Question about kilt adjustment

**emolas** · 17th May 07, 11:05 PM

I am planning on acquiring a few more casual kilts in the near future (and eventually a tank as money permits) but I am also in the process of attempting to shed a few excess pounds of middle agedness off my midsection. I am a well accomplished hand behind an industrial sewing machine but not too good with the wimpy home model I have now and was wondering how difficult it would be to reduce the waist on a kilt. From a quick look at it, anything up to 4"-5" wouldn't be too difficult and anything more than that would bring the pleats around too far to the front. I guess the main question I am asking is: Should I wait a few months until my waist is a bit smaller or should I buy now and modify them as needed? Or perhaps buying slightly too small and making longer straps until I fit into them would be an option?

**Barb T** · 18th May 07, 05:47 AM

To make a kilt smaller, you either move the buckle(s) on the apron edge and move the underapron strap, or you take in the apron and underapron on _both_ edges (a big job).

Even if you're absolutely sure that you won't gain the weight back, I'd wait to buy an expensive trad kilt until you lost about half the weight you think you're going to lose. That way, if you gain a little back, the kilt will still look good. It's easy to move the buckles a couple inches and still have no one the wiser that the apron comes a little too far over the pleats.

There are lots of threads on the forum about how to move buckles.

B

**Pleater** · 19th May 07, 07:39 AM

If you are able to use a sewing machine, why not make some kilts which are going to be easy to make smaller.

If you create the kilt in two sections, each with an apron and some pleats then you can take it apart, remove enough pleats to restore the correct proportions and then rejoin the two parts.

If you make the large pleats a tad smaller than normal then you can move material from the aprons into the large pleats to make them a smidge smaller (a tad being half a smidge).

**emolas** · 19th May 07, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Pleater

If you are able to use a sewing machine, why not make some kilts which are going to be easy to make smaller.

If you create the kilt in two sections, each with an apron and some pleats then you can take it apart, remove enough pleats to restore the correct proportions and then rejoin the two parts.

If you make the large pleats a tad smaller than normal then you can move material from the aprons into the large pleats to make them a smidge smaller (a tad being half a smidge).

Funny you should mention making one because I really enjoy sewing and I have thought about making a kilt for my 2 y/o son. Are there any good books or anything like that you could recommend to help me get started. I'm a bit of a geek and like to read all about stuff before doing it. Not a big fan of "trial and error".

**Erisianmonkey** · 19th May 07, 11:25 AM

I've done alright with trial and error, but the book I wish I had had when I started (and still plan on getting a copy of) is The Art of Kiltmaking by our own illustrious Barb Tewksbury. From all I've been told from those lucky folks who have it, it really is the bible of kiltmaking.

**ChattanCat** · 19th May 07, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Erisianmonkey

I've done alright with trial and error, but the book I wish I had had when I started (and still plan on getting a copy of) is The Art of Kiltmaking by our own illustrious Barb Tewksbury. From all I've been told from those lucky folks who have it, it really is the bible of kiltmaking.

Yes, it is the bible! No doubt about it. I am working on my second kilt now. It is ready for pressing and without Barb's book, it would have... never happened. Excellent book!

newbie Kilt maker
Wallace

**emolas** · 20th May 07, 04:57 AM

Many thanks. I just ordered a copy and now eagerly await delivery.

**Pleater** · 20th May 07, 07:43 AM

'The Book' is the one to get - I think it has got the best press possible for a 'how to' book

My own take on making kilts is rather unique, as I make Kinguisse and reverse Kinguisse kilts, which I find are easy to adjust for size.

I looked at traditional methods and rejected them after one or two experiments, as they were too tailored.

Basically the two sides of a Kinguisse kilt are mirror images, so the left side is the reverse of a normal knife pleated kilt. At the centre back you get a box pleat, and on each side there are the same number of forward facing pleats, then the two under apron pleats, facing backwards.

I did find that in dense vegetation, and my back garden, the pleats were caught all the time, so I made them fold the other way round, so the left side is the same as a knife pleated kilt and the right side reversed, and find that slides through most things, and so call it the ghillie Kinguisse style. The centre back is an inverted pleat.

I simply make the edges of the pleat straight, sometimes sewn down sometimes pressed, depending on the fabric, then pin the pleats to the right size, sew, attach a waistband, then sew belt loops.

The shaping of the fell I do by pressing and starching, as most of my kilts are fairly lightweight. We live on the South coast of England and I am from the North, still retaining my hot blood. I can only wear wool for about two or three months of the year.

I do sometimes sew down a couple of inches on the pleats near the apron to keep them in order, but the more kilts I make the less I need to do that.

To make them smaller, I just remove the waist band and belt loops from the under apron and pleats, remove the stitches holding the pleats and ease them closer, then resew to hold the pleats, then reattach the waistband and belt loops.

I do not put on buckles, just use a belt to hold it. I have belt loops where they are easiest to sew down, the centre back, the edges of the apron and the right side of the under apron. The belt has to be threaded through the loop at the outer edge of the upper apron as it is put on.

I keep meaning to show the making of one of these with photos, but find it very difficult to get quality images.

**ChattanCat** · 20th May 07, 09:19 AM

Pleater, I would like to see some of your ghillie Kinguisse kilts. Do you have pictures of the pleated sections? They sound very interesting with the knife pleats facing backwards and a box pleat in the center back.

**ccga3359** · 20th May 07, 09:27 AM

Glad you've ordered the book, the author just happened to be the first response to your query BTW. In the mean time you might check out Stillwater kilts for a decent yet inexpensive kilt to tide you over during your weight loss. SWK seems to fit a little larger than so I suggest you order the size down from you. You'll have a good two inches adjustment in the buckles. At our age losing two inches is quite difficult especially with all the kilt (beer) nights.