[Mark Keeney]

I know this is a kilt forum and I don't want to break any rules so if this isn't allowed please remove.

I am looking at making a hostess skirt for my wife. I going to have a
Ramsey blue kilt made from material I already have and I am trying to get some Ramsey red for her. (red is her favorite collor) Are there any patterns or directions for making it.

I recall the pleats are shallower or fewer pleats and the apron wraps the other way.

I have Barb's book so do I just make it longer and with the apron on the other side?

[The Wizard of BC]

A ladies pleated hostess skirt is made exactly like a normal man's kilt with the following changes.
When you wrap it on the left apron goes around first so the straps need to be sewn on opposite. Then the right apron becomes the outer apron so you need to put the fringe on that edge.

In Barb's book the measurements for laying out the aprons are different for the under and outer aprons so just reverse those two.

Other than those three small things just do a normal kilt that is a bit longer.
And because it is longer you need to remember that the 1/3 rule for length of Fell no longer applies, just take a measurement for it.

[Pleater]

As the female anatomy is slightly different from the male you might need to consider how to make the waistband - rather than doing the male kilt rise your wife might prefer to have a narrow waistband actually on her waist and the pleats below it. Women can be long or short waisted, that is the waistline can be low or high on the body, most woment know which they are.

Another thing to consider is that females are usually quite compressible - so if she intends to wear a belt you could end up with something too large if you measure her natural waist. Measuring her belts and other skirts could be helpful in the planning stages.

Lastly, most women have a particular straight skirt length which is most flattering for them. You might make an experiment - before a full length mirror if you have one, with a piece of cloth and simply raise and lower the edge, folding over the top to the waist line, to see what looks best. It can make a big difference to the sucess of a skirt to adjust it so it ends at the right place on the legs.

Which all goes to prove that kilts are male garments.

[Barb T.]

You could certainly use my book to make a hostess skirt, and it would come out fine, and there are plenty of instructions in the book for shaping a kilt to fit a woman. The issues are no different than making a kilt for a female dancer.

Having said that, most hostess skirts are made quite differently than traditional kilts. Here are the typical differences:

-much less material
-lighter weight material (10 oz or even 8 oz)
-pleats stitched by machine
-fewer pleats with no attempt made to pleat either to stripe or sett
-no lining because the pleats aren't cut out and there's typically no canvas interfacing.
-fringe edge on the left instead of on the right
-essentially no rise

The net result is something that looks a lot like a kilt but is less heavy, less bulky, and much less expensive. Folkwear Pattern #152 has a pattern for a hostess skirt (also called a kilt skirt). You can see the pattern at http://www.folkwear.com/152.html

And, having said all this, there's nothing wrong with making a long kilt in traditional fashion for a woman.

[Mark Keeney]

Thanks y'all I knew I could get help here. I even have the folkwear pattern. I hope I don't have to knit the sweater too.

[Kiltman]

Thanks Barb.