Tips and tricks: Properly shaping the top of a kilt

[Barb T]

Our quartermaster just gave me a couple of our band kilts to alter, and it reminded me of a very common error in kiltmaking. So, I thought I'd do a post that shows both the right and the wrong way to shape the top of a kilt.

A trad kilt, whether box pleated or knife pleated, is designed to be buckled snugly at the true waist. The rise of the kilt extends above the buckle line, and the top of the kilt, therefore, rides above the waist.

In order for a kilt to fit comfortably and to stay put at the waist, the smallest circumference of the kilt has to be at the buckle line, with a slight flare in the kilt through the rise. Because the top edge of the kilt is slightly larger than the waist, the kilt can be buckled tight at the waist and not dig into the ribs at the top. If, on the other hand, the kilt is smaller at the top edge than it is at the waist, you simply can't buckle the kilt tight at the waist, and the kilt will slip down until the top of the kilt is at the waist, making it too long at the knee. This sagging is less of a problem with someone who has "love handles", but the uncomfortable tightness of the top of the kilt will still be there.

So, I've put two pics below to show what should and should not be done. The first kilt is a box-pleated kilt that I just finished. Doesn't matter that it's box pleated and not knife pleated; the principle is the same. You'll see that the top band is a little wavy in the picture. That's because the kilt is a little bigger there than it is at the waist. Once it's on the body, the kilt top edge will be nice and smooth, and the top edge will be comfortably loose while the waist can be pulled nice and tight.



The second kilt, shown below, is one of our band kilts made by a well known company in Canada. I pulled as hard as I could on the top band while the picture was being taken, and the measurement along the waist was still bigger than that along the top edge. This kilt cannot be buckled tightly at the waist and will sag down until the top of the kilt is at the wearer's waist. To make matters worse, this kilt also has two darts in the apron of the kilt. If a kilt has darts in the front of the apron, it will never buckle tightly at the waist even if there's flare in the rise in the pleats.



So, if you're making a kilt, the easiest way to accomplish this is to keep the pleats absolutely straight and parallel (no taper) from the waist to the top of the rise. When you're putting on the canvas and the top band, stretch the top edge a little as you do the basting (the stabilizer keeps the waist from stretching). That seems to be all that's necessary to get a bit of flare. I wouldn't try to actually flare the pleat stitching.

[ChattanCat]

Hi Barb,

I have tried to make the pleats a little wider above the waist. It really seemed to skew the pleats instead of just making it wider at the top. So now I just make it straight at the top and stretch the top when I put the last row of stitching for the canvas. I will incorporate the stretching of the top when I put the waist band on too.

Thanks,
Wally

[Barb T]

Hi Barb,

I have tried to make the pleats a little wider above the waist. It really seemed to skew the pleats instead of just making it wider at the top. So now I just make it straight at the top and stretch the top when I put the last row of stitching for the canvas. I will incorporate the stretching of the top when I put the waist band on too.

Thanks,
Wally

Yup - I agree with you. I make the pleats straight from the waist, too. And I actually leave off that last line of stitching for the canvas, just to make sure that the top can be flared enough when I put on the top band. I figure there's really no reason for that last line of stitching (even though that's how I was taught to make a kilt) unless you _didn't_ want the top edge to stretch a little. Because I want it to stretch, I leave off the last line of stitching on the canvas (the set of straight stitches 1/4" down from the top).

[Moosedog]

Thanks for posting this, Barb,

I just ran into the same thing and came up with the same solution--a busy tartan meant I really had to sew the pleats parallel at top but wanted more flare--so I sewed the pleats straight but stretched the top as I stitched in the reinforcing. Worked pretty well. Now that I see it's the way it looks even better!

Moosedog

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

Thanks for posting this, I really "got" it when I looked at the pictures.
Sara
who just remembered she owes Barb pictures from her last project!!

[ThreadBbdr]

Barb, Thanks. Am printing out your assorted posts to make an appendix for your book!

Still jonesing for my first run of fabric, darn it.

[Barb T]

Cool! Thanks!

[Kiltman]

Barb,
I'm very delighted with your series of posting on kiltmaking. You always seem to answer my questions before the end of the post. Thanks, it's like having a tutor right there.

[BEEDEE]

Barb - thanks for this advice. Now is the box pleat one you made to test out the final instructions for the long awaited pdf file on "How to make a Box Pleat"?

Brian

[Barb T]

Barb - thanks for this advice. Now is the box pleat one you made to test out the final instructions for the long awaited pdf file on "How to make a Box Pleat"?

Brian

Hmm, no, it's one I made for a client.