Easy Box Pleat Bed Skirt

Have you ever been making up your bed, look down, and see your bed skirt is like 60 degrees off from where it should be?  I do it all the time...it drives me nuts.  Well, I have an awesome solution for you!  Karen came to me and said she had a client who needed a simple bed skirt.  She gave me a fitted sheet and told me to get to work now!...noooo...She is really really sweet.  She said finish it when you can.  Anyway, I was pretty much intimidated by this project.  I have never done this big of a project before....sooooo...I put it off.  After a couple of weeks of that fitted sheet peeking out at me from my stash shelves, I couldn't stand it any longer.  Time to get it done.  I fussed and yelled and maybe a bad word slipped out here and there.  I just couldn't figure out how to do it...so, I called my fairy sewing godmother, Karen.  She said...just sew the bed skirt fabric onto the sheet.  DO NOT cut the sheet.  That way when it is put on the box springs it won't move around.  WELL DUH!!!  Hehe, this is why she is so awesome.  Anyway, after all of that I would like to show all of you how easy this project really is.....

Start with a fitted sheet and the fabric you want to use as your bed skirt.  I used Bella Solids Natural.

Put the sheet on your bed.  Determine the length that you want your skirt to be.  Our's needed to have a 14" drop. You will also need to determine how much fabric you need to go around the the perimeter of your mattress. Be sure to add 8" for each pleat that you want to put in the skirt.

Next cut your fabric for the skirt.  With a 14" drop that would mean I cut my fabric 30" wide.  This allowed for the fabric to be doubled and have a one half inch seam allowance.  You will probably have to piece your fabric so it is long enough to go around the perimeter.  

You want to sew a long tube.  In doing this, when you have the finished product you won't have any open seams.  I usually don't pin when I sew.  I chose to go ahead and pin the two edges, right sides together about every foot.  It was a long piece of fabric and I didn't want it "walking" on me and causing problems later.

Here it is all sewn together. 

Press your seam...this picture is kind of foggy because my iron decided to apply some extra steam as I was taking the pic.

Start pinning the skirt onto the fitted sheet.  I wanted to put a pleat in the middle of each side and also on the corners.  I just measured and placed a mark at the halfway point and made my pleat there.  You also may want to pin the bottom of the pleat.  I found I had to go back and re-pin because I had pulled the bottom of the fabric too tight and it wouldn't let the pleat lay correctly.

This step is optional.  This is where I had to stop and play hide from the monsters with my little one.  She couldn't resist messing with me because I was on the floor down on her level.  HEHE, trust me though, this step is definitely worth it!

 Now you want to pin, pin, pin it does take a little time, but it is completely worth it!

Now, top stitch your fabric to your sheet.  I went with 2 rows to add a little extra umph to the seam.  Don't you hate it when the skirt starts ripping from that yucky white material that they usually come on?  I DO!

Now you have a super cute, super easy bed skirt!!!  I love it!  I am seriously considering making    many more of these.

Let me know if you have any questions!