how do you....

**switchblade5984** · 13th November 05, 01:43 PM

taper the waist to hip?

i have a 40 in waist
45 hips standing
47 hips sitting

i guess you can taper in pleats or apron?

i have seen the internet pics but the dont make alot of sense to me.

the material is canvas duc

**Southern Breeze** · 13th November 05, 01:58 PM

You need to get a copy of the Art of Kiltmaking.It will explain all.However,it's about traditional,rather than contemporary kilts.Even so,it's a must have if your making your own.

**chasem** · 13th November 05, 02:05 PM

The tapering is done - according to barb's book on traditionals - in the pleats.

**switchblade5984** · 13th November 05, 02:11 PM

okay i wont be buying her book yet so any help would be great

**Canuck** · 13th November 05, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by switchblade5984

taper the waist to hip?

i have a 40 in waist
45 hips standing
47 hips sitting

i guess you can taper in pleats or apron?

i have seen the internet pics but the dont make alot of sense to me.

the material is canvas duc

If you have 14 pleats across the back width of pleat is 1.68 inches or 4.3cm your waist would be 1.36inches or 3.5cm plus the depth of your pleat
The taper will begin from 2/3 of the length of your kilt to the waist meaning measure down from the waist 7.5" that's where you begin the taper.
(I have split the waist measurement for you meaning the back is based on 38"w and 47" hip the apron will be 21" waist and 43" hip)

**switchblade5984** · 13th November 05, 03:07 PM

I appreciate the help i was thinkin of using a much smaller apron does that change the measurements

do i pleat the fabric at an angle? or straight then adjust the top when stiching?

sorry for all the questions.....

**Canuck** · 13th November 05, 03:56 PM

On the front apron just stitch up the angle. But my question to you is why a narrower apron? If you do that the measurements I gave you will not work. I based them on half the waist and hip and squared off the front apron so you wouldn't have as much a pronounced "A" line skirt look.

**Barb T** · 13th November 05, 06:04 PM

If you're making a trad kilt:

40 waist should be split 21" in the apron and 19" in the pleats.
45 hips (and you should _definitely_ use the standing measurement!) should be split 22" in the apron and 23" in the hips (should look roughly half and half in a trad kilt, but, since people's butts stick out in the back, half and half is really a bit more in the pleats than in the apron).

The apron will have a slight flare (1/2" between the waist and hips) and continuing down to the bottom of the kilt about 3/4" more.

The rest of the shaping will be in the pleats. Simply divide 23" by the number of pleats to get the size at the hips (e.g., 23 pleats would have pleats 1" across at the hips). Do the same for the waist. 19/23 = about 13/16" for each pleat at the waist. If you make each pleat those sizes at the hips and waist, and you taper the apron, the kilt will fit and will snug into the small of your back.

Just be sure that, when you stitch the pleats, you do not taper the pleats all the way to the top of the kilt. Taper to the waist line (2" below the top of the kilt), and then stitch the pleat _straight_ to the top. If anything, the kilt should flare a little above the waist (buckle) line.

Uhhhh - just went back to read the original post and realized that I'd missed the canvas duck part. You're obviously not making a trad kilt. So sorry!

Barb

**The Wizard of BC** · 13th November 05, 07:06 PM

Can you give us some more details on what you want the finished kilt to be.

Are you making a Traditional or contemporary style?

If you are using Duck Canvas the dart area you show will not work. The edges of the fabric must be as straight as possible. If you try to do a curve or if you have a pronounced break in a line the back side will pucker badly.

From your drawing it seems you are trying to use an almost full apron. This is OK. You can still have a tapered apron as long as the edges are almost straight.