Q & A on first traditional kilt endeavor

[Pleater]

Beware - this is a slippery slope - it starts with just one and before you know it you are enslaved to the joy of kilt making.

If the cloth will press and hold the crease then you don't have to stitch the crease - unless you want to. I now press in the pleats lightly along the crease so I can check the spacing and see how the cloth presses. Do it lightly and it can be undone and measured again until it comes out right. Doing the hem first is a good idea, by the way,

When you stitch the edge of the pleat down it makes a solid, shaped fell. You might want to find a stitch size and tension adjustment which will not mark the cloth and can be removed easily for the first trial. If you leave the ends of the seams not finished off - leave a long enough length of thread, just use a pin to pull the top thread to the inside of the kilt - then you can wear it for a while and see if you have made it too narrow or wide. If any of the seams pull open then you can make adjustments - you will have to do this before adding the waistband as you sew only three layers of material. Just baste along the waistline to hold everything together. If the sewing is correct then secure the ends of the threads either with a knot or a few stitches

The fell should fit fairly close, which is why I am a bit concerned about the back pocket. You know your own shape best, but you might like to consider using the top of the under apron forward facing pleat as a pocket. Even though they have the complication of the flare of the apron edge I have managed to put a pocket bag in hung from the waist with the pleat sewn down to enclose it. It seemed the natural place for a pocket. I can buy premade pockets here - though they are a bit flimsy looking. Handkerchief material might be a longer lasting option.

If my experience is any guide you will do enough sewing for three or four kilts to get the perfect finished article.

[UmAnOnion]

Beware - this is a slippery slope - it starts with just one and before you know it you are enslaved to the joy of kilt making.

If the cloth will press and hold the crease then you don't have to stitch the crease - unless you want to. I now press in the pleats lightly along the crease so I can check the spacing and see how the cloth presses. Do it lightly and it can be undone and measured again until it comes out right. Doing the hem first is a good idea, by the way,

When you stitch the edge of the pleat down it makes a solid, shaped fell. You might want to find a stitch size and tension adjustment which will not mark the cloth and can be removed easily for the first trial. If you leave the ends of the seams not finished off - leave a long enough length of thread, just use a pin to pull the top thread to the inside of the kilt - then you can wear it for a while and see if you have made it too narrow or wide. If any of the seams pull open then you can make adjustments - you will have to do this before adding the waistband as you sew only three layers of material. Just baste along the waistline to hold everything together. If the sewing is correct then secure the ends of the threads either with a knot or a few stitches

The fell should fit fairly close, which is why I am a bit concerned about the back pocket. You know your own shape best, but you might like to consider using the top of the under apron forward facing pleat as a pocket. Even though they have the complication of the flare of the apron edge I have managed to put a pocket bag in hung from the waist with the pleat sewn down to enclose it. It seemed the natural place for a pocket. I can buy premade pockets here - though they are a bit flimsy looking. Handkerchief material might be a longer lasting option.

If my experience is any guide you will do enough sewing for three or four kilts to get the perfect finished article.

thanks for your input Pleator..
As mentioned i have done 5 casual kilts already (my first one was a mess but by #3 i was doing pretty damned good if i say so myself). my friends are already planning an intervention. they are just waiting until i get finished with thier casual kilts, and then they strike. so the addiction is already very deeply established...

I think i am going to top stitch the outer & inner edges of the pleats just to make them extra sharp. the dark thread of teh fabric will hide the stitches well so that it wont be too glaring. and stiching the inner egde makes them double sharp & easier to deal with after laundering.

I like your suggestion of placing a pocket in the center front between the two aprons - it woudl be in the same place as a sporran but not a sporran - and woudl be a very safe & secure place to put my wallet etc... could have the entry to the pocket in the line made by the box pleat right before the under apron, between the buckles. might look a bit suspect if i reach in there too often but i wont let that worry me. in that way all else will be nice & neat & smooth in the back (took me a while to figure out what you meant by "fell" by the way. maybe i need to buy Barbs book a little sooner - i can afford to miss a meal or two over thenext couple of weeks...)

again thanks for your input. I wil be sure to post a pic of the finished product when i get done.

Colin

[Pleater]

Oh - casual kilts - I could give them up anytime - if I wanted - yeah. No problem - just anytime - right?

But those 8 yarders - they just don't let me sleep at night. Needle marks all down my thumbs and I buy the stuff and hide it away, then I bring it out and just look at it, lying there on the board in lines - I aahm a looohst soul.

Just you wait - it will be a hand sewn tartan before you know what has hit you.