How To Sew Pleats

You need an iron and pins to create a pleated skirt.

Pleats add dimension, style and body to fabric garments. They are commonly used in curtains and skirts, but can also be used in shirts, jackets and dresses. Although pleats may look like a complicated, expert-level sewing project, creating a pleated look is just a matter of folding, pinning and sewing fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Fabric
• Pins
• Iron
• Pencil

Instructions

1. Hem the bottom of your garment before pleating. Hemming the bottom of a pleated garment is difficult and can be avoided by doing it before pleating.

2. Mark the inside of the fabric with a solid line to represent each pleat, and a dotted line to mark where the pleat will lay on the fabric. You may also mark the the spots with two different colored pins instead of drawing on the fabric. The lines should be 1 inch apart for a standard pleat. You may make them smaller or larger, based on your preference, but make sure all pleats are equally spaced. Fold the crease of the solid line onto the dotted line, or colored pin, and pin in place. Remove other pins that were used to mark those spots.

3. Iron the pleats in place, following the lines marked by pins. Avoid running the iron over the pins, since the tops of pins are usually made of plastic and may melt under the heat.

4. Sew the pleats in place by stitching along the lines marked by pins. Remove the pins as you go. Stitch the fabric about one-third the length of your panel of fabric along the pleat.

5. Hem the top of your garment to complete the look.

References

• Cook Clean Craft: How to Sew a Box Pleat
• Simplicity Creative Group: Sewing Techniques
• Sew, Mama, Sew: Learn How to Make a Pleat