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Suzannah from Adventures in Dressmaking shares a tutorial on Grosgrain for making a skirt with a paperbag waist. The high waist is pleated and ties in the front with a belt. Love it! Get the tutorial.
[photo from Adventures in Dressmaking on Grosgrain]
The bag is simple, uses very little fabric (about 2/3rds of a fat quarter), has no fussy inside pockets (although you can add your own if you like), and takes me well less than 30 minutes to print the pattern, cut out and sew. But quick and simple doesn’t mean it’s not awesome!
It’s the sort of bag that is versatile enough to be used for lots of applications, not just cosmetics and toiletries. Keep all your pens and pencils in order, use it for a small first aid kit for the car, keep it in your desk at work for a few headache pills and other personal supplies.
Make some for yourself, for gifts or to sell.
My question is about the waist measurement and the amount need for the pleats. If the pieces are equal to your waist, where is the amount needed for the pleats. I have read the other comments regarding this questions, but I have not seen an answer.
You know, I hadn’t notice that. But you’re right. Looking at her photo above step 4, it looks like she has cut two pieces for the front and two for the back. (One side of each is curved and one is straight. I would assume that she was using two of those pieces to create a front so it would be symmetrical.) I wonder if that is giving the extra width that she pinches out wit the pleats? –Anne