Apron Shaping

[Aspiringloser]

I'm sure this has been discussed but rather than searching, I'm curious what your current opinion is. I notice from TAoK that one inch is added to the apron edge where the fringe will be. Most of the pictures from kilts that Rocky has made I've noticed that the left edge is identical to the fringe edge (spacing is equal from the center front stripe to either edge). I understand that the extra inch is to ensure that the apron covers the underapron entirely. I'm just curious how you guys do it. I've considered adding half an inch to both sides. What are you thoughts on this. It may be a bad idea since I've noticed that my waist pleats measurement has come out almost a pleat width longer than it should. Perhaps take the measurement a bit tighter? What are your thoughts. Please share.
Paul.

[The Wizard of BC]

Apron shaping is one of those things that is hard to explain and impossible to give firm rules about.
A lot depends on the shape of the kilt wearer. Some will depend on how the kiltmaker learned their trade.

Rocky makes a kilt that is different from the way Barb makes them. You are comparing apples and oranges.

I am about in the middle. Some of my kilts are made with the extra on the right and some not. It depends on the shape of the wearer and is sometimes due to the fact that some of the fabrics I use have different properties.

As the apron should be about 1/2 of the waist measurement arbitrarily adding to that may make the aprons too wide. The apron edges will flap around wildly as you walk.

Simply adding as you state would also make the hip measurement too big. This can cause the back of the kilt to hang in stage curtain waves instead of a smooth flat surface of pleats around your butt.

The 1" added to the right side of the outer apron as explained in TAoK is due to a tendency of the outer apron to appear to hang shy of the under apron right edge because it is outside of the under apron and must travel further. You can think of it as an illusion or kiltmaker's trick to make the aprons appear equal.

If this is your first attempt at kiltmaking I would follow the instructions in TAoK exactly. Then before you cut away the pleats try the kilt on. You can correct anything in the fit or hang at this point. You can even un-stitch the entire kilt and start over if you wish. Just remember that the bulk of the pleats will still be there and the kilt will fit snug or seem too small till you cut away the pleats.

Once you have the kilt completed and have had a chance to wear it a few times, then you can make corrections to your measurements card.

You may want to widen the amount of taper if you experience 'pleat kick'. You may want to adjust the splits if the aprons are not 1/2 the waist. etc.

The most common cause for the waist measurement coming out different on the kilt that what you have on the card usually has nothing to do with the measurements but in how accurately you stitched the pleats.

Remember that if you have 32 pleats in a kilt and you get the width of each on off by only 1/32 of an inch the final size will be off by a whole inch. 1/32" is about equal to 1/2 of a twill line in 16oz fabric.

To measure the waist size of the kilt use a tape measure and lay it along the kilt from the right side of the outer apron at the level of the top straps. Work across the kilt staying at the level of the top straps until you get to the right edge of the under apron. This should equal your waist measurement.

[Aspiringloser]

I'm on my third attempt right now. It seems no matter how careful I am about measuring my pleats and then stitching them, the waist, so far, has come out about one pleat width too wide. I make up what I can when attaching the stabilizer but that is limited. I like symmetry in my apron but not if it means my fringe won't cover the underapron. I follow TAoK to the letter except I use more pins for stitching my pleats.

[xman]

In a traditional hand sewn kilt, the extra inch is added the right rather than divided between both sides in order to keep the centre back pleat centred.

[Aspiringloser]

So not adding the extra inch would only be done if you can be certain that the fringe would indeed cover the underapron?

[Barb T]

Adding an extra inch to the right apron edge to insure that it completely covers the underapron is never going to be noticeable. No one except someone incredibly anal would walk back and forth in front of you comparing the tartan stripe at the right and left apron edge!! And that's what it would take to tell.

On the other hand, if your fringe fails to cover the underapron by even 1/4", it will be blindingly obvious. So, it's good insurance, in my estimation!

And it truly is different than adding a half an inch to both sides. If you add half an inch to both sides, it skews the center front off center to the right. Adding an inch to the right edge simply gives you a little extra coverage around but keeps the center in the right place.

[Aspiringloser]

Hi, I'm incredibly anal. That makes sense that it would move the center front to the right. Maybe I should just stop thinking so much.

[xman]

... Maybe I should just stop thinking so much.

uhm, I'm a fan of thinking myself.

[The Wizard of BC]

I follow the advice of my Doctor, who when I complain of old age pain replies.

"If it hurts when you do that, then don't do that."

So I have giving up thinking.

I now blissfully follow the instructions of Barb T. Pain and worry free.