One or more rows of running stitch are worked at identical intervals, and drawn up. A blunt point is used to “stroke” the gathering pleats into alignment.

The seam allowance of the non-gathered piece is folded to the wrong side and pressed, then laid over the stroke-gathered section. The individual gathering pleats are then whipped very carefully to the folded edge–or really, just *behind* the folded edge, so no stitches show on the outside at all).

If the item has a lining layer, the whipping process is repeated with that layer.

The running stitches that gather the work may or may not be removed; given the “holding” effect on this particular piece, I suspect the stitches below the seamline have not been removed.

Stroked gathering is similar to cartridge pleating (or gauging, as you’ll find it called for the mid-19th century, which is my favorite era), in that the finished results are both low-bulk and very orderly. Stroked gathering is worked along a cut edge and that edge is eventually included in the seam; gauging is worked through a folded edge of the fabric, and is not included in a stitched seam with the flat portion of the garment.

In this case, the flounce also appears to be cut in one piece with the garment, but extended, then slashed and gathered. The gathered portion would end with a miniscule seam allowance tapering to nothing on the inside, as you would end a dart. A bit of bias tape on the inside serves to face and reinforce the slashed/gathered portion, but you don’t end up with seams all the way across the lower hip of the tunic, and don’t disrupt the embellishment.

As to that, I’d call it rouleau–self-filled bias tubes stitched into interesting patterns on the garment.

(By the by–I adore this site!)

I also agree as to the Passementerie embroidery work but am not so certain the bias tube is self filled, or filled with a very fine cotton cording plus the lovely beadwork. Is the skirt flounce shirring? The fabric does appear to be fine wool maybe a serge or challis.

Kaaren

On the right is a draped flounce or ruffle, cut in one with the front overlay. Then the piece is slashed, the ruffle is gathered (I wouldn’t call it cartridge pleated because it is sewn into the seam, not to the edge of the pleats as in a cartridge pleated skirt or ruff). It looks to me as if the ruffle is not evenly gathered — there’s a group of gathers, then a space with a flare, then another group of gathers.

Hard to tell on the fabric. I don’t think it’s wool, could it be a silk crepe or rayon?

My guess on the date is very late 1930s. The shoulders show the beginnings of pads, but the skirt is still narrow. It would be helpful to see the length, but it’s probably an evening gown, so floor length.