Freelander, 'me 'ol mate, this is what a kiltmaker recently said to me:

"I've found, measuring out most kilts we get to adjust, that when they claim to be 8 yards, they are only 5 or 6 yards. We're going to be taking the "yardage approximates" off of our site b/c it's MISLEADING. If someone with a waist of 32 inches orders an 8 yard kilt and someone with a waist of 54 inches orders the same pattern in an 8 yard kilt, the yardage is GOING to be different. That's why it's misleading." (name withheld to protect identity)

Does this help, or further confuse?