Nap runs the length not the width

[Anthony]

I have some 100% cotton twill I want to make a kilt from, 16oz. 48" goods brushed on the face, the nap run the length of the fabric rather then the width.

Personaly I feel a kilt made with the nap running horizontal would look odd. It seems to me cutting panels and sewing them together so the nap runs top to bottom with the pleats rather then across them would look better.

Also I have enough experiance to know to make travel marks on the back of the cloth as its cut so the panels get sewn together facing the same way.

I'm intersted in your thoughs, ideas, input and advice.

[Anthony]

I have some 100% cotton twill I want to make a kilt from, 16oz. 48" goods brushed on the face, the nap run the length of the fabric rather then the width.

Personaly I feel a kilt made with the nap running horizontal would look odd. It seems to me cutting panels and sewing them together so the nap runs top to bottom with the pleats rather then across them would look better.

Also I have enough experiance to know to make travel marks on the back of the cloth as its cut so the panels get sewn together facing the same way.

I'm intersted in your thoughs, ideas, input and advice.

[Anthony]

I have some 100% cotton twill I want to make a kilt from, 16oz. 48" goods brushed on the face, the nap run the length of the fabric rather then the width.

Personaly I feel a kilt made with the nap running horizontal would look odd. It seems to me cutting panels and sewing them together so the nap runs top to bottom with the pleats rather then across them would look better.

Also I have enough experiance to know to make travel marks on the back of the cloth as its cut so the panels get sewn together facing the same way.

I'm intersted in your thoughs, ideas, input and advice.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Anthony... MAN, you know how to come up with a real good one! But it IS do-able.

You CAN piece the thing together, and the proof is in AmeriKilts and UtiliKilts. If you take a REAL good look at them, you'll see the seams and pieces that make them. I've done this with tartan MANY times... either due to construction, or the fact that the material is "damaged".

Consider that the front apron would be one solid piece. The width that you're talking about is well within the range of the material.

The second piece would be the pleating on the right hip. The third piece would be the back. The fourth would be the left hip. The fifth would be the under apron. This would easily work for a "normal" pleated kilt.

I've had to do this with "emergency" kilts, when the material was pieces. You'll never know the difference when you're done.

Just be sure to use the "mending tape" on the seams, and plenty of zig-zag stitching over the edges. When placed deep in a pleat, it won't affect the hang or sway... and these points can actually hold some of the taper for the hips!

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Anthony... MAN, you know how to come up with a real good one! But it IS do-able.

You CAN piece the thing together, and the proof is in AmeriKilts and UtiliKilts. If you take a REAL good look at them, you'll see the seams and pieces that make them. I've done this with tartan MANY times... either due to construction, or the fact that the material is "damaged".

Consider that the front apron would be one solid piece. The width that you're talking about is well within the range of the material.

The second piece would be the pleating on the right hip. The third piece would be the back. The fourth would be the left hip. The fifth would be the under apron. This would easily work for a "normal" pleated kilt.

I've had to do this with "emergency" kilts, when the material was pieces. You'll never know the difference when you're done.

Just be sure to use the "mending tape" on the seams, and plenty of zig-zag stitching over the edges. When placed deep in a pleat, it won't affect the hang or sway... and these points can actually hold some of the taper for the hips!

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Anthony... MAN, you know how to come up with a real good one! But it IS do-able.

You CAN piece the thing together, and the proof is in AmeriKilts and UtiliKilts. If you take a REAL good look at them, you'll see the seams and pieces that make them. I've done this with tartan MANY times... either due to construction, or the fact that the material is "damaged".

Consider that the front apron would be one solid piece. The width that you're talking about is well within the range of the material.

The second piece would be the pleating on the right hip. The third piece would be the back. The fourth would be the left hip. The fifth would be the under apron. This would easily work for a "normal" pleated kilt.

I've had to do this with "emergency" kilts, when the material was pieces. You'll never know the difference when you're done.

Just be sure to use the "mending tape" on the seams, and plenty of zig-zag stitching over the edges. When placed deep in a pleat, it won't affect the hang or sway... and these points can actually hold some of the taper for the hips!

[bear]

I did a pinstripe kilt for Tom to wear to the MSM. The stripes ran vertically along the fabric, so I cut and stitched pieces together to make them vertical.
The hardest part in such a project is matching up the tartan with each added piece. I found it easiest to match up the front of the pleat, as you would a regular pleat, then pin and sew the fabric inside a pleat.
I just added some fabric to a Cape Breton grizzly cut I'm making at the moment and used that technique. (Who'd figure a 36" hip kilt would need more than 5 yards?)

[bear]

I did a pinstripe kilt for Tom to wear to the MSM. The stripes ran vertically along the fabric, so I cut and stitched pieces together to make them vertical.
The hardest part in such a project is matching up the tartan with each added piece. I found it easiest to match up the front of the pleat, as you would a regular pleat, then pin and sew the fabric inside a pleat.
I just added some fabric to a Cape Breton grizzly cut I'm making at the moment and used that technique. (Who'd figure a 36" hip kilt would need more than 5 yards?)

[bear]

I did a pinstripe kilt for Tom to wear to the MSM. The stripes ran vertically along the fabric, so I cut and stitched pieces together to make them vertical.
The hardest part in such a project is matching up the tartan with each added piece. I found it easiest to match up the front of the pleat, as you would a regular pleat, then pin and sew the fabric inside a pleat.
I just added some fabric to a Cape Breton grizzly cut I'm making at the moment and used that technique. (Who'd figure a 36" hip kilt would need more than 5 yards?)

[Pittsburgh Kilts]

Yes, Anthony, I've done a bunch of kilts that require short pieces cut across the fabric, instead of going the long way. Corduroy has to be done that way, and the "beach kilt" prints that I use. It's not so bad with 60-inch wide fabric. Sucks when you have to do it with 42-inch.

I am curious about the "nap" you speak of. Twill generally has a diagonal grain.