How to Make an Egyptian Kilt
The kilt was the basic form of dress for ancient Egyptian men of all social classes for thousands of years. Linen was the most commonly used fabric in ancient Egypt; cotton was not introduced until much later. If you're making an Egyptian kilt costume, however, you can use cotton if linen is not available. Kilts were typically held closed by folding and tucking, by ties sewn to the kilt, or with straight pins made of bronze, bone, or other materials.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- 1 or more yards of linen, linen blend, or cotton in white or natural color--enough to wrap around your waist at least 1½ times
- ½ yard twill tape (optional)
- Safety pins (optional)
- Pencil
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine (optional) or needle and thread to match fabric
Instructions
-
-
1
Use the sewing machine or needle and thread to hem any loose edges of your length of fabric, which will keep it from unravelling.
-
2
Decide how long you want your kilt to be. Examine photographs and paintings of ancient Egyptian statues for ideas. Do you want the kilt to hit just above your knee or at mid-shin?
-
-
3
Fold the fabric lengthwise and hold it up to your waist until it is at the length you desire. Mark where the fold is using the pencil. The top edge of the fold is the waist of the kilt. The length hanging over is normal and can be worn to the inside or outside.
-
4
If you're using twill tape to make ties for the kilt, cut the tape into two pieces of equal length and sew them to the kilt on each end at the point where the fold was marked. If you are not using twill tape to make ties, you can skip this step and go on the Step 5.
-
5
Wrap the kilt around your waist. If you're using ties, tie it securely; if not, tuck and fold the top edges inward to secure the kilt.
-
6
Use safety pins to hold the kilt closed for added security. Place them where they won't be easily seen by others.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Wear light-colored underwear with the kilt. Darker colors are likely to show through.
You can use leftover linen or cotton fabric to make an apron-like addition to the kilt for added decoration and accuracy.
Belts were typically made of linen, animal pelts, or beads.
