Apron Splits and Taper?

**petrabb** · 28th December 17, 12:29 PM

We are making a new kilt -now that we have the book- and we are learning from all the mistakes we made while building our first kilt. Since we still don't feel confident enough to order the upwards of $80 special woven tartan on the off chance we might ruin it, we are working with a nice colored plaid in a poly blend. I have pressed a test piece and it will hold knife sharp pleats and the fabric will skew and stretch much better than I hoped for. If done right, it should turn out into a nice looking kilt and maybe enough learning for a tartan kilt the next time!
The wearer of the kilt is 6' 2", with a 39" waist and 43" hip measurement. We determined the fell at 8" and the length of the kilt at 24.5". According to the table in Appendix B, the splits would be 21.5" apron/17.5" pleats at the waist, and 21.5" apron/21.5" pleats at the hip. Now to the question.
From everything we understand, the apron should have an A-line flare to ensure it will lie flat and not open forward. But our measurements and splits determination suggest we make a straight apron as opposed to a tapered one, and we a not sure how to proceed. Can anyone enlighten us on this topic? Thanks in advance!

**Steve Ashton** · 28th December 17, 12:48 PM

Personally, I would re-think the splits. The apron at the waist should be just slightly over 1/2 of the total waist circumference.

1/2 of 39 = 19.5.

So my splits would be closer to 20/19.

At the hips you want the pleated part to be more than 1/2.

1/2 of 43 = 22.5.

So my splits would be more like 22/23.

The reason for this hip split is to insure plenty of room in the butt.

All aprons should have some taper. Even if your measurement come out where the hips are larger than the waist.

**petrabb** · 28th December 17, 01:09 PM

Thanks for the swift response!
Unless there is a specific reason you changed the measurements,
my splits would be:
Waist: 39 -> 20/19
Hips: 43 -> 21/22
Correct?

**Steve Ashton** · 28th December 17, 01:09 PM

There are two schools of thought on the fabric you make a practice kilt from.

Among those who have made kilts from high quality fabric the thinking is -

Good kilt fabric is expensive yes, but it is actualyy so much easier to work with. Once you have worked with good fabric you kick yourself for ever thinking you are saving time or money. Good quality fabric sews easier, swishes better, looks better, and lasts longer.

If you make a kilt with practice fabric, what you have in the end is a practice kilt. Make a kilt with quality fabric and when you are done you have a quality kilt you can be proud to show off.

When you use practice fabric, and finish your practice kilt, you now have to go out and buy the faric for the real one. a second outlay of money. It would have been less expensive to buy just one piece of the good stuff up front.

If you are making a kilt for some one else you owe them the best you are capable of producing.

During the kilt makig process you do not cut the fabric until right at the end. At any point up to cutting away the excess behind the Fell you can un-stitch the pleats and start over. Practice all you want on your stitching technique with a scrap. You are just learning to stitch invisibly with totally straight pleats and the Tarten pattern perfectly aligned. You can practice pushing a needle through fabric on almost any scrap,

**Steve Ashton** · 28th December 17, 01:11 PM

Yes, those splits would work. But there is no rule that you must use whole numbers.

Sorry, my typo.

**petrabb** · 28th December 17, 01:36 PM

That's OK, was just curious if there was a secret underlying principle we overlooked! LOL
Just took a minute to figure out what we spent on the last kilt, and including with what is underway now, we could have afforded exactly a single yard of the expensive stuff. Offset that to what we have learned and I would call it negligible. Besides, this would be great weight for summer, it does get rather hot in the South...
Thanks again!

**petrabb** · 28th December 17, 02:12 PM

FYI
The tartan we have in mind is Forsyth ancient.
As far as we know, the only way it can be had, is if we have it
especially woven, and the cost for that would be $90/yard.
Unless someone here can point us to another source....

**Steve Ashton** · 28th December 17, 02:27 PM

The Forsyth Tartan is readily available in 13 and 16oz wool. It is available in Modern and Ancient color versions.

Here is just one weaver.

https://www.lochcarron.co.uk/tartan-...-name/forsyth/

**petrabb** · 28th December 17, 02:57 PM

My turn to make a typo!
I meant Forsyth Ancient Weathered.

**Steve Ashton** · 28th December 17, 04:18 PM

Ancient is one color version. Weathered is another. They are not the same and not used together.

For example - The Black Watch Tartan is woven in different color versions. Then there are the no. 1 and no. 2 versions which are not in this example.

The Modern version is as it is dyed with modern, Anyline dyes. The colors are deep and vivid.

The Ancient version is a simulation of what the Tartan may have looked like dyed with natural dyes. (this is also Campbell)

The Weathered version is a simulation of what the Tartan may have looked like if left out in the sun and faded for 40 years.

The Dress version replaces one of the background colors with white to create a lighter, more feminine Tartan. Not 'dressier' but more like a ladies dress.

But these are all, exactly the same Tartan.