*SNARL***

I have now sewn in and ripped out the first three pleats FIVE TIMES. I've given up counting the hours, it must be fifteen, at least. If I weren't a stubborn SOB I'd have given up by now.

However, I've discovered a way which might work. I lay out the fabric on a glass table. Nothing is hanging, nothing is unsupported, there are no wierd stresses on the fabric to put the width of the pleats out of alignment. I baste the bottom inch of the pleat, at the bottom of the fell just right. I pull the pleat more or less taught, working in the taper and then I baste the top inch of the pleat. With the top and th ebottom fixed in place, I then go through and base down the remining 6 inches. I baste the freaking DICKENS out of a few pleats, and then with great care, leaving the whole thing on the table, stitch it down by hand. For all practical purposes, I'm sewing these pleats twice..

I've managed to get three almost-acceptable pleats one this way. They're by no means perfect but they *MILES* better than the disasters I turned out before.

However, I'm battling massive frustration, here, and I'm about *this * far from pitching the whole thing and just having Rocky stitch up my X Marks kitl.