I finally got started today! First, the kids both went to school. Then I packed Panache off as well. Poor man-had to hop in his convertible and go off golfing with Gryphonaire ...



Then, I went to my sewing room and got out my supplies and material. Understand, that when I say sewing room, what I really mean is the floor and lower shelf of my hall linen closet. That's it, that's all the space we have to spare!



Now came the hard part. I just sat down with the X-Kilt manual and my ideas and thought, thought, thought. I took stock of my available material-a 29 inch wide, 57 inch long strip of X-Marks tartan (the last of the prior run-therefore irreplaceable if I mess up!) and a 3 yard 45 inch wide strip of black cotton material.



I took my measurements and decided on the pleat size and how I could allocate my material to make what I want. I am going to try to pleat to the sett (minus a little in the solid blue areas to allow for the seams between the tartan and the black). This picture shows that process. I've determined that I cannot make 3 inch pleats and still have enough space between each strip for seam allowance. As it is, when I center a yellow stripe and a white stripe, I have just barely enough for a seam (just 0.25 inces on each side of the pleat) if I make the pleats 2.75 inches wide.



Just to show how complex this can be-let's see if the picture of my calculations turned out. The black material is going to be the inner pleats (4.5 inches), the under apron and the deep pleat under the over apron. The X-Marks tartan will be the outer pleats (2.75 inces), the front apron and the waistband.



I don't think I'll be able to do much more today, so anyone who reads this and sees a glaring calculation error-please let me know! Once I start ripping fabric, I can't go back!

Be well,