Greetings! (and suggestions??)

**tonycolla** · 16th March 21, 11:26 AM

Hello from sunny Los Angeles, California!

I'm a kilt wearer (utility kilts, to be specific) for many years. I have a couple denim kilts as well as a black leather kilt. Recently, however, I've inherited from my wife's family a proper Gordon tartan. (My wife is a Gordon and a Ferguson.) Sadly, however, it's a good four to six inches too big!! I came to this forum looking for tips on how to find a tailor who can work on kilts. I've come to understand kilts are easy to let out as much as a couple inches with extenders but that taking them in requires tailoring. Since this kilt has sentimental value to my wife's family I'd like to get it retailored to fit me. Thus, any suggestions would be appreciated!

Yours,
Anthony Colla
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

**Father Bill** · 16th March 21, 12:40 PM

Welcome to the "Great Rabble"!

You'll get lots of information here, on this proposal, although not from me as it's beyond my skill-set. Welcome nonetheless!

**Kiltedjohn** · 16th March 21, 01:50 PM

Welcome from the English midlands. I don't have the technical expertise to advise, but I'm sure there are many others who will give you all the info. you need. Look forward to hearing how things progress.

**Steve Ashton** · 16th March 21, 05:54 PM

Taking a kilt in to make it smaller is a relativity easy operation where letting one out to make it larger is a bit more complex an operation,

On the right side are one or two buckles. With a sharp blade simply cut the stitching holding the buckle tabs on.
On the left you will not be removing the buckle but the strap on the under apron.

Then try the kilt on and mark where the outer apron overlaps the under apron, and sew the buckle tabs and the strap back on.

But please remember that you do not sew to the outer Tartan fabric. Built inside the kilt and hidden under the inner liner are a stabilizer strip and some interfacing. These elements are what give the kilt its strength and prevent the stress of strapping the kilt on from being transferred to the outer Tartan fabric distorting it.

When you stitch the buckles and the strap back on, make sure you go all the way through the outer Tartan fabric and anchor the buckle tabs and the strap to the inner strengthening elements.

When you are done, to insure you caught the inner elements test by pulling on the straps and buckles. You should not see any stretching, distortion of the Tartan fabric or stressing of the pleat stitching.

Total time to take a kilt in will be just a couple hours