Kilt inspired Skirt (help please!)

**ali8780** · 8th January 10, 09:20 AM

Pictures will be forthcoming, don't worry! I'm too excited to share this with all of you to hold back

Originally Posted by M. A. C. Newsome

If you are feeling clever, you might work it so that one of the front aprons is pleated and one flat, so that by closing it one way you have what looks like a standard kilted skirt; while closing it the other way would give you a skirt pleated all around.

Let me know if you need any help. We all look forward to seeing the finished product!
M

That would be clever! I was initially planning on pleating both of the front aprons to keep it a full A-line silhouette, do you think that keeping one flat would take out the fullness? It would be nice to have the extra option though... I like options

I really appreciate everyone's advice and opinions, thanks! (keep them coming

)

Also, some of the fabric I was looking at yesterday was an 80/20 % blend of wool and nylon, could I press it the same way but on a lower heat setting? Or would the process be entirely different?

I'm planning on making my muslin prototype this week...

**ChattanCat** · 8th January 10, 04:18 PM

Hi Ali,
I would baste the pleats first before pressing. To have pleats that fall straight and don;t flare is to keep the same width and the same edge all the way down each pleat. The best way to assure you are pressing each pleat to the same width with the tartan element centered is to baste first, measuring each pleat to assure correct width and centered. Are you sewing the fell (top of skirt to hips)?

Pressing a wool/nylon I am not sure of but you need to press like others have said, pressing cloth and don't drag the iron, pick and press.

Cheers,

**Squeaky McMurdo** · 8th January 10, 05:29 PM

All the irons I've used have had a setting for blends with nylon in them, yours might too. I think following the same procedure on a lower setting would work.

When in doubt...maybe test iron on a scrap piece or in an inconspicuous place first.

**ChattanCat** · 8th January 10, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Squeaky McMurdo

All the irons I've used have had a setting for blends with nylon in them, yours might too. I think following the same procedure on a lower setting would work.

When in doubt...maybe test iron on a scrap piece or in an inconspicuous place first.

I agree, lower settings will work with wool. It is pressure and heat that molds the wool and sets the knife edge.

**Pleater** · 8th January 10, 06:06 PM

The wool Nylon mix might be tricky - you don't want to melt and weld the Nylon fibres into a scratchy fold, so some experimentation with fabric scraps will be necessary.

Lower temperature on the iron, less pressure on the folds, more care not to polish the surface, pressing from the back all the time should give the right results.

I press in the folds for the outer part of the pleats, then fold them and baste the lower edge and at hip level, then press the inner folds in gently, so as not to press in impressions of the folds underneath.

Then I work on the aprons, shaping their edges and pressing the large under apron pleats. Those pleats are essential and should not be skimped, as they enable sitting down without the aprons sliding apart.

Depending on your shape you might find that you need to put a couple of darts in the aprons to get a good fit. They do not have to overlap - it is better if they don't as that prevents bumps in the waistline.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**ChattanCat** · 8th January 10, 06:18 PM

I would also recommend a plain, unpleated, under-apron with a pleated over apron.

Pleater, who wants dart on their kilt? ;-)

**Ozark Ridge Rider** · 8th January 10, 06:33 PM

Ali,

I have no expertise at all in this (and not much in anything else) but it's great to see you back!!!

Dan

**ali8780** · 8th January 10, 06:42 PM

Yeah, I think having a flat under apron is going to work best. Wow, this is going to be a lot of work! Sure hope I like it when I'm all done

Originally Posted by Ozark Ridge Rider

Ali,

I have no expertise at all in this (and not much in anything else) but it's great to see you back!!!

Dan

Thanks Dan

**fluter** · 8th January 10, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by 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!

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** · 9th January 10, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by ChattanCat

I would also recommend a plain, unpleated, under-apron with a pleated over apron.

Pleater, who wants dart on their kilt? ;-)

Ah - it's the child bearing hips we on the distaff side are blessed with - so to get the aprons right, nice and fitted, but accomodating so much alteration in shape sometimes a dart is necessary.

Otherwise it means the waistband is too loose or the top of the hips too tight, or maybe both.

It can be got around by decreasing the width of the aprons, as every pleat acts as a dart - or can do, shaping the fell. Extending the run of pleats further around means that there is more scope for shaping over the hip bones.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: