OK, waistband question...

[D.A. Guertin]

I'm totally scoobied on this one, as what I was planning apparently falls 'out of synch' with how most kilts are made. I'm building my 4 yard box and Kingussie kilts out of 13 and 16 oz fabric, respectively, which matters little, but figured I'd put it in perspective...

Biggest question I have is in regard to the proper waistband. My plan was to take the excess 8 or so inches of fabric from between the selvedges I used (2 - 2 1/2 yards double width fabric), turn a lip under each side, and fold over the top, leaving me a nice, smooth 3" wide band to which I could then sew the belt loops / sporran holders. From what I'm seeing, though, there are not many (or any) kilts finished like this. Even Hector Russell looks like they only put on about a 1/2 - 3/4" band, and that seems to be what I'm seeing all around?!?

Any input on this one?

[sydnie7]

If you're making a traditional kilt, secured with straps and buckles, putting a wide waistband above that point is problematic. That's because your waist is (typically) the narrowest point on your torso, and the torso widens up into ribcage above the waist. Trad kilts that "rise" above the waist have some amount of flare built in to allow for this -- the amount of flare depends on the amount of rise, which can be as little as 1 inch above the waist to 4 or more inches on a "military style" high rise.

Building this flare into a wide, solid waistband would be challenging.

I put a 2.25-inch wide waistband on my modern/casual kilts, but it carries the Velcro closure and sits at the waist, so that's a different story. I wouldn't make my waistbands any wider than needed to carry the Velcro, because again you run into the need for flare.

[Pleater]

If you are using an all or mostly wool fabric then it would be possible to make a curve in it by careful pressing and (I would advise using) a shaped interfacing to make a band that is narrower at the cut edges than the fold, or even a sewn in tape, to narrow it within the three inches.

Wool is malleable by pressing and it is how tailoring is achieved, as opposed to dressmaking.

Just how easy it would be to achieve depends on how much curvature is required, and where.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: