[Hothir Ethelnor]

Hello,

I am making a box pleated kilt out of my black watch regimental weight fabric.

I am having trouble however, shaping the aprons.

The fabric is not near as "skewable" as PV and lighter weight wool I have used in the past. (It also does not help that I have a significant difference between my waist and hip measurements (8") Most of this is taken up in the pleats but I have a significant taper to deal with at the apron edge.

I got the shaping done, but the fabric directly below the part that is basted in, is not laying at all flat.

What do you think I should do?

Pictures,

Problem apron. I removed the basting stitches along the edge line and the pleat basting that held the edge down so I could play around with it.



Possible fix, reduce the taper of the apron edges and live with a gap between the reverse apron pleat and the last pleat.



The opposite apron which isn't shaped yet but is still basted along the edge.



Thanks,

[Pleater]

Are you trying to pull the inner fold of the shaping up to the waist?

I just fold the edge of the apron from the lower edge up to the hip and press it flat - under a cloth. That part is straight - your apron edge seems to be flaring right to the bottom.

When the lower part of the apron is edge to edge with the last pleat, the top of the apron will be overlapping that pleat at the fell.

Now fold the top edge of the apron in wards and pin just the edges, to make the curves of the apron edge but allowing the inner part to be free.

Wool will compress or stretch when warm and wet, that is the basis of tailoring.

The edge of the apron is like a vertical dart in the fabric between the waist and the lower edge of the fell.

Behind that edge there is the under apron pleat - I have to raise the inner edge of that pleat very slightly so that there is a slender triangle visible above the waistline in order to stop that pleat rolling outwards.

The edge of apron shaping makes the top of that dart like fold dip down, so there is a lot going on just at the edge of the apron, but once you see how it is allowing the pleats to lay flat when laid on a three dimansional shape it should become clear what is going on.

I think that this is the standard method of doing the shaping - but it is the one that works for me

Anne the Pleater

[The Wizard of BC]

It appears from your photos that your aprons are tapered in a straight line from the waist down to the hem.

Here is a picture of how apron tapering is usually done.



The difference in the width at the waist and at the hips is equal to the difference in your splits.
For example - If your Hip measurement is 35 and your waist 27 then your splits would be something like...
Width of apron at the Waist = 13"
Width of apron at the Hip = 17"

The taper begins up at the waist straight vertical or slightly tapered outward.
It is smallest at the level of the top buckle.
It then tapers out to the Hips.
The line of the taper then forms a slight "S" curve down to the Hem where it is almost vertical again.

This "S" curve does quite a few things that result in the final shape of the apron and the look of the kilt.
First the taper allows enough fabric in the aprons to prevent the aprons from being pulled tight and creating a pucker at the Hip line.

Second the taper allows the apron edges to wrap around the sidws of the legs and not flip outwards.

At the Hem the taper creates a small problem of the fabric just under the apron sticking down lower than the hem. We solve this by folding up a small fold and stitching it.

You can follow this link to an excellent article written by Barb T. about these 'apron tips'.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=40778

The 'S' curve also allows the kilt to sit properly. A Traditional Style kilt is worn with the top strap cinched into the natural waist (just under the ribs). The flare above the top strap is called Rise and is larger than the waist measurement. This flare allows the kilt to accommodate the ribs and always stay at the correct location.

Here is a photo of my Tewksbury kilt showing the Rise and its flare.



Notice that the smallest part of the Kilt is at the level of the top straps. This is the part of the kilt that cinches into the waist.

To shape or mold the fabric of the deep and reverse pleats behind your aprons is really simple in concept but sometimes takes a little finesse.
The secret is LOTS of steam.
I find that the better the fabric and the heavier, the better it is at molding.
The real heavy fabrics like this will almost be able to be molding into a sphere.

Lay the apron face down on your ironing board or even on a table or the floor which has a bath towel laid on it to protect your table. Smooth the apron and get it to lay as flat as you can.
Then start smoothing the deep pleat on top of the apron just as you show in your photos.
Now lay down your pressing cloth and hit it with a spritz of water to make the steam when you apply your iron.
You do not "Iron" the deep pleat down. You use the iron only to create the heat to make the steam. Steam is always the same temperature so will never burn your fabric. If you iron wool it flattens the fibers and leaves a shiny spot.
Now patiently steam the fabric until it is hot and will soften. You can then gently begin molding the fabric into its new shape.
I heat the fabric with the iron and steam and then use my hands to mold the fabric. I often use an oven mitt to keep from burning my hands. I start at the apron edge and work my way in to the pleat crease.
When I get to the crease the deep pleat is flat and the fabric in its new shape. LET IT COOL! Don't move anything until the fabric is totally cool and it will now hold this new shape until it is heated back up again.

I hope this helps with your problem. I know it was a long winded explanation but with aprons there is a lot going on and you need to understand the concepts of why you are doing something to then be able to apply those concepts in your design and sewing.

[ChattanCat]

I'm not sure if you skipped a step or took out the basting. The apron needs to be shaped and aligned before you baste the top basting. You definately need the taper in the apron. It needs to wrap around your thigh and cover the dinverted pleat. I would recommend that you continue with the process of basting and skewing. You will be amazed what a little steam and pressure will "mold" the material, especially the heavy weight material.

Kilt on,

[Hothir Ethelnor]

Thanks for the posts, guys

I did take out the basting after tailor basting the "fell" portion of the underapron.

I am having a hard time getting the fabric inside the inverted pleat to lay nicely while still "skewing the fabric until the stripes match on the inside of the kilt (per the instructions in TAoKM.)

The taper was marked in an "S" shape using a thin board as a ruler I made the apron wider at the hem than my last kilt which was more conservative and had the taper come vertical again much quicker... it also had a gap between it and the last pleat.

I'll try steaming it little by little and if that works I'll let you know. (I had planned on finishing the kilt (sans buckles of course.) before steaming any of it, but for this I'll give it a try.)

[Pleater]

I devised my own way of working - typical Aries - not that I believe in that stuff it is just spot on when describing my character.

These days I press in all the outer folds of the pleats starting from the lower edge, and sometimes the inner ones too before doing any sewing at all, as that was I can do each fold in isolation, with no danger of marking another pleat or accidentally pressing in a crease.

Only when I have beaten the fabric into submission do I fold the pleats and pin them in place from the lower edge to the fell and check that they are all the right size and the right number of them, that they are all on the correct part of the pattern - and only then do I start to sew.

I use a pressing cloth so the sole of the iron doesn't polish the fabric, and always pick up the iron, never slide it.

Your pleats should hang vertically from where they leave the hips - the curve of the rump - and above that be shaped into the waist around just over one half of the waist.

The aprons need to make a slight cone shape - if they don't they will appear to narrow towards the lower edge, and when the kilt is worn the edges of the aprons should meet the edges of the last box pleat, as though it was a box pleat, though the under apron pleat is larger then the standard to allow the aprons - and your legs, to move freely - to step up or over an obstacle, or to sit modestly.

Being of the female persuasion I have a larger than the male difference waist to hip - and I curve the apron edge differently too, reflecting the shape of child bearing hips I expect - but the basic principle of getting the edges to meet up is the same, and a lot of time can be saved if you ensure the shape is correct first - then start to sew.

This was written under the influence of a cold cure - so I hope it makes sense.

Anne the Pleater

[Barb T.]

Bottom line is that it won't lie nicely until you press it. The bigger the waist-hip differential, the worse it will look while it's basted. But when you put it over a pressing ham and steam the dickens out of it to make a curved shape, it will look terrific. The only thing I would say is that, if you _can't_ lay it over a pressing ham and stretch it a little until it's smooth, it _won't_ press well, and you need to rebaste, stretching a little while you do so.

When I first started making kilts, I agonized about how bad it looked when it was basted, and, on a couple of kilts, I even did a little pressing at the stage you're at to convince myself that everything was OK. You could do that, too.