How to Create a Pleat for a Bed Skirt

The bed skirt shown here is softly gathered.

Bed skirts, also known as dust ruffles, help a bedroom look elegant. They can match or coordinate with the bedding, or bring forth design elements and colors from other parts of the room. Most bed skirts are ruffled, so a pleated bed skirt would be a twist on a classic. Pleats can add interest to a bed skirt in a plain fabric. Knife, box and inverted pleats can all be done by the home seamster.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape or ruled cutting mat
• Fabric
• Iron
• Straight pins
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Scissors

Instructions

Preparing the Fabric

1. Calculate the desired finished width of your bed skirt. It should be wide enough to wrap around at least three sides of the bed. Get at least twice this width of fabric.

2. Wash and dry the fabric according to the manufacturer's directions. Press the fabric.

3. Hem the fabric.

Making the Pleats

1. Decide the style, depth, location and number of pleats that you want.

2. Mark the fabric at the fold lines and placement lines for your pleats. The fold lines form the edge of the pleat when the pleat is pressed and sewn into place. The placement lines are where the folds are placed to press and sew the pleats into place.

3. Fold the fabric perpendicular to the hem at the fold lines, placing the folds against the placement lines. Pin the pleats in place at the top of the fold.

4. Press the pleats according to the manufacturer's directions for the fabric. Use steam if permitted.

5. Stitch the pleats in place at the top of the fold, parallel to the hem, near the raw edge of the fabric. Your pleats are finished, and you may complete the bed skirt as normal.

Tips & Warnings

• If the fabric is heavy, you may want to baste the pleats in place, perpendicular to the hem, then remove after pressing.

• If the fabric has a pattern that goes in one direction, like stripes or a plaid, you may need to get more fabric to make sure the pattern lines up properly with the pleats.

References

• BurdaStyle: Make Box and Inverted Box Pleats!
• "Threads": Easy Pleated Skirts
• LoveToSew.com: Pleats...How to Make Perfect Pleats When Sewing
• "Sewing for Dummies"; Jan Saunders Marsh; 2010

Resources

• Jenny T's How to Sew Curtains: Calculators