Making my first X-Kilt

[blame the kilt]

my hubby has mentioned wanting an x kilt. I have no idea the differance between this and his other kilts. can someone please educate me? and the advice was helpful on lining up the acu camo....of course this is the camo he wants and that we want to use for my son. where should i go to look for an x kilt pattern?

thanks!

blame the kilt

[Farlander]

my hubby has mentioned wanting an x kilt. I have no idea the differance between this and his other kilts. can someone please educate me? and the advice was helpful on lining up the acu camo....of course this is the camo he wants and that we want to use for my son. where should i go to look for an x kilt pattern?

thanks!

blame the kilt

What you want is Alan's very fine X-Kilt Manual!
Check out:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/x...=x-kilt+manual

How is this different from other kilts? The X-Kilt is made from a solid color or something somewhat randomly patterned (like camo). This means that the sewer does not have to bother matching up a tartan pattern in the pleats for example. Most kilts are knife pleated. The X-Kilt is box pleated.

[Jake_S]

OK, I have some more questions. I separated the two pieces and the short side measures 76". My kilt will have a drop of 22", I might do a hem, so that would be another inch or so.

If I divide the 76 by 3 (this will give me 5 yards of horizontal stripes) that leaves me with a width of 25.3". I'm concerned that this will leave me with very little room for error, and I honestly have no idea how to hide two seams. I think I can figure out one seam, but two will be pushing my non-sewing brain over the edge!

So, to finally get to the point, I am wondering if 3 yards will be enough for my kilt.

My waist (measured at the navel) is 34", my hips (rump in x-kilt speak) is 38", with a 22" drop, and a 9" fell. I plan on doing 9 3" pleats with a 11" over apron.

If I can do the kilt with 3 yards that will make my life just a little it easier, so can it be done?

Thanks,
Jake

[Alan H]

OK, I have some more questions. I separated the two pieces and the short side measures 76". My kilt will have a drop of 22", I might do a hem, so that would be another inch or so.

If I divide the 76 by 3 (this will give me 5 yards of horizontal stripes) that leaves me with a width of 25.3". I'm concerned that this will leave me with very little room for error, and I honestly have no idea how to hide two seams. I think I can figure out one seam, but two will be pushing my non-sewing brain over the edge!

So, to finally get to the point, I am wondering if 3 yards will be enough for my kilt.

My waist (measured at the navel) is 34", my hips (rump in x-kilt speak) is 38", with a 22" drop, and a 9" fell. I plan on doing 9 3" pleats with a 11" over apron.

If I can do the kilt with 3 yards that will make my life just a little it easier, so can it be done?

Thanks,
Jake

You're are asking me to think AWFULLY hard, and besides, it's making *you* think awfully hard. I mean you can lay it all out in your mind, figure out how deep each pleat will be and each fold and add and add again and hope that you don't get half an inch off when you start to actually put the thing together.

Or.

you can go down to the local fabric store and get yourself 5 yards of six-bucks-a-yard twill and make life a whole, whole lot easier.

Look, the X-Kilt is supposed to be easy.

[Jake_S]

Yeah, I know it's supposed to be easy, but I just bought this fabric last saturday and I REALLY(!) want to use it.

I guess I can use the larger 96" piece and know for sure that I will have enough room for error on the drop, and figure out the seams later.

I "think" I will be ok with 3 yards, but I'm not 100% about it.

That's the reason why I'm puling out hair that I don't have.

OR.......
I can be real smart and take Alan's advice, I'll have to think about that.

Jake

[Jake_S]

I actually started on the kilt, since I was home sick from work.

AlanH, I should have listened to you, but I'm gonna try and finish it. I cut my 76.5" piece into 3 pieces, 25.5" x 64", and sewn them together. I did a half way decent job considering I have not used a sewing machine since middle school (18 years ago, I think).

I'l post up some pics when I get the pleats finished.

And there are a couple of things to remember if you are making a kilt while sick:
1) Always have tissues close at hand while working over the material
2) Don't try and hold back a sneeze whilst sewing, almost bloodied my tiger camo!
3) Last, but not least, do NOT take cold medicine before you start working on your kilt! I had to re figure my measurements 5 times before I gave up and took a nap so the medicine would wear off.


Jake

[Alan H]

I actually started on the kilt, since I was home sick from work.

AlanH, I should have listened to you, but I'm gonna try and finish it. I cut my 76.5" piece into 3 pieces, 25.5" x 64", and sewn them together. I did a half way decent job considering I have not used a sewing machine since middle school (18 years ago, I think).

I'l post up some pics when I get the pleats finished.

And there are a couple of things to remember if you are making a kilt while sick:
1) Always have tissues close at hand while working over the material
2) Don't try and hold back a sneeze whilst sewing, almost bloodied my tiger camo!
3) Last, but not least, do NOT take cold medicine before you start working on your kilt! I had to re figure my measurements 5 times before I gave up and took a nap so the medicine would wear off.


Jake

I hope you figured out where those seams are gonna fall BEFORE you sewed 'em in there, otherwise you might be ripping them out!

[Jake_S]

Besides, I always have a way of making everything complicated, just ask my wife.

[Bugbear]

Good luck... tiger camo sounds good. I need to find some zebra stripes...

[Jake_S]

It's been slow going, but I am almost finished with my X-kilt. There are a couple of things that I am unclear on.
The under apron pleat is shown in appendix 1, but it is not mentioned in the manual, so I do not know what to do with it. Do I handle it like a normal pleat, and fold it under the over apron, or ....... ?

Also, tapering of the pleats. Am I just reducing the width of the exposed pleat (3" part), or do I need to something with the under pleats? I'm only tapering 4", and with 9 pleats there isn't a lot off of each pleat that I need to taper.
My waist is 34 and my hips are 38, so I have figured the following taper:
1 = none
2 = 1"
3 = .5"
4 = .25"
5 = .5"
6 = .25"
7 = .5"
8 = 1"
9 = none


Thanks for the help, as always.

Jake