Hi All,

A newbie question from someone who has ordered a copy of The Book but is too curious to wait till it arrives for my answer, please bear with me.

When I purchase yardage in other fabrics, a two-yard piece would be measured along one selvedge edge for a total of 72 inches.

However, when I hear references to say, a "four-yard kilt" are y'all cutting a 72" long piece of fabric that is say, 58" wide in half to then seam them together with the selvedge edges and tartan matching?

Is the "four-yard kilt" referring to the 144" length of the now pieced fabric along the selvedge edge minus the seam allowance and fabric lost to match the tartan, or does the 144" refer to the useable yardage after piecing and matching useable yardage length?

And would 3.5 yards of useable fabric measured at the selvedge length have a chance of providing a good outcome for a kilt with a waist and hip each smaller than 35"?

Thanks for your patience and time,

Valerie