The pieces for a medium size Pleated Wristlet in a black and gold brocade fabric have been cut out for a few weeks now, but I wanted to quilt the lining with metallic gold thread, which I didn't actually have, but now I do and it's time to sew this wristlet.
This brocade is synthetic and has an embossed texture, which means it can't be interfaced or even pressed. It's also slippery and won't hold a crease, but it's beautiful, so I'm going to get it done! After a false start or two, it was obvious some assistance was required and what I found was that using a hard metal ruler was quite helpful in getting this tricky fabric folded.
Here are some photos to illustrate...
Line the ruler with one of the center pleat lines:
Fold the fabric over the ruler:
Hold the fabric in place and slide the ruler out from under the fabric.
Move the ruler to the exterior fold line:
Fold the fabric back over the ruler:
If your fabric can be pressed and the ruler is stainless steel, it can be left in the folds and pressed right over. It gets super hot, so don't touch it until it cools down.
Hold the fabric in place again, remove the ruler, and pin or clip the pleat in place. Look at those neat pleats!