Hi

Any "darts" (in the true sewing sense of the word - triangle-shaped folds) should be hidden inside the _top_ of the first and last pleat. You shouldn't see anything that looks like a dart either at the bottom of the kilt or on the front of the apron. If the kilt is properly made, these hidden darts help shape the back side of the first, deep pleat to the left of the apron and the back side of inverted pleat on the underapron edge. And the fold edge of both the deep pleat and the inverted pleat must be pulled _up_ during construction and so that the tartan stripes match horizontally on the inside. Once steamed into position, this makes the inside of the pleat a little skewed, which helps keep that first pleat closed. The other reason that the first pleat sometimes flaps open is if that first pleat isn't pressed quite in the right place for your body shape. You might try steaming the pleat open, putting the kilt on, and seeing where it wants to fold naturally. If there isn't enough flare for your body shape, simply basting and re-pressing with a little more flare might solve the problem.

Having said all this, there are some body shapes (people with chubby or muscular thighs) where you just can't keep that first pleat from flipping forward.

Cheers!

Barb