How to Make a Great Kilt
A kilt is basically a skirt that is pleated in the back and overlapped in the front. The kilt is made of the traditional plaid fabric of Scotland called the tartan. Many of these tartans are associated with families and clans, but they do not have exclusive rights to wear them. The kilt is the traditional dress of Scottish men. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 6 to 8 yards of tartan fabric
- Tape measure
- Safety pins
- Strong thread
- Iron
- Damp pressing cloth
- Buckles and straps
Instructions
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Making a Great Kilt
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1
Measure the waist and hips of the wearer of the kilt. Measure also from the waist to the top of the kneecap. Use the hip measurement as the amount of fabric needed for the aprons on either side of the pleated part: half on the left and half on the right. Measure the sett, or repeat, of the tartan. This will probably be 5 to 8 inches. Multiply half of the hip measurement by the sett measurement. Add this to the hip measurement we are using for the left and right aprons, and then add twenty percent of this measurement for additional pleating and centering and matching the tartan. Divide by 72, to find out how many yards of fabric to buy. The fabric will be wide enough for two kilt widths.
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2
Make pleats by folding the fabric at a certain part of the sett and matching the fold to the corresponding place on the next sett. Safety pin this pleat in place. Follow along the back of the kilt so that the pleats run from one side seam to the other. Sew the pleats down at the fold with a blindstitch from the top edge to the point of the hip. Baste the pleats at one-quarter and one-half of the width of the kilt starting from the bottom. Leave the basting stitches in while working on the kilt, and remove when finished.
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3
Cut a 3-inch strip of fabric for optional fringe. Fold the strip in half lengthwise and sew to the right side of the apron. When it is securely sewn in with raw edges out, remove the vertical threads to create fringe.
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4
Cut a 5-inch strip for the waistband. Sew to pleated kilt matching the sett with right sides and raw edges together. Turn under 1/2 inch on remaining long edge and slipstitch over waist seam. Turn in raw edges at sides and stitch.
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5
Add buckles and straps to the inside of the kilt on either side to hold the overlap in place.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Military pleating is a variation of pleat where a certain color of the tartan is hidden in the folds of the pleat and shows only when the wearer is walking or dancing.
Use quilters' safety pins because they are curved and easier to put through the thick layers of fabric.
Make a cardboard pattern of the pleat to make this measuring go faster.
