Sunday, October 16, 2011

Triangle Trim Tutorial!

As it's been a while since I posted, I looked at my journal for a tutorial to post. And here it is--the triangle trim for my robe de style! It's rather versatile trim as well. Lauren of Wearing History also used this on her 1820s blue silk ball gown. I was lucky enough to see her dress in person--it was quite lovely!

It was very easy to do. I figured out how to do it one day at work--I was playing with the fabric belt on my dress, and all of a sudden, triangle pleats! I was quite relieved, as making about 9,000 little triangles was far from appealing!

So, here it is, how to make triangle pleated trim!



First, iron down the edges of the fabric. Just a little--it's too thick if you fold it to the middle like bias tape.



Iron so it meets in the middle. This can of course be skipped with ribbon.



Fold down a corner.



Fold down the other corner. You have your first point!



Fold the ribbon sideways.



Turn that up.



Fold down.



Fold sideways.



Fold up.



Fold down.

Keep going and going and going and going and going until you have enough trim.

When I added the trim to small places, like the neckline, I just left it pinned. For longer parts, like the hem, I sewed the pleats into place before sewing it onto the dress.

It really is quite easy!

8 comments:

  1. Thank you! I'm thinking of making a pineapple reticule with this technique... Perhaps not historicaly correct but it could look cute...

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    1. I know this comment is 2 years old, but I found it because I own an antique reticule that was made using this technique. I always thought it looked like a pineapple. If you are interested in seeing it, search Vintage Handbag wiscsuzski

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  2. Hi Katherine,
    I just posted about a robe de style on my blog and linked back to this page. I hope that's ok. Please let me know if it's not.
    -Emily

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  3. Love the bent pin at the end! That would be me after about 3" of this one. Don't they make a sewing machine foot for this one yet? LOL! Love the blog.

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  4. You do not know how much I love you right now for sharing this. I have searching for the past months on how to make a triangle trim for Hatsune Miku's costume, and knowing how SIMPLE this is is just... bawh, I'm so stupid. This is like, basic, and I didn't think of it XD
    Thank you so much for this~! I'm sure all the Vocaloid costumers will love this! <3

    -Sapph. (Young seamstress)

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  5. I know this is an old post- but about how much length is taken up by one pleat? Should I plan about 3x the finished length?

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry to have taken so long to reply!

      I think it was about three times the fabric? I bought extra fabric and just tore strips and kept going, so I didn't really take measurements. I just pleated a small sample though, and it seemed somewhere around three times.

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  6. I realize this a very old post, but when you sewed this to your dress, did you hem it first and then attach the trim to the inside of the hem? Or do something more fancy?

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