Putting finishing tweaks on my first X-kilt (lessons learned)

[Waynetho]

Hi and thanks to Steve for this forum which I believe is a great resource for the kilted community.

I am currently putting the finishing touches and tweaks on my first X-kilt attempt. It's made from dark blue denim and I used the revK method, with 16 pleats. I started this kilt to get my feet wet while I was waiting on my order of Thomson Gray (MacTavish Gray) PV tartan to show up, which I want to make into an 8 yard traditional kilt.

Thanks to Barb T for her suggestion of measuring hips with a towel rolled up to allow a better hang with a "belly".

I wish I saw the threads about slope and waist tilt before starting out though. My kilt initially came out with the front being 2.25" longer than the back, but since the denim I used didn't have a usable selvedge anyway, all I had to do was change the hem, keeping the back center pleats as the one reference point and the new front apron level as the second one. I did a simple angled adjustment of the hem which turned out fairly passable.

Instead of the Velcro on the X-kilt instructions, I chose to go with fabric straps and buckles. I'm still trying to get the "button-hole" presentable though, and I plan to remake the pockets since I don't like the way the flaps turned out.

I received my tartan fabric now but I'm scared to death to start work on the traditional. I want it to be as near perfect as I can make it.