Pleatmaker Tutorial - How to Make a Frill

Frills using The Pleat Maker

A Ruffler is limited to a certain width and depth of pleat, whereas a Pleat Maker has more options and can certainly pleat heavier fabric that a Ruffler refuses to sew.

Simple fold a strip of fabric in half lengthways and pleat across the top of the Pleat Maker having the raw edges extending a very generous seam allowance beyond the edge of the Pleat Maker. I pleat into every alternate pleat as I feel this gives a softer frill. I also don't press the pleats unless it is a very narrow strip of fabric.

Take the pleated fabric whilst still in the Pleat Maker to the sewing machine and stitch through the fabric only, a seam allowance from the raw edge. Don't sew through the Pleat Maker! To continue pleating the full length of the frill, replace the last pleat of the first run into the first pleat of the second run and continue in this manner repeating each step above until the full length of frill has been pleated.

When attaching to a cushion, overlap two or three pleats when you turn each corner. This enables the frill to ease around the corners without puckering or pulling.

Note how the cream frill puckers and is stretched to go around the corner, whereas the green frill has ample to spare because it has a double tuck at the corner.