[BlackFist]

I recently finished making my very first kilt, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. One thing that will irritate me for the rest of my life is that my darts don't look very good. Around the time I finished making it, I had a Stillwater Kilt arrive. I also own an Amerikilt.

Looking at the Amerikilt, it seems that they pleat the fabric, cut it off at the waist and then attach a piece of fabric that does the tapering without the use of darts. It seems rather convenient and I wonder if any of you know of a pattern that I could look at for that piece since I would never rip up my kilt just to find out.

But the Stillwater Kilt is an absolute mystery. First of all, it's beautiful, but I can't seem to figure out how they tapered the waist. They aren't using an unpleated band like the Amerikilt, the pleats go all the way to the top. And I've looked very closely and I can't find any darts either. So how is it done? One possibility is that I'm so fat that they didn't have to taper the waist, but I think there must be some tapering. Another possibility is that they did such a good job of hiding the darts that I just can't find them. Any other possibilities?

[The Wizard of BC]

Sir,
Welcome to X Marks.

I'm sorry but there are no darts in a kilt.

All the tapering is done in the pleated section in the rear of the kilt from the widest part of the pleats at the hips tapering down to the narrowest part at the natural waist and them back out over the lower portion of the ribs.

May I suggest you pay a visit to this website and get a copy of "The Art of Kiltmaking". by Barb Tewksbury. She is known here as Barb T.

http://www.celticdragonpress.com/

This will take you through the making of a Traditional Style Kilt. It will show you how to taper the pleats, how to add the stabilizer and interfacing, and the proper taper to the aprons.
Everything in "The Art of Kiltmaking" is geared towards making a full 8 yard Wool Tartan Kilt (known here as a Tank) but is essential to an understanding of what goes into any well made kilt regardless of the fabric.

Once you know and understand the basics you can then branch out and experiment on your own.

[Bugbear]

Might point out the Stillwater is not a traditionally constructed kilt, or tank. It has several internal shortcuts and left out steps compared to a tank. No darts though.

Welcome.

* I am not a kiltmaker.

[sydnie7]

Steve, check pg 85 of TAOK, second printing -- there can be a dart in a kilt. But it's well hidden, and not at all related to this thread. Just couldn't resist refuting your blanket statement

[/threadjack]

[Kiltman]

There are indeed two darts in the traditional kilt, but they are to help the inverted pleat and the large pleat lie more nearly flat, and to help line up these two pleats that are on the inside of the kilt. Generally they are about 7" long and are tucked inside the two pleats mentioned above.
Steve is quiet correct, there are no pleats on the outside as that would mess with the pattern. However, you will find them on the outside of pleated skirts and there they are visible.

[BlackFist]

Thanks for the info. I have looked at The Art of Kilt Making but decided not to buy it because I'm just not sure that I plan to make many more kilts. I had a lot of fun making the one I did, but I doubt very much that I would ever make something of the same quality as the professionals out there.

I was just curious. I had such a devil of a time with my darts and when I saw that my SWK had none, I was jealous and wanted to know how it was possible.

Has anyone seen an AmeriKilt and know what I'm talking about with their waistband that does the tapering? Is there a proper name for that? I'm trying to imaging what the shape of that piece of fabric must be, but it escapes me.

[Bugbear]

Sounds like a yoke. I have not seen an AmeriKilt, though.

[sydnie7]

Haven't seen an AmeriKilt but sounds as if they might be inserting a gusset to create a difference in circumference between the waist and hip. Just a guess from your partial description, and certainly not a method I would use or recommend.

[The Wizard of BC]

The Yolk system of creating the taper to the back of a kilt was used on the very first of what today we call the modern style Kilts. This is the system used by Terry Vargas of Bear Kilts.

The pleats are folded and sewn to a yolk which was then sewn to the waistband. The yolk formed the Fell and created the taper from the hips to the waist.

What is a yolk? Well, look at the back of a pair of jeans. See that triangular shaped piece in the back under the waistband? That is the yolk.

[Bugbear]

* edit, The Wizard posted first. Sorry about that. *