A "stabilizer" for belt loops?

[sydnie7]

Despite advice to the contrary, many kilt wearers use the rear loops for their "major" kilt belt (not just the sporran strap). I don't want to rehash that discussion here, please. My question or suggestion is, in light of the situation, could a stabilizer be put beneath the belt loops just as a stabilizer is put between the buckle mounting points? I envision two rectangles of the same material as the waist stabilizer, placed vertically and overlapping the waist stabilizer, sewn in the same manner and just prior to or following installation of the stabilizer during the kilt-making process.

Any reason not to do it? Might it reduce the strain and distortion that can result from running the belt through the loops? Any reason to make it one large rectangle that covers the entire area between the loops vs. two separate pieces?

[The Wizard of BC]

If I am making a hand-stitched kilt or re-conditioning a hand-sewn kilt, I place the loops so the bottom of the loop is sewn straight through the stabilizer just as the buckles. I don"t use or need as separate piece as my stabilizer is a bit wider than shown is TAoK.

I just make sure it sew the bottoms of the loops all the way through and not just to the outer fabric.

[Barb T]

Well, the stabilizer's job is to prevent horizontal stretching, not vertical buckling. So I don't see how the stabilizer, even if it's deeper, is going to help. What you'd really need, if you wanted to do this, is to prevent pleat-parallel (vertical) buckling. I suppose that adding something that would stiffen the kilt along a line from the top band to the bottom of where the loop attached would do it. Might even consider a strip of boning - it's only about 1/4" wide, and placed vertically, it would sure stop buckling.

[unixken]

I've never understood why the "belt loops" are so long as to encourage their use to hold a belt, if their intended use is for the sporran strap only. I personally never lace either a belt or a strap through the loops.

[opositive]

the more comments i read about belt loops, the more i wonder if they are an "appendix" like a third strap on a non military length kilt

[TheOfficialBren]

I don't always wear a belt but when I do I usually feed it through the straps. It is purely an example of individual style.

On occasions where a belt is not worn I sometimes feed my sporran strap through the back loop, though usually I don't bother.

My personal use of belts is strictly cosmetic and not an every-occasion sort of thing.

Good klts require no belt to stay up.

[David Thorpe]

I've never understood why the "belt loops" are so long as to encourage their use to hold a belt, if their intended use is for the sporran strap only. I personally never lace either a belt or a strap through the loops.

One possible explanation is that the traditional sporran strap rig features a leather "plate" at the center back versus a buckle. The (plain) ends of the strap are threaded/folded through slots in the plate. Since the plate is considerably taller than either the strap or the buckle, the strap/belt loops need to be quite a bit taller than the width of the strap alone.

I never thread a kilt belt through the loops, but I do use the loops for the sporran strap.

[Pleater]

I do make my kilts very differently - the pleats are not sewn down for a start, it is a more primitive kilt than those using modern tailoring methods.

Behind the top edge I place a sturdy strip of webbing slightly wider than the belt I intend to wear with the kilt. I make belt loops at the edges of the row of pleats and then place two more each side of centre back, and one at the edge of the apron. I sew the straps in place and then bind the top edge.

Without the webbing the back droops and the pleats fan out - there is a gap of about 4 inches across my spine where the kilt waist is not in contact with me.

Until I found the really sturdy webbing there was a tendency for the top edge of the kilt to slide down, pulling the lower edge of the strap and the pleats, up the outer surface of the belt, even with a sturdy interfacing and sewing down a couple of inches of the pleats to try to stabilise the waist area.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[sydnie7]

Despite advice to the contrary, many kilt wearers use the rear loops for their "major" kilt belt (not just the sporran strap). I don't want to rehash that discussion here, please. [snip]

Thanks to the kiltmakers who have responded to my query/thought. As is often the case, everybody seems to have a slightly different approach to addressing the same issue! But at least I'm not alone, and don't seem to be on a completely wrong path toward the solution.

[Grizzled Ian]

The only reason I don't take my belt loops off is that a subsequent wearer of my kilts should have the option to use them. That and the fact that I would probably destroy the kilts in the process.