1st X-Kilt - selvedge of material.

[EHCAlum]

Hey all, quick questions.

Main one is I have 4.3 yards of polycotton blend, 60% poly 30% cotton (plain weave, it was $4 a yard). The selvedge has about an 1/8" fray on it till the finishing occurs. Think I should leave this on, trim it or hem it? If I leave it on, do you think it would look skirt like or unfinished?

Question 2: Waist is 39.5, not snug but not loose, rounded up to 40. Bum is 42. Fell is 8. Does this give me enough taper or should I add more to the bum?

Thanks in advance.

[Hothir Ethelnor]

Hem it.

[Pleater]

I'd hem it.

The kilt is shaped into the small of the back, so really you need to know the taper over the width of the pleats, rather than the difference in the entire circumference.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[ChattanCat]

Hem it and taper the pleats.

[EHCAlum]

I'm up to the tapering part now. I have 10 pleats, a waist of 40 and rump of 42. My caluclations say a 1/4" taper is needed per pleat.

I'm a little confused how to take in for taper, and then where to sew. I'm thinking I sew on the outside through all layers from waist to fell, is this correct?

Thanks again.

[ChattanCat]

If you are hand sewing, you fold each pleat keeping a stripe centered on each pleat. You will be sewing the newly folded pleat to the edge of the previous pleat using a blind stitch.

Cheers,

[EHCAlum]

Its a machine sewed X-kilt with box pleats, solid black.

[Tartan Hiker]

Yep, if your machine is up to it you fold the edges to create that taper from fell to waist and then stitch them down right through all layers. Be sure that the edge of each pleat butts right up against the ones next to it or the taper does no good.

42 seems a bit skimpy with a 40 inch waist. Better to err on the loose side than to be too tight. The aprons will pull and curl outward if the pleated section is too tight across the bum. Remember that this is a casual garment that you will use for active living...you don't want to be constricted. Remeasure yourself, this time put the tape around your waist with just a t-shirt on, and then measure your bum with trousers on, measuring right over the top of them. This will give you a much more realistic set of numbers.

And if you want 1/4" taper per pleat, that means only 1/8" on each side of the pleat. Count the edges you will taper rather than the pleats themselves to avoid getting confused. The first and last pleats, for example, may only get tapered on one edge. (That's how I do it, anyway).

Good luck, and don't forget to read and re-read the directions.

[EHCAlum]

That is with a loose rump measurement and a waist with a tshirt. I don't have a pooch, but I have love handles, and a butt that makes ladies jealous.

So I set the pleats and take in fabric an 1/8 of an inch on each side, pin and stich the edges of the pleats.

Thanks