Velcro fastening left hip

[Kitfoxdave]

I am thinking of using velcro for the left hip fastening instead of the buckle and strap.
The fuzzy portion attached to the outer apron and pleats on the inside (wrong side) and the hook portion attached to the end of the inner apron. If I make the fuzzy side a bit longer than the hook side to allow for more waist adjustment, do you think the hook portion of the velcro will ruin the 13 oz wool tartan when putting on and taking off the kilt?
This would also allow the "button hole" to be sewn up as well, reducing the stress on that area.
There is currently heavy canvas installed per Robert MacDonald videos, and I can easily close the hole up by continuing the lacing stitches.

I did a bit of experimentation with the tartan fabric over the last day pushing the velcro hook against it and peeling back. The tartan fabric does not seem to catch on the hooks.

Your experience and thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Barb T]

In my view, Velcro is not stuff that is friendly to wool kilting fabric. Testing its effect by dabbing it against a scrap of tartan won't tell you what those teeny hooks will do to the kilt when you're wearing it with a belt, moving around, potentially grinding the hooks into the wool, etc. If it were me, I wouldn't put Velcro into a kilt.

Why don't you just put an interior buckle and in strap the kilt? If you don't have instructions, you can download the box pleat supplement that Matt Newsome and I wrote (https://www.theartofkiltmaking.com/files/126367176.pdf). These instructions show you exactly how to do it, and you don't need a buttonhole.

[Pleater]

I'd not use Velcro there.

Try a couple of D rings and tape.

I fold some sturdy cotton tape into 3 layers to narrow it and sew down the edge, attach it to the outer face of the under apron a few inches from the edge, then attach two 1/2 inch D rings to the inside of the waist on the left using a strip of tape or tartan. The loop should be long enough to allow the rings some movement relative to eachother. I use 1/2 inch D rings as smaller ones are more difficult to thread and larger ones are too burley, though for a very heavy kilt they might be apt.

Thread the tape through both rings, inside to outside, push the outer ring out of the way to the left and thread the tape through the inner ring outside to inside, pull the tape to the right to draw the waist of the kilt taut. To release just separate the rings on the curved edge. It is easy to make a surreptitious adjustment when the kilt is being worn, for those after dinner moments.

Anne the Pleater

[gsmacleod]

I made a box pleated kilt following Barb and Matt's directions and was really pleased with how the internal strap and buckle worked out.

I think if I ever commit to a knife pleated kilt, I'll use the same process.

Shane

In my view, Velcro is not stuff that is friendly to wool kilting fabric. Testing its effect by dabbing it against a scrap of tartan won't tell you what those teeny hooks will do to the kilt when you're wearing it with a belt, moving around, potentially grinding the hooks into the wool, etc. If it were me, I wouldn't put Velcro into a kilt.

Why don't you just put an interior buckle and in strap the kilt? If you don't have instructions, you can download the box pleat supplement that Matt Newsome and I wrote (https://www.theartofkiltmaking.com/files/126367176.pdf). These instructions show you exactly how to do it, and you don't need a buttonhole.

[Mike in Dayton]

Good timing on this post. A couple weeks ago a friend of mine asked if I could look at one of his kilts. He has a problem with the straps/buckles. I have not looked at the kilt so I am not sure of the issue. Maybe they are just worn out. He suggested using Velcro in place of one of the straps. I did not think that was a good idea. My concern was the Velcro picking up lint and other debris over time. That would reduce the ability of the Velcro to adhere. I suggested the interior strap/buckle. All of the kilts I make now have the internal configuration.

For your kilt I would check out the internal configuration.

Mike

[Kitfoxdave]

I went ahead with using an internal strap and buckle method outlined in the box pleated supplement. Stitched the button hole closed. Modified the front apron to get symmetry and centering of tartan.

I am currently awaiting the arrival of a piece of tartan fabric to make the new buckle straps to finish up the job...

Then on to altering the next kilt

Any thoughts on two buckles versus three? I have kilts with both configurations... any advantages between the configurations?
My current waist size is 42.5 inches.

Thanks again for advice.

[Barb T]

The hip buckle (the second one on the fringe edge) is purely decorative and doesn't serve any function (except on a Highland dancer's kilt, where it helps control the fringe edge of the apron when they are leaping around). Some people like the decorative look of the second buckle and strap, which is totally fine. The big issue with having a hip strap is that most people who have one pull it tight (like the waist strap). This is fine for someone who is trim but not OK for someone with a belly, because buckling it tightly pulls the apron in under the belly. What looks a lot better on someone with a belly is having the apron hang straight down from the top of the kilt (makes them look a lot slimmer than having the apron pulled under the belly, which accentuates it).

So, for someone with a belly, I strongly recommend only one buckle and strap on the fringe edge. If someone really wants a decorative second strap, that's totally fine, but my suggestion is to buckle the waist strap tightly, then let the apron hang loosely in the front. Once you see where the apron "wants" to hang nice and straight, buckle the hip strap at that position, rather than pulling the strap tight.

And it also helps to either use sporran hangers (rather than a sporran strap/chain, which will make the sporran hang under the belly, pulling the kilt in and accentuating the belly) or to wear a sporran a bit higher so that it rests on part of the belly instead of underneath it. Again, this is a much more slimming look.

[Kitfoxdave]

Barb, thanks for the feedback. I currently use sporran hangers just to avoid the underlined look...

I am going to sew the waist buckle in place, and wear it that way for a while... I can always add the hip buckle at anytime.

Thanks again for your advice.