How to Sew a Pleat

Pleats add interest and style to garments, especially skirts. They give a tailored appearance around the waist and hips, then allow the fabric to flow below the hips. The good news is that pleats are pretty easy to sew. Read this eHow to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Decide how wide you wish to have your pleats.

2. Fold the fabric starting from the top of the skirt and pin them in place. Make certain that the pleats are even from the top to the bottom of the pleat. Any variation in the measurement can skew the garment.

3. Sew the pleat from the right side of the fabric partway down the length of the pleat. The fabric will dictate how far you must sew down the pleat to help retain the pleat's crispness. Generally speaking, when pleating skirts, stitch from the waist to the hip area.

4. Baste along the top of the pleats with a sewing machine.

5. Create hidden stitch pleats by folding the fabric as above, then sewing the each pleat from the inside of the skirt, one inch back from each fold.

6. Repeat the baste technique along the top of the hidden stitch pleats with a machine.

7. Edge-stitch the pleats when the fabrics do not pleat well. Stitch only in the fold of the pleat from the hip area to the bottom of the pleat. This holds the pleats in place and allows the garment to be machine-washed.

Resources

• DIY Network has a cool tip on sewing pleats.