For Pleats Sake

Pleats are a design feature that can be found in many guises. They can add volume to a garment or create ease to allow for movement. They can be subtle or exaggerated, depending on the design. Knowing a bit more about the type of pleat can help you tackle some fun pattern hacks.

When it comes to sewing pleats, there are three main types: Knife Pleat, Inverted Pleat and Box Pleat.

Knife Pleat:
This is a basic pleat. It’s created by folding the fabric over by the desired amount and stitching it in place. A kilt, for example, is made up of a series of overlapping knife pleats along the fabric.

Knife Pleat

Inverted Pleat:
By placing two knife pleats facing inwards to meet a central line, you create an inverted pleat. You might find this type of pleat in the back of a skirt.

Inverted Pleat

Box Pleat:
This is simply the reverse of an inverted pleat, where the two knife pleats appear to be underneath. You might find this type of pleat on the back of a shirt.

Box Pleat

Once you know the size of the required pleat in a pattern, you can play around with the type you want to use. For example, if you’re making the Kalle Shirt from Closet Case Patterns, you could use either a box pleat of an inverted pleat.

Happy pleating!