Pleated Travel Skirt

Materials:

The Travel Skirt pattern
fabric
two strips of interfacing 2" x 35-3/4"
eight 1/2" buttons
two hooks and eyes
thread
edge stitching foot
buttonhole foot
2" x 18" See-Thru ruler
The Travel Skirt pattern is a multi-size pattern, which is easy to enlarge by adding more panels. The skirt fits at the waist and can be adjusted with the self belt. Most sewers can choose a pattern size according to their waist measurement since the skirt has a lot of ease in the hips as it begins to fall into pleats. The skirt is fairly long, which is most flattering to avoid a boxy look and allows the fabric to hang and drape well. The skirt was designed for someone 5'7" tall and includes shortening and lengthening lines.

Light- to medium-weight fabrics that have some drape are best for the skirt. Suitable fabrics include cotton, denim chambray, rayon, wool challis, wool crepe, dress-weight silk or polyester. One-way designs will work because the panels can be alternated when assembling. Avoid napped, striped or plaid fabrics. Prints work well, allowing you take one skirt and several matching tops when traveling.

Easy construction methods are used to assemble the skirt, making it a suitable project for all levels of sewers. It is important to be accurate! Because there are so many panels, a small error in seam allowance or topstitching width will affect the final waist measurement.

Try using the process method of production in which all like tasks are completed at the same time. It will speed up your sewing!

Steps:

1. Layout and cut pattern pieces according to pattern instructions. For this pattern , cut two skirt front panels, one belt piece, one waistband (cut on the bias) and 10 skirt panels.

2. Press all of the skirt panels exactly in half, wrong sides together (figure A). This establishes the fold line where the panels will be topstitched.

3. Apply fusible interfacing to the two front panel edges and make a 2-inch mark down the front edge (figure B). Fold facing back and press. Press the front panel in half again but position 1/4 inch from front edge to allow for button closing .

4. Finish the edge of the front facing by serging. Turn back 1/4 inch and topstitch.

5. Using the edge stitching (joining) foot as a guide, topstitch all of the panels along the pressed folds accurately at 1/16 inch (figure C) beginning at the hem and sewing toward the waist.

6. Attach one skirt panel to the skirt front with a 1/4-inch seam allowance beginning from the hem and sewing toward the waist. Continue adding panels until half of the skirt is assembled. Assemble the other half skirt in the same manner. Join the two half skirts together. Finish seam allowances with a serger or a zigzag stitch. Tip: Add as many panels as needed for a proper fit.

7. Fold waistband facing in half wrong sides together and press. Attach waistband facing by folding the front facing back on itself; overlap the waistband about 1/2 inch and pin. Using a regular presser foot, stitch in place using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out and press waistband facing to the inside of the skirt.

8. Prepare hem by trimming seam allowances at hem diagonally to reduce bulk. Press hem up 1/4 inch. Machine stitch a narrow hem by rolling up another 1/4 inch.

9. Topstitch up one front, along the waist, and down the other front at 1/16 inch from the edge.

10. Use the See-Thru ruler as a guide to mark the buttonholes. Each panel has two buttonholes at the waist. Each buttonhole is marked 1/4 inch down from the top with a pin that is centered between the seam and the topstitching (figure D).

11. Refer to the pattern to mark the first buttonhole on the front panel. Buttonholes down the center front are placed 1/2 inch from the edge, 1/2 inch in, and spaced 3-1/2 inches apart. If your machine has a memory, the buttonhole can be stored and repeated, making a fast and simple job!

12. Tack the front facing to the hem with a couple of hand stitches.

13. Press in 1/4-inch seam allowance on all edges of the belt, wrong sides together . Fold the belt in half and topstitch around all edges. Attach a hook to each end of the belt.