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Member since 6/20/17
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Posted on: 6/15/19 5:15 PM ET
I’d like to add a back pleat to a blouse to give myself a bit more room across my back. So far I have tried a 1” pleat on a muslin and it adds the perfect amount across my mid back but adds far too much ease over my back waist. Can I draft the pleat so it’s just at the top, under the yoke, and taper it down to nothing at the bottom hem, or will that throw everything off kilter?


-- Edited on 6/15/19 at 5:16 PM --
-- Edited on 6/15/19 at 5:40 PM --
  
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Posted on: 6/15/19 5:32 PM ET
I've never tried it, but it seems like it would work. It would be like a vertical dart that you don't actually stitch. Or like pleat-front pants where the extra fullness tapers to nothing down the leg. Might as well muslin it and see.
  
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Posted on: 6/15/19 7:33 PM ET
Or you can sew the pleat back down starting from your back waist, so the pleat will only be open from from the yoke to back waist. Or you could sew the pleat back together for maybe an inch at your back waist and then let the pleat remain open below the waist. In that case, the pleat would be open from the yoke to waist, and then again below the waist to the hem.
  
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Posted on: 6/15/19 10:35 PM ET
In reply to RedRockin
That could be a really attractive design feature! It reminds me of back yoke jackets worn by men in the 1930's that had a pleat at center back, and then a decorative back waist belt to hide the sewn portion you describe above. For today's purposes, such a pleat could be subtle by just widening the center back and then folding the excess on either side back to the original center back line, or the pleat could be of a contrasting material. Hmmm - I'm loving this idea.
  
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Posted on: 6/16/19 12:33 PM ET
In reply to RedRockin
Yes, this! I have RTW blouse like this I have planned to copy. It's a cute look, gives back interest and is flattering by the shape it creates.
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Posted on: 6/16/19 2:27 PM ET
You can try a longer separation between the pleat, placing each of the pleat ends nearer each of the shoulders instead of in the middle. Then the bulk of fabric won't be right in the middle of your waist center back.
-- Edited on 6/16/19 at 2:28 PM --
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Member since 1/18/05
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Posted on: 6/16/19 7:55 PM ET
In reply to outofthehouse
OR - you can just do a shoulder adjustment across the back & not have to change anything else & not need a pleat at all!

The tutorial I attached here is pretty good.

Good luck.
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Posted on: 6/18/19 1:40 AM ET
Adding to my previous post, I took a pic and measured the seam at the waist area. On my RTW, shown, the seam is 4". I think it's a really nice look.


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Sewing keeps me from falling apart at the seams!
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Member since 6/20/17
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Posted on: 6/18/19 7:42 AM ET
Thanks so much for the ideas I really like the look of that RTW blouse. I’m going to keep that in mind as an option for the future. I will likely always need a bit of extra width across the mid back as I’m broad there.

I can’t just do a broad should adjustment as I actually have narrow shoulders and a broad back which is a tricky combo to work with
-- Edited on 6/18/19 at 7:42 AM --
  
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Posted on: 6/18/19 11:38 AM ET
I really like that blouse SewLibra posted!

This pattern is from Burda 04/2018. I was confused about how the pleat+waist seam would work but apparently it does! Beth who blogs at Sunnygalstudios has made it a couple of times and it looks great. I plan to making it this fall.


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