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Whether you’re after a dark academia mood or a Y2K throwback, this pleated skirt has you covered. Inspired by classic college uniforms, it features plenty of box pleats for beautiful volume and a discreet side-seam zipper for a clean finish. Sew it in a solid fabric or a bold plaid, then style it with a crisp button-down or a cheeky cropped top. A timeless project for the fashion-forward sewist.
Download the FREE PDF sewing pattern, and sew your own handmade skirt now!
1 cm (3/8″) seam allowance included!
Material
- FABRIC: 1.1 m (1 1/4 yd) gabardine, twill or wool
- INTERFACING: 0.2 m (1/4 yd) fusible woven interfacing
- All-purpose thread
- Universal needle
- Fusible stay-tape, 1 cm (3/8″) wide
- Invisible zipper, 18 cm (16″) long
- Zipper or invisible zipper foot
- OPTIONAL: hand-sewing needle
Important: Fabric requirements are based on a fabric width of 150 cm (59″). If your fabric is narrower, additional yardage may be required.
Download the free PDF sewing pattern…
… and once you’re done, share a photo of you proudly wearing your new handmade piece with #unfetteredpatterns or tag us @unfetteredpatterns!
Need help to print your pattern? Check our detailed tutorial here! Also, find out how you can customize your pattern for A0 printers and projectors here.
Sizing Guide
This pattern is drafted according to the following body measurements. Standard height is 1.64 m (5.4 ft). Check this tutorial if you want to add sizes to your pattern!
If you need to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Bust | 85 cm (33 1/2″) | 89 cm (35″) | 93 cm (36 1/2″) | 97 cm (38″) | 101 cm (39 1/2″) | 105 cm (41″) | 109 cm (42 1/2″) |
| Waist | 64 cm (25 1/2″) | 68 cm (27″) | 72 cm (28 1/2″) | 76 cm (30″) | 80 cm (31 1/2″) | 84 cm (33″) | 88 cm (34 1/2″) |
| Hips | 94 cm (36 1/2″) | 96 cm (38″) | 100 cm (39 1/2″) | 104 cm (41″) | 108 cm (42 1/2″) | 112 cm (44″) | 116 cm (45 1/2″) |
Finished garment measurements
Keep in mind that the final measurements have a bit of ease built in to let you move around freely when you’re wearing the garment.
| XS | S | S/M | M | M/L | L | XL | |
| Waist | 69.5 cm (27 1/2″) | 73.5 cm (29″) | 77.5 cm (30 1/2″) | 81.5cm (32″) | 85.5 cm (33 1/2″) | 89.5 cm (35″) | 93.5 cm (36 1/2″) |
| Length | 38 cm (14 3/4″) | 38.5 cm (15″) | 39 cm (15 1/4″) | 39.5 cm (15 1/2″) | 40 cm (15 3/4″) | 40.5 cm (16 cm) | 41 cm (16 1/4″) |
Sewing Notes
Here are some tips we recommend for a successful sewing project:
Fit and style
- Choose a size based on your waist. Take a look at the body measurements chart to guide you.
- To get your waist size, measure around the narrowest part of your waist, slightly above the belly button. Take a nice deep breath before you check the number just to make sure the measuring tape isn’t too tight. You want it snug, but not squeezing you.
- On the finished garment measurements chart, see how long the garment is and if it’ll work for your height. It’s a good idea to compare the length with something similar you already own. Just keep in mind this is a miniskirt, so the hem should hit mid-thigh.
- If you need to adapt the length of your garment to your height, check this helpful tutorial here!
Fabrics
- When you’re picking out a fabric, go for something that has a little stiffness to it to get that structured look. Steer clear of flowy materials! Also, going for a medium-weight fabric is a smart move to keep things from getting too bulky.
- Choose a lightweight interfacing so it doesn’t add bulk to the fabric. Also, grab a color that’ll blend right in with light-colored fabric.
Cutting out
- Before you start cutting your fabrics, wash and dry them like you’d do for the finished piece. Keep in mind the fabric type and what it’s made of so you choose the right cleaning method (like how hot the water should be or what kind of cycle to use…). Plus, the dyes used on certain fabrics tend to bleed when washed, so wash yours separately, or with similar colors.
- After you wash and dry the fabric, give it a good press to get rid of any creases. Just make sure your iron is set to the right temperature for the fabric. Generally, synthetic fibers like acrylic, spandex, or polyester should be pressed on low heat, while natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen can handle higher heat.
- When you’re set to cut the fabric, just fold it lengthwise right sides together. Make sure the fold is straight and doesn’t twist up. If it does, unfold it and refold until it’s nice and flat. Then, lay out the pattern pieces so the grainline runs parallel to the selvages.
- Make sure you don’t cut the notches too long; aim for them to be around 0.3-0.4 cm long (1/8″). You should also notch the pieces cut on the fold to mark the center front and back. To do so, cut right in the fold line.
Sewing
- Before you start sewing, grab a scrap piece of fabric and try out a few stitches to see how the tension and stitch length look. If the seam isn’t turning out great, try re-threading your machine first. Still not working? Then go ahead and adjust the tension. As for stitch length, thicker fabric usually needs longer stitches, so adjust that as needed. And if your stitches are skipping, switch to a new needle or to a bigger one.
- This project uses an invisible zipper, so be sure to grab an invisible or regular zipper foot. These kinds of presser feet are designed to let you sew closer to the zipper teeth.
Sewing instructions
Just a quick reminder that, unless stated otherwise, your seam allowances should be 1 cm (3/8″) wide.
- INTERFACING: Place the interfacing pieces, sticky side down, to the back of the corresponding fabric pieces and press to fuse them together.
- STAY-TAPE: Apply the stay-tape, sticky side down, along the back of the side edges on the skirts panels, between the top edge and the notch. Apply only on the side you wish to install the zipper. Press to fuse them together.
- PLEATS: Take one skirt panel and fold it lengthwise, right sides together, to match the notches and markings of one pleat. Then, sew stitch from the notch down to the marking. Unfold the skirt and sew the remaining three pleats, one by one, in the same manner. Sew also the pleats on the remaining skirt panel.
- Form the box pleats by matching the middle of each pleat with the seams. Press the creases all the way down the hem. Now you may baste the pleats in place near the top edges.
- SIDE SEAMS: With right sides together, sew the skirt panels at the side seams. On the side you apply the stay-tape, sew between the bottom hem and the notch to leave an opening for the zipper. Then, finish the raw edges and press the seams open.
- ZIPPER: Open the zipper and sew each side to the side seam opening, ensuring the zipper faces down on the right side of the fabric. The zipper teeth should also be 1 cm (3/8″) from the edges. If you’re using the invisible zipper foot, insert the zipper teeth into the grove of the presser foot. With a regular zipper foot, lift away the teeth of the zipper with your fingers so you can sew as close as possible. Once done, close the zipper and press the side seam. Open the zipper again to install the facing.
- FACING: With right sides together, sew the facings at the side seams, leaving out the side of the facing that corresponds to the zipper side. Finish the raw edges and press the seam open. Then, finish the raw edges at the bottom of the facing, as well as on the remaining side seams.
- Place the facing on the garment, with right sides together, matching the top edges and the side seams. Then, sew the facing to the zipper opening, securing the zipper. Fold the side seams toward the facing, and sew the facing to the top edges. Be sure to match the notches on the facings with the pleats, and be sure that the remaining side seams line up.
- Lift the facing away and under-stitch the top edge, on the facing side. The stitching should not be visible on the right side of the garment. Then, fold the facing inside the garment and push out the corners. Press the top edges and close the zipper.
- If you wish to you can thread a hand-sewing needle and sew a few stitches to attach the facing to the garment, near the side seam. Catch only the seam allowances so the stitches are not visible on the right side of the garment.
- HEM: Finish the raw edges at the bottom of the skirt and fold them 3 cm (1 1/8″) to the wrong side. Press the fold and stitch the hem in place. Once you’re done, press again the pleats all the way down to the hem.
Good luck with your sewing project!
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