Stillwater Heavyweight Length - Need Help (again)

[cloves]

I don't get it...I must be long in the leg then? or long in something....I never thought it was my torso though.

Anyways....a stillwater is a traditional kilt, made to be worn higher than a UK for sure.
I have a stillwater and I'm only about 5'8" and I can wear it just fine. At 5'11" i'd think you'd have no problem at all.
Can you by any chance snap a couple of pics and let us take a look. what to you feels like 3.5 inches over your navel, may actually look about right.

[auld argonian]

I am told that the Blind Hem Stitch is the one to use when hemming something like a kilt.

I'm trying to figure it out, though...I'm about 5'11" and going about 180-ish, 36 inch waist and the Stillwaters fit just fine. Yes, the top of it is resting above my navel but it sits very nicely, the bottom is right at the tops of my knee caps and the "hugging" effect of the waist area around my middle is actually very comfortable. When you put on a belt and a sporran it breaks up the "lines" and looks just right. Don't be so eager to have it hemmed...wear it around for a while and see how it settles in. I had serious doubts about 24 inches being way too long myself but it seems to work out just right.

Best

AA

[thescot]

OK, the hemmers will blast me for this, but I would never hem a kilt. Never under any circumstances that I can foresee. I just don't believe there's any way to hide the hem, and a kilt is not intended to be hemmed. It's supposed to show selvage.

So, consider this alternative from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilt ) :
"There is a simpler and more effective method of shortening the kilt without affecting its original fit by creating a new selvage. This can be done by using a sewing machine to sew a tight zig zig stitch at the point where you wish to crop the kilt, then treating the stitch with an anti-fraying glue. Once it has dried, you cut off the material below the stitch. You will need to clean up a few loose threads, but this does create a new selvage edge that is quite strong."

It is my understanding that the regiments always shortened their kilts, never hemming them, and this is a fairly easy and inexpensive alternative to major reconstructive surgery like redoing the waist and pleats.

I think you should at least think about this method.

OK, you guys can blast away now.

[Bob C]

You're not trying to wear it on your hips like a pair of jeans, are you? It's SUPPOSED to sit above your navel.

[Livingston]

I'm 5' 6.5" and have a Stillwater Heavyweight. With the top of the belt at my navel I had to hem about 1.5" for it to hit at my knees. Simple process, just turn it up ONCE at the point you need and use blind stitches. ONly took me 3 or 4 evenings in front of the idiot tube to get it done.

[Panache]

...It is my understanding that the regiments always shortened their kilts, never hemming them, and this is a fairly easy and inexpensive alternative to major reconstructive surgery like redoing the waist and pleats...

Barb weighs in on this issue on the F-H.C.A.G.'s thread about hemming. Apparently the material used by the regiments was a very different type of wool where one could cut the excess without the whole bottom of the kilt unravelling or fringing. I don't know enough about specific wool weaves/fabric to know why.

Cheers

Jamie

[sean_cummings]

Guys,
I am pretty sure I am wearing it correctly. I will try to snap a couple of pics tonight and post them. From everything I read on Xmarks I thought it would fit perfectly. I hope I can make it look right.

In order to make the bottom edge sit correctly I have to have the top is sitting about 2-3" above my navel.
My inseam is 32" waist is 38". I think this answers everyone’s questions.

Thanks for all of the advice.

[gilmore]

The top of the kilt SHOULD be around 2 inches above your navel. That's how they are made.

[mddock58]

We all have different "body types" that is long or short torso, long or short legs. It is very hard to judge exactly how something is going to fit until you try it.

Hope you can get it adjusted to your requirements.

As per Stillwater's site -

Length* on all Standard, Economy & Heavyweight kilts is 24". Our kilts are usually worn traditional-style, higher on the waist (about an inch above the navel, usually), not low on the hips. Some length adjustment is obtained by wearing the kilt higher or lower on the waist. These kilts are easily hemmed to any desired length, and hemming is essentially undetectable if done correctly (with a machine-sewn blind hem stitch). Only on the heaviest weights of kilt fabric does a hem become visible because of the thickness, and on lighter-weight kilts a hem can add weight to the bottom edge, making the fabric hang even better, behaving like a heavier-weight fabric. We strongly advise against cutting a kilt to shorten it. We do not offer hemming service at this time, this is best done by any local tailor/seamstress.

Emphasis mine.

[cavscout]

5'11" with a 32" inseam...

I don't have my SWK to verify but I think when I wear mine it sits about that high above my navel. It doesn't reach my ribs but is much higher than were a UK would sit (a lot higher ) You should also see about 1" of kilt sticking up above your belt. I typically wear my belt so that the top straps are covered and run it through the belt loops on the back just to keep it from slipping up my back.

I don't recall you saying you were uncomfortable in the kilt just that you worried about it being too high. If that's the only concern, wear it around for a while and make sure it's not just a matter of getting used to it. I went from a low rise casual to a SWK and it was different but I warmed up to it very quickly.