My chosen fabric is an upholstery cloth with raised weft stripes and flower motif that I bought from a scrap store in the Scottish Borders about a year ago.
The book I’m working with to learn is ‘The Art of Kiltmaking’ by Barbara Tewksbury and Elise Struemeyer.
You can see other updates on my instagram page:
@megan_and_the_design_semantics
After studying the examples seen in the book*, I’ve done the piecing, measuring, chalking and calculations for both aprons and the pleats. All has been noted on my record sheet for my notes.
The next step is shaping and basting the apron edge.
This is the pleats of the kilt calculated, chalked and permanently stitched with thick quilting thread. (I’ve later found out that there is specific kilting thread but it’s not widely sold.) The pleats are sewn 1/4” from the top of the kilt to the bottom of the fell where they are left loose to flare out.
Now for basting the pleats down to each other to make the kilt more manageable for the rest of the project to be completed.
The pleating of a kilt must sit snugly to the small of the wearers back when buckled. To achieve this close fit, the bulk of the fabric is cut away from the top of the kilt to ~1” up from the fell. This reduces the amount of fabric and allows the kilt to better mold to the wearer.
The cutting of the excess fabric compromises the integrity of the fabric so, a stabilising ribbon is added along the pleated section to add back the lost structure will still allowing the flexibility that is needed.
Speaking of structure, a horsehair canvas interlining is basted to both aprons then the back of the kilt to help keep the kilts shape while not becoming too rigid.
With the bulk of the work done, its all just finishing touches and add ons left to do.
The fringe of the apron edge is stitched and trimmed down. I chose to triple fringe the edge, truly, because I felt like it. I’ve had it told to me that the most accepted fringe edge/the standard is for it to be doubled, so I’m not underdoing it, at least.
The kilt is then fully pressed, aprons and all, the basting of the pleats helping to keep them in place as the iron and pressing cloth is moved over the kilt.
Buckle chaps and sporran loops and created out of scraps and then stitched to their respective locations along side the kilt straps.
The fringe of the apron edge is stitched and trimmed down. I chose to triple fringe the edge, truly, because I felt like it. I’ve had it told to me that the most accepted fringe edge/the standard is for it to be doubled, so I’m not underdoing it, at least.
The kilt is then fully pressed, aprons and all, the basting of the pleats helping to keep them in place as the iron and pressing cloth is moved over the kilt.
Buckle chaps and sporran loops and created out of scraps and then stitched to their respective locations along side the kilt straps.
Adding the waistband is a task split in half. The ‘front facing’ half is stitched after the canvas interlayer is basted but before the chaps, straps and sporran loops are stitched. The ‘inside facing’ half is stitched after these are all added. The permanent stitches of the ‘inner facing’ half securely affixes the canvas interlayer to the kilt, eliminating the unnecessary task of having to permanently stitching both layers in separately.
For the visible lining of the kilt, I chose a lightweight polycotton cloth in a pale yellow that closely matches the flower motif featured heavily in the kilting fabric. It is measured roughly, cut and then darted in the appropriate places for it to curve properly around the top of the kilt. It is stitched in with a matching thread, its bottom edge hemmed but left loose, and is, usually, the final step before a final pressing of the pleats.
I’ve estimated that it took me around 2 weeks worth of reading, research, measurements, folding, basting, cutting and sewing to make this kilt in its entirety. I’ve enjoyed this project so much and I’ve learned beyond what I’d originally thought I would.
This comes at a perfect time as I’ve just been offered a place with Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy on their full time course starting in September!
This comes at a perfect time as I’ve just been offered a place with Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy on their full time course starting in September!
I got the horse-hair canvassing and lining materials from Minerva Fabrics online, the 1 1/4” Oxblood/gold kilt straps/buckles from Margaret Morrison ltd and the kilt fabric itself (upholstery fabric) from my personal stash which I picked up at the craft/scrap shop in Selkirk, Scottish Borders.
A personal shoutout to my Mum for hand-knitting me the pair of wonderful kilt socks I’m wearing in the photos.
Cheers to the start of new journeys and burgeoning careers xx
