Not long ago, pleated fabric came back into fashion. Despite the fact that it appeared in ancient Egypt, it is still just as beautiful today.
What is corrugation?
The word "goofre" originally comes from French and means "to stamp a pattern", but very often it also means to create wave-like folds. Goofing is applied to metal, cardboard, asbestos cement boards, hair and fabrics. This process makes the product more durable.
Corrugation of fabric is characterized by folds of the same width and fold, which are directed one after another. Their direction should always be one - either down or up. The folds can be straight, expanding downwards, or figured. They are so well worked out that they do not lose their appearance when washed.
The fabric is usually corrugated for clothing, curtains, tablecloths, blinds, etc. Even bed linen can be found made from such fabric.
Pyramidal corrugated shapes
There are 3 types of corrugated forms:
- linear;
- pyramidal;
- decorative.
The pyramidal shape deserves special attention. It is the one most often used to make clothing fabric. This shape is characterized by alternating different stripes - wide and narrow. To implement it, you must immediately calculate how many stripes should fit so that the finished product looks beautiful.
How to make gofre on fabric at home
Some people want to try making gofre fabric at home. It should be noted right away that this idea is quite complicated and requires experience. The essence of the process: cardboard forms are taken, fabric is laid out between them, which is pre-soaked in a solution of water and vinegar, the product is steamed and dried.
It is better to go to a studio or buy ready-made fabric. The first always has a choice of forms special machines for corrugation (autoclaves).
If there is still a need to carry out the procedure at home, there are several tips:
- It is necessary to acquire forms. The most popular of them now are flared, semi-flared, and figured;
- It is most convenient to place the resulting workpiece in a bath with a solution, so you can work with several products at once;
- You can make the mold sheets yourself from thick Whatman paper or buy them in a studio. One mold is enough to make 50 skirts;
- corrugation is carried out before sewing the product;
- to prepare the solution, take 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, it is better to let the water settle beforehand;
- Before steaming, open all windows, as the process is accompanied by a rather strong smell;
- if it is not possible to purchase or make forms, the folds can be laid manually;
- For corrugation, you need to take fabric 3 times larger than the planned width of the finished product.
Choosing clothes for a pleated skirt
When wearing a pleated skirt, it is very important to understand that despite the long vertical lines that are usually supposed to make you look slimmer and longer, it visually adds centimeters to your hips. Therefore, the figures that are suitable for such clothes are thin girls or girls with broad shoulders.
For short people, it is better not to choose very long models, as they will visually reduce the height even more.
At the same time, a pleated skirt is a universal wardrobe item that can be worn with anything. It will go perfectly with both a T-shirt and a warm sweater. In addition, even long outerwear will look extremely stylish with such a skirt. Items made of different textures (for example, chiffon and wool) will also go beautifully together.
In cold weather, a pleated wool skirt goes very well with a fur vest, and you can add some bright accessories to the look. Fashion experts also believe that items with lurex thread are appropriate in cold weather. In warmer weather, you can wear a jacket or jumper on top. A blouse is appropriate to wear under a skirt in the office.
Please note! Shoes for such a skirt can also be absolutely anything: sandals, ballet flats, high-heeled shoes, sneakers and even trainers.
The most popular skirt option is still a midi. With it, you can create the largest possible number of looks. It can be a pencil, trapeze, or sun style. Recently, asymmetrical models have also begun to come into fashion.
Designers advise choosing pleated skirts in rich colors or, on the contrary, diluting the calm colors of the skirt with a bright top, shoes or accessories. All fashion catwalks are now filled with pleated fabrics, so by looking at the shows you can choose an interesting modern look for yourself.
How to wash corrugated products
Washing corrugated fabric is somewhat different from washing regular items. Therefore, there are a number of rules for this process:
- Sew the folds. Before throwing it in the wash, you should sew each fold in the middle and at the very bottom. Make the seam wide and do not tighten it in any case, so as not to ruin the item.
- It is preferable to choose hand washing.
- If the product is machine washed, it is necessary to turn off the spin cycle and wash only in a delicate mode.
- To avoid unnecessary creases, you can wash the item in a special cover (can be replaced with a nylon stocking).
- It is better to wash with conditioner. This will help make the fabric more pliable and avoid static.
- You should wring it out as delicately as possible without squeezing the fabric too much. If it is something bulky, such as bed linen, it is better to immediately lay it out on a flat surface.
- It is extremely important to study what is written on the product label.
How to Iron Pleated Dresses and Skirts Properly
Ironing corrugated clothing is not difficult at all. It is better to iron the fabric without waiting for it to dry completely and spray it with water from a spray bottle. This will significantly facilitate the smoothing of all the wrinkled areas. The main thing in the ironing process is to set the temperature corresponding to the fabric. It is better to put a damp gauze on the product so that there are no glazes. If the fabric is artificial, then it should be ironed from the back side, and do not spray silk with water so that there are no unnecessary stains.
Many people pull wide seams along the folds or pin them before ironing to finish the product more efficiently.
Dresses and skirts usually have a lining. It should be ironed separately. For corrugated fabrics, a steamer is often more suitable than a regular iron.
Drying of corrugated products
As it has already become clear, corrugated fabric is very unique. Therefore, it is necessary to be very meticulous about its care. Drying corrugated items has its own nuances:
- They should only be dried in a completely straightened state, hanging them on a hanger, making sure to straighten out every fold;
- Before drying, do not wring the item out too much to avoid creasing;
- Dry delicate fabrics with steam (you can fill the bathtub with hot water and hang the item in the same room - it will straighten out).
What to do if the corrugation effect has disappeared
Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that even if you take into account all the nuances of care, something goes wrong and the folds on the clothes disappear. To prevent this from happening, you can dry the product by rolling it into a tube. If this does not help, then you should resort to one of these methods:
- Before smoothing the product, rub each corner with soap from the inside, form folds with your hands and iron well (do not use this method on delicate fabrics);
- Grate laundry soap and dissolve in water, add 1 egg white, a spoonful of vinegar and a little starch, then soak gauze in this mixture and iron the item through it (you can put a sheet of paper on the gauze so that it does not stick to the iron).
Pleated or goffered skirt
The word plisse means "fold" in French. This word refers to both pleated and corrugated items. So what is the difference?
Pleats are fabrics with uniform folds. They can be narrow or wide, but the main thing is that they are the same from start to finish. During production, each fold is well fixed under pressure.
Gofre is folds that widen towards the bottom. They can be identical, alternate in groups or have a figured shape. The manufacturing technology is generally no different from pleats.
Pleated fabric is the perfect way to create a stylish look for any occasion.
These skirts are very popular now, and the length is absolutely not important - from mini to maxi. They are considered a very universal wardrobe item. They emphasize femininity and are suitable for any occasion.
As for the material, most often such skirts are made of silk or chiffon. This is explained by the fact that the ensemble of technology and fabric create a unique feminine and airy image. Such skirts are definitely not suitable for a winter look, so some designers make them from thick cotton or woolen fabric.
