Graduated Tucks

Technique: Graduated Tucks

Tucks are parallel folds pulled up from the surface of the fabric and held by stitching from one end of the fabric to the other. Graduated tucks are a “series of tucks that progressively increase in width with the visible spaces between also progressively increasing, matching the width of the smaller of the adjacent tucks.” (Wolff, pp. 150, 151, 155)

Materials: Cotton print cloth (Testfabrics) 400M, bleached, not washed

Spacing/Size: Parallel tucks of increasing sizes

Folding Methods: Ironing along the fold in the correct direction

Anchoring methods: Machine stitching, size 80 needle, white cotton thread, 1/16,” 1/8,” 1/4,” 3/8,” 1/2,” 5/8,”3/4,” 7/8” from fold.  Intervals are 4 times the distance as the size of the tuck

• The geometry and measuring of increasingly larger tucks is difficult to understand at first

• In this case I simply added 1/8” to the size of the tuck each time, and ½” to the size of the interval each time

• The sequence is pleasing visually

 

• This approach provides variety, visual movement with the sequence, and holds possibilities for conveying the illusion of visual depth in a composition and increasingly deep relief surfaces.