Too short for one so tall...

[crows4hire]

I recently purchased 6 meters of medium weight tartan (somehow missing that it was meters and not yards) at 54 inches wide. This is my first kilt and I mistakenly assumed that the length of the fabric would account for my height, rather than the width... I'm 6' 5" tall.
I've found that I have far too much length and I cannot really wear the great kilt in all of the variations I wish due to the lack of width, SO here is my question for which I'd like the experts opinions, if you'd be so kind;
Take the fabric to a seamstress, cut the length down to five yards, cut the remainder into thirds of 18", stitch them end to end and then stitch it to the top of my five yards, effectively giving me a 5 yard tartan at 72" wide.
What are your thoughts, advice?
My family plaid is From the Farquharson clan, the ancient weathered pattern. I cannot find anyone who makes it in a weave longer than 54" else I'd return it and buy a wider fabric. Thanks for your time.

[MacLowlife]

I'm no expert, but chances are you won't find fabric a lot wider. Pendleton makes tartan fabric in 60" widths, but I do not think the selvedge is a proper kilt selvedge- and you may find that 60" is not a lot better than 54" Before you make too many cuts, though, I think you'd be safe to shorten your length of goods to 5 yards. Better yet, try some other fabric and see just how long (and wide) you want your Great Kilt to be. It sounds as if you have done some experimenting already. A search for "great kilt" might yield you a few others' opinions as to the ideal length. You are the first person I have read about who is as tall as you and wants to wear the great kilt.

Can you afford to buy another 4 or 5 metres? What if you bought 5 more metres, then cut yourself two lengths, 5 metres long and 40" wide? Seam the two lengths to make your Great Kilt 78" wide X 5 metres long. You might want to adjust that a little, but I think that is a good start. You'd have a uniform single seam at the middle and you wouldn't have all of that patchwork. Then you could do something nice with 10 metres of 14" width fabric. Like make sashes for a couple of friends.

Good Luck

[TheOfficialBren]

What if you buy Barb Tewksbury's "The Art of Kiltmaking" and sew up a box-pleated kilt or knife-pleated kilt? You have plenty of fabric and her book is outstanding!

[crows4hire]

Thanks for your responses! I was fortunate enough to find a seamstress that has the matter well in hand. I will let you know how it turns out.

[cck]

from a bit to the west in the highland lochs of Texas.

[crows4hire]

She did a great job on the seams and was so good as to surge the raw ends for me in the bargain...
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Thanks for the suggestions.

[kiltedtom]

Crows4hire,

I have to say, the kilt looks very cool (as in the old ex hippy wannabe meaning)!!! And you are looking cool in it too.

Have a great week,

Tom

[Kilted Cole]

Greetings and welcome to xmarks from a MN Farquharson!

Looks great! I love my Farquharson Weathered as well (although it's not a great kilt). The earthy tones of the weathered color scheme works well with the great kilt, and you really know how to pull it off. I find that the Ancient colors are a little too bright when it comes to the great kilt, and the Weathered (as you prove) are really the way to go.
Slainte Mhath!

[Tarheel]

I think the color/tone is perfect for a great kilt. Wear it well. Welcome to the rabble from Tarheel in Oxford, MS.

[crows4hire]

Thanks to you all! I love the thing!