How to make a pleat skirt

Not to be worn on a Cornish windy day (of which we have many) this gorgeous pleat skirt is actually a doodle to sew. Stick with me. This is what you'll end up with:


You will need:
Pretty skirt material and matching cotton thread: width 3 x your waist (size 12 = 135cm) height = 50cm
Matching bias binding: 2 x width of waist (90cm)
Matching zip: 20cm

Lay out your material and every 12 cm overlap a 4cm section and pin in place - that will leave you with 8cm, then a 2cm pleat, 8cm then a 2 cm pleat etc. Try it for size around your waist and adjust as necessary.

Sew these pleats in place along the top of the fabric horizontally, and then vertically 8cm down each pleat.

Fold in half right side to right side, and seam together to make a tube - sewing in the zip at the top. Then sew your bias binding along the top of your skirt to hide your top seam:






Hem the bottom of the skirt:


Sew a hook and eye to the top of the zip on the underside:


Et voila - your very own pleat skirt.