Making Perfect Pleats with the Perfect Pleater™

28 thoughts on “Making Perfect Pleats with the Perfect Pleater™

  1. Barbara says:

    Love my Perfect Pleater. I have used it with cotton, taffeta, satin and polyesters. I have used the blue painters tape on the back side to hold the cooled pleats in place if I am not stitching them on right away and the tape is reusable you just have to be careful not to ball up the tape.

  2. Toni says:

    Being new to HA dress making, I have just completed a Laughing Moon ball gown. The skirt is knife pleated by hand. 2 things I would like to improve if you could suggest what I have done wrong, please. A seam is obvious on the right front. What do I do in the future not to have that happen?

    Also I really struggle with pleating and having the slash opening be where it needs to be.

    Any suggestion would be so appreciated.
    Thank you Jennifer

  3. Armenthia says:

    I have a skirt. Nice skirt however, the pleats are going. What can I use for the tiny pleats? I have two really nice skirts like that. Help?

  4. Dava Ellinger-Linville says:

    Does the vinegar smell linger at all or do you find it fades quickly? I’ve used scented “linen spray” (basically lavender water) for pressing costumes before and it worked nicely for flat fabrics but I don’t know if it would act like the vinegar water to hold the pleats. I’d be interested to know if anyone has tried it.

    • Jennifer Rosbrugh says:

      If you only use white vinegar the scent dissipates rather quickly (couple days maybe at most but it definitely doesn’t linger many hours after using it to press). I’ve used lavender water many years ago but it won’t set pleats as it’s not vinegar but distilled water and essential oil. For pleat setting you must use vinegar.

  5. nancy smith says:

    I also use an additional step (recommended on the Perfect Pleater instructions) of securing the pleats with 1/4″ basting tape. Holds the pleats and makes it easier to tack onto the garment!

  6. Liza D. says:

    Thanks for the tip. Will be buying one of these to make yards and yards of pleated trim for a Civil War skirt and two bodices. Any alternative to the vinegar solution? I really can’t tolerate the smell of vinegar — even a whiff makes me queasy. Suggestions?

      • Kytriya says:

        I’ll be trying the spray starch as I’m allergic to alcohol, which vinegar contains. I wish I found your site ages ago when I was attempting my first period dress. I never did finish that dress as I gain weight and didn’t like the fabric I chose for the dress. (light, slippery fabric).

  7. JJ says:

    The ‘Perfect Pleater’ looks less that perfect. Just buy a pleating attachment for your sewing machine and it does a better job with less fuss in half the time! Then all you need to do is give it a press with the iron.

    • Jennifer Rosbrugh says:

      True, it’s not perfect. BUT… the Pleater does give you the ability to evenly pleat large widths of fabric whereas a ruffler foot only pleats the top edge. Then you still have to go back and pleat up the other side by hand giving you the full pleated width. Both the Pleater and ruffler foot are good tools depending on the look you are going for.

  8. Johnson says:

    Hi:

    Looks tempting.. I want to make a pleated skirt with georgette or flimsy/flowy/shiny polyester material. Will the Perfect Pleater work?

    • Jennifer Rosbrugh says:

      Polyester is known to not hold pleats. You will have a hard time getting them to stay, one, in the pleater before you iron, and two, getting them to press into place. You cannot use extreme heat on poly as it will melt. Natural fiber fabric will work better (cotton, linen, wool and silk).

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