How do I Repair a Kilt?
Considering what is or isn't worn underneath a traditional Scottish kilt, it is strongly advisable to repair kilt rips or other damage as quickly as possible. Even an inexperienced seamstress can make most kilt repairs with a needle, thread and matching piece of tartan. While there are many different repairs you may need to make to a kilt at one time or another, their commonality is that they are all basic alterations, which you can then apply to other garments. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Scissors
- Thread
- Needle
- Thimble
- Matching tartan fabric
- Leather kilt strap and buckle
- Leather hole punch
- Seam ripper
Instructions
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Repair rips in the kilt by sewing them shut. Trim excess strings and ripped fabric away from the rip with scissors. Look at the tartan pattern to determine if you can simply sew up the hole and have the tartan plaid match. If so, turn the garment inside out and sew the rip on the inside of the kilt using matching thread and a whip stitch.
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Patch a hole by first sewing a tight whip stitch around the edges of the rip with matching thread to bind off the frayed edges. Next, find a scrap piece of tartan that matches the pattern in the location of the rip. Flip the kilt inside out and carefully use a running stitch to sew the patch over the hole so that the tartan lines up with the rip.
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3
Repair the leather buckles. Kilts are held together by leather strap and buckles. If one breaks, it's bad news. Thankfully, fixing a broken strap or buckle is fairly simple. Use a seam ripper on the inside of the kilt to remove the broken piece. Next, sew a new strap and buckle onto the same place using thread, needle and a thimble, which will be useful to push the needle through the leather. Use the leather hole punch to create new notches for the buckle, and you're ready to go.
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Fix the dropped hem of the kilt. Simply flip the kilt inside out, and reattach the hem using a basic whip stitch where it has come loose by following the original hem lines.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit kilt image by lino beltrame from Fotolia.com
