Simple Summer Pleated Skirt FREE Pattern

pleated skirt pattern

I've had a couple of nice lightweight cotton fabrics in my stash since last summer, meaning to make myself a couple more skirts.  I've got quite a few patterns I've designed I could choose from now, but one of the skirts has a border print and I wanted to make sure I had a pattern that would work just as well with a border print as with the floral.  So I designed another skirt pattern.

This could easily be your go-to skirt for summer.  Make it once, and then over and over in different fabrics.  I think you'll like it!

pleated skirt pattern

Features of the Summer Pleated Skirt Pattern

  • Quick and quite easy to sew
  • Cool and casual fit
  • Pleats front and back, no darts
  • Optional side seam pockets (who doesn't love pockets!)
  • Pick your own skirt length
  • Ideal for use with border prints or stripes too
  • For woven lightweight fabrics such as cottons
  • Video tutorial too

Sizing (9 sizes) – 25- 41 inch waist, 34-50 inch hips

Fabric Recommendations from Fabric.com

Download the pattern here

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Download the Free Easy Pleated Skirt Pattern

You can download the pattern from my design account on Payhip.  Add it to your cart and check out - its FREE.  The pattern will be saved in your Pattern Library safely until you are ready to sew, then you can download and print it at any time.

pleated skirt pattern

How to sew the Summer Pleated Skirt pattern

Check out the video tutorial, or follow the step by step photos below.

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Never sewn a skirt before?  Then check out the Sew a Skirt Beginners Series which takes you through everything from choosing fabric, to drafting your own custom fit pattern if you want to,  to cutting the pattern, zippers, hems, lining and more.  It's a sewing lesson from start to finish.

How to Sew A Skirt. Beginners tutorial series covers fabric, patterns, cutting out, darts, zipper, lining, hems and more. You can totally learn to sew from this set of tutorials - from So Sew Easy.The Summer Pleated Skirt Pattern – step by step

Download the pattern and check out the instructions provided for cutting your pieces.  Cut everything you need, and then add a light weight apparel interfacing to the outer waistband pieces.  We're ready to start putting it all together.

pleated skirt pattern

Find the center of the front waistband and the center of the front skirt panel and mark them.  (I like to mark my fabrics with a Frixion pen as these are accurate, come in lots of colors and can simply we removed with heat.)

Check the table in your pattern instructions for where to mark your pleats and make a mark out in each direction from the center front.  Start pinning the skirt panel to the waistband at the center, then pin out to the pleat marks, placing a pin on each mark.

pleated skirt pattern

Then match the side seams with the outer waistband edges and pin in towards the center.  You'll have some excess fabric.  Keep sliding this up towards the center as you pin and eventually you'll come to that pin that marks the pleat.  Fold the excess fabric towards the center to create a pleat and pin it in place.

pleated skirt pattern

Stitch the waistband to the front panel with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Press both seam allowances upwards.  Set this piece aside.

pleated skirt pattern

Take your two skirt back panels and referring again to the table in the instructions, mark out from center back on each piece.  Start pinning the skirt panel to the back waistband at center back until you reach your mark.  Then pin in from the side seams until you reach that mark, folding the extra fabric towards center back to create your pleat.  Make sure the pleats are a mirror image of each other when you place your back pieces together.

pleated skirt pattern

Sew both back waistband pieces with 1/2 inc seam allowance. Press both seam allowances upwards.

pleated skirt pattern

Insert your skirt zipper into the center back.  Either follow these instructions for how to sew an invisible zipper, or follow the instructions below and in the video (if you need them) for how to add a regular skirt zipper.  Finish your back seam.

For my regular skirt zipper installation. 

  1. Pin the entire back seam.
  2. Mark where the bottom of your zipper will fall.  I decided to shorten mine a little.
  3. Baste with a long stitch from the top of the waistband to your mark.  Then stitch to a regular stitch length, back stitch a couple of times and then sew your regular 1/2 inch seam to the bottom hemline.  Neaten your seam.  Press the seam open where the zipper will fall.
  4. Place your zipper over the center back seam.  I lined up the end of the tape with the top of the waistband and made sure the zipper teeth followed the center seam.
  5. Pin, glue or otherwise temporarily secure the zipper.  I used two strips of Wonder Tape to hold it in place as I sew.
  6. Sew your skirt with the zipper upwards, using a zipper foot.  Start at the waistband, don one side, across the bottom (don't hit the zipper stop!) and back up the other side.
  7. Remove your basting stitches and give it a press.

pleated skirt pattern

Now pin your skirt panels and check for fit.  Make any fitting adjustments necessary before adding pockets.

Optional step – if you are adding side seam pockets to your skirt, measure down 1 inch from your waistband seam on the front and back panels.  Place your pocket pieces RST with the skirt panels with the top of the pocket at this 1 inch mark.

pleated skirt pattern

Sew your 4 pocket pieces in place with a 3/8th seam allowance.  The seam allowance should be a little narrower than you will use for your side seam.  Press the pockets out away from the skirt panels.

pleated skirt pattern

Match your side seams, matching waistband seams and pockets, RST.  Stitch from the top of the waistband, then around the pocket, then back down the side seam until you reach the bottom.  Use a 1/2 inc seam allowance.  Neaten your seams and press both towards the front to make the pockets sit nicely.

Assemble your inner waistband pieces.  If you had made any fitting adjustments, make the same changes here too.  Press side seams open and press up 3/8th of an inch all along the lower curved edge.

pleated skirt pattern

Pin your waistband RST, matching side seams.  Stitch across the front between the side seams.

pleated skirt pattern

At the back center, stitch your waistband to the zipper tape (see the video if you aren't sure how to do this). Then resume stitching from the side seam to the center back.  Turn out your waistband the right way and try to get nice neat square corners (tip in the video on how to do this.)

You can click this image below to enlarge it for more detail.

pleated skirt pattern

Press the waistband top edge.  Pin the lower waistband inner edge to your seam allowance.

pleated skirt pattern

Either hand stitch the inner edge in place so your stitches can't be seen from the outside, or sewing from the outside of the skirt, stitch close to the waistband edge catching the inner waistband fabric as you go.

pleated skirt pattern

Try on your skirt, check and pin the correct hem length for you.  Trim, neaten, turn and stitch your hemline with your favorite finish.  Give the skirt a final press and it's ready to wear.

Opt In Image
Download the Free Easy Pleated Skirt Pattern

You can download the pattern from my design account on Payhip.  Add it to your cart and check out - its FREE.  The pattern will be saved in your Pattern Library safely until you are ready to sew, then you can download and print it at any time.

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pleated skirt pattern


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Suzanne
Suzanne

Love this style of skirt – it’s easy to fit, comfortable and can be made in virtually any kind of fabric desired. And of course, super with t-shirts!
Thank you for sharing it.

Angela Moebs
Angela Moebs

When I download the pdf pattern I am only getting the written instructions and part of the pattern for waistband and pockets, not the front and back pieces. Is there a different link I can try?

Virginia
Virginia

I like it.

cary
cary

Hi am Cary Awesome the simple summer pleated skirt is really simple to make and really beautiful as well. God bless you in your work. I would like to try and stitch it as well.

Marta
Marta

Great pattern. Can’t wait to try it. Good tutorial also.

Bos
Bos

Neat way to enclose ends of the waistband, thanks!

lifegetsinthewayofliving

I adore the green skirt! Thank you for sharing this with us.

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member

My pleasure!

Helen White
Helen White

Sew great.

Mayra Cecilia
Admin
Noble Member
Reply to  Helen White

Thanks Helen.

ema
ema

hi,Deby
thanks a lot for your hard work.
there is no free download option on craftsy ,only add to cart and add to wishlist.
thanks again ema

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  ema

You have to add to cart and then check out – nothing to pay. Then the pattern is added and saved in your library and you an download it at any time. Hope that helps.

connieoi
connieoi

I just downloaded the pdf, and I’m a bit confused! It looks like there are pattern pieces for a waistband and a pocket — and nothing else? The pdf is only 8 pages.

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  connieoi

Hi Connie. Did you read through the instructions yet? There are tables there for the pieces you need to cut for the front and back of the skirt. These are just rectangles shaped by the pleats. If you really wanted, you could cut a rectangle of paper and use that as your pattern piece, but its usually quicker and easier to draw right onto the fabric. So many people complain about printing rectangular pattern pieces that they don’t want, that I often don’t include these now, just dimensions. Let me know if you have any questions.

Pam @Threading My Way

Two totally different looks by changing the fabric. Really love the one in the first photo.

Dot
Dot

I love the blue fabric. Can I buy it online?

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  Dot

Sorry I just checked out where I bought it and it’s no longer in stock. I did buy it last summer and then wasn’t sure how to use it until now. Sorry about that – its is very nice!

Mei
Mei

Thank you for sharing this project. Looks simple enough to get started 🙂
Have a wonderful day.

tea
tea

This is a very pretty skirt. I love your work

anneweaver1974

Great skirt!! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for later today that links to your pattern:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-easy-pleated-skirt/2015/04/08/
–Anne

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  anneweaver1974

Thanks so much Anne. How are you doing now, after your operation. Comfortable I hope.

Rosemary
Rosemary

Hi Deby, I just love the way you present the tutorials, even tho I am a seasoned sewer, I delight in watching you and learn some new trips to boot. So thank you for this pattern, I have a few pieces of border prints, I didn´t quite know what to do with and now you have solved my problem. Thank you.

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  Rosemary

I’d collected a few too, and was not sure what to do. One I would really love to make into a dress, but pattern placement is so hard to make it look balanced. Maybe you’ll see it later this year if I can work it out. Great to have you following along.

carol
carol

Thank you for the video. I now understand how to make a skirt. I will download the pattern and make my first skirt.

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  carol

That’s great Carol. I hope you’ll join our sewing chat group and share some pictures with us.

Karen
Karen

Thanks for the pattern. Will have to try to make time to sew for myself.

Deby at So Sew Easy
Active Member
Reply to  Karen

Isn’t making time the hardest part!

sjmcclelland

Deby – thanks for the pattern. I have a piece of fabric that is perfect for a light weight skirt and have been looking for the right pattern. I think this fits the bill perfectly (just need to get my printer working). Snowing near Toronto, Canada today too.

Linda
Linda

I really appreciate your patterns … even though they don’t come in my size. Usually I can adjust them but not always. Your sewing instructions are really clear.
Linda … from just north of London … the snow finally stopped but the world looks white. Not too cold though.

Val
Val

Than you Deby for the free pattern, I love the video tutorials as well. Oliver really makes it! Heading over to Craftsy for the pattern.
Cheers and Happy Easter.
Val in London Ontario Canada where we have snow coming down. I think it is about -1. Oh well spring will come soon hopefully.