altering a kilt

[georgeetta]

dear folk

I have a flower of scotland genuine wool kilt ..it is now a bit tight can ..altering make a good show or should I pass ti to ..somebody needing it and go form a size correct kilt .

what are the ups n downs of doing this ?

how might it be done ..

th
d

[The Wizard of BC]

Ah, you probably hung your kilt in the closet and did not wear it. When you do this the kilt get's petulant and shrinks. When a kilt shrinks the outer apron no longer overlaps the inner apron. A person can usually wear a kilt one or two inches too small. The inner apron peeking out looks like another pleat.

More than an inch or two and it becomes very evident that the kilt no longer fits.

I always suggest to those considering a used kilt or if a weight gain is in your future to get a kilt that is too big over one that is just right or too small.
A kilt that is big can be made smaller quite easily by moving the straps and buckles. The apron just overlaps the first few pleats and no one can tell.

But, to make a kilt larger will require a bit more work.
Inside a traditional style kilt the pleats are cut away in the back. There is usually no extra fabric to let out. (unless of course your kiltmaker planned for a growth and hid some extra pleats).

A kilt that is pleated to the Sett must also be let out on both the left and right side to keep the Pattern centered.

How this is done is to completely take the kilt apart. The lining along with all the internal interfacings and stabilizers are removed as is the waistbanding.
Each pleat is sewn back incrementally larger. For example if a kilt needs to be let out 4 inches and there are 32 pleats, each pleat is made 1/8" wider.
This may have to be done at both the hips and the waist depending on your current size and shape.

New interfacings will now need to be made to the larger size and installed.
Some piece of fabric must be added to the waistbanding as it will no longer fit the new size.
New lining will be needed and installed.
And finally the straps and buckles are re-installed.

In essence the kilt is re-built from scratch. The labor cost would be as much or more than to make the kilt in the first place.

So, my suggestion is to sell a kilt that is too small and find another that fits.