Yoked Pleated Mini Skirt with Flapped Pockets
A women's denim mini skirt with a yoke, pressed pleats all round that are stitched down for 15 cm from the top edge, and two patch pockets with rounded flaps on the front. Zip in the left side seam and belt loops on the yoke.
When To Wear
- In spring and summer with a T-shirt, a shirt or a knit top.
- In autumn with tights, boots and a sweater.
Key Design Features
Silhouette: Fitted through the yoke and hips, flaring out from the pleats.
Length: Mini, above the knee.
Waist: Front and back yokes, interfaced and faced with a second yoke, the upper edge understitched 0.2 cm from the seam. Belt loops topstitched onto the yoke.
Skirt: Front and back panels laid in pleats, pressed and stitched down 15 cm from the top edge.
Pockets: Two patch pockets on the front, topstitched 0.2 cm from the edge, under flaps with rounded corners topstitched 0.5 cm from the edge, each with a button.
Closure: Zip in the left side seam, catching the side edges of the yokes.
Finishing: Side seams pressed open; hem overlocked, turned and topstitched.
Level Of Difficulty
Intermediate. Marking and stitching pleats evenly, a faced yoke, flapped patch pockets, a side zip and belt loops in denim.
Fabric Recommendations
Denim.
Additional Supplies
- Fusible interfacing (front and back yokes)
- Zip for the left side seam
- 2 buttons for the pocket flaps
Cutter's Must
From main fabric:
- Pocket – 2 pieces
- Pocket Flap – 4 pieces
- Back Skirt – 1 piece
- Front Skirt – 1 piece
- Front Yoke – 2 pieces
- Back Yoke – 2 pieces
- Belt-Loop – 1 piece
- From fusible interfacing: Front Yoke, Back Yoke.
Sewing Instructions
- Fuse fusible interfacing to the Front Yoke and Back Yoke.
- Overlock the side edges of the Front Skirt and Back Skirt. Stitch the right side seam of the skirt and press it open. Overlock the lower edge of the skirt. Press the hem allowance to the wrong side.
- Mark, fold and press the pleats on the Front Skirt and Back Skirt. Stitch the pleats down for 15 cm from the top edge.
- Overlock the left side edge of the outer yokes. Stitch the right side seam of the inner yokes and of the outer yokes and press the seams open. Overlock the lower edge of the inner yokes.
- Place the Pocket Flap pieces together in pairs, right sides together, and stitch. Trim the seam allowances at the rounded corners and turn the flaps right side out. Topstitch around the outer edge of the flaps 0.5 cm from the edge. Overlock the upper edge of the flap.
- Overlock the outer edges of the Pocket and press them under along the pattern lines. Topstitch the upper edge of the pocket. Mark the pocket position on the Front Skirt and topstitch the pocket on 0.2 cm from its edge. Place the flap at the marked line and stitch it on. Turn the flap down and topstitch 0.5 cm from the seam.
- Stitch the outer yokes to the skirt, matching the side seams. Place the inner and outer yokes right sides together and stitch along the top edge. Understitch the seam allowance onto the inner yoke 0.2 cm from the seam. Turn the inner yoke to the wrong side and press the top edge of the yokes.
- Stitch the left side seam up to the zip notch. Press back the seam allowances of the zip opening and insert the zip, catching the side edges of the yokes. From the right side, stitch in the ditch of the yoke seam, catching the inner yoke. Topstitch the hem of the skirt.
- Fold the Belt-Loop strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, match the edges and stitch 0.5–0.7 cm from the edges. Turn it right side out and press it either with the seam on the fold or with a 0.1–0.2 cm edge rolled to the inside. Cut the belt loops to length, mark their positions and topstitch them onto the skirt.
