A smocking pleater is a machine invented by the Read Company of South Africa in the 1950's to make pleats for smocking. It takes fabric that is fed in from the back and pushes it through grooved rollers. onto specially designed needles which are threaded with strong thread.

What is Pleater?

/ (ˈpliːtə) / noun. an attachment on a sewing machine that makes pleats.

What is a Sally Stanley smocking Pleater?

Sally Stanley Smocking Pleater with 24 Rows. Includes extra needles and Complete Instructions in original box. ... 24-row needle pleater with needles spaced 1 cm apart (3/8") with half-spaced rows across half of the roller width. This model is suitable for most normal pleating projects.