Length of tartan for the robust man, or woman

[Fyrbrd]

Hi all,

I have been asked to make a couple of kilts for friends. After taking hip measurements; 58" for one, 63" for the other, I'm questioning how much tartan to order. The guide in TAoK suggests nine yards, is that going to be enough?

[OC Richard]

A kiltmaker should chime in, but as far as I know there's no specific correspondence between waist size and amount of fabric.

So I, with a 46 inch waist, can be perfectly fitted with kilts made from 8, 7, 6, 5, or 4 yards.

As the yardage decreases the number of pleats in back likewise decreases, and each pleat gets a tad wider.

I've had my last couple kilts made with between 6 and 7 yards because they feel more comfortable to me.

I don't think anyone but a kiltmaker would notice the difference between an 8 yard kilt and a 6 yard kilt, when seeing it worn.

I could certainly be wrong but I think your people could be fitted with 8 yard kilts just fine. They'll have a bit fewer pleats and a bit wider pleats than a slender man would in an 8-yard kilt, probably more or less like myself in a 6 yard kilt. In my opinion when you have a large number of narrow pleats and a large number of yards across your backside the kilt becomes back-heavy.

[Patty Logan]

What mill do you get your tartan bolts/fabric from? I would think they would know from experience how much you need based on the measurements you have.