Combining the great kilt and the modern kilt.

**Guinness>water** · 9th October 10, 09:21 AM

Has anyone ever tried to sew pleats and belt loops into a great kilt? Could you also put the buckles on it? Basically make a modern traditional kilt but with the top portion of the great kilt attached.
Thanks

**longhuntr74** · 9th October 10, 09:30 AM

Based on my limited experience (just finished my first kilt about 2 hours ago), I'd say you could do it with a casual kilt or box pleated. Great kilts were only about 3.5 to 4 yards of fabric....trying to double that would be impossible and unwieldy.

**Pleater** · 9th October 10, 12:55 PM

Yes, I tried it, with 4 yards of 60 inch fabric, but in the end I made a dressing gown with six pleats (three each side) sewn in the shoulders, Kingussie style, and sleeves made in the ancient 'bog jacket' manner.

I found that pleats could only be sewn in above the waist, or I could wear it standing up, or I could put on another garment underneath and let the fronts gape open when I sat down.

It is probably still lying around somewhere, as I don't remember recycling the fabric.

Part of the problem is my female proportions, I think, but I suspect that for sewn in pleats in a modern shaped fell you need more fabric than a great kilt in order to keep the aprons from gaping open.

You can probably sew in pleats at the waist and for a couple of inches up from that - shaping the great kilt under the belt, so you get neat folds. I suspect that you'd need to have under apron pleats, as you can't swiftly slide more fabric around to the front to save your modesty once it is fixed into pleats.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**CMcG** · 9th October 10, 01:45 PM

One of our advertisers (the Celtic Croft) offers what they call Cheater Pleats. They also offer the option of having hidden buckles/straps sewn in.

Does anyone have one of these kilts and could comment on how well the work?

**Guinness>water** · 9th October 10, 06:49 PM

I was thinking of laying out a great kilt, pleating it as you like. Instead of putting it on, take it to the machine and sew the pleats down(like the little kilt). Around the waist sew on your belt loops(like a casual kilt has). When you go to wear it, the pleats are already there , you wrap it around ya and put your belt on. Kinda a hybrid of two or three different style kilts.
Reason I ask is I'm trying to get ride of all my pants and figured this hybrid would be a great winter kilt. Plus it might be cheaper than the traditional ones.
Thanks for your input.

**Madadh** · 10th October 10, 03:31 AM

I have taken one of my great kilts and hand stitched the pleats about four inches at waist measurement. This does make donning the kilt much easier. It took about two days (slow fat fingers) but I am getting ready to do it to my 2nd great kilt.

When I do my second kilt I will take pictures and post them.

**Guinness>water** · 10th October 10, 08:45 AM

Yeah, please take some pictures. I think I would really enjoy wearing the great kilt, it seems so versatile. I also think I'd like the phillabeg (not sure on spelling) for everyday wear. The traditional kilt is so confining at the waist. Caint bend over and feels like I'm wearing a corset or something. Who figured out that you need to wear a kilt at the belly button anyway? Dont seem to me that any runnin in the woods scot would have done it that way.

**Steve** · 27th October 10, 05:18 PM

Yes, we do offer cheater pleats with the Great Kilt but we have tried to sew in straps and the kilt just doesn't hang right.

**Geoff Withnell** · 28th October 10, 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by Pleater

Yes, I tried it, with 4 yards of 60 inch fabric, but in the end I made a dressing gown with six pleats (three each side) sewn in the shoulders, Kingussie style, and sleeves made in the ancient 'bog jacket' manner.

I found that pleats could only be sewn in above the waist, or I could wear it standing up, or I could put on another garment underneath and let the fronts gape open when I sat down.

It is probably still lying around somewhere, as I don't remember recycling the fabric.

Part of the problem is my female proportions, I think, but I suspect that for sewn in pleats in a modern shaped fell you need more fabric than a great kilt in order to keep the aprons from gaping open.

You can probably sew in pleats at the waist and for a couple of inches up from that - shaping the great kilt under the belt, so you get neat folds. I suspect that you'd need to have under apron pleats, as you can't swiftly slide more fabric around to the front to save your modesty once it is fixed into pleats.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

I am not quite sure I understand what is happening here. If the aprons are as wide as they would be if the pleats were not sew down, why would they gape open?

Geoff Withnell

**Pleater** · 29th October 10, 08:08 AM

I suspect that when the pleats hang loose from the waistband they can open to accomodate the change in shape between standing and sitting.

When the pleats were sewn down there was simply not enough kilt to go around the derriere and across the thighs when seated.

A modern kilt has got the under apron and reverse pleats which open out and free the aprons from the fell and I think that is what makes the difference.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: