Stitching down those 3" belt loops!

[Canuck]

Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

On UK's, do not cut the bottom of the beltloops! You will then have to rip the stitching of the waistband to put them back on.

Instead, remove the beltloop at the top. cut the lines of stitches at the top of the wiastband. This will free the loop. then fold the loop till it is the size you want and re-stitch at the top of the waistband.

Isn't the bottom of the belt loop stitched down as well? If so, you will have to carefully take the stitches out across the bottom, then do what Steve suggests, then restitch across the bottom of the loops. Then you should be OK. Make sure that the belt loop in the front has enough room for a triple thickness belt, 'cause that's where the tongue of the belt goes through the buckle and keeper and sometimes the part that holds the buckle can be long so you might have the thickness of three straps of leather going through the loop.

[longshadows]

Yea, there's a lot to consider... Thanks guys for the advice.

[Canuck]

Yea, there's a lot to consider... Thanks guys for the advice.

Yes but, once you've decided to do it, it takes about half hour to an hour to do the change. If you take it to an alteration or a drycleaner who does alterations on the spot, I would think they could do it for a very reasonable price. Keeping in mind they have the thread, seam rippers, sewing machine ready to go. You on the otherhand have to get that ready. When you take the first one apart look how it's put together and you will see how simple it is to do

[Barb T]

Just a quick note that, on a trad kilt, the loops are not supposed to be for the belt. The loops on a trad kilt were originally _sporran_ loops, meant to keep your sporran strap from going south or feeling like it was going to go south (which actually isn't likely to happen). Over time, the loops have gotten bigger and bigger so that people have started stuffing their belts through them and then _expecting_ to be able to stuff their belts through them.

If you put a belt through the loops, after time if you wear the kilt a lot, it will distort the back of the kilt and "pull up" the bottom of the kilt right below the loops. Just look at some well-worn band kilts the next time you go to a games, and you'll see what I mean. I don't actually put loops on a trad kilt unless someone specfically insists on it.

Barb

[James]

I hate to contradict, but on my best kilt. a traditional from Connell Reid, there are in fact two sets of loops.

The very wide ones to take a belt, and inside them-small ones for the sporran strap.

Now for day to day use they are not necessary: however if wanting to keep everything in place, more so if wearing say a dirk etc, then they are required.

The same applies if on a hot day one is in shirt sleeves, for a kilt and belt that are out of alignment can only look sloppy. It is the same in respect of the sporran strap.

To try and clarify the above, think about wearing a Sam Browne and sword, or a side arm for parade wear: and how sloppy such things can look if the belt is too loose, all over the place, or out of alignement with the tunic and trousers.

So as mentioned above, most of the time such things are really not very necessary: but every now and then there is an occasion when they are vital if one is to maintain a smart appearance.

So though most of the time I do not bother with the loops, I certainly expect them to be provided: both on my traditional kilts, and the hillwalkers I wear on a day to day basis.

James

[pdcorlis]

I don't actually put loops on a trad kilt unless someone specfically insists on it.

I just had my first 16oz 8 yard handsewn kilt made up and asked my kiltmaker to skip the third belt and buckle AND the loops on the back of the kilt as per Barb and others suggestions. Soooooooo glad I did!