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Materials
When making a modern kilt only the highest quality materials should be used. The kilt is an investment. The cost of the materials alone can run upwards of a couple hundred dollars. This is not the place to cut costs when chosing fabrics and thread.
How much fabric?
Rumor had it that a traditional great kilt used nine yards of fabric, I have yet to find definitive evidence of this. Most sources say to expect to use anywhere between 6 and 8 yards of fabric, most of which is folded into pleats. There are a lot of complexities in determining the amount of fabric used. Below are some general guideline:
- The number of pleats is determined by how much yardage you have and by the size of the tartan set.
- The depth of the pleats is determined by the tartan sett.
- The size of the pleat is determined by the size of the weirder and how much material you use.
| Hip Measurement | Kilt Size | Yards of Single Width Fabric | Yards of Double Width Fabric |
|---|---|---|---|
| less than 30″ | 5 yard | 5 yards | 2½ yards |
| 30-35″ | 6 yard | 6 yards | 3 yards |
| 35-40″ | 7 yard | 7 yards | 3½ yards |
| 40-44″ | 8 yard | 8 yards | 4 yards |
| more than 44″ | 9 yard | 9 yards | 4½ yards |
Heavy weight worsted (16 oz. per yard) wool makes an excellent kilt. If you are making a kilt for a dancer or a child, use light-medium weight worsted (11-12 oz. per yard) wool.
Other Materials
- ¾ yard to 1 yard of hair canvas
- 1 yard cotton lining material
- 1 spool 100% polyester white basting thread
- 1 spool high quality 100% polyester thread in colors matching the tartan
- 1 spool carpet (button/craft) thread
- 2 or 3 silver-colored buckles and black or brown leather straps
- quilters pins
- short,fine needles
- tailor's chalk
Tips
Use quilter's safety pins. They are bent so the fabric is not distorted when you push them through.
Use quilter's thread. It's a good, strong thread that is doesn't kink and tangle like regular thread.
Use anti-fraying liquid on raw edges such as the top edge of the kilt. Watch the weight of your tartan, wool or wool blend. Dancers kilts use 10 oz. Tartan wool. A man's kilt uses 13 oz, or, preferably, 16 oz. tartan, which doesn't crush and holds the pleats like iron.