In a previous post I asked about what tartan is this? on an eBay listing.

I wound up buying one of them, it's a MacBeth tartan. It seemed like it might fit, and I liked the colors. I'm not letting it bother me that I'm not even Scottish, much less a MacBeth.

I have received it in the mail. It's a heavy wool, but I wouldn't know how to tell if it's 13oz or 16 or whatever. There are two moth holes, one on each apron, not visible at a distance I suspect. Each about 1/8" by 1/4". Heck the seller only cited one and he was very fair to deal with so I think he just didn't see it.

It does fit but I want to modify it. It cost $45 plus tax and shipping = $70. Given it's basic quality I think it worth tailoring to my preferences.

- It has a very high rise and I'm short waisted so I want to see if the top can be trimmed back. There's a band of material across the top, horizontally, that would be taken off and then used to hide the trimming. This will require some rebuilding of the lining too (which does have some type of no-stretch material in it.) Even trimming the top will leave a fell close to what I measure at.

- It has traditional buckles, just two. I want instead to use belt loops, and velcro to hold the aprons in place. This has worked well for me in a casual kilt I have from USA Kilts. I'd have some banding attach the velcro to the back binding for strength.

- Sometime in it's past it was hemmed, by about two inches. Since the length is right for me I want to keep the hem. Doesn't seem to be detrimental to the appearance of the sett, nor how the pleats hang. The seamstress I work with knows some technique for making hems less obvious, something she called hammering or pounding.

- I will ask about having the moth holes rewoven.

Any initial ideas about how to proceed, or the wisdom of doing so, would be appreciated. I won't sew this myself, I'm no good at straight lines. I'll work with my local seamstress. She charges less than one would imagine, and seems to enjoy the other work I have brought to her.

I have a low end wool kilt that she already added waist reinforcement to, and I'm going to ask her to do the belt loop and velcro on the aprons mod to that one too. I don't have much of a butt and really need the belt.