How to Make Tuxedo-Pleated Drapes
If you want a formal drape, you can make a tuxedo pleat. These are horizontal pleats that look much like the front of a man's tuxedo shirt. This is a bit of a painstaking process, but a few tricks will help even the most inexperienced seamstress produce professional-looking pleats. You can vary the size of your pleats from the tiniest that would appear on a tuxedo shirt to pleats that are a little wider if you desire. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Measure the length and width of your windows to figure out how much fabric you will need. Double the width measurement for each panel of the tuxedo-pleated drapes, remembering that most windows need two panels. Add 6 inches to the length.
-
2
Cut out your fabric to the necessary measurement. Sew two lengths of fabric together if you do not have fabric that is as wide as you need it.
-
-
3
Lay out your washed, dried and ironed drapery fabric, right-side-up, on a flat work surface. Make sure you have plenty of room to spread out your fabric to make the process easier.
-
4
Find the exact middle of your drapery panel. Use the seam as a guide if you have sewn two lengths of fabric together.
-
5
Measure out where you want your pleats to be by marking off every 4 inches from the middle of the drape. Use the chalk to make your measurement marks.
-
6
Fold your pleats by placing your thumb and forefinger on two chalk marks that are next to each other. Pinch the fabric. Fold the pleat down so that it faces the middle of the drapery panel and pin in place.
-
7
Repeat Step 6 to form the remainder of your tuxedo pleats. Baste the pleats by sewing across the very top of the drape just to hold the pleats in place.
-
8
Iron the pleats to give them a crisp fold and make them easier to work with.
-
9
Sew a seam 5/8-inch in from the folded edge of each individual pleat to give them that tuxedo look.
-
10
Hem the bottom and side seams by folding under the raw edges and stitching in place.
-
11
Form a rod pocket at the top edge of the drape by folding down the fabric 6 inches. Turn under the raw edge at the bottom of the fold and stitch in place. Stitch straight across again, but this time 3 inches up from the first seam to create a casing.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Since the tuxedo pleats are busy themselves, you may want to choose a solid-color drapery fabric. Otherwise the fabric pattern may overpower the pleats or vice-versa.
Repurpose slats from old wooden blinds to use for making your tuxedo pleats. Simply take broken or unused blinds apart and keep the slats and use them as a template for making your tuxedo-pleated drapes.
