friends don't let friends make corduroy kilts...

[vorpallemur]

I think this waistband is going to kill me. I've figured out how to do it, i think, but it's an incredible amount of fiddling. I'll get it done tomorrow (work permitting), and post some pictures. Then I've got to hem it. Bah. I need another beer.

[Bugbear]

Good luck.

[Aldisimo]

I think this waistband is going to kill me.

You probably know already that you can serge the inside edge of the waistband so that you don't have to turn it under, and then stitch in the ditch for a more secure hold than stitching by hand on the inside.

But I thought I'd mention it 'just in case.'

[vorpallemur]

You probably know already that you can serge the inside edge of the waistband so that you don't have to turn it under, and then stitch in the ditch for a more secure hold than stitching by hand on the inside.

If I had a serger, or a machine did a decent overcasting stitch, I might have taken this approach. I don't, though, so I had to fold it up and under. I did stitch in the ditch from the top. And then hand stitched the extra on the inside bottom down.

The waistband is done. I didn't take many photos of the construction. so I'll describe it. Waistband piece is made up of a number of pieces of cord, stitched together with 1/2" seam allowances. The wales run horizontally. It's 6" tall. (It could stand to a bit taller in the center.) It gets stitched, right side to right side, to the outside of the kilt, 1/2" below the top. To the inside, aligned with the bottom of that stitching, is my interfacing. This was called "petticoat interfacing" by the clerk at the fabric store. I don't know if that's a universal name or not though. It's stiff, but fairly lightweight. I used a folded double thickness (folded edge at the bottom. ) I put this on by hand, with really long and ugly stiches.

It tapers from 2 1/2" at the center back, to 1 1/2" at the side of my hips, to 1" at the end. Once that was on, i started working on folding the waistband over, and pinning it in place. This is an iterative process, I found. I did a first pass, starting at the center and working out, and then another pass, from the edges to the center, and then a third pass, center to edges. Each time I got it a bit neater, straighter, and tighter. then I took it to the sewing machine, and sewed it from the top, in the ditch. Only broke two sewing machine needles. I'm pretty sure my cat learned some new words.
Here's a picture of the waistband's taper:

The center is just off the screen (it's where the tip of my index finger is.)
I'm going to work on the closure and belt loops.

[vorpallemur]

Nobody around to take pictures, so this is the best i can do tonight.

note the helpful cat.

Have to get someone to mark the hem for me tomorrow.

[Aldisimo]

note the helpful cat.

I think most of us DIYers have found that cats are part of the kilt-building process.

[Bugbear]

I have six of the little tigers.

[vorpallemur]

Hem's marked and cut. basting is ongoing. Should get it done tonight.

[Bugbear]

Sewing that hem sounds like quite a task... Or are you going to machine sew it?

[Tartan Hiker]

I think most of us DIYers have found that cats are part of the kilt-building process.

The thought of a cat sharpening its claws on a bolt of Locharron wool just sends shivers down my spine.

I guess I'm just an incurable dog person...