Kilt blaspheme?

[Beckyinma]

Hi from Massachusetts.

Total newbie here, but I've known for years that my genealogy comes from Clan Stuart/Stewart. My general interest in our genealogy ebbs and flows, and I've been able to trace one side from England in the 1630's, to New Hampshire. I wish our Scottish ancestry was clearer. I hadn't touched our tree for a couple of years then began watching Outlander (I am a fan of Historic Fiction) and decided to do a little more digging into our Scottish heritage. I haven't been able to do find much before 1850's or so of our Nova Scotia Stuarts (No Ancestry acct yet) Through this and a Genealogy merit badge with scouts, my son - 12 1/2 y's - recently discovered his Scottish heritage and has asked to kilt up for a wedding at the end of October. The invitation says it's a formal attire event. I was originally going to make him just a fly, and get him a brooch and have him wear it with his black suit, but then decided that the remnant from making the fly may be enough to make a kilt if I am careful with the yardage. He only needs an 18" hem length, and my pleats are not as numerous as a traditional kilt but I hope it will pass muster, as everything else is as close as I can get it. I will end up having about a 3" remnant of tartan (before doing the loops for his sporran.) Maybe I can make him a pocket square for his regular suit. I also ordered him a fitted PC w/waistcoat, small formal sporran, and red hose and I'll make his flashes.

There won't be any others there in kilts that I can imagine. His older sister is already tormenting him about wearing a 'skirt' to a wedding. She doesn't know how dapper he'll look, but the bride is excited that he is wearing it. He is reading diligently about his heritage so he has some information to pass on when people ask him about his 'unique' attire. Imagine a boy in a full dress kilt, and a yarmulke.

Couple questions:

should I put him in a tux shirt and bowtie? (he is never against wearing a bowtie) or a nice button down, with a black satin necktie?

Do I commit kilt blaspheme by allowing him to wear a 1.5 yard kilt? (mind you, he is only a 28" waist)

The pictures below show how large the pleats are, I am at least a yard $hort to do a fully pleated back.


Larger pleats, and there are two small folds at the waist that are omitted, to save yardage.

Inside I haven't trimmed the pleats, hemmed or lined it, and no waistband, yet, or buckles for that matter.

I think it is about 2" too long at the moment



He says if he's comfortable in it at the wedding, he may ask for an olive drab utili-kilt for Scouts.
Maybe someday I can get my French/Italian hubby to adopt my tartan and wear one... A girl can dream.

[davidlpope]

Given the yardage you have to work with, I think you're better off making a box-pleat kilt. That will be more flattering, I think.

Matt and Barb's instructions are here:
http://scottishtartans.org/pdf/Box_p...es_ver_1.1.pdf

[Taskr]

Great story

You've opened the opinion gates; so I will start it off..

The kilt is a bit long as it should be at the top of the knee (while some might say mid-knee). But, where is it sitting on the waist? Is it jeans waist or natural - about the line of the belly button or a wee bit higher. Natural waist would be preferred to give the kilt a better over all look. It appears everthing is already sew in, but, since you are left with having to make the pleats so broad, an alternative might have been to produce a box pleat kilt http://kiltmaker.blogspot.ca/2013/03...ox-pleats.html The fabrication guide http://scottishtartans.org/pdf/Box_p...es_ver_1.1.pdf. (You really don't need sporran loops).

The shirt and tie. The answer is "yes". The caveat is determining how formal 'formal' is to the event. Yet, you've the PC on the way, so the formal shirt and bow tie is likely going to look the best.

While we see tartan flashes all the time, flashes of a solid colour get the nod of a lot of kilties. I find different lengths of cloth ribbon at the local fabric shop and do them up. Lets say, for example, the wedding colours look nice against the red hose - I'd make a set in that colour. Or, any colour at all for a bit of dash

Very nice work with such a limited amount of available cloth.

[Taskr]

I also add that if there wasn't enough cloth to provide a pleat at the edge of both aprons (the two folds at the waist you mentioned?), sitting is going to be a challenge as there will be no 'give' to the garment.

[Liam]

Given the yardage you have to work with, I think you're better off making a box-pleat kilt. That will be more flattering, I think.

Matt and Barb's instructions are here:
http://scottishtartans.org/pdf/Box_p...es_ver_1.1.pdf

A very good suggestion.

[Beckyinma]

I also add that if there wasn't enough cloth to provide a pleat at the edge of both aprons (the two folds at the waist you mentioned?), sitting is going to be a challenge as there will be no 'give' to the garment.

I have the "double sett" pleats worked in at left and right hip, but not the two smaller ones following them in the round diagram.




Yes, it's already sewn at the pleats. It would take hours to pull all the stitching I think. Box pleats are definite possibility next time though. Thank you for the advice.

[Pleater]

The 'small pleats' at the edge of the apron are the tops of the shaping on the edges of the apron. On a slender shape the shaping of the apron is got going to be as important - as long as the aprons are an adequate size in the first place.


Anne the Pleater

[cck]

Working with what you had, it looks like you have done a beautiful job. No one is going to be there counting the pleats. When you get the outfit complete, he will look great.

[ASinclair]

Hello Becky!

[Father Bill]

Welcome to the "Great Rabble!"