Pleated Chevron Skirt

{This is the tutorial I did for Sewing In No Man's Land during Sew for Me! Week.  My camera is acting up and I can't share my latest with you right now, so I figured I'd put this on my blog for people to find in the meantime!  Enjoy!}

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Once upon a time I was shoving my way through a crowded church hallway and 8 months prego when my eyes were captured by the most adorable outfit EVER on one of the beautiful ladies in our congregation.  Gray stripes, yellow sweater, great necklace… you better believe my brain was taking inventory of the whole thing so I could be a copy cat.  After I had that baby, of course.
When I saw the chevron pattern from Half Moon Modern, I had to have it as the gray stripe.  HAD TO.  You should to, because it is awesome.  And I bought it.  8 months pregnant.  And so it sat.
But now, that fabric has transformed into an awesome wearable skirt!!!  Want to make one too?  It is easier than you might think!

To make the Pleated Chevron Skirt, you need:

1 1/2 yards Chevron fabric!  This tutorial uses Half Moon Modern.
9” zipper (I was going to use an invisible zipper, but changed my mind at the last second –read it was going to be too small and I didn’t want it to pull really tight and expose the invisible zipper. I need to step up the exercise…)
Optional pocket fabric! 1/4 yard
Usual sewing supplies
***use 1/2” seam allowances, iron often, and finish all your edges!***



To begin, measure your waist where you want your skirt to sit (I recommend measuring after lunch, or it will be a little snug in the end… ahem.).  Add 1 inch to that measurement.

My measurements were 29” waist, so I added 1 and got 30” as my starting number.  My measurements will be in (parenthesis) to help you see the process.

For your front piece, divide your measurement (30”) in half (15”).  Next, when using Half Moon Modern, add 10 to this measurement to get your front cut width (25”). If you aren't using HMM, figure out how many inches it takes to meet up your zig-zags, and multipy it by 2, then add that to your original half measurement to get your cut width (I suggest folding the pleats and measuring before you cut to make sure it isn't too small). Make sure the center of the skirt lines up with a chevron point!  I wanted my skirt to be to my knees, so I cut it 21” long too.



Your back pieces will be the half waist measurement (15”) divided by 2.  Then, add 5 1/2” for the pleat, plus at least 1” for seam allowances for the sides and zippered center.  My cut size was 14”.  Cut two of this size, doing the best you can to have the chevrons line up after you sew your pieces together.



Starting from the center of the front skirt pieces, start making your box pleats by lining up the point of one zig-zag with the dip of the one next to it.  Makes no sense in writing, so I hope you can see if from the photo.  When the pleats are closed up, the zig-zag pattern will appear to continue without any breaks.  You will have two pleats.



Do the same to the back pieces too, except make only one pleat per side.



To make your waistband, cut two pieces the same width as your front skirt piece. Cut four pieces the width of your back pieces.



Sew the back waistband pieces to the sides of the front pieces, and then sew them all together along the long side, like so.



I ironed a 1/4” hem along one side, so when I am hand-stitching later, it will be easier. 
On to pockets!  If you want pockets, cut 4 shapes like this (I just traced around my hand to get a reasonably sized and shaped pocket piece):



Make sure you have two of each direction!



Pin the pocket pieces right sides down onto your skirt pieces, at a comfortable spot for your hands. 



Stitch the pocket to the front and back skirt pieces, (and while you are at it, tack down those pleats so you don’t get poked with pins anymore).



With the pocket sewn on, mark with a pencil or pin 1/2” from the edge of the pocket.  This is where you will pivot your fabric while sewing.



Place the skirt pieces right sides together and line up the pockets.  Sew down the sides, going around the pocket as you go.  Don’t sew the pocket shut!



Now, attach your waistband, lining up the non-ironed waistband edge with the pleated edge of your skirt.  Sew together!



Now, let’s install the zipper.  I learned this zipper trick from Ashley, and it works pretty well.  I’ll give vague instructions, since she already did a great job with her tutorial. 
Sew up the entire back of the skirt and iron it open.  Now, pull out some sort of adhesive, whether it be glue stick or fabric glue or tape, and put the glue on the seam allowance where your zipper will go.



Stick the zipper teeth-side-down onto your glued seam allowance, making sure the teeth line up with the seam. Make sure the zipper doesn’t go higher than the center waistline seam- you need to fold that over soon to finish this skirt up!



Using your zipper foot, stitch carefully on the outside of your fabric to secure your zipper.  When you are done, use a seam ripper to unpick the zipper seam.

Hem your skirt, and the hand-stitch the rest of the waistband to the interior of the skirt.  I stitch it so the inside waistband seams are all enclosed.



You have yourself a skirt!  It’s awesome in every way!  It sits snug on the waist and pleats out so very perfectly around those chevrons…



Paying attention to detail is what makes a good project GREAT!



And what’s that peeking from the sides?



Why, it is an adorable pocket, perfect for those boogery tissues and random half-chewed fruit snacks your children hand to you as you are trying to head out the door.



Paired with a sunshine-y yellow cardigan, I’m totally ready to be twinners with that gal in my church.  Think she’ll mind? ;)