HELP ME!!

I've finally found a decent fabric to make a (starter/economy) great kilt out of. But, the biggest thing I need to figure out is what size it should be?!

I've heard three things:

1) Cut 9 yards of fabric into three strips, and sew them together into a big square.

2) 9 yards of double width fabric

3) 5 yards of double width fabric

Help please? I've got about a 44 inch waist, 38 inch hips (gotta' love that beer-gut). How much fabric do I need? And what is "double width"? Is it double width of today's fabrics? (Which are 45"...the fabric is on a normal fabric store bolt, and folded in half...didn't think to measure it) Or double width for traditional fabrics? (30"?)

Sorry for asking so many questions...I just want to get things right!

Thanks in advance.

~Yeti