Q & A on first traditional kilt endeavor

[UmAnOnion]

Greetings all,

I am embarking on making my first traditional styled kilt as opposed to the casual Utilikilt styled ones that I have gotten pretty good at. I will be ordering Barb’s book shortly for more clear instruction (damned holiday bills are arriving earlier & earlier these days). I have done a fair bit of reading on here about the proper construction on them but have a couple of minor questions:

1: I will be doing knife pleats in the counter clockwise direction – each pleat will be 1” on the face with 4” of fabric behind so should be a fairly decent amount of swing when completed. When it comes to the apron that goes from right to left, (the one that falls UNDERNEATH) I should put a double depth BOX pleat – correct?
2: I am machine stitching the whole thing (yes, blasphemy to the purists, but patience & hand stitching are not my strong suits). Should the pleats be top stitched their full length making them stay very sharp?
3: follow up on the top stitching question, would it be a crime to stitch down the pleats from the waistband to the fall (where they start to hang free in the back)? Should this be done on the outside of the garment as topstitching or the inside?
4: the fabric I have chosen is a very small check – tan, medium brown, black & navy – so no pattern to match up (what the hell is the ‘sette’ anyway – is their a glossary of kilting/fabric terms for the tartan newbies on here) It does have a very dark selvedge so I will have to put a small hem in – no biggie – I will be doing it with dark thread so it wont be noticeable – I would do a blind stitch on it with about 1” of fabric flipped up – any thoughts?
5: where can I get the proper leather buckles for the hip closure? In the casual kilts I have been using heavy-duty black snaps but in this instance I want it to be a bit dressier… I know of a couple of places in the garment district here in the Manhattan that I will head to in this instance but for future endeavors I would rather go a less expensive route.
6: And on the subject of buckles – is it customary to put one on the INSIDE of where the leading edge of the under apron ends? I noticed that in one of the threads I read but that doesn’t sound to comfortable to me…
7: Should I put a buckle on the LEFT hip as well as buckles on the right – the ones on the right hip will be the closures – the one of the left would be purely decorative (I am 98% decided NOT to put one there but would like input from others as well).
8: FRINGE??? Where & why??? Both edges of the upper apron?? Just the leading edge?? Not a big fan of it but am interested in hearing opinions.
9; I am going to put a slash pocket in the back like in mens trousers (again blasphemy - not a fan of sporrans here) and am debating doing an inner pocket in the waist band for my wallet - just to give me a bit more security when stashing cash. In the casual kilts i used to put a pocket on th einside of the outer apron at the bottoms for my wallet but the funny looks i would get when reaching for stuff has dissuaded me from doing so anymore. the added weight was great for modesty but....

Okay so that was more than just a couple of questions – its Friday – I am at work & bored & I am becoming kilt obsessed - I NEED HELP!!

All assistance/input/suggestions given is greatly appreciated!!!

Colin

also if anybody can tell me how to insert an image in these damned things i would show you guys the fabric, but i cant figure it out!!!

[mddock58]

Barb's book will help, but a sett refers to the Tartan plaid only, it is the width before the plaid repeats. If you are using a non-plaid, just design it as you like it.

Barb's book is well worth the price, it gives great information. There will be another book that is planned, but not completed yet for non-traditional kilts. Another highly respected member of the X-Marks family is writing it.

[Pleater]

Beware - this is a slippery slope - it starts with just one and before you know it you are enslaved to the joy of kilt making.

If the cloth will press and hold the crease then you don't have to stitch the crease - unless you want to. I now press in the pleats lightly along the crease so I can check the spacing and see how the cloth presses. Do it lightly and it can be undone and measured again until it comes out right. Doing the hem first is a good idea, by the way,

When you stitch the edge of the pleat down it makes a solid, shaped fell. You might want to find a stitch size and tension adjustment which will not mark the cloth and can be removed easily for the first trial. If you leave the ends of the seams not finished off - leave a long enough length of thread, just use a pin to pull the top thread to the inside of the kilt - then you can wear it for a while and see if you have made it too narrow or wide. If any of the seams pull open then you can make adjustments - you will have to do this before adding the waistband as you sew only three layers of material. Just baste along the waistline to hold everything together. If the sewing is correct then secure the ends of the threads either with a knot or a few stitches

The fell should fit fairly close, which is why I am a bit concerned about the back pocket. You know your own shape best, but you might like to consider using the top of the under apron forward facing pleat as a pocket. Even though they have the complication of the flare of the apron edge I have managed to put a pocket bag in hung from the waist with the pleat sewn down to enclose it. It seemed the natural place for a pocket. I can buy premade pockets here - though they are a bit flimsy looking. Handkerchief material might be a longer lasting option.

If my experience is any guide you will do enough sewing for three or four kilts to get the perfect finished article.

[UmAnOnion]

Beware - this is a slippery slope - it starts with just one and before you know it you are enslaved to the joy of kilt making.

If the cloth will press and hold the crease then you don't have to stitch the crease - unless you want to. I now press in the pleats lightly along the crease so I can check the spacing and see how the cloth presses. Do it lightly and it can be undone and measured again until it comes out right. Doing the hem first is a good idea, by the way,

When you stitch the edge of the pleat down it makes a solid, shaped fell. You might want to find a stitch size and tension adjustment which will not mark the cloth and can be removed easily for the first trial. If you leave the ends of the seams not finished off - leave a long enough length of thread, just use a pin to pull the top thread to the inside of the kilt - then you can wear it for a while and see if you have made it too narrow or wide. If any of the seams pull open then you can make adjustments - you will have to do this before adding the waistband as you sew only three layers of material. Just baste along the waistline to hold everything together. If the sewing is correct then secure the ends of the threads either with a knot or a few stitches

The fell should fit fairly close, which is why I am a bit concerned about the back pocket. You know your own shape best, but you might like to consider using the top of the under apron forward facing pleat as a pocket. Even though they have the complication of the flare of the apron edge I have managed to put a pocket bag in hung from the waist with the pleat sewn down to enclose it. It seemed the natural place for a pocket. I can buy premade pockets here - though they are a bit flimsy looking. Handkerchief material might be a longer lasting option.

If my experience is any guide you will do enough sewing for three or four kilts to get the perfect finished article.

thanks for your input Pleator..
As mentioned i have done 5 casual kilts already (my first one was a mess but by #3 i was doing pretty damned good if i say so myself). my friends are already planning an intervention. they are just waiting until i get finished with thier casual kilts, and then they strike. so the addiction is already very deeply established...

I think i am going to top stitch the outer & inner edges of the pleats just to make them extra sharp. the dark thread of teh fabric will hide the stitches well so that it wont be too glaring. and stiching the inner egde makes them double sharp & easier to deal with after laundering.

I like your suggestion of placing a pocket in the center front between the two aprons - it woudl be in the same place as a sporran but not a sporran - and woudl be a very safe & secure place to put my wallet etc... could have the entry to the pocket in the line made by the box pleat right before the under apron, between the buckles. might look a bit suspect if i reach in there too often but i wont let that worry me. in that way all else will be nice & neat & smooth in the back (took me a while to figure out what you meant by "fell" by the way. maybe i need to buy Barbs book a little sooner - i can afford to miss a meal or two over thenext couple of weeks...)

again thanks for your input. I wil be sure to post a pic of the finished product when i get done.

Colin

[Pleater]

Oh - casual kilts - I could give them up anytime - if I wanted - yeah. No problem - just anytime - right?

But those 8 yarders - they just don't let me sleep at night. Needle marks all down my thumbs and I buy the stuff and hide it away, then I bring it out and just look at it, lying there on the board in lines - I aahm a looohst soul.

Just you wait - it will be a hand sewn tartan before you know what has hit you.