Hemming a PV/Acrylic Kilt

**josephkirkpatrick** · 8th June 11, 03:03 PM

I have a kilt from The Kilted Nation that I am a big fan of, but I need to shorten it a touch. It was a rush order, and worked for my purposes, but I definitely don't need it to be 24 inches... I'm closer to a 21.5 or so. I know that they offer a shortening service when you order, but obviously that's not an option now.

Is it possible/relatively simple to shorten the length of my PV? I love the material because my naughty bits don't like wool, and would rather fix this one than go to the expense of ordering a new one. I also know that when I get one that fits properly, this will fall by the wayside.

I'm in upstate NY, so I think I might have the option of having it professionally altered at the Kiltmakers Apprentice.

**muirkirkca** · 8th June 11, 05:10 PM

I have had 2 PV kilts lengthened as I usually request a 2 inch hem. Shortening should pose no problem. I used a good tailor.

**Tobus** · 9th June 11, 05:50 AM

Howdy, fellow clansman!

I bought an acrylic el-cheapo Blackwatch kilt at the last Highland Games, mainly for hiking and other activities where I didn't want to ruin an expensive wool kilt. And it was the usual 24" length, which is way too long for me.

I just took it to a local alterations shop and told the lady I wanted it taken up 2" with a blind hem. Got it back a week later, for a $15 charge, and it looks good. I think any alterations shop is capable of doing this... it's not any different than shortening ladies' skirts.

**ChattanCat** · 9th June 11, 11:58 AM

The stitch you need for hemming is a herringbone stitch. You should be able to google it. The herringbone stitch in a catch stitch so don't go thru the kilt just catch a thread or two on the outer material. The hem isn't that important but you need to make sure you make the hem even all the way around by measuring and basting. Then you can hem and once your are finished you need to press. I would recommend that you baste the pleats at the bottom to hole them in place during pressing.

**josephkirkpatrick** · 9th June 11, 05:54 PM

Thanks for the advice! I think I'll have it professionally altered because the herringbone looks too easy to screw up.

**fluter** · 14th June 11, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by josephkirkpatrick

Thanks for the advice! I think I'll have it professionally altered because the herringbone looks too easy to screw up.

Not so! It's dead simple, merely tedious. It's like a blind hem stitch, moving backwards.

**janderson** · 14th June 11, 07:39 PM

I've had 2 pv kilts hemmed by a tailor. Stillwater puts a note in their pv kilts recommendi.g a blind hem stitch.

When I picked mine up from the tailor he thanked me for the fun job as it was his first kilt. I think I paid about $25 for it to raised about an inch and a half.