nuno tunic question

[Shepherdess]

A question for people that make one piece tunics. I am planning a top for myself where I would gather in the top of it In small "pleats" at the prefelt stage. I am trying to estimate the amount of extra I need for it. If I gather in 50% is it going to be to thick and bulky when felted and fulled to 50%? I am thinking that may be to much. I am thinking 1/4-1/3 might be better. Any opinions?

Zed I can't find my copy of your book to poke around in. I think its on the external hard drive that is off with a friend to see if it can be rescued. I will poke around in some of my other books as well but would like some input from others.

[Teri Berry]

I'm not sure the picture in my head is what you are thinking Ann - are you thinking of pleating over the shoulders or around the collar / neck line?
The collar on this jacket was made from about 4 metres (yes, 4 metres, that's not a typo) of a fine nuno and isn't heavy at all but it was stitched on not made over a resist.


Can you scrunch up a piece of nuno felt (or any fabric) with roughly the number of pleats you have in mind to get an idea of how much it will shrink by?

[MTRuth]

Pleats take up yards of fabric. I think without shrinkage it is at least twice as much fabric that you need maybe more. Did you look up how much fabric is needed to make pleats with regular fabric? Then you'd need to add in your regular shrinkage.

Teri's idea is good about taking the nuno felt and scrunching it up to get the look you are trying to achieve.

[Shepherdess]

I guess maybe the best way to describe it would be like smocking on a child's dress. I think I will add an extra 1/4 amount to the width then pleat it up to the regular prefelting width and let the shrinkage pull it in more. I want texture running up and down on the top half. I am going to try getting some shape by manipulating the direction of the wool layout. I haven't been very motivated lately and I think making something that is for me may help.

[jwugg]

I think you'll need at least twice the finished size, as a minimum, pleats do take a lot. but then you don't need to full down 50% over the whole tunic. I estimate 30% shrinkage on nuno wearables. How about making the to be pleated area finer than the rest so when folded & shrunk it's not too thick.

OR, make it nuno with fine silk chiffon which you can pleat before adding fibre, then you can full hard so get plenty of rouching wrinkles

[koffipot]

As Jill says; make the area to be pleated very fine to keep down the bulk, it will shrink more than the thicker area too. You mention traditional smocking, which takes 3 times the finished width.

Love that scarf Teri. Stunning!

[Shepherdess]

Teri, yes, very much like your collar but it will be integrated into the front. I am planning a skirt too. First the tunic.
Jill maybe doing the pleating first would work better. I think I will add a 1/4 to the starting size. pleat it down to start size then add the wool.
Koffipot I don't think I want it quite as tight as smoking but it was a good way to describe it. I took to long with the last post( several hours, I got distracted) so Teri's and Ruth's post showed up after I hit post.

now I need to decide on a colour to dye the silk and the wool and what design on top of the wool.

Thanks ladies I knew you would help. Zed thanks for your answer on facebook.