Experimenting with a demin kilt. Help keep me motivated!

[Pleater]

I wonder if using the denim to make the outside of the pleats and the apron would result in something more flexible - the swish of the pleats being such a basic thing with kilts.

It would also take much less denim.

If you take a length of fabric to form the inner fold of the pleats below the fell - either something blue or black - or a bright pattern, then cut strips, sew them together to form the fell and the apron and then add the pleated fabric either in strips or top stitch the denim down onto it. Make the deep under apron pleats full length, waist to hem for free movement and make the under apron too.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[JDaugherty]

I wonder if using the denim to make the outside of the pleats and the apron would result in something more flexible - the swish of the pleats being such a basic thing with kilts.

It would also take much less denim.

If you take a length of fabric to form the inner fold of the pleats below the fell - either something blue or black - or a bright pattern, then cut strips, sew them together to form the fell and the apron and then add the pleated fabric either in strips or top stitch the denim down onto it. Make the deep under apron pleats full length, waist to hem for free movement and make the under apron too.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

Actually, this is what I was hoping to do...my only problem is I'm having trouble wrapping my head around how to make the pleats out of two seperate materials. I'm more of a visual person and can't seem to find anywhere online that'll show an example of how they'd be stitched together. :/

[sydnie7]

Actually, this is what I was hoping to do...my only problem is I'm having trouble wrapping my head around how to make the pleats out of two seperate materials. I'm more of a visual person and can't seem to find anywhere online that'll show an example of how they'd be stitched together. :/

Have you made a kilt before? You might want to start with an XKilt, which is well suited to this fabric and the two-fabric adaptation. There's a sticky thread at the top of this DIY forum with links to the instructions and LOTS of photos to help you visualize the process.

[JDaugherty]

Now that i've had a bit of coffee, my brain is starting to wrap itself around your suggestions, Pleater. I think I'm gonna dig my way through mom's storage closet and see what excess material she has and just sew the denim strips onto different material. Origionaly, i was going to do alternating strips of the main denim and one of the lighter denims; but I like the idea of a different mat/color all together.

I haven't made a kilt before, this will be my first attempt (I figure if i can do one out of recycled material at least once, i'll have no trouble doing one out of good material the right way? It makes sense if you're in my head haha) I have been using the xkilt pdf as a guide though, jotting down notes of things that might help me, making little changes i think ill need to adjust for the project.