'The Book' is the one to get - I think it has got the best press possible for a 'how to' book

My own take on making kilts is rather unique, as I make Kinguisse and reverse Kinguisse kilts, which I find are easy to adjust for size.

I looked at traditional methods and rejected them after one or two experiments, as they were too tailored.

Basically the two sides of a Kinguisse kilt are mirror images, so the left side is the reverse of a normal knife pleated kilt. At the centre back you get a box pleat, and on each side there are the same number of forward facing pleats, then the two under apron pleats, facing backwards.

I did find that in dense vegetation, and my back garden, the pleats were caught all the time, so I made them fold the other way round, so the left side is the same as a knife pleated kilt and the right side reversed, and find that slides through most things, and so call it the ghillie Kinguisse style. The centre back is an inverted pleat.

I simply make the edges of the pleat straight, sometimes sewn down sometimes pressed, depending on the fabric, then pin the pleats to the right size, sew, attach a waistband, then sew belt loops.

The shaping of the fell I do by pressing and starching, as most of my kilts are fairly lightweight. We live on the South coast of England and I am from the North, still retaining my hot blood. I can only wear wool for about two or three months of the year.

I do sometimes sew down a couple of inches on the pleats near the apron to keep them in order, but the more kilts I make the less I need to do that.

To make them smaller, I just remove the waist band and belt loops from the under apron and pleats, remove the stitches holding the pleats and ease them closer, then resew to hold the pleats, then reattach the waistband and belt loops.

I do not put on buckles, just use a belt to hold it. I have belt loops where they are easiest to sew down, the centre back, the edges of the apron and the right side of the under apron. The belt has to be threaded through the loop at the outer edge of the upper apron as it is put on.

I keep meaning to show the making of one of these with photos, but find it very difficult to get quality images.