Reed Skirt: Alternate Button Placket Application
Today we will be sharing an alternate way to finish the button placket on view A or B of the Reed Skirt.
You may remember my Reed from a little while back, it was made in a golden wool flannel which was lovely to sew, but too bulky for the turn and stitch hem at the front button placket. I used this alternate finish to help my button placket lay smooth and flat. This method is ideal for thicker fabrics such as wool, twill, or denim but really can be used for any weight of fabric. Let's get started!
First you will need to complete steps 1-13 in the Reed instruction book. At this stage you will have a skirt shell.
Before attaching the button bands as you normally would in step 14, we are first going to hem the skirt. Fold the bottom edge of the skirt up 1/2" to the wrong side and press. Fold and press at 1/2” again and edgestitch along the free folded edge. Now that the skirt is hemmed it's ready for the button placket.
Grab your button placket pieces and mark a line 1" up from the bottom hem on both sides. This helps align things later on. If making view B, the placket notch will match with the hem extension seam (so mark the bottom edge that is closer to the notch).
With right sides together, place the center front edge of the skirt along the long edge of the placket. Align the finished skirt hem to the 1" line you marked on the placket piece. If making view B, match the notch on the placket to the hem extension seam. Pin in place.
Sew together starting at the waist and ending at the finished skirt hem. Grade seam allowance of the placket down to the 1” marked line and cut across your marking.
Press button placket and seam allowance away from the skirt.
Turn the raw edge of the button placket under 1/2” to the wrong side. Open seam allowance back up and mark along the seam line where it intersects with the 1" marked line. This marking is optional (especially if your crease is very visible) but it is helpful for sewing the next step.
Fold the button placket back onto itself, right sides together, to align the fold with the seam line sewn in the previous step. Place a pin at the hem to keep the folded placket in place. Open and pin the seam allowance out of the way.
Sew across the 1" marked line stopping at the 1/2” seam line. The markings from the previous step help to make sure we stop sewing at the right spot. Trim excess seam allowance and clip the corner.
Press seam allowance open. Clip any extra bulk from the seam allowance. Flip the the button placket so the right side is facing out and seam allowances and seam lines are hidden. Press well and pin in place.
On the right side, edge stitch through all layers of the button placket to close the band. Repeat for the other side.
Button plackets are finished! You can now continue with step 15 to complete your Reed!
