Sewing Glossary: How To Sew Pleats for FS Riva Pattern
The Riva is a beautifully drafted pattern collection that consists of a button-down shirt with either a long sleeve or sleeveless option and high-waist trousers with a shorts option. As the description for the pattern says, it really does combine classic tailoring with casual ease for the perfect balance.
One of the most unique details of the Riva button-down shirt is the deep pleat on the back. Not only does it add beautiful visual interest, it offers elegant structured volume to the silhouette, especially when made up in Fabrics-Store’s delicious linen.
This tutorial will give you step by step instructions on how to construct the back pleat on the Riva shirt and show you how easy it actually is!
Tools
Riva Pattern Instructions, scissors, tailor’s chark, pins, ruler.
Tools
Time
30 minutes
Steps
1. Begin with your back bodice piece A and make sure your notches are clearly marked. For this tutorial, I have used pins and labeled each notch to clearly illustrate where they are.
2. Take 1A and fold it over to match on top on 1B. Note that you will pass over 2B, which becomes a fold. Pin this pleat in place.
Look! It’s your first pleat!
3. Now you will take 2A and fold it over the first pleat you just pinned to match on top of 2B. Pin this pleat in place as well.
4. Re-pin 1A and 1B so that all the layers of fabric are pinned together flat.
5. Here is what all the layers pinned together look like from the top. It’s like a pleat sandwich! From here, you can see the pleat taking shape.
6. Sew a 1/4″ seam across the pleats to secure in place. Make sure to backstitch both at the beginning and the end.
Give your seam a nice press and voila! You’ve made a beautiful back pleat. Now you are ready to attach the yoke!
Photos by Christopher Bradt
About Author
Elise Montecastro
Elise is a photo stylist + pattern designer born in LA and currently residing in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. When she's not obsessing over all things sewing and DIY, she enjoys cooking for her baby girl and being her husband's muse for his film photographs. You can find her sewing all the things on Instagram @midnightseaming.Leave a comment
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3 Comments
Patricia Moon
Do you sell the thread that is best to use with linens and the waffle linen ?
Patricia Moon patamoon1gmail.com. thank you
Lauren Linen
Hello Patricia, We recommend good quality polyester threads for sewing with linen. All purpose polyester threads by brands like Gutermann are strong, low lint and won’t shrink when washed 🙂
Patricia Lynch
Great job, Elise! I just sewed those pleats YESTERDAY and thought that there should be clearer instructions. Assigning the labels of 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B is excellent. I also thought there should be a better description on the burrito method for the yoke. Also, I would reverse the burrito method….sewing the shoulder seams first instead of the bottom yoke seam. If you use 019 mid-weight linen, and the shoulder seams are sewed with the entire shirt rolled inside the yoke, it is difficult to get the PERFECT seam so there won’t be any bulk when you turn the shirt inside out and press. I would also add instructions to grade the seams inside of the yoke before turning and pressing. That said, it is a beautiful shirt pattern, very flattering!