A pleat is made by folding a garment or other fabric made of cloth and making stitches to secure its place. Pleats can be used to arrange a piece of fabric with greater volume in a more decorative manner to improve detail and texture. A number of methods can be used to make pleats and, box pleat and inverted pleat are two such popular methods. The key difference between box pleat and inverted pleat is that box pleat is a pleat made by folding away two equal folds of fabric from each other in opposite directions on the front of a length of fabric whereas an inverted pleat is a pleat arranged by bringing two folded edges towards or to a center point on outside where the fold face away from each other. An inverted pleat is the reverse of box pleat.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Box Pleat
3. What is Inverted Pleat
4. Similarities Between Box Pleat and Inverted Pleat
5. Side by Side Comparison – Box Pleat vs Inverted Pleat in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Box Pleat?
A box pleat is a pleat made by folding away two equal folds of fabric from each other in opposite directions on the front of a length of fabric. This is one of the most common types of pleats since it allows for the most movement, and is comfortable. The main aim of box pleat is to add fullness to a garment in a decorative way. A single box pleat, as well as multiple box pleats, can be made depending on the garment. Single box pleats are made on the back of shirts, and multiple box pleats can be seen in different styles of skirts. Usually, box pleats have a 4:2 ratio, i.e. 4″ of fabric will result in a 2″ finished pleat.
For a box pleat to maintain its form, top stitches or edge stitches can be made. Even though box pleats are mostly used for clothing, they are just as effective for other types of sewing including curtains, bags, and pillows. Box pleat is ideal for heftier fabrics such as cotton and synthetic material, while it is also used for lightweight fabrics such as satin and sheer.
Figure 01: Box Pleat
What is Inverted Pleat?
An inverted pleat is defined as a pleat arranged by bringing two folded edges towards or to a center point on the outside where the folds face away from each other. Similar to box pleat, inverted pleat is also a common style of pleat used for clothing and draperies. The main aim of this technique is to keep the bulk of the pleats’ assembly hidden from sight. An inverted pleat can also be stated as a backward box pleat.
Usually, an inverted pleat is sewn horizontally along the fabric to hold the top edge of the pleat, and the rest is left to fall open at the bottom. Contrasting fabrics can also be slipped into the middle of the pleat from the front to add variety. This is done by turning the fabric over and adding stitches vertically downwards.
Figure 02: Inverted Pleat
What are the Similarities Between Box Pleat and Inverted Pleat?
- Both box pleat and inverted pleat is used in garments and drapery
- The inverted pleat is the reverse of box pleat.
What is the Difference Between Box Pleat and Inverted Pleat?
Box Pleat vs Inverted Pleat |
|
| Box pleat is a pleat made by folding away two equal folds of fabric from each other in opposite directions on the front of a length of fabric. | Inverted pleat is a pleat arranged by bringing two folded edges towards or to a center point on the outside where the fold face away from each other. |
| Main Use | |
| Box pleat is used to add fullness to a garment in a decorative way. | Inverted pleat helps to keep the bulk of the pleats’ assembly hidden from sight. |
Summary – Box Pleat vs Inverted Pleat
The difference between box pleat and inverted pleat is that box pleat is a pleat done by folding away two equal folds of fabric from each other in opposite directions while the reverse of box pleat is called an inverted pleat. Both of these techniques are widely used in drapery and clothing sewing and are considered very functional and convenient to make compared to many other styles of pleats. They also result in an elegant outlook for the garments they are used for.
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References:
1.Shah, Dhawal. “Pleat Styles On Dress Shirts.” Art Of Style. N.p., 06 June 2017. Web. Available here. 23 June 2017.
2.Ritter, Gina, and Jenn Walker. “What is an Inverted Pleat?” WiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation, 21 June 2017. Web. Available here. 23 June 2017.
3.”Burda Style For people who sew.” Inverted pleat– Learning Sewing | BurdaStyle.com. N.p., n.d. Web. Available here. 25 June 2017.
Image Courtesy:
1.”1137008″ (Publci Domain) via Pixabay
2. “The New Skirts” By Jackvolvic – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia