Fancy-Pants Pintucks!

A few weeks ago I guest posted over at See Kate Sew playing along with her Pleat Weeks series.  Some seriously good stuff over there.  I thought I’d share the tutorial I shared over there over here today, in case you missed it and because I wanted to…

This is a super easy technique, that results in an amazingly complicated and rich look.  It does take some time, but really, it’s all straight stitches so crazy easy.  Applying this technique to your fabric prior to cutting, you can make any project that much more unique.  The technique does use a serger.  I know, I know.  But you may be able to get a similar look from using a zig-zag or other such stitch on a conventional sewing machine.  I also think it would be cool to try doing just regular stitch down each tuck, and then lay the tucks flat as you sew the cross-seams.  If that makes any sense.  I can’t take credit for the original idea on this.  A few months ago I saw a really cool pillow at a fabric shop, advertising the awesomeness of the on-sale sergers.  I have been wanting to make a similar pillow, or at least use the same technique for *something* ever since.   So I finally sat down and just tried out what I thought it looked like they had done.  And what do you know?! It worked!  So I figured I’d show you how to do the technique, and then you can apply it to whatever project you’d like. First, you need two times the amount of fabric recommended for whatever you’re planning on making.  On the RIGHT side of the fabric, mark parallel lines every one inch with fabric chalk or similar.  Decide now how you want your serged pintucks to be in reference to the fabric’s grain, and place the lines accordingly.Again, on the RIGHT side of the fabric, fold at the marked lines.Disengage the serger’s knife and serge along the length of the fabric, using the chalked lines as a guide.So when you open the fabric, you have this pokey-uppy friend on the right side of the fabric.  Cool, huh?!But wait! It gets even better!  Keep adding pintucks along each of the marked lines and you get this: Sweet, right?  Now you get to chalk-mark more inch-spaced lines, going perpendicular to the pintucksOn your sewing machine, start sewing along those lines.  Only (THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!) alternate the direction you sew, allowing the presser foot to fold the tucks as it passes over  So, say the top of your fabric is A and the bottom B.  For one pass through the machine, you sew from A to B, with the foot pressing the tucks towards B as it goes along:When you reach the end (B), turn things around and sew from B to A, allowing the presser foot to fold the tucks towards A.  Continue to alternate this pattern, A to B, B to A, every one inch the width of the fabric.And laaaaaaaaa (that was angelic singing) you get this!!!!Admire it from many anglesSo very cool, and all using straight stitches.  Ah-mazing (that was an Oprah-like voice)Now you can make that cool new Fancy-Pants Exposed Pintuck Fabulousness into whatever you’d like.  For quick demonstration purposes, let’s whip up a pillow cover.  So cut your new fabric and the back fabric to sizeRight sides togetherSew three sides Turn right side out, slide pillow inFold open ends inside and handstitch closed. Throw in a conspicuous place where guests, visitors and UPS men are sure to see and admire. Or make a bag or something.  I really want to try a quilt with this, wouldn’t that be awesome!?

After posting this, I discovered Tam’s similarly-inspired pillows at Sew Dang Cute Crafts.  Check them out!