1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handicraft clip suitably used for handicraft work such as patchwork.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of handicraft works such as patchwork, a technique so called “puff quilt” is known as one of the methods that provide excellent ornamental effects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,160 discloses a conventional puff quilt square maker and a method for fabricating a puff quilt square. Generally, the puff quilt is performed with a plurality of square-shaped quilting materials (puffs). The puff is made through superposing a pleated cloth over a base cloth and sewing these cloths together, which allows forming various design patterns depending on the pleating form, and also stuffing padding in between the cloths, to thereby form a three-dimensionally swollen shape. To practically form the puff, for example, two pieces of square cloths that are different in size are prepared. Each of the four sides of the larger cloth is pleated so as to make the size thereof the same with the smaller cloth, and the pleats are temporarily fixed with marking pins. Then the two cloths are laid on each other and a sewing margin is defined so as to sew the perimeter of the stacked cloths. In the case where the puff is to be stuffed with padding, for example a portion of the perimeter is left open for inserting the padding therethrough, instead of sewing the entire perimeter, and then the cloths are turned inside out through the opening, after which the padding is stuffed and the opening is sewn to close. The puff thus made up obtains a shape swelling toward the upper side, as shown in
When performing the patchwork with the puff quilt, a large number of puffs are often employed according to the design. In this case, it is so difficult to make pleats of the same size and same form on all of the large number of puffs.
The present invention has been proposed in the foregoing circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a handicraft clip that facilitates, when making a pleated quilt material such as a puff, efficient forming of pleats in generally the same size.
According to the present invention, there is provided a handicraft clip for forming a pleat in a cloth. The clip comprises: a base plate including a first portion and a second portion of a predetermined width, the first portion having a basal end portion, the second portion being integral with the first portion and having a distal end portion; and a fastening plate including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the fastening plate having a basal end portion, the second portion of the fastening plate being integral with the first portion of the fastening plate and having a distal end portion, the fastening plate being pivotally connected, at the basal end portion thereof, to the basal end portion of the base plate. The base plate and the fastening plate are foldable to face each other in a manner such that the first portions of the respective plates are superposed on each other, and that the second portions of the respective plates are superposed on each other. The second portion of the fastening plate is formed with a slit extending from the distal end portion of the fastening plate toward the basal end portion of the fastening plate.
Preferably, the slit formed in the fastening plate may be located at a widthwise center of the second portion of the base plate when base plate and the fastening plate are superposed on each other.
Preferably, the second portion of the base plate may be formed with a slit extending from the distal end portion of the base plate toward the basal end portion of the base plate.
Preferably, the slit formed in the base plate may be located at a widthwise center of the second portion of the base plate.
Preferably, the handicraft clip of the present invention may further comprise a lock for keeping the base plate and the fastening plate superposed on each other.
Preferably, the lock may include a through-hole and a protrusion to be fitted into the through-hole. The through-hole may be formed in one of the first portions of the respective plates, while the protrusion on the other of the first portions of the respective plates.
Preferably, the protrusion may be fitted in the through-hole in a manner such that an end portion of the protrusion sticks out beyond an end portion of the through-hole.
Preferably, the second portions of the respective plates may have cloth holding surfaces brought into facing relation when these second portions are superposed on each other, where each of the cloth holding surfaces is formed with an elongated projection extending widthwise of the second portions.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following detailed description given with reference to the -accompanying drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The base plate 1 includes a thin base portion 11 of a predetermined thickness, and a clip element 12 extending from the base portion 11. The base portion 11 is of a shape stretched widthwise thereof (left and right direction in
The clip element 12 extends from an edge portion of the base portion 11 toward a distal end, and has a predetermined width and length. The clip element 12 is formed with three slits 121 to 123 of a predetermined width, extending from the distal end portion toward the base portion 11. In this embodiment, the slit 121 is located at the widthwise center of the clip element 12, and the slits 122, 123 are spaced from the central slit 121 by the same distance. Also as shown in
The fastening plate 2 includes a main plate 21 and a clip element 22 extending from the main plate 21. The main plate 21 is generally the same in thickness as the base portion 11 of the base plate 1, and connected to the basal end portion of the base portion 11 via a joint portion 3 having a reduced thickness and extending in the widthwise direction along the basal end portion. Such configuration permits the fastening plate 2 to pivot about the joint portion 3 toward or away from the base plate 1. The main plate 21 includes a generally elliptical protrusion 23 formed substantially in a central region thereof. The protrusion 23 is made slightly smaller than the through-hole 13 of the base plate 1 in a plan view, so as to be fitted into the through-hole 13 when the fastening plate 2 is folded onto the base plate 1. Thus, as shown in
The clip element 22 extends from an end portion of the main plate 21 toward a distal end portion, and has a predetermined width and length. The clip element 22 is made smaller in width than the clip element 12 of the base plate 1, and substantially the same in length as the clip element 12. The clip element 22 includes a slit 221 of a predetermined width extending from the distal end portion thereof toward the main plate 21. The slit 221 is located at the widthwise center of the clip element 22. Here, the widthwise center of the clip element 22 coincides with the widthwise center of the clip element 12. Thus, as shown in
The lock L serves to keep the fastening plate 2 superposed over the base plate 1, and includes the engaging stepped portion 131 formed along the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 13 of the base plate 1, and the engaging stepped portion 231 formed along the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 23 of the fastening plate 2, which constitute the operative portion of the lock L. When the fastening plate 2 is superposed over the base plate 1, the protrusion 23 is introduced into the through-hole 13. Upon pressing the fastening plate 2 against the base plate 1 with a predetermined or a greater force, the engaging stepped portion 231 is elastically deformed slightly so as to pass through the inner circumferential surface of the through-hole 13, to be thereby engaged with the engaging stepped portion 131. Such action causes the main plate 21 of the fastening plate 2 to be completely superposed over the base portion 11 of the base plate 1, such that the fastening plate 2 is inhibited from moving away from the base plate 1.
Now, a method of making up a puff with the handicraft clip A1 thus configured will be described referring to
To start with, two pieces of square cloths of different sizes are cut out, to form the puff. The larger cloth (hereinafter, top cloth C1) is used to form pleats, to be finally located on the upper face of the puff. The small cloth (hereinafter, base cloth C2) is to be superposed over the top cloth C1 with the pleats formed, to be thereby sewn together.
When cutting out the top cloth C1 and the base cloth C2, employing a template (not shown) facilitates efficiently performing the job. The template may be two square frames of the same dimensions as the top cloth C1 base cloth C2 respectively. In this case, putting markings on the back of the cloth along the perimeter of the respective templates, and cutting the cloth along the markings leads to preparation of the top cloths C1 and the base cloths C2 in uniform dimensions. Regarding the template for the base cloth C2, it is convenient to provide a stitch line along the inner perimeter of the frame.
The handicraft clip Al is now employed to form the pleats. The top cloth C1 is folded in half face to face, and the edge portion of the cloth on the respective sides of the folded point is inserted into the left and right slit 122, 123 of the base plate 1 as shown in
Then the top cloth C1 and the base cloth C2 are sewn together. As shown in
Then the cloths sewn together is turned inside out through the opening O1, and padding is introduced therethrough. Finally, the opening O1 is sewn to close. That is how a padded puff P as shown in
As may be understood from
The handicraft clip A1 also includes the lock L. This device serves to maintain the pleated portion of the top cloth C1 in the state of being held between the clip elements 11, 12. Accordingly, the handicraft clip A1 can be prevented from accidentally coming off from the top cloth Cl.
Further, in the handicraft clip A1, simply superposing the fastening plate 2 over the base plate 1 causes the engaging stepped portions 131, 231 to be mutually engaged, thereby actuating the lock L. Such arrangement enhances the usefulness of the handicraft clip A1.
In the handicraft clip A1, the clip elements 11, 12 each include a plurality of projections 124, 125, 222. These projections serve to restrict a relative positional shift between the clip element 11, 12 and the top cloth C1 held therebetween.
In the handicraft clip A1, to use the lock L, the protrusion 23 is inserted into the through-hole 13 until the end portion of the protrusion 23 protrudes beyond the end of the through-hole 13. Thereafter, the user can easily release the lock L simply by pushing the button-shaped end portion of the protrusion 23 back into the through-hole 13 with the thumb, for example.
The base plate 1 of the handicraft clip A1 includes the plurality of slits 121 to 123. Such configuration allows forming pleats of a plurality of different types according to how the top cloth C1 is inserted through the slits 121 to 123.
The present invention being thus described, it is obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2007-206453 | Aug 2007 | JP | national |