Kilt Slope

[Andrews Son]

Ive just been on freedom kilts and watched the video Steve did on how to measure and was impressed how he shows a way to measure yourself. But i was wondering how to make a kilt with a low waist (waist at trouser waist) and how to work with slopes compared with a traditional waistline. If anyone doesnt mind explaining how to go about this. I read a Barb T post and she measured waist, hips and then trouser waist and made a kilt according to the new shorter fell, from trouser waist to hips.
But to me theres still the problem with the rear needing to be higher than the front and not sure how to accomplish this?
Is the rear of the kilt longer than the front in a trad kilt?
I ask this as i would like a casual kilt sitting lower for the summertime, and while the question is still on my mind thought ill ask.
Thank you
Gavin

[The Wizard of BC]

Well, as it is my measuring system that is being used as an example perhaps I should answer this.

Now, please understand that I am the only kiltmaker currently asking for slope measurements from my customers.

Others have used some sort of sloping the waist when making kilts, it is not something that has never been done before. The Utilikilts Company has what they used to call "Beer Gut Cut". In essence they cut away a portion of the front apron to allow a beer gut to flop over the front of the kilt.
I have also seen pictures of some custom made kilts hanging in the closet of a member of the Royal family and two had some type of slope to the waist.

So it has been done before. I didn't invent the idea.

Traditional kiltmaking however does not use or take slope into consideration. It is not needed if the kilt is worn at the natural waist.

What I found when I was starting out was that many of my customer did not want to wear their kilt up at their ribs. This presented a problem. If you look the human body you will notice that as you wear a garment lower it will naturally starts to fit lower in the front than to the rear. Basic anatomy and observation.

This led me to develop what I thought at the time and still think today as a totally new type of kilt. I coined the term Contemporary Kilt to describe this new way of looking at how a kilt is made to fit human anatomy.

The first thing I chose to do was not to follow the Beer Gut Cut school of thought. Just cutting out a chunk from the front apron did not work for me. What I found is that when you wear a kilt down on the hips the total length of the kilt is shorter. Very short on some men. If you cut a chunk out of the front apron it becomes even shorter. I have had some customers ask me to make beer gut cut kilts that would result in a front apron less than 14" long. I could not imagine how anyone could sit in a kilt that short without exposing themselves. Experimentation proved to me that the beer gut cut did not work for a garment that would still look like a kilt. It works fine for a garment that looks like Seattle grunge wear because that is the look the Utilikilt is going for, not for one that should look like a kilt.

So, what did I do? Well, quite frankly, how I do it is a trade secret. But what I do and what I am trying to accomplish would be easily understood by anyone who has ever made clothing before.

Here is the concept.

If you look at a kilt from the side you should notice that the hem is horizontal. It should not sag in the back and it should not sag in the front.
There is then a part of the Kilt which kiltmakers call The Fell. It is the part of the kilt in the back that is sewn down and where all the tapering is done. The bottom of the Fell area should also be horizontal.
In essence from the bottom of the Fell, down to the hem the size of the pleats is exactly the same. Or at least should be to achieve that smooth wrinkle look that traditional kilts are so famous for.

The only difference then is what shape the kilt takes above the bottom of the Fell. The Hem is always in the same place. (At the top of the kneecaps) and the bottom of the Fell is always in the same place. (at the crest or widest part of the hips and butt).

(Please note that I am not talking here about kilts that take into account very large or muscular thighs nor kilts made for girl shapes. These can be done but I would suggest to anyone presented with these to have 10-20 or even 50 kilts under their belt before taking on these issues.)

As long as you can picture in your mind that the kilt is the same from the hip down you are well on your way to understanding slope.

Now, look at a pair of jeans. Take out a tape measure and read the difference when measuring from the crotch seam up the front when compared to up the back. Notice anything? Yep, the back is longer.
This is due primarily to having to go around the butt, but it is also do to the waistband being higher in the back than it is in the front.

Another way of looking at this is to put on a traditional kilt. Put it on where it was designed to fit. Right up at the ribs. At what I call in my video, Full Rise.
Now take your kilt belt and put it on down where you wear your blue jeans.
Finally take a piece of tailors chalk (or even blackboard chalk. As long as there is no wax in the chalk).
Trace along the kilt right at the top of the belt. (It is usually easier to have someone else do this as you stand straight up. If you bend or twist to reach around your back it will throw your chalk line way off.)

Now, take off the kilt and lay it out on the floor. Do you notice anything odd? Yep, the chalk line does not follow the same line as the waist of the kilt.

If you were to cut the kilt at the chalk line you would, in essence, be making a contemporary kilt. All the internal construction would still be there and the pleats would still look the same. But the kilt would now fit the shape of your body down at the hips not up at the ribs.

Viola.

I hope this helped and answered your question without actually telling you how to make a Feeedom Kilt.

[Andrews Son]

The only difference then is what shape the kilt takes above the bottom of the Fell. The Hem is always in the same place. (At the top of the kneecaps) and the bottom of the Fell is always in the same place. (at the crest or widest part of the hips and butt).

(Please note that I am not talking here about kilts that take into account very large or muscular thighs nor kilts made for girl shapes. These can be done but I would suggest to anyone presented with these to have 10-20 or even 50 kilts under their belt before taking on these issues.)

As long as you can picture in your mind that the kilt is the same from the hip down you are well on your way to understanding slope.

I understand fell down to the hem is all same size, whereas upwards is where the different measurements are. Its crazy how i couldnt see that a few minutes ago, makes perfect sense.

I hope this helped and answered your question without actually telling you how to make a Feeedom Kilt.

Thank you for sharing that with us all Steve, I hope you didnt give too much away, .


Thank you also for showing how to measure using the door its a great technique.

[Mike in Dayton]

This is what the slope takes care of. At the waist (just above the hips) the kilt fits higher in the back then the front. If you don't compensate for this the hem would also be tilted. The kilt would be too short in the back and too long in the front. The slope adjustment makes for a hem that is parallel to the ground.