Question about flare/hem

**muttly78** · 2nd February 17, 07:14 PM

So I've started marking up my kilt but I'm wondering about the apron flare. I put an inch and a half for the flare at the bottom realizing that technically that isn't the bottom because it will be folded under. So my question is should I mark the flare at my actual finished length of 22 1/4", or at the selvage which will be folded under about 4 1/2"?

**The Wizard of BC** · 2nd February 17, 07:46 PM

Let me ask some questions please. Just so we are using the same terminology.

First question - What style of kilt are you making and out of what type of fabric?
In a Traditional style kilt - One made in accordance with "The Art of Kiltmaking" - the apron is wider at the hips than at the waist and forms an "S" curve becoming almost vertical at the bottom Selvedge edge.

In some more modern kilts this 'flare' is a straight line.
In some of the import kilts the maker may not have known that the 'flare' is a curve.
In kilts made from fabrics other than wool the flare must be a straight line because Polyester and Cotton fabrics do not take a curved shape like Wool will. But the amount of 'flare' should be about the same as that in a traditional style kilt.

Second question - When you talk about the bottom being folded up are you talking about a hem? A 4 1/2" hem seems lie a lot. Am I not reading right?

**muttly78** · 2nd February 17, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by The Wizard of BC

Let me ask some questions please. Just so we are using the same terminology.

First question - What style of kilt are you making and out of what type of fabric?
In a Traditional style kilt - One made in accordance with "The Art of Kiltmaking" - the apron is wider at the hips than at the waist and forms an "S" curve becoming almost vertical at the bottom Selvedge edge.

In some more modern kilts this 'flare' is a straight line.
In some of the import kilts the maker may not have known that the 'flare' is a curve.
In kilts made from fabrics other than wool the flare must be a straight line because Polyester and Cotton fabrics do not take a curved shape like Wool will. But the amount of 'flare' should be about the same as that in a traditional style kilt.

Second question - When you talk about the bottom being folded up are you talking about a hem? A 4 1/2" hem seems lie a lot. Am I not reading right?

It's polyviscose so I did use straight lines. and yes I was talking about the hem. TAoK says to make the flare no less than 1 1/2 so i did that i was just wondering to I mark it on the selvage or where the finshed edge will be after i fold up the hem. I wound up with 4 1/2" of hem because of where I wanted the finished bottom edge but i didn't want to cut any away for a little bit of bottom weight on it. I just felt that if I put the flare on the selvage then when i fold it under it won't be the full 1 1/2" of flare on both sides.

**Barb T** · 3rd February 17, 06:37 PM

If I were going to put a hem that big into a kilt, I'd aim the flare at the bottom of the hem, not the selvedge. May I ask why the hem is so deep? That's a big hem!

And I wouldn't use a straight line - that makes the apron really pointy instead of a nice curve.

**muttly78** · 3rd February 17, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Barb T

If I were going to put a hem that big into a kilt, I'd aim the flare at the bottom of the hem, not the selvedge. May I ask why the hem is so deep? That's a big hem!

And I wouldn't use a straight line - that makes the apron really pointy instead of a nice curve.

My hem was originally about 3" and my finished length was going to be 24" but I then realized it was still about 2 inches too long so I shortened it. I was trying to avoid cutting off the bottom thinking that the bit of extra bottom weight might be beneficial, but I'm not opposed to trimming it back to 3" if it has to be. And I actually did curve it towards the bottom as I thought about it looking pointy as well. I was confused about where to mark the actual flare if there was to be a hem thinking since it was being folded under it would cause it to look like this vv losing some of it to the underside..

**ratspike** · 4th February 17, 07:00 AM

My PV kilt is unhemmed and it's got really nice swish for a non wool fabric. I doubt a huge hem is going to make any difference in that regard, assuming that's what you were thinking.

**Barb T** · 4th February 17, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by muttly78

...I'm not opposed to trimming it back to 3" if it has to be.

If you did this, you would have a ragged edge that would ravel after you turned it up. You definitely don't want to fold the raw edge again before you stitch the hem, because that would make it too bulky. So not cutting it but folding it up once for a deeper hem with a selvedge edge rather than a raw edge is a better choice than cutting the selvedge off at this point.

The easy solution would have been to start with a narrower piece of fabric that didn't need such a deep hem. Can I assume that you didn't just do that because you had already stitched the pleats before you discovered the length problem?

**muttly78** · 4th February 17, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Barb T

If you did this, you would have a ragged edge that would ravel after you turned it up. You definitely don't want to fold the raw edge again before you stitch the hem, because that would make it too bulky. So not cutting it but folding it up once for a deeper hem with a selvedge edge rather than a raw edge is a better choice than cutting the selvedge off at this point.

The easy solution would have been to start with a narrower piece of fabric that didn't need such a deep hem. Can I assume that you didn't just do that because you had already stitched the pleats before you discovered the length problem?

No I didn't. The only thing I've done thus far is baste the front apron and hidden pleat. I did notice it before I did the basting which is why my question came up. I was thinking that I do have a sewing machine so I could create a new selvage by simply doing a line or two of straight stitches along the entire bottom edge of before I cut it which would keep it from unraveling and removing the need to have to roll it over again 🤔 The whole reason I decided I wanted to him it is because I did not like but the frizziness of the selvedge with the loose threads I wanted a clean Edge.

**muttly78** · 4th February 17, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by ratspike

My PV kilt is unhemmed and it's got really nice swish for a non wool fabric. I doubt a huge hem is going to make any difference in that regard, assuming that's what you were thinking.

yeah it was kind of an afterthought after I realized I needed to shorten the finished length that maybe it was just a little extra weight but I was going to hem it anyway because I did not like the Selvage Edge of my fabric.

**ratspike** · 4th February 17, 12:04 PM

I'm not crazy about the selvedge of PV either. At least mine doesn't have the fugly fringed edge that some PV does, but it's still not very aesthetically pleasing. If I were in your shoes I'd cut the hem to 1" or 1/2", serge or zigzag the raw edge, and call it a day.