Making kids kilts

**Laird_M** · 3rd December 12, 05:34 AM

Ok, before making my own kilt, I thought I'd try making a kilt or two for my wee bairns, so here's the question.

Whern making kids kilts, do you make them a bit on the 'long' side, i.e. with a drop to below the knee, to allow for growth?
The way our eldest is growing (But we only bought your new trousers a month ago!), I'd be making him a new one every few months...

**Dixiecat** · 3rd December 12, 07:02 AM

Yes, hems are quite common in children's kilts. I've seen dancers kilts with 4"-6" of hem. Just bear in mind that the fell can present a problem. If it were me making it, I might take the final length and the initial length, then decide to make the fell to reflect a length somewhere in the middle. In that way, you'll get the best of a changing beast. The fell will be a tad too long to begin with, a tad too short at the end of the kilt, but just right somewhere in the middle of the kilt's life.

Some dancers ask for growth pleats in their kilts. This is extra width hidden in the reverse pleat and the deep pleat on either side of the apron. Usually enough fabric for an extra pleat or two to be used at such a time as the dancers grows. This is much more common in kilts for girls for when they enter that stage where hips gain in inches.

TAOKM details adding growth pleats.

**janderson** · 3rd December 12, 07:36 AM

I'm in the process of making an xkilt for my eldest son right now. Being that he is only 3 and a half I know he is going to grow out of it pretty quick. With that in mind I went with a slightly longer drop and a fell slightly longer than what I currently measured him for. Waist size, I went a little looser then he needs, with the idea that we can cinch it tight with the velcro until he grows into it. The biggest pain was figuring out the pleat sizes, went with a 2 inch instead of the 3 that the instructions say.

The other benefit of doing this for the older boy is that when he out grows it the younger one should just be getting close to the same size.

**Cygnus** · 3rd December 12, 09:02 AM

My three-year-old boy has a very nice PV kilt from USA Kilts that had a substantial amount of fabric hemmed up. I ordered it close to a year ago and, thanks to that hem, he is still able to wear it (while most of his other clothes rarely fit for more four months).

I'd say that hem and a machine washable material are must-haves!

**Pleater** · 3rd December 12, 12:21 PM

If they are just tots now the usual way to make a kilt was to sew the 'waist' to a vest, that is a singlet, as they have no waist just a rounded middle.

There were a couple of horizontal tucks made in the vest so as to lift the top edge of the kilt up to allow for letting out. The pleats were just made straight, no shaping, and the waist was wide enough for it to be put on with no need for an opening.

It was put on over a shirt and then a jacket or jersey or sleeveless pullover over the top.

These days, when people wear fewer layers braces could be substituted as a means of support.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**Laird_M** · 6th December 12, 05:53 AM

Thanks folks - its given me something to think about. I'll be using PV as its about 20 quid cheaper per metre than wool.

As our eldest was from my wife's first marriage, and she and her ex are both quite short, whereas my great grandmother was 7ft 6ins, I think that it may soon be a case of the younger passing things up to his brother as at 5yrs younger, he's rapidly approaching his brother's 'height'.