Kilt inspired Skirt (help please!)

[Squeaky McMurdo]

Look in the pet section for cat and small dog collars. You can usually get a couple matching leather ones for cheap. Target usually has a pretty good selection of ones with plain buckles (Walmart's usually say "Top Paw")

[ali8780]

Look in the pet section for cat and small dog collars. You can usually get a couple matching leather ones for cheap. Target usually has a pretty good selection of ones with plain buckles (Walmart's usually say "Top Paw")

would I be able to sew them onto the skirt though?

PS thanks for the welcome back

[Squeaky McMurdo]

Oh yah, I do it all the time. They only use one layer of leather for little collars, my sewing machine can typically handle a small job like this given the right needle. Hand sewing also works, use a thimble though!

[fluter]

Oh yah, I do it all the time. They only use one layer of leather for little collars, my sewing machine can typically handle a small job like this given the right needle. Hand sewing also works, use a thimble though!

If you're hand sewing, punch two rows of perhaps 4 holes in the leather. The Book has detailed descriptions for all the bits and pieces.



If you don't find buckles locally, Highand X Press has 3 sizes of buckle/strap sets.

http://www.highlandxpress.com/patterns.html#bs
Photo here.

[Pleater]

I'm not entirely certain that if you are making something which is kilt-ish that you pleat and fasten it the other way round.

I wore kilts at school and they were made in the same way as a man's/highland dancer's kilt and fastened on the right.

That would be about 50 years ago now.

I sometimes wear kimono and they always close left over right, so I never thought about making my kilts the other way around.

However, kilts for grown women are usually made a modest 27 inches long - that is one half the full width of the fabric. They are usually made from lighter stuff, 10 or 12 oz rather than the heavier weights used for men.

Pressing the pleats into wool is a physical task - I find it easier to fold the fabric and press in the outer folds one at a time, before doing any sewing.

I take great care to fold the fabric exactly right, and press from the side which will be on the inside. Take a smooth cotton cloth, long enough to cover the entire length you want to press. Dip the cloth in warm water and squeeze it so it is just damp. Lay it over the fold, then take your iron and bring it down onto the cloth, compressing the fold. Do not slide the iron, pick it up and bring it down a little further along the fold. You need lots of steam, and you will put an almost permanent kink into the fabric.

Do not do this if you have a fabric with any man made fibre in it. They require lighter gentler treatment.

If you are going to make the pleats with a straight edge all the way from lower edge to waist then press the edge first. If you plan to 'bend' the top of the pleat like a dart then just press from the lower edge of the fell downwards.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: