Kilt alteration question

[fluter]

How tall is the lad? If the skirt is too long/short, it won't look right as a kilt. It should hit just at the top of the kneecap, no lower than mid-knee.

You'll be working with waist, hips, and length measurements. Waist should be at the natural waist, around the navel on most guys; it can be fudged up or down a bit to accomodate the length. If the young man is pretty tubular, he may want a belt to help keep things steady!

Stillwater is a good option. Their standard length is 24 inches (can be hemmed shorter). The Thrifty model is just that, fastens with hook and loop, and is quite flexible. There are youth sizes (shorter length). The standard model only goes down to a 30 inch waist, but you can adapt it for an inch smaller by moving a strap and a buckle. They are washable acrylic fabric.

USA Kilts may have a ready made kilt that would fit, you'd need to call or e-mail with size info. They are conveniently on sale and washable, a polyester rayon blend.

Another option, if you can find some suitable fabric, is to make a philabeg or even a belted plaid by folding the pleats and wrapping it up with a belt. You can embellish this by tacking down the pleats, adding a strap, Velcro, belt loops, and so on. See our mentor Matt Newsome's article on the evolution of the kilt (and much more on his Web site).

[Pleater]

The flare is caused by the way the pleats are sewn down - they are like darts in a way, and they function as such.

Take a look at how the pleats have been made - is the grain running straight along the edge of the outer fold of the pleat from the waist to the hem?

If so you can just cut the stitches which hold the edge of the pleat to the fabric below, possibly you will only need to take out the lower half, so that the flare is no longer insisted upon.

You might need to assist the change in shape by pressing in a new fold on the inside.

What might be more relevant is the alteration in the aprons from left to right closing. Is the under apron 'presentable'? The over apron is usually carefully placed on the pattern so as to look centered, it also has a shaped edge and sometimes a fringe. The under apron normally has a straight edge. Before undertaking any work it might be as well to check that the swapping of the aprons is possible.

If the apron has darts you might need to take them out so it lies flat when it becomes the under apron.

I have done some costume making - it seems that fate always conspires to supply the least useful items for our purposes.

Anne the Pleater

[Carolina Kiltman]

. . . . I have done some costume making - it seems that fate always conspires to supply the least useful items for our purposes.

Anne the Pleater

I have done a lot of costume work over the years. I have often found that the time needed to alter an already made item is too frequently longer than making one from scratch. That being said, (Kilts are time consuming to make properly), that is why I suggested SWK or USAK, or for that matter, Sport Kilts.

That being said, sometimes time is more available than money.

[Dixiecat]

Pleater has it exactly right. This is for a play, with a deadline to boot.

I would forget about reversing the closure, not enough time, and as Pleater pointed out, the underapron may not be presentable as a top. Ladies kilted skirts don't usually pay much attention to the under details as would a real kilt.

Next, rip the stitching holding the pleats down from the bottom of stitching to within an inch or so of the waist. Have the lad try it on and pin new pleats. Sew. You might want to steam press out the pleat folds before the lad tries it on to make pinning new pleats easier.

The Wizard makes a good suggestion about taking the darts out and just wrapping the kilt. You'll need a new waistband as taking out the darts will length the waist, and you won't be able to use the buckles, but if pinned and belted well, should stay up.

Break a Leg!

[Mipi]

The Wizards approach is the fastest, I believe. Taking out the darts will make taper smaller. Then just wrap the kilt tightly around the boy and reattach the strap. Oh, changing the apron and under apron (and possibly the fringe) is needed to make a kilt for boy.

I guess you need to make it much shorter, too.

Redoing the pleats is difficult, almost easier to take the kilt apart and make it from the beginning.

Good luck and steady hand!