Adjusting buckles on 8-yard kilt

[SlackerDrummer]

I have lost a lot of weight recently and need to adjust the buckles on my 8-yard kilt. Fortunately I was not at my highest weight when the kilt was made (it was too small for some time), but I am now thinner than I was when it was made. What is the best way to figure out the new placement? Should I cinch the material on the apron until it feels good, measure that with a tape measure and move the buckles that amount? I did that last night and it appears to be about 2.5 inches. Or should I take some measurement on my body and then try to match that up on the kilt?

For the first time in my life, I'm wishing my kilt were pleated to the stripe. As is, I'm going to make the back pattern off-center. Oh, well.

[Barb T]

Just put the kilt on, wrapping the underapron around you _without_ putting the strap through the buttonhole. Wrap the apron around you as if you were going to buckle the kilt, and measure how much you need to move the apron edge buckles. Then remember that you must move the _underapron strap_ an equal amount toward the center of the underapron. If you don't move it, you won't be able to buckle the underapron tightly (and moving the buckle next to the buttonhole won't do anything).

[SlackerDrummer]

Well, that makes perfect sense. Duh.

Thanks, Barb!