Corduroy X-Kilt

[Alan H]

The strip that you sew the velcro to is so that the stitching doesn't show on the over-apron. You COULD stitch it to the over-apron and forget the strip, but then you'd have this rectangle of machine-stitching on the over-apron. I decided that was yuck, thus the strip. If someone didn't want to use velcro, say they preferred the look of snaps, then hang the strip and just put the snaps in on the over-apron and be done with it.

Also, in a traditional kilt, the over-apron up near the waistband is backed with hair canvas. There's a layer of hair canvas between the wool and the lining material. You won't see that in Stillwaters, BTW, but perhaps you remember it from way2fractious's kilts? I can show you on one of mine at the next beer and kilts night. Well, finding hair canvas is a pain in the rump. I had to order mine from online at Baer Fabrics (thanks for the link, Barb T!) , Joanne's Fabric doesn't carry it. We could have used iron-on interfacing since it's unlikely that folks will make an X-Kilt out of wool, but I thought...let's just kill two birds with one stone. We'll make a strip, sew the velcro to that, and use the now stiffened strip to back up the upper part of the over-apron.

Just to show, someone turned right around and made a fantastic-looking X-Kilt out of tweed! No iron-on interfacing, there!

Since I happen to know who your victim is, I'm going to suggest that you drop the width of the over-apron to 8 inches. That is, unless those persons hips are a LOT bigger than I think they are. Oh, and be sure to A-shape the over-apron, like I write in the instructions. You two should talk/PM. Think about it! 8 inches, however, doesn't provide a lot of overlap, so make sure that the under-apron wraps around your victim just as far as you had originally planned. It's my gut feeling that the X-Kilts I made for Captain Jak and Dan the Brewer would have benefitted from narrower over-aprons, and in fact when Dan the Brewer finishes his weight-loss program, I'm going to change his kilt by making the over-apron narrower. I wasn't trying for the "traditional" look here, more for something like a Utilikilt look and I think the UK's have a six-inch overlap. Piper George's X-Kilt has a proportionally narrower (10-inch, if I remember rightly, but PG is a big guy) over-apron, and it looks "right" to me.

BTW, when you make Panache's X-Kilt, you might sew up the pleats first, then pin it on the man with no A-Shaping to the apron and scratch your noggin whilst gazing lovingly at him, focusing on his nether regions... Then rip it off of him, have your way with him, then re-fold and re-pin with no A-shaping. Stick the non-A-shaped-apron kilt back on him and decide which looks the most groovy...A-Shaping or no A-shaping. Note the Utilikilts are REVERSE A-shaped, their over-aprons are actually smaller at the bottom than they are at the top. That might be a novel look. What's to lose, *FEH*! Try it.

KCW tore out one of his pleats on his X-Kilt to make his over apron WIDER, more like a traditional kilts width. That's cool, it's just a different look. The whole point of the X-Kilt is for every person to mess with it and make a basic kilt with a modern appearrance and box pleats, to suit their personal fancy....Oh, and ot have fun in the process!

BTW, I WILL admit that I sewed much of Piper George's Dutch MacKay kilt while "under the influence" of Aberlour ten-year !

[Tartan Hiker]

Then rip it off of him, have your way with him, then re-fold and re-pin with no A-shaping.

Dagnabit, Alan! I'll never be able to sew another kilt apron without this image in my mind.

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

... "Your wife is cooler than Emma Peel."...

...yeah I agree she is cooler than Emma Peel...

Aw shucks guys, you're gonna swell my head!

... Then rip it off of him, have your way with him, then re-fold and re-pin with no A-shaping...

BTW, I WILL admit that I sewed much of Piper George's Dutch MacKay kilt while "under the influence" of Aberlour ten-year !

Alan, you're evil!

I've only been able to do a little bit today-laid it out and measured. For reference (and I did ask my subject if posting these measurements was ok first): Waist 44", Rump 47.5" (I am using 48"-it's just easier), Fell 6.5", Drop 22.5". Very close to Alan H's measurements actually

Remember, I said corduroy presented some unique challenges? Well it also has one wonderful quality: the lines are already there, so you don't have to worry about chalking a straight line when marking out the pleats. Just mark on the edge and then follow one of the wales/cords/whatever down to the other edge



Here's everything marked-12 pleats (3"), 10" over-apron, fell line (I just marked on the pleat lines-figured this was all I needed to do). Note that my floor is not large enough to lay it all out at once. Also, you may be able to see on the right, that one of the joins is visible, right on top of a pleat. Sigh. Oh well, I was warned, and at least it's barely visible. Also, note the marks for the A-shaping of the front apron.



I'm probably not going to be able to do more today. Hopefully, the chalk won't rub off too much when I roll up the fabric.

Be well,

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

AAAUGH! Just had a horrible thought-went back to the kilt, all neatly covered up with cloth on the living room floor and counted the pleats-I only put in 10! Not enough for 48" (10" over apron, plus 10 3" pleats only equals 40"). So I squeezed in 2 more pleats, but that puts the under apron at only 13" (at least I don't need seam allowance since the edge is selvedged). I'm not sure if this is going to be a problem when it comes to modesty? It should be ok, since it is still wider than the over apron. We'll see.

Be well,

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Yes, I know, 3" times 12 pleats plus 10 inches only equals 46" and I need 48", but I figure I can fudge on a few (or all) of the pleats by a bare fraction of an inch and come out ok.

Be well,

[Dreadbelly]

Fudge Factor sounds like a really bad reality show for fat dieters, produced by NBC.

Tonight, on FUDGE FACTOR! Our contestants will face off against the 5k calorie super brownie! Which contestant will wuss out first?

"Oh no, I can't eat that, just looking at it turns my thighs in to cottage cheese!"

[Alan H]

Yup, that's exactly what it looks like when I make one, too!...chalk marks and all. BTW, a 13 inch overlap is dicey, but probably modest enough. Victim!!! Buy theeself a hefty kilt pin!

[CameronTaylor]

Is the lining necessary Mr. H ? I'm about 2/3 through the E-kilt and need to know.


CT - corduroy, quarter roy

[Alan H]

Is the lining necessary Mr. H ? I'm about 2/3 through the E-kilt and need to know.


CT - corduroy, quarter roy

short answer is no, a lining is not necessary.

but if you WANT to get some cheap stuff and make a lining, well, heck go make a lining!

y'all gotta think of this X-Kilt how Tartan Hiker thought of it...as a guideline, and from there, do what you want. If you want a lining, well then grab some cheap cotton broadcloth and the sewing machine and make a lining. you want an X-kilt with a full-diwth apron, well...*duh*, then you're not going to have as many pleats, then, huh? How many fewer? You can figure this out.

you want an X-kilt in alligator skin...then make one.

ONe thing you can do is more-or-less follow my instructions to the letter (there are a few goofs) the first time, and then go hog-wild on whatever you want the second and thrid times when You're comfortable with it.

[way2fractious]

I especially love the

... go hog-wild ...

part!


w2f