kilt alterations

[Barb T]

The best you can typically do moving buckles and straps is an inch or so unless the kiltmaker made the kilt way too big in the first place. And, if it was made as a 32, it probably wasn't made with any "growth room". 4" requires rebuilding the kilt. Sorry!

Barb

[turpin]

The best you can typically do moving buckles and straps is an inch or so unless the kiltmaker made the kilt way too big in the first place. And, if it was made as a 32, it probably wasn't made with any "growth room". 4" requires rebuilding the kilt. Sorry!

Barb

Barb

I know Stillwaters don't have the pleats cut out, so rebuilding should be relatively easy. But if they are cut out, how does it work in rebuilding. Matt Newsome rebuilds and if I understand his explanations, completely unsews the cloth and starts from scratch. I'm scratching my head on how the pleats could be re-pleated if they are cut out under the liner.

Turpin

[Barb T]

Hi Turpin

A rebuild involves expanding only the apron and underapron. You leave the pleats the way they are (no choice on this one with a trad kilt, because the pleats are cut out above the bottom of the fell, as you say).

So, if you expand a kilt 4", you undo both sides of the apron and underapron (i.e., the facing edges, the first pleat, and the inverted pleat (neither of which should have been cut out unless the kiltmaker screwed up, which sometimes happens and you don't discover it until you take the kilt apart....). Then, you add 2" to each side of the apron and the underapron in order to keep the center stripe centered, then sew the whole thing back up again. Oh - and, of course, you originally had to take off the lining, top band, and canvas from apron and underapron plus a bit in the pleats.

It is no small job. And it only works if the kiltmaker left you enough fabric in the facings, first pleat, and inverted pleat.

B

[unkaholic]

what's the price range for a rebuild adding 4 inches? is it worth it or is it more cost effective to replace the kilt (original cost $600)?

[Barb T]

Freelance kiltmakers commonly charge $250 for labor for a new kilt and somewhere in the neighborhood of half that for a major re-build. What's really the critical issue is whether there's even enough fabric to do it.

Barb

[Blu (Ontario)]

Freelance kiltmakers commonly charge $250 for labor for a new kilt and somewhere in the neighborhood of half that for a major re-build. What's really the critical issue is whether there's even enough fabric to do it.

Barb

I had a kilt re-built and the kiltmaker charged the same amount for labor as for a new kilt... which, after learning what was involved, I didn't think was unreasonable.

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