Yardage and weight of a kilt?

[Steve Ashton]

Let me try to illustrate using some very basic concepts.

Kilt fabric is sold as weighing a particular amount for a given yardage.

This yardage is usually expressed as ounces per linear yard at "double-width" or as the fabric is woven and sold to the kiltmaker.

A kiltmaker buys fabric double-width, cuts or rips it in half and joins the two halves. For example - to create an 8 yard kilt - a kiltmaker needs only to buy 4 yards of double-width fabric which is cut length wise. The result is an 8 yard long piece with a join in the middle.



If the fabric is listed as "16oz" it weighs 16 ounces or 1 pound for every linear yard @ double-width. So 4 yards of double-width fabric purchased by a kiltmaker will weigh 4 pounds.

But - There are 4 factors which will effect how much fabric will end up in a kilt.

1) The circumference of the customer's hips. The larger the customer is, the more fabric it will take to go around him.



2) The size of the Tartan pattern is called "The Sett". As each pleat will take up at least one repeat of the Tartan pattern, The larger the pattern is - the more fabric it will take to go around the person.



3) In general- the heavier the fabric - the larger the pattern will be in the woven fabric.



4) And finally how the fabric is folded into pleats. Here are two examples. Same fabric just folded differently.

When fabric is folded into Knife pleats there are many layers stacked up - This way of folding the fabric is what is referred to as an 8 yard kilt.



But when the fabric is folded into box pleats there are fewer layers stacked up - This way of folding the fabric is usually referred to as a 4 yard kilt.



We can also vary the width of each individual pleat. Wider pleats mean that fewer pleats will be needed to go around the butt. This is how a 5 yard kilt is made.




And these are just some of the many different factors that can effect just how much fabric is actually needed to make a kilt.

So, with these factors in mind here is a really rough, ballpark method, of determining the weight of the fabric that was used in a kilt.

With a tape measure, find the linear amount of fabric used, by measuring along the bottom edge in inches. Convert to yards to determine if you have an 8, a 5, or a 4 yard kilt.

Then measure the width of the fabric from the top of the waistbanding down to the bottom edge.
In inches.
Multiple the length by the width to determine the total square inches used.

One linear yard of double-width fabric will be 2160 square inches. (36" x 60" = 2160 sq. in)

Divide how many square inches are in your kilt by 2160. This will tell you how many double-width yards are in your kilt.

Let's say for example you measure and find your kilt has 8640 square inches. That is exactly 4 yards of double-width fabric.

Then put the kilt on a postal scale. If your kilt was made from 16oz fabric, your 4 yard double width fabric (8 yard kilt) kilt will weigh 4 pounds.

A full 8 yard kilt made from 13oz fabric will weigh 3.25 pounds.
A full 8 yard kilt made from 10oz fabric will weigh 2.5 pounds.