Peek-a-boo Pleated Crib Skirt Tutorial

As promised, I have put together a tutorial for the peek-a-boo pleated crib skirt as revealed in my previous nautical nursery post. Please note, this tutorial is for a crib skirt with a front side only. This works well for cribs with drawers underneath. You can easily adapt this idea to included side panels, but the fabric quantities listed are for a front panel only.

Materials:

• Main fabric (ships in my case) 1 1/4 yds
• Peek-a-boo panels (wheels in my case) 5/8 yd
• Base (underside of mattress) 1 1/2 yds
• Ribbon 1 yd

From the Materials above cut:

• 53” x 29” base
• 2 – 19.5” x 14” end panels
• 2 – 19.5” x 14.5” middle panels
• 3 – 19.5” x 8” peek-a-boo panels
• 6 – 5” ribbon strips

Note: All seem allowances are 1/2” unless noted otherwise.

Pin and sew one end panel right sides together with one peek-a-boo panel aligning the 19.5” sides. Finish seams with a serger or zig zag stitch.

Pin and sew one middle panel right sides together with the peek-a-boo panel you just sewed along the 19.5” side. Finish the seams.

Continue sewing panels and peek-a-boo panels until you have one long rectangle. You should have a sequence of end panel, peek-a-boo, middle panel, peek-a-boo, middle panel, peek-a-boo, and end panel.

Press all finished seams away from the peek-a-boo panels.

Finish the bottom raw edge of the rectangle with a serger or zig zag stitch.

Press the bottom edge under to the wrong side 1/2” and hem.

Mark the middle of each peek-a-boo panel.

Fold the left panel seam in to meet the mark and pin.

Repeat for the right panel seam and lightly press in place.

Use a long stitch to baste the pleat in place at 3/8”. Repeat for each peek-a-boo pleat panel.

Serge or zig zag the top edge of the long rectangle.

Press the short edge of the rectangle to the wrong side 1/2”. Press under 1/2” again and hem.

Serge or zig zag all four sides of the base material. Fold the short sides of the base in 1/2” to the wrong side and hem. Align the top long side of the rectangle of panels with a long side of the base material right sides together. Pin and sew with 1/2” seam allowance.

Press the seam allowance toward the base material.

Press the peek-a-boo pleats open.

Heat seal each end of the 5” ribbons. Then tie them in knots.

Hand stitch the ribbons in place securing the pleats as you stitch.

Place the crib skirt on the crib and admire those pretty pleats!!

Linking up to Knock Our Socks Off.