Quote Originally Posted by paulhenry View Post
sort of but not really,

I do make a template which is the width of the pleat at the hip, the length of the fell and the width at the waist, this isn't pinned, or chalked, I only use it as a guide, and I generally use about 3 pins to hold the pleat before sewing. The idea of cutting a scrap of card with the pleat width marked on isn't really all that strange or new.
I never pin the card to the fabric and sew around it, it simply wouldn't work very well that way, not least that you are covering up the bit of fabric that you see, infact the most important bit of fabric that you see!
thanks that's a good point! i forgot to mention that i put marks on the template at all of the tartans patter points so i can match them up correctly but even still i have to peak under the edges just to make sure i do this when i pin and i make sure not to angal my needle when i take my bite of the top part of the pleat i'm sure i don't have to tell you that's why most beginner sewers have problems with there fabric moving out of place as they sew along the seams