DIY Kilt Jacket Conversion

**ArmyPiper** · 17th November 13, 09:15 PM

Nah Im jumping in to this

Too many years of being an Army guy...if i get edgy its gonna be fun. I am amazed at the Messages and help that has been offered. I was offered a discount price on them, but now it is a matter of me actually pridefully attempting to do this. worse thing that can happen is i ruin an old Army Green Jacket and i can easily get another. But i am taking pictures so i can show incase there is another "Joe" out there that wants to try and atempt this...hahaha.

**Elf** · 17th November 13, 09:26 PM

I agree with the general drift of this thread. I also sympathize with the difficulty of visualizing verbal descriptions. I have gone to the public library to find books on tailoring that have helped greatly with their detailed illustrations. Note: Tailoring is different from sewing in this sense and coats are tailored.

Best wishes with your project.

**ArmyPiper** · 18th November 13, 10:26 AM

I did receive several offers of advice and a few offers to do them for me, I did however call 2 local tailor shops today that specialize in Military jackets, being so close to a Military base, and had them basically tell me oh heck no they wouldn't touch them. I was like Wow. Good thing was, it was a reassurance to me that its ok for me to be a wee bit fearful of taking the plunge. I tried to explain all it was was tailoring the hem length of the jacket and neither would do it. I think I will do one, and send the other away to have done, atleast I'll have a back up if things go bad. So my next post will be of the Pics ill do step by step.

**Nathan** · 18th November 13, 12:36 PM

I know the OP has an Army jacket so this is a bit off topic, but the problem I have with converting a jacket is that every nice saxon style Harris tweed I find has a single vent in the back, rather than the traditional double vent of the kilt jacket.

Has anyone else found this also to be the case?

**ArmyPiper** · 18th November 13, 03:05 PM

Yes you will have 2 layers thru the curve or the front side of the jacket, those can be done and I will add some additional pictures of it and how I will attempt that. The issue I have is these are a Polyester Blend Jackets with blind stitching and no visible seams. So that is out of it. I mean I am guessing, ill start by marking, but will rip the liner back...hahaha ok I need to learn some new terms, ripping and such not apply...I will remove the stitching and fold back the liner of the jacket

........ then after I cut the front edge and the cut line, I will be able to invert and sew the curve around the front and refold it out revealing the nice desired curve appearance of the new jacket....I will then refold and baste stitch then iron or press the remainder of it and yes then trim neatly and re-measure and cut and trim the liner and do an inverted blind stick across holding it all into place

We'll see..... But there is no visible seam anywhere on the uniform....I think I will redo a new thread and call it the Military Jacket Conversion to a Kilt jacket

Its obvious this is a bit different than the normal conversion...or so I am assuming....but I learned years ago...don't like the word assume.....just makes me look bad in the end

**ArmyPiper** · 18th November 13, 03:07 PM

Nathan, I plan on just sewing that rear single vent in the back closed

My Argyl Jacket doesn't have a slit in the back or the sides...therefore, i'm going to just close it

Ill look at it and pics to come, probably rip it and trim it and sew it to blend in with the seam

**StevieR** · 18th November 13, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Nathan

I know the OP has an Army jacket so this is a bit off topic, but the problem I have with converting a jacket is that every nice saxon style Harris tweed I find has a single vent in the back, rather than the traditional double vent of the kilt jacket.

Has anyone else found this also to be the case?

Not in the UK, I think Nathan. I have an old jacket of my father's (it's a coat son, only potatoes have jackets ;)) which is too small for me now and after a good look 'round, I've just bought one from the Edinburgh Woollen Mill. My dad's and every example I looked at had a double vent.

**ArmyPiper** · 8th December 13, 03:14 PM

Nathan, i looked into that as well and did notice what you have mentioned. I will say i thoguht and deliberateed long and hard about sewing that rear vent on a seam and making two side vents, but then realized that was a lot of work....so i have decided to just sew in an extra piece of cloth and make it a normal vent, single, in the back. My jacket is NOT a tweed but a Polyester mix Military Dress Blue Style Jacket. No i dont want it to look like a traditional piping jacket in all aspects only in most...being Military i plan on wearing it with my US Army tartan Kilt when i play Memorials and Ceremonies.
Sorry for the delay in this project, i recently retired and i am trying to get my footing planted and with the Holidays things have been crazy. I wil lposty pictures soon as i have already cut the pattern on the jacket and allowed for an abundant 1" seam allowance to remain. Now comes the hard art, ironing and forming the curve on the front edges of the jacket. I can already smell my finger tips burning with the Iron...hahahah

**Dixiecat** · 18th December 13, 12:09 AM

This tip might be late to the party, but what the heck.

When forming the curve at the front edges of the jacket, first chalk out the line of the hem, then hand-sew a running stitch about mid-way between the hem and the raw edge. As you press the hemline, pull up the thread and it will draw in the hem allowance, letting you press a smoother curve and perhaps saving some burnt finger tips. In some extremely curved instances or finicky fabric, I've done this as well as made a curved template then pressed the hem allowance around it.

When you go to sew the lining back into place, don't forget to give it that fold-back from the hem.