First time kilt making

[Barb T]

Paul Henry and I clearly do the canvas differently, which is perfectly fine.

If you are following the instructions in my book, though, the stitched canvas should look like this:

[fluter]

Thanks, you two. What fun!

Paul, yours looks like textbook padstitching. I've been trying to educate myself on tailoring, and it is daunting.

[ChattanCat]

Hey Barb,
That looks like you pleated the canvas just like the pleats. Do you always do so many pleats in the canvas?
Cheers,

[Barb T]

I do because the canvas that I can get now isn't as heavy as the canvas I used to be able to get. So, I just pleat it a lot to give it more support in the back.

[tulloch]

This is absolutely fascinating folks. Thanks for this conversation.

[ChattanCat]

Wow, did you already run out of the bolt of taylor's hair canvas that you ordered?

[Barb T]

I use just about exactly a yard of canvas for one kilt. Four strips do a perfect job - two strips for the apron and underapron canvas, and two for the pleats. So that I don't waste any canvas, I first measure how deep the canvas needs to be in the pleats (say 6 1/2"). I cut two strips that are 6 1/2" each and save them for the pleats. Then I split what's left (the canvas is 24" wide, so that leaves 11" to split, giving me apron and underapron canvas 5 1/2" wide).

I cut the pleat strips first, because that's the part where the strip width is critical. I use whatever is left over for the apron and underapron. For example, if the pleats needed 7", I'd split the remaining 10" and use strips only 5" wide for the apron and underapron. That way, I don't waste canvas.

Before I adopted this strategy, I used to wind up with stripes 3-4" wide that weren't good for anything.

[Dutch piper]

Hello folks,
I just finished pressing my kilt. Things are looking good.
I'm putting on the buckles. I got to page 105 of Barb's book "The Art of Kiltmaking".
Here it says:
1. the buckle for the underapron strap is centered on the waistline just behind the buttonhole. (OK, no problem)
2. To locate the buckle for the arpon strap, I need to take measurements from the apronedge (not including the fringe) ?????
Here I'm lost. Shouldn't I take the measurements from the underapron edge (which has no fringe)?

Maybe it's my English and I just read things wrong.

[sydnie7]

You are placing two different buckles, one on each side of the kilt.

Step 1 determines placement of the left-hand buckle (which takes the strap that is attached to underapron).

Step 2 determines placement of the right-hand buckle (which takes the strap that is attached to fringed, top apron).

So in Step 2, you measure from the edge of the top apron, ignoring the fringe.

Hope this helps!

[The Wizard of BC]

Simple answer to where to put the buckles is imagine you are wearing the Kilt.

Sew the straps onto the Kilt.
Align up the apron edges. Forget the fringe. Align the outer apron right edge with the under apron right edge.

Put the underapron strap through its hole.

Put the buckles and their tabs onto the straps at the center hole.

Mark where the buckle tabs lay on the kilt and then sew them at the marks.