My kilts to long and I want to shorten it. I need advice

**Stan** · 20th November 13, 08:15 PM

Thanks Steve, I can do all of those procedures. I'll practice "the stitch" on some garment (or fabric) that's less valuable than the kilt to start getting my skill set up to par prior, and then I'll go for it.....

Thanks again for all your help.

Stan L.

**Stan** · 21st December 13, 05:14 PM

Hi, and I just thought that you all might like to know that "I DID THE JOB"...LOL... I read all the recommended threads, and watched a few you-tube videos on sewing by hand, and the jumped in with both feet...LOL.. It took about 6 hours of hand work to get my 7 yard 16 oz. kilt hemmed.

Tools used:
Steam iron, needles, matching thread, scissors, strait pins, tailors tape measure, one "to long kilt", and a bucket load of COURAGE AND DETERMINATION...LOL...

Step 1.
To start off I needed to buy a good quality steam iron. I bought one for about 30.00. In addition to simply putting it on the "steam setting" and having it make a LOT of steam, it also has a button on it that gives a burst of steam that's strong enough that it will (literally) lift the iron off the fabric. It was a great tool.

Step 2. was to take my MacGregor modern hunting to the fabric store and match the thread..

Step 3. was setting up a fold out 28" X 60" folding table in my living room so I could have acquitted work space.

Step 4. sit down and figure out how to start the project.

Starting the project was probably the most time consuming, and thought provoking. Looking at the fringed edge and getting that multilayer area to look professional and "unmolested" was the first challenge. My kilt has three rows of fringe on it, and while I did my best to remove the existing stitches with a seam ripper, the fringe didn't get out unscathed.

In that process I did cut out a bit of fabric so that when I folded over (folded up) the fabric to remove the one inch of length, and when I finished it looked really nice and "UN-findable". After I figured that first part out, it just turned into an endurance test. It kind of reminded me of running, in that after getting warmed up with that first 2+ feet of hemming. and figuring out how to work with those first few (of 27) pleats, it was pretty much, "steady as she goes"..

Going across the front apron with my newly learned "hem stitch" it became pretty routine. I'd start off a on the new (un-hemmed) section by steaming the apron, and then steaming the pleats out of the material. I steamed the material up about about 2-3 inches from the salvaged edge. Then I'd measure the 1 inch up that I was removing with the hem, then pin that section in place (to the right measurement) and then steam press that area again to set the hem line.....These steps were simply repeated over and over until I got the end.

As I sewed away, I looked as each, and every stitch as a chance to do better, and make the job the best job that I could do. Well, needless to say, it turned out really nice, and now I have a kilt that's the right length.

It wasn't a fun project, and it wasn't a hard project. I'd say that the best part about doing it myself, was that I didn't have to wait for any one to "help me", and I doubt that any one (around here) would have done a better job. The hem, and stitches are invisible on the outside of the kilt, the line is strait, and job is finished. What more could I ask for??? Not much, I guess.

I've tried to insert several (about 7) photos, but don't' seem to be able to get that done.

Thanks again for all your help, and my kilt looks great.

Stan L.

**Stan** · 21st December 13, 05:31 PM

Well, I did the job, and it came out great. It took about 5-6 hours of work to hem my 16 oz., 7 yard kilt. It wasn't a hard job, it was just a long job. I'm suspect that I did about as good a job as could be done. It's even, the pleats are sharp, and none of the stitching is visible from the outside.

Steve, thanks again for all the help, and advice.

Here's a few photos of my efforts.

photo 1.jpg Photo 2.jpg Photo 3.jpg Photo 4.jpg photo 5.jpg photo 6.jpg

DSCN1869.jpg

**BCAC** · 23rd December 13, 03:59 AM

Well done! I'm not sure if I would have had the courage to do something like that!

**OC Richard** · 23rd December 13, 06:04 AM

Wow what a lot of work that was!

I've taken out hems on a couple kilts, and that's time-consuming in itself.

For myself, if I had a kilt that was 1/2" too long I would just wear it a 1/2" higher. (The OP says the kilt was supposed to be 24.5 but was 25 instead.)

Having a kilt a hair long doesn't bother me. What does is having one that's a tad too short. I don't like having the kilt down low on my hips.

**Stan** · 23rd December 13, 09:14 AM

Hi Richard, and I agree with you about "just pulling it up", but the problem was that at 24.5 it was already almost up around my neck..LOL... Most of my kilts are 24, and with the 24.5, during the day it would work it's way down to looking like (what I thought) looked like a waiters apron..LOL... At the 25 inches, I thought that it looked like a waiters apron all the time.

So, when I decided that I was going to do the job, I decided to take out the one inch, instead of the 1/2 inch, and just go back to the 24 inch length.

**McElmurry** · 23rd December 13, 10:17 AM

Very nice work.

I probably spent more time fretting over whether or not to hem my kilt then it took you to hem yours.

**Stan** · 23rd December 13, 10:33 AM

LOL...LOL.. I did the same. I thought about it for about 2 weeks, and it took about 5 hours.

**Stan** · 23rd December 13, 08:59 AM

Thanks for the kind words. Doing the job (even starting the job) was always backed up by the thought that "If I screwed up, I can take it to a tailor". Really, the hardest part (which wasn't really hard, but simply "the hardest part") was sitting down to figure out the fringe area. After that it was simply repetition.

What was interesting was that I could look at the same kind of "hem stitch" on my kilt that was done by the kilt maker for securing a part of the apron material, and use it as an example for my work.

Actually after the effort, and the success that I had on it, I bought Barbra Tewkesbury book "the art of kilt making". I'm not sure if I'm ever going to sew a kilt or not, but (now) I'm certainly not afraid of it. I don't own a sewing machine, and so if I do decide to make a kilt it will definitely (for better, or worse) be hand sewn...LOL..

**chasem** · 23rd December 13, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by Stan

Actually after the effort, and the success that I had on it, I bought Barbra Tewkesbury book "the art of kilt making". I'm not sure if I'm ever going to sew a kilt or not, but (now) I'm certainly not afraid of it. I don't own a sewing machine, and so if I do decide to make a kilt it will definitely (for better, or worse) be hand sewn...LOL..

If it's a concern of how capable you are, don't let that keep you from it! I'd never sewn anything in my life - aside from the occasional button - prior to buying that book. After buying it I bought some cheap handspun wool from celtic croft and dove right in attempting my first kilt. The book was solid enough that the kilt turned out great and although I noticed the flaws, most others didn't.

I've made at least five others since then and they've only gotten better each time. If you're halfway comfortable sewing and have any amount of perfectionism in you, you can do the kilt following Barb's book!