Re-sizing a Lochcarron Kilt...

**Nylo** · 15th January 12, 12:18 AM

I was given a beautiful 8 yard Lochcarron kilt which is a 41"... Im a 38". Is it possible to take it to a 38" without wecking it?

Thanks,
Nylo

**bonnie heather** · 15th January 12, 05:01 AM

Nylo, are you thinking about doing that yourself? If so, it wouldn't be too hard to move the buckles and straps. Is your kilt pleated to the sett or to the stripe? The apron would overlap the pleats by 3", which would not be bad if it's pleated to the stripe. If it's to the sett, it would throw off the look of the back because the tartan pattern would no longer be centered.
The other way would be to have a kiltmaker alter the kilt.
This is what I would do:
.Carefully take out the stitches for the lining, top band, apron canvas, edge of first and last pleat along aprons, apron facings and fringe. Also unstitch the straps.
.Unstitch the little curved hems on the deep pleat of the apron and underapron.
.Steam press the old creases to make the fabric smooth.
.Measure and mark the new apron and underapron with the revised measurements to make the aprons narrower on each side by 1.5", making the kilt 3" smaller.
.Pin, baste and press the new apron edges.
.Hand sew the the inner apron edge to the first pleat and sew the last pleat to the underapron edge.
.Sew the fringe edge of the apron. Sew the facings for the apron and underapron.
.Sew the little curved hem for the deep pleats. Press the deep pleats.
.Sew on the straps, canvas, top band, and lining.

It definitely takes some time to do this, but it's not so hard for a kiltmaker to do.
.

**denmcdough** · 15th January 12, 06:35 AM

Take it from Bonnie. She's one of the best. I know. Although she did not alter a kilt for me, she did make one and it's a dandy!!!

If you're not going to do the job yourself, do consider Bonnie or Wally Catanach. Both are pros!

**Nylo** · 15th January 12, 12:12 PM

This kilt is much too nice for amateur, ie. me, to deal with. I'll definitely look into a pro to handle this. I just didn't know if 3 inches was too much to take out of the kilt, hence ruining it's over a look in shape.

Thanks,
Ken

**ChattanCat** · 16th January 12, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by bonnie heather

Nylo, are you thinking about doing that yourself? If so, it wouldn't be too hard to move the buckles and straps. Is your kilt pleated to the sett or to the stripe? The apron would overlap the pleats by 3", which would not be bad if it's pleated to the stripe. If it's to the sett, it would throw off the look of the back because the tartan pattern would no longer be centered.
The other way would be to have a kiltmaker alter the kilt.
This is what I would do:
.Carefully take out the stitches for the lining, top band, apron canvas, edge of first and last pleat along aprons, apron facings and fringe. Also unstitch the straps.
.Unstitch the little curved hems on the deep pleat of the apron and underapron.
.Steam press the old creases to make the fabric smooth.
.Measure and mark the new apron and underapron with the revised measurements to make the aprons narrower on each side by 1.5", making the kilt 3" smaller.
.Pin, baste and press the new apron edges.
.Hand sew the the inner apron edge to the first pleat and sew the last pleat to the underapron edge.
.Sew the fringe edge of the apron. Sew the facings for the apron and underapron.
.Sew the little curved hem for the deep pleats. Press the deep pleats.
.Sew on the straps, canvas, top band, and lining.

It definitely takes some time to do this, but it's not so hard for a kiltmaker to do.
.

This will work but the pleats will come around the hips farther and will restrict the deep pleat and inverted pleat from swinging open as they used to. Depending on how the kilt was made you might have the top of the pleats cut out to reduce the bulk of the kilt from the bottom of the fell to the top of the kilt. If the pleats were not cut out then you could remove one or more pleats each side of the apron edges that you just removed the apron edges from. You cannot simply eliminate a pleat on each if the pleats were cut out between the bottom of the fell and the top of the kilt though.

Resizing a kilt can be rather expensive so I would recommend that you move the right hand buckle back maybe only 1.5" and the under apron strap 1.5" also. You should try on the kilt and check to see how far the belt and buckle should be moved.. This would be a compromise and a heck of a lot less expensive than altering the aprons.

Cheers,

**Ryan Ross** · 16th January 12, 03:51 PM

Matt Newsome's taken a heck of a lot more than three inches out of a Lochcarron tank before, so he's the man I would ask.

In fact, he took out 14 inches over two different procedures, and when he was done, you couldn't tell that it wasn't a brand new kilt; the man's a warlock.

EDIT: The great Bob Martin taught him the spell.

EDIT EDIT:

Originally Posted by ChattanCat

You cannot simply eliminate a pleat on each if the pleats were cut out between the bottom of the fell and the top of the kilt though.

That's not true. Anything's possible, if it happens. See below.

**ChattanCat** · 16th January 12, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Ryan Ross

Matt Newsome's taken a heck of a lot more than three inches out of a Lochcarron tank before, so he's the man I would ask.

In fact, he took out 14 inches over two different procedures, and when he was done, you couldn't tell that it wasn't a brand new kilt; the man's a warlock.

EDIT: The great Bob Martin taught him the spell.

EDIT EDIT:

That's not true. Anything's possible, if it happens. See below.

Oh yes, I remember your kilt resizing. I still stand by my statement that " You cannot simply eliminate a pleat on each if the pleats were cut out between the bottom of the fell and the top of the kilt though." It can be done but with some extra effort and maybe material, to bridge the gaps for the inverted and deep pleats.

Cheers,

**Paul Henry** · 16th January 12, 04:17 PM

Changing the size , o rfit of a kilt is very possible, the easiest way is to start by moving the buckles/strap arrangement, this is something that even a beginner sewer could probably manage. To remove pleats is something that can certainly be done, but it is a lot of work as it does mean a lot of unpicking and resewing and in truth it is better for an experienced kiltmaker to work on it.
The thing to bear in mind though is the time involved in the alterations which can sometimes almost approach the time to completely make a kilt, so the question might be whether or not it is worth all the extra expense, or whether to put the money towards a new one that fits.
It's not always an easy decision to take.

**Riverkilt** · 16th January 12, 04:50 PM

You don't say where you're at in the world. If you're lucky there's a kiltmaker near you to talk it over with.

Just checking. Are you sure its still too big with the straps at the first holes on both sides?

**Ryan Ross** · 16th January 12, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by ChattanCat

Oh yes, I remember your kilt resizing. I still stand by my statement that " You cannot simply eliminate a pleat on each if the pleats were cut out between the bottom of the fell and the top of the kilt though." It can be done but with some extra effort and maybe material, to bridge the gaps for the inverted and deep pleats.

Cheers,

I still have the removed sections of pleats (which were indeed cut out in the fell portion) that Matt took out; additional material was not available, and apparently, was not necessary. I have no doubt that Matt took great care and exercised much skill in preforming this procedure (twice on one kilt, and once on each side of another kilt).

I still stand by my assertion that your statement, "If the pleats were not cut out then you could remove one or more pleats each side of the apron edges that you just removed the apron edges from.You cannot simply eliminate a pleat on each if the pleats were cut out between the bottom of the fell and the top of the kilt though", was misleading, indicating to the less experienced that it was not possible.