A D.I.Y sex change operation...

**Arlen** · 18th August 07, 07:56 AM

...Or, how to replace a kilt at very little cost.

Some of you may remember that I had a bit of an incident with one of my kilts.
Well, to replace it my Dad invested 3 quid or so and got me a women's 100% wool 13 oz kilt from Ebay.

Yes, a Ladies kilt. (Or Hostess skirt.)
And I requested it.

Why might I do something like that?
Well, that might take a bit of explaining.

I am the only boy in my family. I have male cousins, but they are all a bit older than me.
My parents had two daughters and I was a happy accident.

Now, my Mum was a fair seamstress and would make kilts for my two sisters to wear to various functions.
So I would get hand-me-down kilts when my time came and she'd just alter them slightly.

I figured I would have a go.
The Ladies Kilts are so much cheaper and it's only 3 quid if it doesn't work.

Here's the Skirt when it arrived. 30" long.

So... without turning this into a huge photo thread, here's what I done.

I removed the lower buckle from the left side.
Cut a button hole on the left side and sewed the edges firmly.
Cut the bottom off of the kilt till about 2" below where I wanted the hem to be.
Pressed the hem flat to make sure I was happy with it.
Hemmed it with some of that iron in hem stuff and then sewed it with light stitching just to be sure.
Hemmed and frayed the new apron edge.

I'm really happy with the results and I have a large roll of fabric to make some flashes and whatever else I decide on.

So, here are some shots of the pleats, the left over fabric, and me playing with Pip in my wonderful new kilt.
The whole project took me perhaps 2 hours, tops.
And I love the tartan.

And, just as an added extra, I altered the ivy wood Sgian Dubh a little.
There is now a sketched Pictish stag on the hilt and a real piece of Ivy preserved and varnished on to the hilt.

**Tattoo Bradley** · 18th August 07, 08:20 AM

OUTSTANDING ARLEN! Now, if only there were more Women's kilts available in a... well "larger" waist

And the tartan, it looks like Douglas weathered (without looking to be sure.)

*EDIT
Went and looked, and it does indeed look to be Douglas weathered.

**Peter C.** · 18th August 07, 08:25 AM

You did a great job there Arlen, lovely tartan, and what a bargain!!!

I love the ivy leaf on the ivy wood sgian dubh, what a good idea.

Pip looks pretty laid back about the whole thing.

Peter

**turpin** · 18th August 07, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Tattoobradley

OUTSTANDING ARLEN! Now, if only there were more Women's kilts available in a... well "larger" waist

And the tartan, it looks like Douglas weathered (without looking to be sure.)

*EDIT
Went and looked, and it does indeed look to be Douglas weathered.

I was going to say Buchleuch but the sett appears to be larger than that. Quite the innovative way of replacing your shrunken kilt Arlen. Way to Go!

**acstoon** · 18th August 07, 09:16 AM

Good stuff!
really like the sgian dubh!

**Arlen** · 18th August 07, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Tattoobradley

OUTSTANDING ARLEN! Now, if only there were more Women's kilts available in a... well "larger" waist

And the tartan, it looks like Douglas weathered (without looking to be sure.)

*EDIT
Went and looked, and it does indeed look to be Douglas weathered.

Thanks a lot.
I'm sure if you cruise around on Ebay enough you'll find a few. They're certainly worth the price.

And thanks for looking for me. I looked at both the kilt and a few tartans sites and it is definitely the Douglas weathered.
And I even have a very tentative link for when those sticklers demand that i need a permit to wear it.

**Arlen** · 18th August 07, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by acstoon

Good stuff!
really like the sgian dubh!

Thanks for the compliments.
I'm more than happy with how both of them turned out.

**Arlen** · 18th August 07, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by turpin

I was going to say Buchleuch but the sett appears to be larger than that. Quite the innovative way of replacing your shrunken kilt Arlen. Way to Go!

Thanks, Turpin.

Now I just need to start work with what's left of the fabric.

**Arlen** · 18th August 07, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Peter C.

You did a great job there Arlen, lovely tartan, and what a bargain!!!

I love the ivy leaf on the ivy wood sgian dubh, what a good idea.

Pip looks pretty laid back about the whole thing.

Peter

Thanks, Man.
I'm certainly a big fan of bargains.

Pip is pretty laid back in general.
Except when he's playing.