This handy little tutorial provides practical techniques for sewing pleats into a variety of vintage style skirts.

Inverted Pleat in Seam

  1. Stitch added piece to pleat extensions.
  2. Clip seam in hem and press open.
  3. Stitch top of pleat through to outside.
  4. Overhand seam edges together.

Set-In Inverted Pleat

  1. Clip into corners a seam’s width and press edges to inside.
  2. On the inside, place pleated section in opening, matching seam edges.
  3. Baste. On the outside stitch close to the turned edge.

Side Pleat in Seam

  1. Clip seam at top of hem and press open.
  2. Finish hem and overcast seam edges together.
  3. Press pleat to one side, stitch in diagonal line on outside to hold pleat in place.

Box and Inverted Pleats

  1. Form box pleat (a) and stitch close to pleat edges on outside.
  2. Form inverted pleat (b), stitch close to pleat edges on outside.
  3. Do not press pleats until hem is turned.

Side Pleats

  1. Match lines of marking and pin, then baste pleats in place.
  2. Stitch close to pleat edges on outside.

A side pleat is often used to provide fulness in the bottom of a skirt and seam is often concealed under it. After stitching seams, do not press them open.

Preliminary Pressing For Pleats

  1. Lay pleats and pin upper end to ironing board.
  2. Pull taut at lower end and pin so all markings match.
  3. Do not press lower end until hem is turned.

Final Pressing For Pleats

  1. After hem is sewn, baste pleats down with thread.
  2. Place press cloth over material and dampen slightly with sponge before pressing.

Making a Pleated Skirt

  1. Lay in pleats and give a preliminary pressing before side seams of skirt are joined.
  2. Pin or baste side seams of skirt and try on.
  3. If hips are prominent, pleats may have to be lapped a little more at the top of the skirt, as shown, to make them lie smoothly all the way down.
  4. Pin or baste the change on the figure.
  5. Remove skirt, unpin seams, and re-press tops of pleats which have been changed.
  6. When pleats are to be stitched, do this before joining side seams of skirt.
  7. Pull ends of both machine threads to inside and tie in a square knot.
  8. Join side seams of skirt and overcast seam allowance together as far as the point where the top of hem will come.
  9. Clip into seam allowance at top of hem, as shown, and press seam open below slashes.
  10. Finish hem as desired.

Godet Held With Stay

  1. Where godet extends the full length of the skirt, reinforce it at the top by a stay so the fulness with be held in place.
  2. Cut triangular piece, turn in edges and hem to seam lines on the inside.

Pleated Circular Godet

  1. When circular inset extends full length of skirt and is to be pleated, stitch seams then form inverted pleat on outside and baste.
  2. Stitch close to pleat edges as shown.

Cartridge Pleats

  1. Cut a gauge and mark lines of stitching on garment.
  2. On the piece to be pleated, mark spaces as wide as three of the gauge notches.
  3. Lay fabric together matching lines of markings.
  4. Stitch.
  5. Do not press cartridge pleats.

Edge-Stitched Pleats On Skirt

Good in firm materials, as fold of pleat is often off grain, neither straight nor true bias.

  1. Baste pleats but do not stitch until hem has been marked and turned.
  2. Machine-stitch edge of pleat to skirt to the depth desired, then raise presser foot and bring edge of fold only under needle.
  3. Stitch to end of pleat. Fasten invisibly.