What do a Box pleat, Kick pleat and Yoke all have in common?

They all look good on this skirt...

Patterning!

FIRST DRAFT.

This is my First Draft, to create this I drew round my skirt blocks with all the  darts, notches and  the hip line.

I also added a line for my box pleat on the front skirt piece. (You might be able to see this on the far right hand side.)

I then added flare to my centre back line, by extending the hem and drawing a smooth line from the new end hem line to the hip line.

My adaptations and final yoke pattern pieces.

To begin my pattern pieces I traced of the yoke and closed the darts.
Once I'd closed my darts I re-traced the new yoke and added a 1.5cm seam allowance and cut it out.

My adaptations and final facing pattern pieces.

For the interfacing I drew a 5.3cm line from my waist down on my first draft.
I again traced it off and closed the darts.
I re-traced this and added a 1.5cm seam allowance and cut it out.

This is my open box pleat.

To begin creating my front skirt piece I had to trace it off my first draft without the yoke.

I then measured my box pleat (4cm) and times this by 3 and cut out a piece of paper 12cm wide and the length of my skirt.

I taped this to the edge of my pattern piece and folded equally, so it looks like a concertina, the folds then created notches.

I re-traced this, added my 1.5cm seam allowance and cut it out.

This is the box pleat closed.

This is my final front skirt pattern piece.
With all the markings, notches and 1.5cm seam allowance.

Final skirt back pattern piece, with notches and markings.

This is my back piece. This has a kick pleat in it. To create this I traced of the back skirt from my first draft.
To make the kick pleat I drew a 20cm line and marked it off on the CB line.
Along the bottom I added 5cm.
To create the diagonal line I used my set square to create the line and drew up from 5cm to join the diagonal line.
I then added my 1.5cm seam allowance and cut it out. 

Manufacture!


The waistband is easy you just half the size of your yoke (which is the piece at the top of your skirt) and add interfacing for extra support and security!


At the front you can see the box pleat which is a pleat you can have on most area's of a skirt and is made by simply folding the fabric like a concertina and then opening it half way, it's a little difficult to explain but VERY easy to do!


I thought my box pleat went really well for my first attempt though my ironing isn't great. Ha!


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This is the yoke, found at the top of my skirt!
You will have a yoke on many of your garments, such as at the top of your jeans, back of shirts and other skirts and jackets, etc!
This part of the skirt was really simple and it was just like sewing the bits of a puzzle together!


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This is the back, bottom, centre of my skirt, which is where my kick pleat is found. 
A kick pleat is to give you more lee way when walking, mainly in pencil skirts. I added it to this skirt to learn how to create them.
For my first time creating this pleat I think I did it really well and it turned out really neat!


Kick pleats are a little more difficult to create than a box pleat and just as awkward to explain.
But it is basically the way you cut your fabric and the way you sew the seam, when sewing the seam you do not sew the pleat together or it defeats the object of the pleat! Haha!
I found this bit a struggle but it turned out better than I imagined. 


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This is my invisible zip, this is also found in the centre back of my skirt.
These zips are easy peasy!! You just have to work out how to fold the sides.
I really like invisible zips as I find them easy but very effective.


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The two sides have no fancy pleats or zips in them but I thought I would upload the images to show you the box pleat from a side view and just to show you every part of my skirt properly!


For a first time making a skirt with all these features I think it went well! 
Although I do think I need to work on using these industrial sewing machines! 
You need a nack for these things. 
Something I've not gained yet! Ha!


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Let me know what you think!


XOXO