods for making what we wear.   This is a dense book, that tends to wander at times, but it is a good read for anyone interested or concerned about where our fabric and clothing originates.   Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: Sewing with wool!

You may have noticed it's wool sewing season! Here are some tips on how to sew and care for one of our favorite fibers.

Wool is generally considered to be sheep's fleece, though many animals also produce hair suitable for textile use. Alpacas, llamas, goats, rabbits, and yaks are also raised for fiber, but we typically see these fibers referred to by the specific animal they came from. If something is simply labeled "wool," it's probably sheep's wool.

For the purposes of sewing and care, however, treat any of the above animal fibers with the wool tips below.

First up: pre-treating. Yes, you can wash wools!

Hand-wash wool to pre-treat: use cold water, mild soap, and let it soak a bit (avoiding agitating) then squeeze the extra water out.

If you can set your washing machine to spin only, then put your wet wool in for a spin to remove all the excess water. If not, roll it up in some big fluffy towels. Then air-dry your wool, supporting it well to prevent sagging.

Your other option is to have it steamed at a dry cleaner. You can do this if you plan to dry-clean the finished garment.

Next up, sewing! Wool is so incredibly forgiving to sew. The fibers are soft and bouncy and have a slight natural stretch. This makes it really easy to ease sleeve caps and steam darts into shape.

Stitches sink into wool's texture and can virtually disappear. A blind hem stitch can be quite invisible!

Edge finish seam allowances on wool with a serger or zig-zag stitch - or try a bias bound Hong Kong finish if you want to be fancy!

To line or not? Wool garments don't have to be lined! A lining can provide support, structure, and a smooth inside, but it's not crucial to success. Many wools have unbelievable next-to-skin softness. Others can be fully lined, partly lined, or worn with layers - a light slip or blouse is perfect under a wool dress, skirt, or vest!

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: Vintage Halloween

It's spooky season! Halloween is right around the corner. Personally I love dressing up in costumes, and costumed parties were popular in the olden times too! 

In the 19th century, costume parties were popular for Halloween, New Year's Eve, or any time! What's interesting is seeing how the costumes of the day still reflected the fashionable sihouette of the time. Check out the fashion plates of "fancy dress," the Victorian term for dress-up costumes.

In the 1920s, Halloween's popularity boomed, and we have lots of pictures to show us what kinds of costumes folks were wearing! See even more at the blog post!

Are you dressing up this year? Did you sew any costumes? Let us know - or better yet, send us a picture!

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: Vintage Button Mythbusting!

Today we're doing a little vintage button mythbusting.

Everyone loves seeing the gorgeous vintage buttons at Treadle, but we find that a lot of folks are reluctant to use them in a project, for fear of cost, breakage, or that they're just too fancy! 

So today I want to set your mind at ease and tell you how easy it is to use vintage buttons!

Myth #1: Vintage buttons are too expensive

While a super-fancy giant rhinestone clasp might set you back a bit, there's definitely a range of options! 

We're more used to seeing buttons individually priced at Treadle, and anywhere from $2 to $8 per button is pretty common.

It's common to get a little sticker shock when you see a card of buttons for $24, but for 8 buttons, that's still only $3 each!

Some of our vintage china and bone buttons in tubes are as little as 35 cents each!

Myth #2: You can't wash vintage buttons

Not so! We often hear fears of having to remove the buttons before laundering your garment, but in 98% of cases, that's simply unnecessary!

Water won't damage china, ceramic, bone, shell, mother-of-pearl, glass, and other natural materials. 

The only concern with shell and glass might be breakage, so try this tip: button up the garment, turn it inside out, and wash and dry inside a garment bag.

All of us at Treadle have had great success for years with this method! And remember - these buttons have survived for decades already - they're stronger than you think!

Myth #3: Vintage buttons are just too fancy for my project

Not every vintage button is encrusted with glitter! There are so many options in mother-of-pearl, glass, ceramic, Bakelite, metal, vegetable ivory, shell, and more. 

Take a look - you might find that perfect addition to your project! Becky refreshes the vintage button selection about every 6 weeks, so there's always something new to see!

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: Shoulder Pads

Today we're talking about shoulder pads!

Ok, I know the term "shoulder pads" can conjure up horrific images of the 1980s, but don't let that put you off! Shoulder pads are an essential component of any jacket or coat.

It doesn't have to look like this:

Shoulder pads build shape into your garment and help a jacket hold its structure. Without a shoulder pad, a jacket or coat looks floppy and without substance.

The pad doesn't have to be big! A thin 1/4" or 1/2" pad is plenty to support your garment's shape.

Check out these examples of shoulder pads in action! First up is a Doctor Who cosplay I made for my kiddo. I will tell you, the construction of this coat is... not great. I took A LOT of shortcuts. But I made sure to properly pad the shoulder and it really makes a difference in how finished and structured the coat looks!

Here's the last coat I made for myself. The pad is pretty thin but you can really see how it supports the shape!

Sewing tips for shoulder pads:

Most shoulder pads are not symmetrical. Place the longer point in the front.

Shoulder pads need to be hand-sewn in, but it doesn't take much: hand-tack them to the armscye seam and the shoulder seam.

Make sure you pin the shoulder pads into the muslin mockup during your fitting process.

You can combine a shoulder pad with a sleeve header: a narrow strip of flannel or batting that helps support the shoulder seam. 

Shop our shoulder pads here!

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: a book review from Laura

Today we've got a sewing book review from Laura!

The Coat Route 

Craft, Luxury, and Obsession on the trail of a $50,000 coat 

by Meg Lukens Noonan  

This is one of my favorite books, and I don’t mean a favorite book about fashion or sewing. It is the true story of an Australian businessman who asks his tailor to make him a warm coat for his upcoming move to Vancouver. Because cost is not an issue, the tailor uses the best materials, starting with Vicuna wool at $6,000 a yard, and hand sewing techniques to highlight the dying art of bespoke clothing.  

The author describes each step in making the coat from drafting the pattern to the final detail stitches. She also describes the history of the manufacturing process for the wool, buttons, silk lining, and other components of the coat. The book is not about excess, but about the quality of the supplies and craft that add lasting value to clothing.  

Enjoy the book and think about how sewing our own clothes is a practice of quality. 

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: Fork Pleats!

Here's my favorite way to make pleated trim: with a fork!

I first learned this technique almost 20 years ago in an online discussion forum about sewing Victorian costumes. It's the easiest way to make perfectly neat and consistent pleats!

First create your fabric strip. Cut your fabric as wide as you want the pleated trim plus hem allowance, and three times as long as the edge you're attaching it to. 

Next join them all together, and hem the bottom edge. If the top edge will be visible, hem that too.

​​​​​​​If you're using ribbon, you can skip the hemming and go straight to the pleats!

Set your sewing machine to a basting length and start stitching on one end of the strip. Now it's time to start making pleats! Grab your fork (and lick the cake crumbs off).

Insert the fork, give it a twirl, and voila! There's your pleat!

(Need more visuals? Scroll to the bottom for the video.)

As you go, pay attention to your spacing. Push each pleat snugly up against the last one, but not overlapping.

Now hold the pleat in place with your fingers while you slide the fork out. (We definitely don't want to sew over the fork.) Stitch along the edge to hold the pleat in place.

Repeat until you have all the pleated trim you want! Then take it to the ironing board for a good press.

You'll need to manipulate it a bit as you iron to keep the pleats even along the length.

Now you can sew your perfectly pressed pleats into place!

You can use different-sized forks to get different sized pleats. I've used a tiny fondue fork in the past for really little ones!

You can see more of the process in the video!

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Friday Fun Fact: State Fair Highlights!

Did you make it to the State Fair to check out all the sewing?

I was so impressed with the quality and quantity of the garment submissions this year! Not to mention all the embroidery, quilting, and so much more!

You may have noticed the Treadle Yard Goods awards. Though Treadle donates prizes, we don't actually choose the winners. The State Fair judges determine the outstanding garment entries and we trust them to judge fairly. 

Check out my favorite highlights below!