This past weekend my husband and I attended the ‘red hot valentine’s day ball’ hosted by The Noblemen here in Virginia Beach. The Noblemen is a great not-for-profit organization that helps kids in the local area. If you know me, you know that I love any excuse to get dressed up and go out dancing with my man. But such is life in Virginia Beach, the weather decided to throw us a curve ball.
If you are familiar with the area, you know that you can never quite know what to expect in a Virginia Beach winter. I am not kidding when I say it can be 60 degrees on day, and 20 the next. Mother nature loves to have her mood swings here, which makes checking the forecast every morning a must. That being said, I was all set for a gorgeous black tie event with my little black cocktail dress…when I was planning for it in the 60 degree weather we were having.
And then it snowed. Sure, I could’ve worn my little black cocktail dress…but I would’ve looked a little ridiculous in the sudden winter wonderland. Thankfully, I am addicted to Pinterest…
I had less than 2 days to come up with a new dress, and I tried shopping. I really did. But there was NOTHING, nada, zilch. It was Pinterest to the rescue for inspiration. That look is EVERYTHING.
I ran to my local Jo-Ann’s and searched for gold mid-heavy weight satin fabric that was the perfect shade, but couldn’t find it. I ended up coming across this beautiful blue though that I knew would do the trick.
Top stitched pleated maxi skirt DIY.
How to sew a formal maxi skirt for a fancy occasion
The wind wasn’t cooperating with me for the pictures, but it truly turned out lovely. I was really happy with it. It was comfortable, and I love how it looked paired with the sequin crop top that I used in my Modern Gatsby outfit HERE.
And in case you were wondering – taking photos in the snow is truly a labor of blog love. It was F-to-the-REEZING out there! Especially in all that wind.
Here is one snapped inside so you can get a better feel:
Practically perfect in every way.
Let’s get down to business now, shall we?
Top Stitched Pleat Maxi Skirt DIY
MATERIALS NEEDED:
- 2.5 – 3 yards mid-heavy weight satin, silk mikado, or shantung
- Coordinating thread
- Measuring tape
- Invisible zipper
- Basic sewing essentials
MEASURING YOURSELF:
- Measure around your natural waist
- Measure around your lower waist, about 5″ down from your natural waist
- Measure from your natural waist to the floor
HOW TO:
Step one – Cut (2) pieces of fabric your desired length plus seam allowance, from selvage to selvage. Cut a pocket shape on either side of the skirt, starting at about 8.5″ down from the natural waist. Use your hand as a guide by laying it directly on the fabric when you are cutting. Repeat for the front and back skirt panel. Determine the very middle of both skirt panel along the waistline.
Step Two – Create a deep knife pleat along the left side of the center of the waistband, bringing the pleat towards the center. Create another knife pleat to the left of the first pleat. Repeat on the other side of the skirt. You want the finished skirt panel waistband to be 1/2 your waist measurement, plus seam allowance. Now, you want to pin those pleats down in place along the pleat line…but BEFORE YOU DO. Gently pull the skirt out at the side seam, so that the pleats get wider. Pin pleats down along pleat line, going down about 5″ from the waist. Measure your skirt width along the pinned pleats – as you want to make sure it is the same measurement as 1/2 your lower hip, plus seam allowance. Repeat for back skirt panel.
Step Three – Carefully sew your pleats down, getting as close to the pleat line as possible. You want this to look really clean, so sew slowly to ensure a nice straight, even stitch.
Step Four – Place skirt front and back right sides together, pin and sew side seams leaving an opening for inserting your zipper. Finish seam.
Step Five – Turn skirt right side out, and sew zipper in place.
Step Six – Cut a piece of fabric your waist measurement plus seam allowance x 3″ long. Use this as a facing for your waistband. Sew around your waistband, and press to the inside. Edge stitch around waistband to secure. Hem to finish.
And you are done!
Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time…
Happy sewing!
OUCH! Lookin’ Hot
Lol – thank you Chelle!! 🙂
I think this must be the prettiest and most stylish skirt ever… Totally in love! 💙💙💙
Eva – you are my new favorite!! Lol – thank you so much 🙂
Absolutely love this. Gorgeous.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I have had the inspiration pinned for a while and had been coveting it since. Now I have instructions to duplicate. 🙂
OMG! That’s lovely!
oh my! You look totally amazing! What a wonderful skirt.
wow. just wow.
Your sewing tutorials are seriously the best and SO easy to follow. Thanks for sharing this!
xoxo
Lindsey Crafter
This is stunning Jess! Well done!
How do you know how wide to cut the fabric? is it a big rectangle or slightly tapered?
Perfect – exactly what I’m looking for. was so hard to find it – but your design is stunning. perfect. hope it looks as good on me as it does you!!!
That’s a stunning outfit. You look great!
Hello im still not clear as to how to figour out how wide to cut the material? And how to fit the waist and the hip at the same time when sewing a pleated skirt, i have an 11″ difference from my natural waist to my hips so its hard to make a pleated skirt fit my waist and hips? Any tips please
Hi there! I am a sewing beginner but it seems to me like the fabric should be cut to the whole length of your hip measurement plus seam allowances (usually somewhere between 1/4 inch and 1 inch). You’ll then make the pleats until the top of the fabric 1/2 of your waist measurement (plus allowances). Before you sew, however, you’ll gently pull the pleats at the bottom so that they become *slightly* triangle shaped until five inches below the top of the skirt measures the same as 1/2 your hip measurement. Then you do the same to the other half of your fabric, and sew them together to complete the skirt!
So if you are still wondering about how much fabric to use without a measurement for the pleats, here’s some help: https://sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/how-make-knife-pleats Basically you decide for yourself how much of pleat you want.
Gorgeous skirt! Plus you have saved my place as the best Nanna ever by having just what my grand daugher (17) was describing as her year 12 formal (Australia) perfect skirt… prom. maybe in the U.S.A. My word it has been finish with the farm chores here in record time today so that I can begin cutting and sewing on a sample skirt, which I will just casually present to her for a fitting. Of course with everything crossed for luck, in the hope that I’ve done it justice. Could I add more fullness… another section back and front for a fuller skirt or would that make the waist band too bulky?
Either way I’m off to follow your lead with this amazing skirt,
Thank you very much for sharing.
Carol.
Beautiful. I had a skirt in this style as a child some 50 years ago, it was my ‘going out’ skirt for the cinema etc. for many years (made from a woolly fabric), nowhere near as glamorous as this. Would make a great under skirt to wear with a really dressy long top as well. Prefer your choice of colour to the original gold.
Does she mean to say fold the pleat away from the centre in Step 2? Thats what the pictures seem to suggest…
I am totally in love with this maxi skirt outfit. The color blue is my favorite color and the design of this outfit is so unique and it fits you so well. So adorable!
Stitches
Thanks