[scotsuru94]

I have a kilt that comes down too far over my knees and i'd like to adjust it, but im told it's improper to hem a kilt from some people and that it'll make it impossible for the pleats to hang correctly. what do i do?

[davidlpope]

First off, are you sure that you are wearing the top of your kilt at your bellybutton or higher?

How tall are you and what is the measurement from the waistband of your kilt down to the selvedge in the middle of the outer apron?

Often new kilt wears will wear the kilt too low, so just want to be sure. You can adjust the length of a kilt by hemming or taking length of the top of the kilt, but it would be best done by a professional kiltmaker, if needed.

Cordially,

David

[thescot]

There are two answers. Both will work; the first is best.

1. Get a real kilt maker to tear the waist loose and redo the whole thing. It's quite a job of actually rebuilding the kilt, but it actually moves the waist line down, making the result a shorter kilt.

2. Ever so carefully cutting the selvege end. This is a tedious process and not for the faint of heart or shaky of hand. There are some very good instructions online about running a zig-zag stich and using some fray stopping stuff. It is my understanding that the regiments used this method.

I know, I know. You can hem it, but a kilt is not hemmed, and there is no way on earth that I will ever believe that a hem doesn't adversly affect the hang of the kilt. So let the slings and arrows of outrageous hemmers commence. I still would never hem my kilt, only my wife's skirt.

[Tobus]

How much are we talking about here? Half an inch? Two inches? I suspect the best solution will depend on how much needs to be adjusted.

[Chas]

The last batch of XMarks fabric was delivered without a kilting selfedge - so it was hemmed. I have not heard of any one complaining that their kilt does not hang properly. I own and wear a MacLeod with a 2" hem. It hangs and swishes just like a kilt with a selfedge.

I would not cut anything off the bottom a kilt.

Regards

Chas

[Pleater]

On a lightweight kilt a hem can give the pleats more swish - and where a fabric has to be cut across - when using a pinstripe or corduroy for instance, then a hem is a required feature.

Having a kilting selvage as the lower edge of the kilt is - realistically - a council of perfection, and in a situation where having a hem means the difference between a wearable kilt and not - then I'd go for the hem every time.

I had to look to see if the kilt I am wearing has a hem - it does - but it is certainly not obvious from a distance of a couple of feet.

First, make sure the kilt is clean, then press the lower edge using a pressing cloth and lots of steam and weight to make the part turned up lay flat. Work from the inside of the kilt.

Do not cut off the selvage - you can make a hem with just two layers with the selvage intact, but you risk unraveling if working with an open edge.

Turn up the edge and press it along the right line, then fold each pleat and press them individually just at the lower edge - it is easier to do this with a sleeve board or something improvised.

Because the folds of the pleats require the fabric to be wrapped around itself the pattern will be slightly pushed or pulled to one side depending on which part of the pleat you are sewing - it is correct to allow this rather than try to keep it aligned, and it will keep the pleats in shape rather than try to unfold them.

Herringbone stitch is recomended. I have always used whip stitch on my kilts as it is faster and I am usually short of time.

When selecting thread it is usually better to use a darker than a lighter shade, as the darker one will show less.

When all is sewn give a final light pressing but be aware that the edge of the hem can show through on the outside, so it is best avoided when doing an overall press of the kilt.

Anne the Pleater

[Barb T.]

I have hemmed several of our band kilts recently. Just this morning, at a St. Patrick's Day Parade, our "dress and deportment" officer overhead me talking about hemming a kilt for one of our young pipers. He said, "Kilts can be hemmed?? Won't it make them look funny?" I challenged him to find the three kilts in the band that are hemmed. He couldn't find them. When I pointed them out, he had to pick up the bottom of the kilt in order to convince himself that there was actually a hem. And these are tanks - 16 oz Lochcarron tartan.

Done properly, a hem in a kilt is not noticeable.

And, to do it properly, you need to take out both the apron and underapron edges, turn up the hem, along with the extra that is turned up at the deep pleat and the underapron edge to keep them from sagging below the bottom of the apron, and stitch the kilt. The key is to fold only once and use a herringbone stitch, not a blind stitch. Baste the pleats before pressing, and press well but avoid letting the edge of the iron run along the line where the fabric goes from single to double thickness. That can leave a noticeable ditch.

[butch]

Some of the earliest kilts I got were a little long. I asked my mom about hemming the kilts, she said sure no problem as long as I pinned the kilt to the length I wanted. So I pinned and she sewed. No one could tell they had been hemmed. and I never asked if they could be hemmed I just did it. Very satisfied with the results. Sew "Just do it"

[paulhenry]

Originally Posted by thescot

There are two answers. Both will work; the first is best.

1. Get a real kilt maker to tear the waist loose and redo the whole thing. It's quite a job of actually rebuilding the kilt, but it actually moves the waist line down, making the result a shorter kilt.

2. Ever so carefully cutting the selvege end. This is a tedious process and not for the faint of heart or shaky of hand. There are some very good instructions online about running a zig-zag stich and using some fray stopping stuff. It is my understanding that the regiments used this method.

I know, I know. You can hem it, but a kilt is not hemmed, and there is no way on earth that I will ever believe that a hem doesn't adversly affect the hang of the kilt. So let the slings and arrows of outrageous hemmers commence. I still would never hem my kilt, only my wife's skirt.

my emboldening


As others have said already, kilts can be hemmed, it's best if you know what you are doing, but Anne and Barb have given their advice , and given their comments. I have recently repaired a 40 year old kilt, and guess what it was hemmed, and it was almost impossible to tell.

Almost all the kilts from the Welsh Tartan Centre are hemmed as their weaver doesn't provide a good selvedge edge.
Some of Marton mills fabric doesn't have a selvedge edge(as Chas has said) and very fine kilts are made from their cloth

I don't think that we would ever call Barb an outrageous hemmer

Of course in an ideal world hemless kilts would be the best option, it's a lot less work for a start!

[Ozark Ridge Rider]

Wonderful advice. Now, the one I need 2" shorter is a Stillwater standard. I suppose that makes it acrylic, or some other synthetic. I don't wear it much since I got wool kilts, but would still use it for situations where I don't want to expose the better ones to any abuse.

Does the same advice still hold true, except maybe pressing with a lot cooler iron?

Dan