Sewing Directions for Box Pleat Culottes
- 1). Preshrink the fabric by pressing it with the steam iron. Make sure the iron's steamer function is turned on so the fabric is exposed to both moisture and heat when you iron.
- 2). Line up the fabric's grain-lines with the arrows on the pattern. Lining up the arrows and grain-line is important because it lets the culotte fabric drape. Pin the pattern to the fabric using the straight pins. Cut the pieces out using the scissors. Transfer markings from the pattern to the fabric using the tailor's chalk.
- 3). Set the sewing machine on a wide, tight zigzag stitch and sew all the way around each fabric culotte piece. This prevents fraying by finishing the edges and it removes the need for a more complicated finishing step later.
- 4). Fold the pleats according to the markings and pattern directions. When you look at the folded pleat, there will be a fold in the center with the excess fabric folded out flat on both sides of the fabric back. Pin the pleats down. Iron the pinned pleats to set the folds. Pull a piece of thread about 18 inches long from the spool on the sewing machine. Thread the hand sewing needle and tie the loose thread ends together.
- 5). Sew the back edge of the pleat down with a running basting stitch. Sew in a straight line from the top of the pleat to the bottom. Baste across the top edges of the pleats to hold them in place. Pull the basting thread only until it gets snug, but not tight. Make each stitch at least 1/4 inch long because it will be pulled out later. Remove the pins.
- 6). Join the seams according to the pattern directions. Open the finished seam edges, then iron the seams so they stay open. Remove the hand basting by pulling it out from the knotted end. Hem the culottes either by hand or using the sewing machine.
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