5 Common Types of Pleats: How and Where They Are Used (2024)

FAQs

Where can pleats be used? ›

Fashion designers and seamstresses have been using pleats to create volume, texture, and dimension in garments since ancient Egypt. From pleated front trousers to accordion-pleated skirts and dresses, the dynamic folding technique is a staple in fashion today.

Knife pleats are used as decorative finishes and add fullness to a garment. The pleats are folded much like an accordion with equal space from top to bottom; this gives a clean finish, texture and space for the garment to move.

Box pleats are made up of two knife pleats facing away from each other or, in other words, they are formed when two folds of fabric are folded away from each other giving a wide vertical pleat. They are often used as stand-alone pleats on the back of a shirt or as a series of pleats on skirts or dresses.

When working with the recommended 1.9 to 2.2 fullness ratio (STEP 2) we suggest using 6 pleats for every fabric width used to make the curtain panel. For example if you have used 2 widths of fabric to make your panel we would recommend 12 pleats, if you have used 1.5 widths we would recommend 9 pleats etc.

Pleats are a fold or doubling of fabric that is pressed, ironed or creased into place. (Pleats that are sewn into place are called tucks). There are many varieties, but the side and box pleat are the most common, although they can be accordion, cartridge, circular, curtain, draped, fluted, Fortuny or French.

Knife Pleat

The most common style, these pressed pleats are generally about one inch apart, all facing the same direction.

However, the history of the design actually dates back to ancient Egypt. Before Anno Domini the Egyptians used the technique to decorate the ruler's tunics and pieces were only created from natural fibers such as silk, cotton and wool.

An adaptation of the French pleat, a butterfly pleat uses two folds of fabric instead of three. When pinched together, the two pleats create a look similar to that of a butterfly's wings.

or French roll. a woman's hair style with the hair gathered at the back into a cylindrical roll. Collins English Dictionary.

French Pinch pleat

It is a series of equally spaced single, double, or triple pleats that are pinched in the center, forming fans above and below the pinch.

What is the purpose of inverted pleat? ›

An Inverted pleat is a common drapery header type that adds texture and depth to the textile, while turning the fullness of the curtain inward. It is the reverse of a box pleat, which is made while taking depth, underlay, and spacing into account.

Inverted box pleats are a standard box pleat but in reverse! Two knife pleats, facing towards each other are brought to a centre point to create fullness behind, as can be seen in the skirt of our Elisalex Dress: Inverted box pleats are sometimes used on sleeve heads to create a full sleeve.

A loose pleat that's just folded and sewn into the waistband can feel like a little much for those of us with roundness about the middle, especially in a bulky fabric. This kind of pleat is sometimes referred to as a released pleat or an open pleat.

Standard spacing is 5 pleats per 54” fabric width, however can be adjusted to accommodate different fullness levels. Standard fullness is 200% unless otherwise specified.

Most trousers have one or two pleats. The first pleat is longer and sits in the middle of the trouser, running down into its central crease. If there is a second pleat, it is smaller and sits between this central pleat and the pocket.

Many women make the mistake of doing too many pleats, which can break the sari look. Ideally, there should be 6-7 pleats in a sari.

Knife pleats are the most common type of pleat use in dressmaking. They are so called because they have sharp, crisp folds which run down the entire length of the pleat; knife pleats all face the same direction.

Pleats were originally developed to be functional. They allow the pants to expand when you sit, which is not only more comfortable, but it also prevents issues like puckering pockets and unnecessary seam tension.

An inverted box pleat is formed by two equal folds of fabric folded toward one another so they meet at the center of the pleat on the front of the fabric. Or, more easily stated, an inverted box pleat is what a box pleat looks like from behind.

What is the process of pleating? ›

Pleating is the process of putting a design of creases into fabric. Accordion, side, box, inverted, sunburst, air-tuck, Van Dyke, and crystal are trade terms for some pleat designs. Pleating is accomplished by machine or by the use of interlocking paper pleat patterns.

In the world of menswear, pleats can be defined as gathered folds of fabric located below the waist, in the area known as the rise, or simply the front, on a pair of trousers. On flat-front trousers, as the name states, the fabric in this area is smooth.

noun. : any of a series of narrow sharply pressed pleats all turned in one direction. crystal pleated adjective.

This look is clean and modern but can also be used in transitional applications. French Pleat (Pinch Pleat)-the French pleat holds the lines of the drapery from the three-fold fan at the top to the bottom hem. Easy to open and close this requires little to no dressing and gives a nice uniform fullness anytime.

The Euro Relaxed, Fan or American Pinch Pleat is a more casual style of heading. Double or triple folds are sewn into the top of heading of the fabric at regular intervals, creating a reverse pinch pleat.

Also known as Single Pleat, the New York Pleat offers a tailored finish, but with less fullness than any other heading option. This treatment is ideal for those wanting a minimalist look. New York Pleat works well with heavier fabrics, and is a good option when your stacking space at the side of the window is limited.

Cottage pleats give a pretty, soft gather and are made by setting the curtain tape a few inches below the top. This style suits a traditional country setting and florals are a perfect choice. The top frill can be short or long. The longer it is, the more it will fold over.

Pencil pleats

For as long as windows have needed dressing, pencil pleat curtains have reigned supreme and they continue to be the most popular type of curtains today.

Two-Finger Pinch Pleat

The Two-Finger Pinch Pleat style provides even spacing to control the fullness of the drape. This style uses a stable woven stiffener to allow uniquely gathered pleats to form and retain their shape. Two pleats are sewn together at the bottom of the pleat as well.

A Ripplefold drape is a single continuous panel produced with snaps sewed into the top hem. The 'pleat' in this drape actually comes from the way the snaps connect with the hardware. As the ripplefold drape is snapped into the hardware it creates an undulating wave pattern.

What are soft pleats? ›

Soft Folded Pleats: As opposed to sharp edge pleats, soft fold pleats don't have crisp, defined fold lines. The pleats in a soft fold are usually more defined where they connect into the seam and lose their line structure as they move away from it.

The term 'pencil pleat' refers to the header of the curtain. Folds of fabric are tightly gathered to create a semi-cylindrical heading that resembles a line of pencils. From the close pleats of the header, the fabric tumbles freely to the floor.

knife pleats are generally used for sheer curtains sitting behind main drapes. This is a continuous flat pleat forming an even gather across the curtain. Knife pleating is the least expensive curtain to make. Knife pleating can also be used on a main curtain under a pelmet or valance.

The presence of an internal angle in excess of one hundred and eighty degrees means that the dart is a concave quadrilateral. It is also possible to have a similar (concave) quadrilateral in which no two sides have the same length.

Polyester fabrics provide an enduring pleat, whilst silk satins, organzas, georgettes and taffeta fabrics make gorgeous pleated pieces - do note some silk qualities can lose some of their pleating hold when dry-cleaned.

As a part of the design of a garment, box pleats are used in a variety of ways. Commonly they will be seen on skirts, creating a fuller look while giving the wearer an appearance of a more narrow or smaller waistline.

A pleated skirt is appropriate for every body type and have a great slimming effect. There are endless chic outfits you can create for every season. Dress a pleated midi skirt up with a beautiful blouse and heels or dressed down with a denim jackect, bomber jacket, moto jacket and sneakers.

As is often the case with traditional clothing styles, though, the popularity of pleats waned around the end of the 60s and, by the 1970s, slimmer flat-fronted trousers were in style again.

The Organic Cotton Pleats will gently clean and dry between baby's fingers, toes, and around the eyes, nose or outer ear. They're especially ideal to use on delicate newborn skin.

Knife Pleats, or accordion pleats (like the musical instrument) allow the garment to expand and relax in shape when moving. They are most commonly found in skirts and are a series of narrow, equal pleats, which have been sharply creased so to lie in one direction.

What is a kick pleat skirt? ›

Kick Pleats are inverted pleats used at the base of a narrow skirt to give it a 'kick'. They allow the wearer more freedom of movement. Kick pleats are often short pleats, leading up from the bottom hem, and are commonly found in the back of skirts or coats.

Style with a fitted top

As your pleated pants are a more relaxed, loose style, to balance out your outfit, look to style them back with a more fitted top. We love a relaxed pleated trouser with a classic tank, fitted t-shirt or a long sleeve knit tucked in.

This Versatile Garment Is a Go-To for Every Woman

Although it might seem as though only slim women would be able to wear a pencil skirt successfully, women who have one of the four major figure shapes, triangle, rectangle, inverted triangle, and hourglass, can all wear a pencil skirt and look good in one.

Japanese designer Issey Miyake is perhaps best known for his experimentations with pleating. Typically, fabric is pleated before being cut and sewn into a garment. But in the 1980s, Miyake flipped this technique on its head.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, this form of pleating was popular in the garments of men and women.