Pleat Maker Tutorial – How to Make Prairie Points

Continuous Prairie Points Using The Pleat Maker

By far, the most successful project I ever wrote for Australian Stitches Magazine was one using Continuous Prairie Points on The Big Shirt Pattern by Cindy Taylor Oates . I chose the same pattern for the Cobalt Blue/Hot Pink Shirt shown with Tortured Tucks. It was featured on the cover too - what a wonderful thrill for me!

Use either the Mini Pleat Maker or the Regular Pleat Maker. The double-length versions are far easier to work with across at an angle because you may obtain more length in your Prairie Point strip. Remember to have your fabric three times the desired finished length.

Fold a narrow piece of fabric (say 6cm) in half lengthwise and press. Pic 1. Pleat the fabric strip across the Pleat Maker at an angle, not necessarily on the bias, but close to 45 degree. I find this may vary according to the width of the fabric being pleated and which Pleat Maker I'm using. The Double Length Pleat Makers are ideal for anytime you are pleating on the bias as they allow more scope for maneuvering because of the longer length. Pic 2. Press with a Rajah Cloth™. Cut a narrow strip of Freezer Paper and iron the shiny side onto the pleated fabric. Pic 3. Turn the Pleat Maker over and roll the pleated fabric off the pleater. Pic 4. Stitch right down the centre of the papered fabric the length of the strip. Top Pic 5. Remove the paper and trim a seam allowance away from the stitching. Bottom Pic 5.

This continuous Prairie Point strip may be used with either side as the right side.
Sandwich it between two fabrics as you would normally apply piping cord and it gives a really nice trim around a collar (yes, it will curve), across a pocket top, to separate a yoke from the body of the garment, down the front button placket, around a hem etc. A really wide one can be a substitute for a frill too.

For a larger Prairie Point, use a wider width of fabric and increase the angle you place it upon the Pleat Maker and maybe pleat into alternate louvres. Quilters love this time-saving method of Continuous Prairie Points. They normally fold squares of fabric and tediously overlap each one until they have the desired length!

Hint: When pleating for this method, try to have each side of the prairie point to be the same.
i.e. "both sides of the hill" to be equal measurement.
You may need to adjust the angle of the strip as you pleat as it seems to change direction easily. I have tried drawing a line at a 45 degree angle to act as a guide for me, but is just as easy to "eyeball" the angle and keep adjusting the fabric every few pleats. Tuck each point in with your fingers; don't worry about using the pleater bar either.

If you want a longer length than one width of your Pleat Maker, simply lift the first pleated length, with freezer paper attached, off the pleater and bring the last point at the top right hand side, down to the first louvre at the bottom left hand side, insert, then continue pleating at the same angle (which you've memorized!) You may use separate strips of freezer paper for each section. Once torn off, they are in the waste bin anyway.

Continuous Prairie Points as shown here on my Thai Silk Shirt, they certainly do add a definition to appearance to highlight an area.