My method is very winging it style with no exact science, but figured I would share on my Tumblr since I already typed it all out for a friend
I get about 2 yards of fabric to make pleats 1 1/2 in. and my waist is 35 in or so and it’s too big for me, so figure out what you have. Making it bigger is easier imo in the long run
I measure up from the fold the length I want for the skirt (minus the 2 in or so for the waist band) so I don’t have to hem anything to make the bottom pretty
cut that bitch to that length you figured out
Iron that bitch out flaaat.
Sit there and make the damn pleats. Get something to measure. It’s best to go one pleat at a time to make sure they’re super even. I measure 1 1/2 in and then pin it, then measure another 1 1/2 and pin it. Fold the fabric so the pins line up. You should have 1 1/2 in of fabric on top of 1 1/2 in of fabric! Hey first pleat!
Pin the bottom of the pleat and the bottom of the pleat to keep it in place
Repeat 5-7 until you have all your pleats
Baste stitch along the top to keep the pleats in place.
I like to stitch the inside pleats to help keep the shape (pic 1. The top layer is what it looks like on the outside, bottom layer what it looks like on the inside with the stitches along the inside of the pleats)
Another helpful thing to keep the shape of the pleats is to top stitch an inch or two down the pleat at the waist (pic 2 & 3) If you did both 10 & 11 the inside should look like the unnumbered picture in the inside of the skirt (minus waist band and all so far)
Since I didn’t have any science to the size and stuff, I figured out the actual size of the skirt that it needs to be to fit me. It works best to hide your seam and zipper if you can find a meeting of two pleats that fits your waist
I cut the inside of the pleat to make the seam so it hides and put the zipper in there and since I cut the inside of the pleat, hey the top pleat is still there and hides it! (pic 4 & 5)
eeeeeeey knife pleat skirt!
***OH YEAH IRON ALL THE DAMN TIME. Like after every step just iron just iron everything and when you’re done starch it and iron it more just iron the hell out of it without burning it and all
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