"This kilt is too small ..." she said

[xman]

Let's make the long story short;

The traditional kilt that I'm making for my wee son in 13oz. wool is too small. I've done everything except tear open the pleats and try to widen them after having been cut and even though the kilt measures correctly on the outside, even a little large, it is very snug and will require an extra inch on the underapron just to reach the buttonhole. It'll fit this fall and maybe some of the winter, but I'm going to need to come up with some severe alterations next year to justify letting out the 2½" hem. I've got some extra material so I should be able to rig something but it'll sure take some time.

Why has this happened?
What should I do to avoid this problem in future? (I've two wool box pleats planned next and then adult sized traditional kilts)

X

[Paul Henry]

You need to allow for the thickness of the fabric, it's easy to forget that the tartan does actually add a lot.Quite often though I find the kilt will ease a little after wearing it the first few times.I think the problem is likelt to be reduced when you work on a larger kilt, it's easier to check with more fabric!

[longhuntr74]

Your problem has been realized because your calculations didn't take into account the thickness of the fabric and then all the innards that DO IN FACT take up space inside the kilt. On a normal sized adult, this added thickness is virtually un-noticeable. However, when you try to use that same process on a hip cirumference that's maybe 1/2 to 1/3 of what a normal hip circumference would be, you have to take that into account and go larger on the outside to make your inside circumference what you're trying to achieve.

[The Wizard of BC]

I know it is pretty nit-picky but did you measure the child at the same place the waistband is going to ride on the body?

For Children I usually stick two fingers inside my tape measure as I take my measurements to allow for the thickness of the fabric.

Having a kid kilt too big is never a problem. Cinch it up at first 'cause in three or four minutes they will have grown right into it.

[xman]

I know it is pretty nit-picky but did you measure the child at the same place the waistband is going to ride on the body?

Yes, measured and remeasured and measured again and again.

*sigh* I just tore out all the stitches except the pleats and I'll tear out three of those tomorrow and separate the join to add more fabric. I figure another half yard of fabric will give me almost five inches of pleat reveal and allow me to replace the deep pleat and reverse pleat (if that's possible). Then it should work as I expect allowing me to alter and drop the hem as the next few years pass. If it's worth doing ...

When I move on to my next which are a pair of box pleats for my 7 1/2 and 10 year old nieces, should I make as much allowance for the fabric depth as I should have with this one? I know box pleats take less material, but none gets cut away either so I'm thinking it'll balance itself out. The girls are also about 50% larger than my boy is.

[Downix]

When I made my sons kilts, I too added two fingers, and also added two inches to the length, and hemmed it up later. (people may remember the unhemmed pictures a bit back, he's outgrown it since then, little 8 year old weed that he is)

[xman]

When I made my sons kilts, I too added two fingers, and also added two inches to the length, and hemmed it up later. (people may remember the unhemmed pictures a bit back, he's outgrown it since then, little 8 year old weed that he is)

Yeah, this is my thinking too. Why complete a kilt that is going to start looking too small right away?

I've separated the join now and as it stands now the centre stripes front and back won't match, but it's 'creatively' pleated anyhow.

[Barb T]

When you laid out the apron, did you add an extra inch to the fringe edge, and ditto for the underapron at the inverted pleat at the hips?

Is it the hips or the waist or both that are too small?

When you did the measurements, did you pull the tape measure tight, and did you measure over clothes or not?

If you lay the kilt out without stretching it, how close is the distance across the pleats at the waist and hips to the actual lengths you need?

[xman]

When you laid out the apron, did you add an extra inch to the fringe edge, and ditto for the underapron at the inverted pleat at the hips?

Yes and yes.

Is it the hips or the waist or both that are too small?

both

When you did the measurements, did you pull the tape measure tight, and did you measure over clothes or not?

Yes snugly. I did so because the PV kilts I have seem to be of these measurements. the heavier cloth is quite a difference.

If you lay the kilt out without stretching it, how close is the distance across the pleats at the waist and hips to the actual lengths you need?

Well now it's odd. I've taken new, looser measurements and STILL the difference is about an inch or so. That's an extra inch needed ABOVE the loose measurements to actually fit the boy.

[Barb T]

Yes snugly. I did so because the PV kilts I have seem to be of these measurements. the heavier cloth is quite a difference.

The hip measurement should be loose over pants, and the waist very lightly snug over a shirt, but the tape measure should not be pulled tight. You may have measured too tight on both to start with.

Well now it's odd. I've taken new, looser measurements and STILL the difference is about an inch or so. That's an extra inch needed ABOVE the loose measurements to actually fit the boy.

Not sure what you're saying. What are the measurements you used originally for the kilt, and what are the splits that you used between the apron and the pleats?

What measurements do you get now when you measure him loosely at the hips over pants and only lightly snug at the waist over a shirt, in inches?

If you lay the kilt out without stretching, what do the pleats measure at the hips and waist, in inches? How many inches is it across the apron at the hips? What about at the waist?