The kilts used by dancers are the light weight fabrics, 10oz is usually referred to as being for dancers, and it is also made in versions with more white or brighter dyes so as to catch the eye.

Traditional kilts are not 8 yards of fabric - though when making one it might need the purchase of 4 yards of material so as to get the sett of the tartan placed well on the apron and then align the same part of the sett at the centre back.

Kilts aren't made from a pattern as the tartan is the guide to placing the folds. Do not separate the fabric along the centre line, but along the line you want it for the length of the kilt, otherwise you will have to cut off several inches from the top of the kilt. Woollen fabric is 54inches wide, half that would be 27inches. I and quite a few others wear kilts 24 inches long.

If you decide to make a kilt in plain fabric, that is actually slightly more difficult than working with a tartan or patterns with lines as the threads are used to guide the folding and tapering. You do need a fabric which has the pattern woven in, not printed on, as often the pattern is not on the grain - I have one kilt which I made early on in my career which has printed lines which wander off square by a couple of inches. That was interesting.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: