how do you....

[Barb T]

If you're making a trad kilt:

40 waist should be split 21" in the apron and 19" in the pleats.
45 hips (and you should _definitely_ use the standing measurement!) should be split 22" in the apron and 23" in the hips (should look roughly half and half in a trad kilt, but, since people's butts stick out in the back, half and half is really a bit more in the pleats than in the apron).

The apron will have a slight flare (1/2" between the waist and hips) and continuing down to the bottom of the kilt about 3/4" more.

The rest of the shaping will be in the pleats. Simply divide 23" by the number of pleats to get the size at the hips (e.g., 23 pleats would have pleats 1" across at the hips). Do the same for the waist. 19/23 = about 13/16" for each pleat at the waist. If you make each pleat those sizes at the hips and waist, and you taper the apron, the kilt will fit and will snug into the small of your back.

Just be sure that, when you stitch the pleats, you do not taper the pleats all the way to the top of the kilt. Taper to the waist line (2" below the top of the kilt), and then stitch the pleat _straight_ to the top. If anything, the kilt should flare a little above the waist (buckle) line.

Uhhhh - just went back to read the original post and realized that I'd missed the canvas duck part. You're obviously not making a trad kilt. So sorry!

Barb

[The Wizard of BC]

Can you give us some more details on what you want the finished kilt to be.

Are you making a Traditional or contemporary style?

If you are using Duck Canvas the dart area you show will not work. The edges of the fabric must be as straight as possible. If you try to do a curve or if you have a pronounced break in a line the back side will pucker badly.

From your drawing it seems you are trying to use an almost full apron. This is OK. You can still have a tapered apron as long as the edges are almost straight.

[switchblade5984]

sorry i stole that from another site..

i am going for a workman UK look something to that effect...

thank you all for the help!

i am waiting for the new kilt book to come out
however currently im low on cash and trying to get rid of pants not a great combination!

[The Wizard of BC]

The UK apron is only 7-9" wide. And the sides are parrallel. So no tapering required. Also there is no defined Fell line, no Steeking and no liner.

They are designed to be made in under 4 hours. (it takes me a day to duplicate one)

The edges of the pleats are straight and the only tapering is to tack down each pleat to the one behind it on an angle.

There is no need to get technical in your tapering. There is no need to worry over details.

A UK styled kilt should be made VERY large. It should almost fall off you without a belt. This makes tailoring and fitting very easy as there is none.

As long as the hip area is about 4 to 5 inches loose and the waist is 2 to 3 inches loose you will do fine.