Split advice requested

[David Thorpe]

Gearing up to start my first DIY kilt (Canadian Navy PV, 4 metres double-wide) armed with a thorough reading and handy copy of Barb T.'s wonderful book.
I am a portly man. My middle looks from the side much like a double-bent stove pipe. Waist (cinched to kilt-holding tension) is 46", hips, loose, 48". That leaves very little wiggle room in working out a split which yields an apron taper from waist to hips while still allowing some shaping.
My best split try so far has been to increase the hip measurement to 49", resulting in the following calculation:

Waist 46" Aprons 23" Pleats 23"
Hips 49" Aprons 24" Pleats 25"

This gives very little shaping and very little apron taper, but I am at a loss as to how to improve on it.

Also, how much wider should the aprons be at the bottom (selvage)? (total length 22")

Any help and advice appreciated.

[xman]

If you make the hips split the same on the apron and the pleats I suspect you'll get a nicer shape. That'd be even splits for both the hips and the waist. I'd make the shape to the bottom between 1 1/2" and 1 3/4".

[David Thorpe]

Thanks.

I'd make the shape to the bottom between 1 1/2" and 1 3/4".

Each side or total?

[xman]

Thanks.



Each side or total?

each side, over 3" total

[David Thorpe]

Thanks again.

[ChattanCat]

You might want to consider this split:
Apron hips: 25
Pleated hips: 25
Apron waist: 24
Pleated waist: 22

I would add a little to the hips to let the front of the kilt hang straight down. If one inch additional is too much, try 1/2 inch additional to the hips.

Cheers,