Hemming a kilt

[HeathBar]

I would guess that anyone who could hem a skirt, could hem a kilt.

[The Wizard of BC]

Just caution your tailor person not to fold over the selvedge. Leave it flat and sew it in that way.

[mkmound]

Just caution your tailor person not to fold over the selvedge. Leave it flat and sew it in that way.

Steve,

You mean just turning the selvedge up once, instead of turning twice, like you would need to do with a raw, cut edge, right?

[The Wizard of BC]

Yes, that's correct.

It keeps the hem as flat as possible.

Also caution your tailor to be very careful when reversing the pleat pressing.

DO NOT fan out the pleats. Insure they are parallel and straight.

[Tartan Hiker]

So, Steve, what you're saying is that if you are hemming a 27" length to 24", you don't cut down...just turn over 3" and hem?

[beerbecue]

It is actually quite easy to do the hem by hand.

You just use a herringbone/catch stitch after turning up the selvedge.

You should then baste your pleats, and after ironing the hem, it should lie very flat and be practically unnoticeable. I have one kilt that is hemmed and you really can't tell unless you were to pick it up and look. When it is worn, no one notices.....

[Barb T]

But, if you're going to do it right, you'll need to take out the apron and underapron facings and edges, put the hem in, then re-do the edges. If you don't, the apron edge in particular will look odd.

Also, turn up the first deep pleat to the left of the apron about 1/2" more at the point so that the point doesn't hang below the bottom of the apron, and taper the underapron hem from the center of the underapron to the underapron edge so that the edge is about 1" shorter than the rest of the kilt. That keeps the underapron from drooping below the apron.

And, yes. Don't fold the selvedge edge over. Just turn the thing up 3", and don't cut it off.

Barb