Made a Casual Semi Trad Canvas +/- 6g Kilt

[O'Neille]

Looks great. And only 4 hours?? Was that at one shot or over a few days?

The four hours was the other night and I put the yardage in the washer and sat down to find some instructions. When It was dry I layed it out on my penninsula counter and started cutting and marking. About 4 hours later the beast was done except the buckles. Those took another half hour for layout and sewing. Here's some pics.

Under apron closure buckle


Over apron closure


Apron detail


Integrated binding and lining

Thanks for the comments. O'Neille

[David White]

Very nice O'Neille!
Say, how hard was it to do the taper in the pleats?

[O'Neille]

Very nice O'Neille!
Say, how hard was it to do the taper in the pleats?

It wasn't bad and I've got a decent taper 41" to a 33" sometimes 32 so I made it snug and it still stretched some. First you just figure out which ones your going to taper to get it small enough in the waist. Mine turned out to be the first and last 3 and every other one between. So I'd mark out my 3cm and 11cm from there if it is a tapered pleat I'd mark it .5cm farther out each side and pin the new marks together remembering to only go 2.5cm on the next measurement because I was already .5 over that direction. Then on the full pleat I'd take that mark over to the 11cm mark pin it and repeat until I got the the last 3 pleats. I figure it took me only about 2-3 minutes per pleat to mark them and fold them. I used 3 large basting "safety pins" in each one to keep it simple. We're talking straight line from waist to hip and hip to selvedge. so I only needed 3 pins each. Last night I found another site after I was all done that would have made it easier but the reading would have added more time so it's a wash. http://users.telenet.be/jbruyndonckx/kilt_making.html
Are you taking the next step and making one? O'Neille

[ozmeath]

Just great O'Neille, quite an inspiration to see you've done that from the pattern. I particularly liked the parrallel to riveting...there's hope for me yet. Like the expression "teach a man to fish, he'll eat forever".
Well done, it looks good. Like the pins too.
Erin.

[Alan H]

You made a 24-pleat canvas kilt with tapered pleats, a fringed over-apron and a waistband in four hours?

Wow, that's simply amazing...just absolutely, simply amazing. I am dumbstruck.

I also thought about using kwick-clips for closure on my first canvas kilt, but finally just stuck with the velcro.

Ha, great, though inadvertent pun, there.

[O'Neille]

You made a 24-pleat canvas kilt with tapered pleats, a fringed over-apron and a waistband in four hours?

I also thought about using kwick-clips for closure on my first canvas kilt, but finally just stuck with the velcro.

Ha, great, though inadvertent pun, there.

I work at a good clip with my water bottle close at hand. I figured I wasn't building a space shuttle, just a kilt. Also, the whole thing was sewn with one bobbin. I got lucky and it ran out on the last strap. The nylon buckles were in my sewing stuff and that saved time going to the store. I've got a ton of cast buckles but I didn't want them clanking around in the drier and I was concerned that washing the leather too much would wreck it. Nylon to the rescue. I'll probably put velcro in my daughter's kilt I'm making her so it can grow with her easier. O'Neille

[Rex_Tremende]

Oh, my gosh.

I keep telling my "assistant,"--the guy who usually types these posts and has, for some reason, foresworn even sewing on buttons despite the fact that he's made curtains and duvet covers--that he can make a kilt if he applies himself. I show him this stuff, and he says, "Everyone should do what they do best." I point out that he usually does nothing, and he retorts, "Q.E.D."

That's one impressive piece o'work, O'Neille (and one impressive piece o'furniture)!

Regards,
Rex in Cincinnati.