Help with xkilt instructions

[kd0afk]

I would line up the edges.

The far left-hand edge of the over apron should lie right next to the "forward-facing edge" of box pleat #1. I'd also sew down the left hand edge of the over-apron, say 6 inches or so, though you could leave it floating, like sydnie7 does.

Whatever the case, the over-apron does not lie on top of any part of the first box-pleat.

If in fact that is NOT what you've done, and there is no overlap, then I'm not sure what's going on.

What I did and what I am going to fix is I got rid of the deep pleat. I realize now that that thing is important. I just couldn't understand the directions of what to do with all that material. I still wish there were step by step photos of how to treat the over-apron.

[Alan H]

What I did and what I am going to fix is I got rid of the deep pleat. I realize now that that thing is important. I just couldn't understand the directions of what to do with all that material. I still wish there were step by step photos of how to treat the over-apron.

I'm sorry, but the project is done. I mean, I've edited the thing twice and incorporated pictures in the second edition (which is actually the third edition) and spend hundreds of hours on the thing. By no means is the manual perfect, the whole thing about the under-apron strip is the usual hangup even though I totally changed it in this edition. Then again, it's free and there you go. I think you got a LOT more than what you paid for.

Besides, it's common to make a goof or two. I think I have yet to make a kilt that I didn't have to rip out SOMETHING and do it again!

Just to show you how difficult it is to write something like this perfectly....I am not sure which "deep pleat" you are referring to.

Is it the pleat that lies under the over-apron on the left side?

Is it the pleat that lies under the forward-facing edge of the first box pleat?

Both are important!

[kd0afk]

I'm sorry, but the project is done. I mean, I've edited the thing twice and incorporated pictures in the second edition (which is actually the third edition) and spend hundreds of hours on the thing. By no means is the manual perfect, the whole thing about the under-apron strip is the usual hangup even though I totally changed it in this edition. Then again, it's free and there you go. I think you got a LOT more than what you paid for.

Besides, it's common to make a goof or two. I think I have yet to make a kilt that I didn't have to rip out SOMETHING and do it again!

Just to show you how difficult it is to write something like this perfectly....I am not sure which "deep pleat" you are referring to.

Is it the pleat that lies under the over-apron on the left side?

Is it the pleat that lies under the forward-facing edge of the first box pleat?

Both are important!

Not understanding which deep pleat I am talking about might be a clue to the difficulty of folks not understanding the instructions about the deep pleat. I was getting hung up about the one between the outer apron in the section called "stiching down the top of the outer apron". Thank by the way for a great guild on building a kilt. I have learned allot from reading it and following it, I just wished it had photos documenting the more tricky procedures.

[Smayniac]

Search old DIY threads and you are likely to find pictures of the process you are looking for. I may take a bit of time, but several folks have exhaustively documented their builds.
Bob

[KiltedBrewer]

I am trying my best to follow the xkilt instructions but without pictures to show how to do the tricky parts, it's hard. I am having problems with the section of the instructions called "Tack Down the Top of the Outer Apron". The part that I am having trouble visualizing is the second paragraph about opening up the deep reverse pleat and the third paragraph in the section.

kd0afk,

I've finally managed to open the x-kilt instructions and your question at the same time. I'm not sure if your question has been answered sufficiently yet, but here's what I did at that step.

I didn't worry about the deep pleat at all. I just laid the entire edge of the over apron against the entire edge of the first box pleat and bar tacked at the fell (i.e. exactly the same way I abutted the edges of the box pleats with each other.) Once that was done, I ironed in the reverse pleat that lays under the over apron and edge stitched the fold.

I'm not sure whether that's how everyone else does it, but it seemed to work for me.

I hope that helps,
David

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Search old DIY threads and you are likely to find pictures of the process you are looking for. I may take a bit of time, but several folks have exhaustively documented their builds.
Bob

Here, Bob, let's make it even easier for him.

Check out these links:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/c...947/index.html

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/x...x.html?t=26970

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/p...x.html?t=29218

Hope that helps.

Be well,

[kd0afk]

Hey guys, I took some extra fabric (always buy extra fabric) and got my kilt material back to it's original length and put the deep pleat back on, stitched it down, this time as a square apron. It still kind of flares out in the front but I think a good bath in the washing machine will help loosen it up a bit. One more question, when I wear it, the pleats tend to curl in a concave manner. What is the best way to iron the pleats so that they wrap around. This is kind of hard to explain but imagine you have a kilt on and you look down, and the pleats look like little gutters. I don't want that, what I want is them to be flat strips or slightly curved with the edges of the pleat closer to my body than the center. I hope this is clear.
I want the whole thing to look like this from the top:
Not this:

[KiltedBrewer]

For your pleat problem, a bit of spray starch on the outer pleat faces when you press it might do the trick. I'm sure that there is a sewing solution to your pleat problem, but I'm afraid I don't know what it is.

David

[Alan H]

Hey guys, I took some extra fabric (always buy extra fabric) and got my kilt material back to it's original length and put the deep pleat back on, stitched it down, this time as a square apron. It still kind of flares out in the front but I think a good bath in the washing machine will help loosen it up a bit.

Excellent! Pictures, pictures!!

One more question, when I wear it, the pleats tend to curl in a concave manner. What is the best way to iron the pleats so that they wrap around. This is kind of hard to explain but imagine you have a kilt on and you look down, and the pleats look like little gutters. I don't want that, what I want is them to be flat strips or slightly curved with the edges of the pleat closer to my body than the center. I hope this is clear.

I iron mine flat, but there's a little dip in the middle because the inside folds of the pleats don't meet in the middle. There's about a 3/8 inch gap built in, so that there's not so much bulk around the waistband. Anyway, "flat" is about the best I can do with the iron. Washing it may change things, so don't stress.

[kd0afk]

Maybe I'm being a bit over critical about it. I am thinking of when it is done, basting the pleats and taking it to a dry cleaner and have them roll press it. Might help. But then again when it is washed and ironed (with starch) it may just work itself out.