XKilt Pleat Taper for the big guys

[ScottEPooh]

I swear I've seen a thread addressing this, but I can't seem to find it, so I'll ask again. If you're a bit "girthy" and your waist measurement is larger than the rump measurement on an XKilt, there's no point in tapering the pleats from fell to waist, is there?

[Barb T]

Doesn't matterthe pleats have no taper from the bottom of the fell to the top of the fell.

[Pleater]

You might possibly want to taper the pleats into the small of the back - because the two measurements are not two circles vertically one over the other - there could be a 'bay window' effect at the front, from which the pleats would fall straight down from the waist, but there still be some inward curve to consider to the rear. Without it the waistband would crease up under the belt, or there would be a gap if the kilt was just buckled.

Try the effect with a towel and a few safety pins to see how something straight up and down would fit around you.

If, after you pin the towel at your waist kilt fashion, you can put your hand down a gap at the centre back, or pinch loose fabric at the sides then you will need to add shape to get a good fit.

[Barb T]

You might possibly want to taper the pleats into the small of the back - because the two measurements are not two circles vertically one over the other - there could be a 'bay window' effect at the front, from which the pleats would fall straight down from the waist, but there still be some inward curve to consider to the rear. Without it the waistband would crease up under the belt, or there would be a gap if the kilt was just buckled.

The only way for this to work would be to make the hip measurement actually bigger than the waist. If the waist and hip are 44, for example, you can't split the waist measurement 23/21 and leave the hip at 22/22. That would give a reverse taper in the apron. You _could_ make the waist 23/21 and the hips 23/22, which would give you some taper toward the waist in the back but a straight apron edge in the front, but you'd have to be happy with an extra inch in across the apron.

Barb

[Alan H]

I swear I've seen a thread addressing this, but I can't seem to find it, so I'll ask again. If you're a bit "girthy" and your waist measurement is larger than the rump measurement on an XKilt, there's no point in tapering the pleats from fell to waist, is there?

No. But as to what you should do, I'm not so sure and will bow to Barb's experience and Pleaters insights, here.

[Robinhood]

I always measure the hip and waist in halves. The back
half of the waist and the back half of the hips go together
to make for proper taper in the fell. The front half usually
ends up being just the waist measurement straight down
from the waist since the front half of the hip measurement
is smaller (fat gut) but I don't want a reverse taper
on the front apron.

[Barb T]

I always measure the hip and waist in halves. The back
half of the waist and the back half of the hips go together
to make for proper taper in the fell. The front half usually
ends up being just the waist measurement straight down
from the waist since the front half of the hip measurement
is smaller (fat gut) but I don't want a reverse taper
on the front apron.

So, how does this work if the hips are smaller than the waist?? If the apron is straight (same at hips and waist), how do you wind up with a taper in the fell?

[Pleater]

My take on this problem is that the garment is laid out into pleats to go around the body as it stands, not bending to follow the outline.

Usually there is a curving of the body so the circumference of the hips is not the same shape as the circumference of the waist, and they are not centred in the same vertical line either, there is fresh air under the front of the waist and over the back of the hips.

The kilt will fall straight from the waist at the front, no problem, but there should be enough pleating to encompass the curve of the rump and some room for a shirt, ease of movement plus sitting distortion.

The pleats are shaped to narrow them into the waist at the centre back.

If it helps, imagine placing ten or twelve vertical rods, from waist height to the floor, around the body. Moving them in as close as possible they will touch the widest point on the body, waist, thigh or buttock, and the kilt will fall vertically from that point of contact. Above that point the kilt should be shaped to conform to the body and hold the lower part correctly - that is not tilted from the vertical.

I suspect that my take on garment shaping is due to reading a book on the French designer Madelaine Vionnet when I was still quite young, so gaining an understanding of woven materials and fitting even before I started making clothes for myself.

[Barb T]

I understand perfectly what you're saying. My posts above were made simply to point out that, in order to accomplish taper in the pleats for someone with a waist bigger than the hips is to add extra inches to the _apron_ at the hips in order not to have a reverse taper in the apron. You can't just do the measurements by halves as suggested above.

Barb