a question

[Pleater]

If it is to be specifically a tartan, then the size of the sett, the pattern repeat, might determine the minimum length required for a particular size of kilt.

I started out making kilts for myself for a 50 inch waist - it has since reduced quite a lot, and the kilts I made which were rather skimped are now looking better. These would be the 5 and 6 yard ones.

I also worked with fabrics that did not require a particular size of pleat, so I could just fold the whole length of fabric into the pleats.

Once you are using tartans you need to take into consideration how the sett will be placed on the apron - it is usual to have a sett placed centrally, or a prominant stripe of colour, so you need to allow for a bit of wasted fabric to get that right, then there is the style of the pleating to consider - if you are to recreate the sett in the pleats, how many pleats will you be dividing the sett into, or if you are to pleat to a stripe, which one?

There are large pleats at the edges of the aprons, which make moving easier - if you are to be active in the kilt, striding over rugged country for instance, deep pleats are good.

Before deciding how much fabric to buy you need to know the size of the sett, and have a rough idea of how you will be pleating it so as to decide on what running length of cloth you will require. Some tartan cloth can be bought cut from the bolt in one piece and half the full width, 27 inches. Some is only available 54 inches wide, and you would need to allow a little for the matching up of the sett at the join.

I am really tempted to advise that you try a kilt in a plain fabric first, so you can get a feel for the method and how much fabric it takes to make a kilt that is comfortable for you, even if it is just a torn up sheet pleated onto duct tape.

Pleats really eat up the cloth, it is surprising, and adding in shaping on the one side of the under apron and both sides of the apron - that is at least a foot of fabric just to put in two inches of shaping.

I still use 8 yards for a plain kilt despite losing 12 inches off my waist, so if you still plan to go straight in and do a tartan kilt - even if it is an expensive tartan, and particularly if it has a large sett, go the whole nine yards - that is 4 and 1/2 yards of the 54inch wide material so that you can be fairly sure of not having to compromise on the construction due to lack of materials.

You might not get all that length in the finished kilt, but you should get the pattern properly placed on the apron and pleats if you have that much to work with.

[Cathal_Flameridge]

I am really tempted to advise that you try a kilt in a plain fabric first, so you can get a feel for the method and how much fabric it takes to make a kilt that is comfortable for you, even if it is just a torn up sheet pleated onto duct tape.

Actually I was thinking of doing just that. I really think that getting the feel of making the kilt would help alot. Thanks for the advice.

Also thank you everyone else for the advice, it has really helped