Need advice on taper

[bossfrog]

Okay, I've finished tacking the pleats and topstitching the inner pleats. I'm at the tapering stage. Then there's the old beer gut.

My rump and waist (gut) are both 48".

Should I not worry about taper at all, or should I try to open it up an inch toward the front and pull it in an inch in the back (since my gut is a bit front loaded and my **** is a bit back loaded)?

My measurement on the kilt along the fell turned out to be 48.5".

I'm leaning toward not bothering with any tapering at all, but if that's the wrong way to go, I'd appreciate a heads up ;)

Thanks, all!

[Barb T]

Okay, I've finished tacking the pleats and topstitching the inner pleats. I'm at the tapering stage. Then there's the old beer gut.

My rump and waist (gut) are both 48".

Should I not worry about taper at all, or should I try to open it up an inch toward the front and pull it in an inch in the back (since my gut is a bit front loaded and my **** is a bit back loaded)?

My measurement on the kilt along the fell turned out to be 48.5".

I'm leaning toward not bothering with any tapering at all, but if that's the wrong way to go, I'd appreciate a heads up ;)

Thanks, all!

What kind of a kilt are you making, and out of what kind of material?

[bossfrog]

What kind of a kilt are you making, and out of what kind of material?

Well, I'm making an X Kilt out of 8 oz. cotton poly twill. Everything's going fine so far, but I want to proceed cautiously at this step. What do you advise?

[sydnie7]

I'd put some taper into the backside. Your measurements may be the same at hip and waist, but as you say the waist is "front loaded." Look at your side profile in a mirror, there is likely some inward taper from rump upward to small of back. If you have the material, put more width into the waist of the over-apron to make up your full waist measure. There are some other threads on this issue with more detail.

[bossfrog]

I'd put some taper into the backside. Your measurements may be the same at hip and waist, but as you say the waist is "front loaded." Look at your side profile in a mirror, there is likely some inward taper from rump upward to small of back. If you have the material, put more width into the waist of the over-apron to make up your full waist measure. There are some other threads on this issue with more detail.

Okay, that sounds sort of in line with what I was thinking I might do. I was thinking of tapering about 1 - 1.5" in the rear and widening the over apron by that much.

Do you happen to recall the topic name of some of those threads you mention? I can't seem to find any using search terms such as "no taper" "beer gut" etc.

[sydnie7]

Here's one of them, where the Wizard of BC talks about measuring for a "bay window" in Post 10 of the thread. Not at all easy to find, I agree! I finally went and searched through all my own posts, and found a thread that linked to this one. Probably the best example around, although I think the WoBC has posted more detailed instructions on his "slope adjustment" recently.
Link