Refashion Friday: adding a kick pleat

In our family we often find jean skirts that are nice except for one thing - they have a big slit in the front.

Do you have a skirt with a slit that you've been wanting to wear?

Well, dig that skirt out of your drawer...

 

...and add a modest kick pleat!

It will be the same skirt you liked but when you walk you'll see more fabric inside instead of... well, you know! I made this for my mom and we're very pleased with the results.

First, find some jean fabric to make the insert pleat with. I used the back of a leg from a pair of pants. Then figure out how much fulness you want to be in the pleat. We wanted the finished insert in this skirt 8 in. wide so I made piece of fabric was about 12 in. wide. Measure the length of the slit in your skirt. Add 2 in. for the length of the insert. Hem one end of the insert with the same hem allowance as your skirt.

Fold the insert in half and mark a stitching line 4 in. from the fold. Baste along that line. (It is very important that you baste the seam instead of using a regular stitch as you will be ripping it out later on!)

Open up the fold and bring the center to the basted seam. Press.

Take the left side of the fabric on top of the pleat and bring it to the side pulling all the other fabric to the right so you're holding a single layer of fabric.

Lay it under the left side of the slit lining up the basted seam and the seam of the slit. Pin and stitch.

Now push the pleat that is under the right piece toward the left side. Lay the right side of the slit over the single piece of fabric. Pin and stitch.

Rip out the basted seam in the center of the slit.

This is what it should look like from the inside. You can trim off the excess fabric and zig zag the edges so it won't fray over time.

Enjoy and be comfortable in your modest skirt. :)

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