Tutorial on a Michael Kors Outlet store Pleated Handbag Purse

Pleating gives a soft, textural feel and appearance to a handbag Michael Kors Outlet. Pleated purses may look complicated to construct but basically involve just making folds where you want them and stitching them down with the seaming. Pleats are also a versatile style--they can be big and soft and make the handbag more roomy, or carefully and neatly structured for a formal appearance.Other People Are ReadingHandbag Purse TutorialsHow to Make a Pleat in a Purse PlanningBefore trying any new technique for a sewing project, practice first with muslin or some scrap fabric. It is well worth spending the time to perfect your design on paper and with a muslin mock-up before making a handbag. That way, if either the pleating effect or construction method you have in mind doesn't work out, you can make adjustments as necessary without wasting your good handbag fabric. Working with muslin first can also aid creativity as you won't be worried about making mistakes or cutting up the fabric.GatheringThe easiest way to create a pleated effect for a handbag is with gathering. Basically, if the top edge of the pattern pieces for the sides of the bag are wider than the final dimensions of the top of the bag, the excess fabric width will naturally gather up into soft, ruffled pleats. For example, purchase bag handles with a screw-in bar, and sew a simple bag with a narrow casing at the top that is wider than the bar. When you place the bars of the handles into the casing, you will need to scrunch up the sides to fit. After screwing the handles in place, the gathered-up sides of the handbag remain in place and rest in gentle pleats. An alternative is a drawstring-type closure, for example, with grommets and a cord around the top edge. The sides of the purse will gather into pleats when you tighten the string to close the bag.Pleated PanelIf you are wary about constructing a handbag from pleated fabric, consider adding a separately pleated panel around the middle of the bag. This means that you sew the base and top edging from flat fabric without needing to fiddle with the folds while still getting the style of a pleated bag. Take a strip of fabric--it could be the same as the rest of the bag or provide a contrast--about three times longer than the circumference of the finished bag and a little wider than you want the finished panel to be. Measure, mark, press and pin folds along the entire width. These could be neat and uniform or free-form scrunches. Machine sew a row of straight stitches along the top and bottom edges of this panel piece to hold the pleats in place. When you make the handbag, you need a separate top section and base section. Simply seam the pleated panel to the bottom edge of the top part and the top edge of the bottom part. Make sure that the rows of stitches that initially held the pleats in place are not seen from the outside of the handbag. Lining will cover the raw edges inside the handbag.Pleating TechniqueFor neat, equally spaced knife pleats you need to take the time to measure, mark and fold them very carefully. Imperfections can ruin the tailored appearance of the pleats. Lay the fabric down on a flat surface and use a ruler or paper pattern to mark the points for the folds onto the top and bottom edges with tailor's chalk. Use wider spacing for the outside (front) folds and narrower spacing for the folds underneath. Fold the pleats, using a ruler or strip of thin card stock to help you, and pin them into place. Alternatively, use a needle and thread: Leave a long tail and insert the needle up and down through the exact fold markings in a long running stitch. Do this along the top and bottom edges, then carefully pull the thread tails from both ends at the same time. You will see the fabric gather up and fold into uniform pleats as you pull on the threads. They still need to be pressed and pinned. Secure the pleats by machine sewing along the top and bottom edges of the fabric. Cut out the pattern pieces from the pleated fabric as if it were flat. When you seam the handbag pieces together, pay close attention to ensure the presser foot does not get caught in the folds and that you are stitching through all the layers Michael Kors Outlet store.