A Pleated Tie Detail Top

The Tie Detail Top is one of my favourite patterns to play around with. 

In the past I’ve added ruffles and also simplified it to a simple batwing top. 

In this variation I have added a series of pleats down the centre front and an inverted pleat down the centre back. I omitted the centre front seam as it will interfere with the flow of the pleats. 

To do this, first pleat some plain pattern paper starting with 1.5cm and adding a 1cm pleat, then 3cm and a 1cm pleat three times. With the paper pleated, place the original patten piece on top, lining up the centre front notch with the edge of the pleated paper on the 1.5cm section. And drew around it to create the new pattern piece. 

The unfolded paper pattern looks like this. Mark the fabric with a chalk line at the top and bottom for each pleat point. Pleat and press the fabric in the same way as the paper pattern. The fabric here is a fine wool so I stitch down the edge of each pleat to hold the pleat in place. A cotton fabric may not need the stitched lines. Once folded, stitch along the neckline and hem to keep the pleats in place.

For the back the pleats are simpler. From the original pattern piece, draw an identical piece and add 1.5cm, then a further 1.5cm – this will create the simpler inverted pleat, 3cm across the back of the pleat. Place the back on the fold as the original as indicated on the new pattern piece above. Make the pleat in the same way as the front, and stitch in place at the neck and hem. 

Make up the rest of the garment as instructed in the pattern instructions.

The finished garment looks great with Wide-legged Trousers as shown here but would work with most separates.