converting a jacket

[Buddha]

I have a tweed jacket that actually fits, but looks like crap with the kilt (too long). where are the directions to shorten it for the kilt? and who may be able to do it?

I know it sbeen discussed here, but I just couldnt find it.

[bikercelt1]

Ive done it a couple of times following the suggestions in Thompsons' book, but I don't know if there are any directions. I went to the local thrift store and bought some cheap jackets to practice on and just did it by eye. A little sewing experience would have helped but eventually I ended up with a tweed jacket that works around anyone but the most knowledgable of kilt fanatics.

Jamie

[Colin]

you could also grab the Simplicity pattern (5029) and use that to convert the jacket. Other than that, and tailor should be able to alter that for you, just take in a bunch of photos of how you want it to look.

[beerbecue]

The trouble, or problem, with Thompson's book, is that it never really gives "directions" per se, but describes what you need to do...

I have thought about all this myself, and I reckon if you put on the jacket, mark where the fell is on the jacket, and make the hem that length, then just cut the front so that it allows the sporran to hang freely... Also, you only need one button, and the pockets have to be moved up....

Using the pattern would be a big help.... Making the two sides of the jacket front perfectly matched is a trick......

[Buddha]

where abouts do I want the jacket to fall on me? top of the hips? or so the arms fall a couple inches below the jacket?

[Colin]

where abouts do I want the jacket to fall on me? top of the hips? or so the arms fall a couple inches below the jacket?

I have seen top of the hips, and a bit longer. I think the main thing it to make sure the pleats are not messed with (to the end of the fell line, maybe?) and that the front cut is there to allow for the sporran.

[beerbecue]

and I reckon if you put on the jacket, mark where the fell is on the jacket, and make the hem that length

I guess I should have said where the jacket hits the fell on the kilt, not the fell on the jacket....

The jacket should not interfere with the pleats, hence, the fell is as far down as it should go. It could be a tad shorter, however.....

[Alan H]

Well, I just did this today.

I went to the local St.Vincent de Paul and picked up a very passable houndstooth wool jacket by Wool rich for $7.50. It's a little bit small, but not bad and the price was unbeatable. I figure that it's not exactly what I'd pull off the rack if I could have anything, but it's perfectly acceptable. It looks pretty decent. I started at 2:00 this afternoon and just finished up...it's about 10:00PM here. I've been going at it more or less nonstop.

First up, I looked on the web at a mess of pictures of Crail jackets. Made particular note of how the front is shaped, where the bottom of the jacket rests in relationship to the hips,and the fact that all three Crails that I saw had darts in the back. That was going to be tough.

OK,**KEY** to this jacket that I got was that it didn't have slash pockets. The pockets were just two patches of the same material stitched on the outside of the jacket. They didn't even have flaps to cover them. Slash pockets would make it all pretty much impossible. Anyway I used the seam ripper to take off the pockets and saved 'em.

Then I put on a kilt and got out my wife's dressmakers chalk stick. I stood in front of the full-length mirror and decided *that* was about right and marked it. I marked a couple of points along a curve that would define where the cutaway for the sporran would go. The PIA here is that the lower button hole of the sportcoat gets in the way. Arrgh.

So then I connected all the dots and tried to make the front curves as fair as I could and then I started cutting. This jacket is completely lined, so that added some hassle, but not too bad.

A fair amount of this turned into handwork, which was fine. I had to re-do one of the front curves/sporran cutaways 'cause by trying to deal with the button hole I got a pretty rotten curve the first time. The curve on the button side of the jacket was great, but that button hole messed me up. Anyway I just used the seam ripper and re-did it with a lot of handwork and the second time worked out just fine. Anyway, it's done except for pressing the lining a bit....our 20-year-old steam iron died today.

This jacket has a center seam down the middle of the back and seams about a third of the way back from the haunch bone to that center-back. I opened those side seams up to make slashes. I needed to do this to get the fit to look better, cause my butt sticks out and makes the thing sag and poock out and generally look lousy. The slashes help a LOT. However, that leaves a gap in the jacket where the slashes open. I just stitched the pockets back inside the jacket so that the "good" side of the pocket material faces out under the slashes and it looks pretty decent. It'll look better when I get it dry cleaned and professionally pressed.

I'm debating on whether to make epaulettes with some scraps but I don't think Ill bother. I used the pocket patches as described above, so this jacket only has inner and outer chest pockets.

I'll try to get pics. It won't pass muster at Edinborough Castle but it'll work in the shady circles I move in just fine. All in all I think it looks reasonably decent and the price sure was right..

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Gee, all I did was take a Harris Tweed sportscoat in to an alteration shop in town. I was wearing my kilt, so I put on the jacket, pointed to about where I thought it should fall to look right with the kilt, and told the lady, "shorten it to about here."

She pinned it up while I was wearing it and said, no problem, it should only be about $20 or $25.

I like taking the easy way when possible. :-)
Matt

[Alan H]

Gee, all I did was take a Harris Tweed sportscoat in to an alteration shop in town. I was wearing my kilt, so I put on the jacket, pointed to about where I thought it should fall to look right with the kilt, and told the lady, "shorten it to about here."

She pinned it up while I was wearing it and said, no problem, it should only be about $20 or $25.

I like taking the easy way when possible. :-)
Matt

Yeah, but I'm *CHEAP*

Besides, the Mrs. is out of town this weekend and the sewing machine was ALL MINE!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Anyway, it was kind of fun.