Pleat on left side of front apron turning outward

[Presidential33]

Last December I purchased my first kilt from Stillwater Kilts. Its a 100% wool Black Watch Tartan kilt.

Recently I have noticed that the pleat on the left side of the front apron is turning outward.

Is this normal? Is it because there is not enough material on the front apron from right side to left? Is it the way I am having it pressed at the dry cleaners?

By turning outward I mean that the pleat is bending away from the kilt.

I have included the only photo I have of me in my kilt (unfortunately it is not the best photo) with an arrow pointing to the pleat in question.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks!!

[Elf]

'Tis a puzzlement. One is always advised to make sure one's dry-cleaner knows how to press a kilt specifically not just clothes generally. The first question I have is whether Stillwater has put a hidden pleat in the left edge of the apron. This would help to stiffen it. I have put one in what i made for myself out of fear of just this situation. However, adding stiffening may produce klunky results. Others may be more knowledgable on retro-fitting an existing kilt. I'll keep thinking.

[theborderer]

I had the same problem, although, mine was on the right of the inner apron.
I did find however that the inside fold of the last pleat was not in line with the others causing the apron to bend away. I set it right and it now lies flat.

[Pleater]

I have the same problem only more so - it's having child bearing hips in my case.

When making my kilts I actually pull the pleat into place by lifting the hidden fold of the pleats affected so there is a long thin triangle of doubled fabric above the waistband.

As your kilt is wool it can probably be pressed into compliance.

I would try shortening the inner fold of the pleat using a fairly small running stitch and cotton thread, attach the thread at the highest point you can get to of the inner fold of the pleat and sew down towards the bottom of the kilt, close to the fold, drawing up the fabric just a little with each stitch. You can try on the kilt to see how it is affecting the hang of the pleat, put the needle through the fabric horizontally and wind the thread around it to hold the edge shortened.

If that does the trick then you can press the edge of the pleat in its shortened state and it should remain like that, even if you remove the sewing. Personally I would be inclined to leave the stitches in place to prevent it stretching again.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Tony]

ere ye go

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...llwater-14556/

[longhuntr74]

P33...
Barb Tewksbury made me a kilt that ended up with the same issue. It was no fault of hers. If anything, it was my fault in measuring differently than she usually does. I looked at Alan's thread about the SWKs and that they don't have the same shape left and right....I would definitely look at that and see if an iron can solve the problem first.

Assuming the apron does have an "A" shaping, the problem is caused by your thigh circumference as compared to your hip measurement. I have large thighs that require different shaping through the waist and hips. Instead of a somewhat standard A shape, I use more of an hourglass shaping to my aprons. The fix in the kilt that Barb made for me was to undo the first pleat and reshape the left side of the apron edge. This is not, by any means, a quick fix as it requires undoing the lining and the pad stitching, etc. When I had the occassion to take the kilt to Barb after I had done the alterations and show her how I had changed the apron profile, she was so impressed that she did a tracing of it to use as a reference to the new pipe band kilt she had plans of making for herself, as she commonly has the same issues with the curling of the apron. It was very humbling to be sharing tips with the author of the amateur kiltmaker's bible!

[bonnie heather]

It might be that the kilt is okay and that an adjustment may be needed in how the kilt is worn. (Although you do look very good.)

The reason I say that is because that happened once when a man tried on the University of Edinborough kilt I had just made for him. The left apron edge was sticking out. "Why?!! How could that happen??", I thought. I was so very careful when I planned and stitched the kilt. I had made a hidden pleat at the left apron side, so that gave extra structure. I stared and analyzed and then suddenly noticed something.
He was wearing the kilt with it sloping down slightly in the front, as one might wear jeans or slacks. I asked him to pull it up in the front until the top of the kilt was level, horizontal front to back. Like magic, the sticking out edge problem disappeared. Yay!!
No wonder, since a kilt is built to be worn with the tartan pattern level and the kilt itself on a straight form.

[Randy McIntosh]

If it is a "3" strap kilt, try loosing the bottom right hand strap. The lower left hand pleat should go back.

[lukeyrobertson]

I have noticed a similar and occasional thing with my kilt, and Bonnie Heather's solution is what I have found that works for me, too.