I want to make a canvas kilt

[ConfusedPollock]

I bought 4 yds of 10oz khaki cotton canvas at Wally-World this morning. It's 58" wide so I'll just splice it together at an inner pleat edge for 8 yds. I would like to do a traditional style kilt with it. A just under 1/2 rump wide apron with a 2 strap closure. I measure in at 52" in the tuckus. I was thinking around a 20" apron?? I was wondering how deep pleats usually are. I was sorta figuring on 2" out with 5" deep for 1' a pleat. Is it a 1 to 3 or so? I'd rather lay out 16 or 18 pleats than 20+. I plan on stitching down inner and outer pleats for a low care, indestructible type that will keep on ticking. What is the easiest way to do a waistband? It is kinda heavy. I'll take any advice that somebody will give me.

[PiobBear]

Kilt Making Web Site

Making a Kilt

The Making of a Kilt

[starbkjrus]

Take a look at the X-Kilt instructions here: http://www.geocities.com/alanhsails/X-Kilt_final2.pdf

[Panache]

Take a look at the X-Kilt instructions here: http://www.geocities.com/alanhsails/X-Kilt_final2.pdf

My lovely wife, the Flame-Haired Celtic Amazon Goddess, recently made a kilt using Alan's X Kilt instructions. She recorded the whole process from start to finish with photos here:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=25353

Cheers

Jamie

[way2fractious]

...4 yds of 10oz khaki cotton canvas...
...I would like to do a traditional style kilt with it...

10 oz cotton canvas is kinda heavy to take as many pleats as a traditional kilt in wool. And it sounds as if you want to go with a non-traditional narrow apron.

...I was wondering how deep pleats usually are...

The top figure shows casual pleating usually used in canvas kilts. Most will have a 2" reveal and 4" hidden, or 6" per pleat. That means the back of the kilt will have only three layers of fabric anywhere among the pleats below the hip line. Above the hip line there will be small overlaps as the pleat widths are tapered toward the waist.

...What is the easiest way to do a waistband?

For me, it has always been easiest to follow the traditional method: Sew a 3" strip along the front of the kilt with a 1/2" seam allowance, fold the strip up and over the raw edges at the top of the kilt, and "stitch in the ditch" through the kilt to fasten the back of the waistband strip.

Have fun making a fun kilt.

w2f

[ConfusedPollock]

I'd like to thank those that offered advice. I found that 3 times or so the exposed is the norm on knife pleat size. I had already downloaded the x-kilt directions. I took a stab at an x-kilt in digi camo. It turned out okay but wished I had gone with a much wider apron. I added a single button to the one side to keep myself "covered" when squatting down. I followed the corduroy x-kilt thread. The step by step was awesome. Panache, your wife did an amazing job. I never knew about the double box pleat, I'd like to try that but I think I lack the patience for it. A double box pleated x-kilt in khaki canvas would be pretty cool though.