[jordanjm]

My son (3) has outgrown his kilts. We are thinking of making him a "Great Kilt" for this year, How do I measure the needed fabric?

[Pleater]

Remembering my 3 year olds - with great difficulty.

The waist level is about the largest circumference - maybe three times the waist measurement of fabric to start with, so it can be folded over and sewn down along the raw edges. You could then have all the pleats he would need.

It would need to be sewn into pleats onto a waistband and then braces put on - maybe buttons to close it - having no hips it would be impossible to belt it onto a typical three year old's shape.

If you made it long enough to cover his head when the lower edge was at knee level or a little below - perhaps with a hem, it would then be possible to take out the hem then move the waist upwards as he grows.

Anne the Pleater

[Highlander31]

Great idea Anne.

[sydnie7]

Rather than sewing the pleats in, how about using an inner drawstring as Matt Newsome has discussed? Might give you more flexibility for growth. I can't get his pages to load right now, may be the bad weather he posted about has the site down.

[jordanjm]

I was thinking along the drawstring + Hemmed up length approach to give him a couple of years growth. I figured that worst case scenario I could wrap the extra amount over his shoulder, and attach it to his shirt or the lower half of his Kilt if it was to long.

[MacLowlife]

Here's a notion: If you are going to make a casing for the drawstring, go ahead and put two of them in, so that the waistline can migrate towards the center of the fabric. When you reach the point where he needs more fabric below the waist, you may be able to flip it over, or give up and make him another one...