How to Do Pin Tucks
Pin tucks are narrow folds in fabric that are stitched into place, creating a slight gather. They embellish men's, women's and children's garments. You can stitch pin tucks in straight rows or in angles radiating out from a central point. You can use pin tucks to embellish woven or knit fabrics, but a light-to-medium-weight fabric shows pin tucks best. Pin tucks can be evenly spaced for a crisp look, or create an illusion of fullness with uneven spacing or width.
Things You'll Need
- Fabric
- Iron
- Tailor's chalk or fabric marker
- Ruler or yardstick
- Straight pins
- Thread
- Sewing machine or hand sewing needle
Instructions
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Planning Pin Tucks
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1
Find out how much fabric your item requires without pin tucks. Decide how many pin tucks you would like, and how wide you would like them to be. Pin tucks cause the fabric to draw in, and larger tucks mean more gathering.
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2
Double the width of your pin tucks. Multiply the number of tucks times the doubled width of the pin tuck. This is the amount by which your fabric will draw in. If you are adding four pin tucks that are 1/4 inch wide, your fabric will draw in by 2 inches.
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3
Make sure this is enough fabric to make the item. If not, add the required inches before cutting the fabric.
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4
Launder and press the fabric according to the manufacturer's directions.
Sewing Pin Tucks
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5
Decide where you want your pin tucks to be. Mark where each stitching line for the pin tuck will begin and end. Mark the point where you will fold the fabric and the line where you will place each fold. How far apart the fold placement lines are from the fold lines will determine the width of the pin tuck. For 1/4-inch pin tucks, the fold lines are 1/4 inch from the fold placement lines.
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6
Fold the fabric starting at the beginning of the stitching line. Pin the the fold of the fabric at the fold placement line. Repeat for all pin tucks.
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7
Stitch the pin tucks in place from the beginning to the end of the stitching line. Do not stitch on the folded edge. Back-stitch for a few stitches at the beginning and end to secure the pin tucks.
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8
Press the pin tucks to the side.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Very narrow pin tucks can be embellished with contrasting colored thread in the bobbin or color-changing thread if sewing by hand.
You can pin tuck the fabric before cutting out the pattern pieces.
Lightweight linen and light-to-medium-weight cotton fabrics showcase pin tucks well.
You can add shaping to garments at the waist or neck with pin tucks.
Attachments for creating pin tucks by machine are available in several widths.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
