How To Sew A Kilt

Kilts Are Special Apparel

Sewing a kilt is fun and interesting. You may personally sew pants, shorts, trousers, and other bottom wears in your daily routine life. The process of sewing these bottom wears is the same because these are not special garments. Everyone can do it easily but the serious question asked about sewing kilts by many Scottish and non-Scottish persons. The kilt is made with special fabrics i.e, wool which is not commonly used for making other clothes. The other important fabrics in which Scottish kilts are being manufactured are cotton, leather, suiting cloth, velvet, camouflage, and denim. So, these Scottish kilts are special garments and the making of these kilts is different which requires skills.

Sewing A Kilt

As we discussed above the maximum fabrics in which Scottish kilts are made that is why for making these kilts, there is a special sewing machine required. Simple sewing machines are not durable to sew these kilts. If someone wants to know how to sew a kilt then he must have a high-quality and fully equipped sewing machine for sewing this apparel.

Our kilt company is specializing in making trading and modern Scottish kilts. We have individual sewing machines for a certain type of Scottish kilts. Let’s say, leather kilt, for making this kilt we have a special leather sewing machine who not only sewn the kilts but also leather jackets, leather coats, skirts, pants, and other leather products.

The thread for sewing the kilt is also a special one which is specially designed for sewing the Scottish attire. The kilt pattern is also different from pants and other bottom patterns. In this article, we are going to discuss the basic steps for making a Scottish kilt. After lots of practice, you will be able to make and sew every type of Scottish kilt. You must have a notebook and a pen to note down all the important points for making a perfect kilt.

How To Sew A Kilt In Efficient Manner

This is the easy sewing guide for making a simple tartan kilt. The making of the tartan kilt is easy than leather and other Scottish kilts that is why we start with the traditional tartan kilt. This guide is especially for the new persons who don’t have enough knowledge of Scottish attire. You must have the necessary tools for making the kilt which we discussed later in this article.

Fabric For A Kilt

The fabric is the main step for making a Scottish kilt. Without fabric, we cannot make or sew a traditional kilt. The tartan fabric does not have any boundaries. So far, more than 5,000 tartans are present today. The person should choose the specific tartan from 5000 tartans according to the clan or district. If he or she does not belong to the Royal Scottish family then he may choose the universal tartans. The universal tartans are the common tartans which mostly wearable by kilt lovers. The popular universal tartans are black watch tartan, Royal Stewart tartan, Ramsay blue tartan, and Gunn.

Measurement

The measurement is an important step after selecting the required tartan for a kilt. There are three basic measurements that are necessary for making and sewing the perfect Scottish kilt.

• Kilt Waist Measurement
• Kilt Length Measurement
• Hip Measurement

Kilt Waist Measurement

The kilt waist measurement is almost the same as the pant waist measurement but normally the kilt waist is 2 inches more than the pant waist. In order to accurate waist measurement for a kilt, you must stand erect and breathe easily. You should not hold your breathe. The measuring tape should be placed at the belly button or where you want to fasten the kilt and then move around the waist. This is your waist measurement.

Kilt Length Measurement

The kilt length measure is the total length of the kilt you want. You should place the measuring tape at the belly button and drop the tape at the above knee cap or where you want the length of the kilt.

Kilt Hip Measurement

It is necessary for those people who are fat and have wider hips. You should measure the widest part of the hip or seat in this measurement.

Calculate And Cut The Fabric

Now you have your waist and other measurements. You should use a good quality knife and cut the fabric according to the size. Remember, you need more fabric for pleats and waistbands. So, for pleat, the fabric should be used an extra 1 to 2 inches per pleat. The more pleats in the kilt, the more fabric is required at the backside. The waistband is also 1-2 inches wider than the front apron.

Heming The Fabric

For heming, you need the best quality sewing machine and a special sewing thread. That thread should match the kilt.  The upper and lower half of the tartan should be hemmed carefully.

Pleating Process

The pleating is easy and fun. You can use the needle and pins in order to do pleats more accurately. Use the thread for sewing the edges of the pleats. After that, you should use the Iron for Ironing the pleats.

Sewing WaistBand

First of all, you must cut the wider part of the waistband. If your waist is 32 inches then you should cut 1 inch extra for a waistband. The waistband is also sewn at the edges with the fully equipped sewing machines.

Remember, the thread for sewing the parts of the kilt should be the same. You should not change the thread for a specific kilt area.

Straps And Buckles

Good quality straps and buckles should also be added with the tartan kilt.  This stuff is also sewn with that sewing machine. Double-stitched is necessary for straps because it is made with leather fabric and double stitching also increases durability.

Summary

By reading and understanding the above steps, you can now able to know How To Sew A Kilt? If you want a tartan kilt in a utility-style then you should also cut the pocket size from the fabric and hem with the sewing machine.