High Waisted Gray Box Pleated Skirt

Intro: High Waisted Gray Box Pleated Skirt

Let me just say that this took forever!!! A lot of ironing and "math" I finally finished my skirt. Math is in quotations because even though I used it I still messed up. I don't think it likes me. Anyway it has a waist band with zipper, so I will show you how I did that.

Supplies:

* 1 1/2 yards of medium weight fabric

* 7" zipper

*scissors

*sewing machine

*dark or matching thread

*straight pins

*measuring tape

* "math"

*Sharpie

* iron

Optional

*pinking shears

*iron- on interfacing

STEP 1: Let the Pinning Commence!

Ok the first thing I did was measure my waist and added one inch for seam allowance. I sew with a half inch seam allowance and to added the zipper in the back I needed a half inch on both sides, so I added another inch. I laid out my fabric and pinned every two inches along the salvage edge. The edge was not lined up perfectly, but I need it like that so when I marked one side I could mark the other at the same time. I used my waist measurement+1 and added another inch for seam allowance because I was going to cut the skirt in two pieces. With that I divided it by 2 and added it to the original number.So I had divided 32 by 2 and got 15 1/2 inches and added that to 32. My final number was 47 1/2 inches.

STEP 2: Pin & Pleat

I box pleated the skirt so I could see how it would look before I cut it. Then I unpinned it leaving the ones that were two inches apart, so I could mark them on both sides with a sharpie. I lined up the salvage edge and measured 18 inches down and drew a straight line. This will become the bottom of the skirt. I then meticulously folded and ironed each and every pleat making sure they were evenly spaced. This is what made the skirt the most time consuming sewing project I have done so far. But you want to make this part look nice so it will look even better when you wear it.

STEP 3: Almost Done...

After pleading and ironing both side sew them together with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Then base stitch the pleats using a large stitch length. I cut out two waistbands measuring 30 by 2 1/2 inches, but I ended up only using one. Then for extra strength I fused iron-on interfacing to the waistband. Then I pinned the waistband along to top of the skirt and sew a straight line. After that I used my pinking shears to trim the top of the waistband.

(I don't know how but once I was done pleating and I sewed the two sides together I had about 2-3 inches left over of pleats. So I just cut that off, but I don't know why that is. My original number was 30 so I gave that an inch for give and to have room if I wanted to tuck in a shirt and for the zipper. So I now have 31 inches + 1 inch for two side seams and got 32. So I had divided 32 by 2 and got 15.5 and added that back to 32. My final number was 47 1/2 inches. I was just wondering what I may have done wrong or if math just doesn't like me.)

STEP 4: Now You're Done!!!

I added the zipper by finding the middle of the waistband by folding it down so that it covered the stitch line. I marked with a pin where the zipper stopped and pinned all the way down. Then I sewed up until I reached that pin and pressed the seam flat.This is where the zipper goes, if you haven't guessed already. Then I folded over the seam allowance and pinned the zipper in place. Using a zipper foot on my sewing machine I rode a shark into a active volcano... no I just sewed the zipper to the skirt. Then I folded over the waistband and sewed a straight line. And for the hem... well I just sewed a zigzag stitch like I had a serger because I really wanted to be done with this skirt. But you could after that fold it over twice a do a proper hem. Or not...

And now you're done!! ^-^

Comments

[thundrepance]

love the skirt & your sunglasses! :D

[cwomack2]

This is awesome! I've wanted a skirt like this for a while... After seeing this tutorial, I might just make one! I love your outfit, too :)

[gwenif]

Thank you! I hope you make one.

[lemuries]

Thank you for sharing this!

[tinaciousz]

You SEW girl! Pleats are not easy. Thanks for the detailed pinning shots.

[gwenif]

You're welcome! They take forever. ..but it's worth it.

[mrshoneybre]

Did you use a Western Saddle or an English Saddle on the shark? Excellent Instructable!!

[sursula]

nicely done and you look very pretty in the skirt!

[gwenif]

Thank you :)