Length of material for a great kilt?

[Hondo]

Greetings to all,

I think, due to your grand writeup David, I finally understand how much tartan I need. Your wee pics have helped.

I am 188cm or 6'2", have a 32 inch waist. Everything I read stated only 'double width' and 6-8 meters or yards long. Buying from Lochcarron, where the tartan is 138cm or 54inches wide, I was in the constant mindset of having 6 yards double width, or 6yards by 108inches - hense the need to order 12 yards of material. So, I am only in need of 4 or 5 yards, depending upon how I choose to wear the kilt.

Am I correct in me thinking?

Cheers!

Single width material is about 27" to 30" wide. It isn't wide enough to make a great kilt out of without joining two pieces of single width fabric to make a "doublewidth" size (~54 to 60" wide).

Modern doublewidth material removes the need to sew two pieces together for a great kilt (feilidh mor).

So, in other words, you need a piece of tartan ~60" wide by about 3 yards long. If you were making that out of single-width material you would buy 6 yards and sew.




Also, just for clarity:

These are great kilts:



This is not a great kilt. This is made-up junk:

[lschwartz]

Greetings to all,

I think, due to your grand writeup David, I finally understand how much tartan I need. Your wee pics have helped.

I am 188cm or 6'2", have a 32 inch waist. Everything I read stated only 'double width' and 6-8 meters or yards long. Buying from Lochcarron, where the tartan is 138cm or 54inches wide, I was in the constant mindset of having 6 yards double width, or 6yards by 108inches - hense the need to order 12 yards of material. So, I am only in need of 4 or 5 yards, depending upon how I choose to wear the kilt.

Am I correct in me thinking?

Cheers!

Hondo,

Since you are six feet tall you may want to order six yards of material instead of just 4 or 5. If it it too long you can always cut it off and maybe make a vest or something with it. But, if you only get 4 or 5 feet you might not have enough to wear it up over your shoulders as a cape/cloak, which is one of the nice things you can do with a great kilt in cold or nasty weather.

Larry

[jthk]

For reference, I'm 5 ft 9 in tall at 165 lb and all of my belted plaids are 4 yards long, double-width. I have several from Lochcarron and I find it works very well for me, at about 54 in wide. I did have a 4.5 yard-long belted plaid that I cut down to 4 yards because even at 4.5 yards, it was simply too much stuff behind me.

As someone suggested, you can always cut it down if it's too much stuff. But as others have said, historically, 3-4 yards would've been common.

Best,
Jonathan

Greetings to all,

I think, due to your grand writeup David, I finally understand how much tartan I need. Your wee pics have helped.

I am 188cm or 6'2", have a 32 inch waist. Everything I read stated only 'double width' and 6-8 meters or yards long. Buying from Lochcarron, where the tartan is 138cm or 54inches wide, I was in the constant mindset of having 6 yards double width, or 6yards by 108inches - hense the need to order 12 yards of material. So, I am only in need of 4 or 5 yards, depending upon how I choose to wear the kilt.

Am I correct in me thinking?

Cheers!

[javankrona]

Single width material is about 27" to 30" wide. It isn't wide enough to make a great kilt out of without joining two pieces of single width fabric to make a "doublewidth" size (~54 to 60" wide).

Modern doublewidth material removes the need to sew two pieces together for a great kilt (feilidh mor).




Also, just for clarity:

These are great kilts:

In this video demonstration, the Scotsman appears to be using a goodly bit of length. He appears to be using at least 6 yards of length; perhaps 8. A trained eye might say better.

https://youtu.be/CglGKvutjjo

And another demo with a bit more explanation along with.

https://youtu.be/vEmES4-7kvc

[jthk]

Hello!

I have two belted plaids ("great kilts"): one 10 oz Lochcarron wool, weathered Ulster tartan. That one is 4 yards long (double-width) and is perfect for my 34.5" waist, 5 ft 9 in, 165 lb frame. I also have a 16 oz Lochcarron wool, Canadian Maple Leaf tartan. That one is 4.5 yards and is too long. It's also lovely and heavy so I'm wondering if I should cut it down to 3.5 yards (again, it's double-width fabric).

Best,
Jonathan

Hey all,

I have a close friend who was the one who actually got me into going to the Highland Games years back. He's made several great kilts himself, and recommends a full 9 yards and nothing less. He also has a 44-inch waist. I have a 36-inch waist, and I've seen some threads here that recommend at least 6 yards for people UP TO a 44-inch waist.

So.. what would be your recommendation? Is a full 9 yards really necessary?

Specifics about me:
Height: 5'10"
Natural waist: 36"
Seat: 40"
Length from waist to kneecap: 21"

Thanks for the help!
-Mark

[jhockin]

For an additional opinion on the great kilt/ belted plaid:
http://www.westcoastkilts.com/kilt-h.../kilt-history/
Part of which includes this opinion:
"The old documents describe the ‘big kilt’ as being made of ‘six double ells of tartan material (a Scots ‘ell’ was 37” and ‘double’ means ‘twice the usual width’ rather than ‘twice the usual length; i.e. 54” rather than 27”). In addition, Colonel David Stewart of Garth (Sketches of the Highlanders of Scotland, Edinburgh 1822) very clearly indicated that the cloth was folded in half in order to double the thickness (for greater warmth) before it was worn.

The total useable length was therefore in the region of 3 yards, and if you deduct 4 feet for the aprons, there must have been hardly enough material for more than a few pleats across the back."