skirtcafe.org

Bought some fabric online for another purpose but when it arrived I found it so nice and soft that I had to make it into a kilt. There was only just enough length that I had to use it sideways (cutting the selvage at the sides) and didn't have enough for under-apron pleating.

I'm experimenting with different closures so this kilt is closed using skirt/pants hook-and-bar. Leather/PU straps are nice but they cannot stand the hot wash and dryer.
Had to use AI to remove the background and adjust the lighting. I chose the pleating to create a horizontal contrast with the vertical front.

Looks alright to me in a kilt sort of way.

What was your length of material to start with? I understand that a proper tartan kilt usually takes 5 or 8 yards of fabric, depending on the quality and cost of the kilt. I would imagine that some kilts get by with a lot less fabric.

Mouse wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 8:11 am What was your length of material to start with? I understand that a proper tartan kilt usually takes 5 or 8 yards of fabric, depending on the quality and cost of the kilt. I would imagine that some kilts get by with a lot less fabric.

I bought a 1m (40") length of fabric, at the usual 1.5m (60") height, but was given 44". So I laid it on its side and cut out a 4" waistband from the center and attached the two 60 x 20" to make a 120" long fabric. I had to lose some length cos I had to align the pattern.

So you could say it's made from just over a yard of fabric.

In the end the waistband was just an inch too short, so I just folded the under apron back and hemmed it. The over apron's end is the natural selvage.

From the pictures I think you did well with minimum fabric. Well done.

looks good

Excellent

Well done you, I don't think i'd have the patience to sew in all of those pleats.

Kay wrote: ↑Mon Dec 29, 2025 5:43 am I'm experimenting with different closures so this kilt is closed using skirt/pants hook-and-bar. Leather/PU straps are nice but they cannot stand the hot wash and dryer.

I had a chat via a messaging app, earlier in the week, with Stevej180 who makes his own wrap skirts/kilts.
He has had success with adding a fabric strap to the edge of the wrap then passing the strap through two D-rings sewn into a loop of material on the other side of the wrap.
Like the strap on a motorcycle crash helmet.
The strap goes through both D-rings first then is doubled back between the two rings.
Here's a link to a short video of a motorcycle crash helmet strap showing how the strap threads through.
You wouldn't need the popper as you aren't travelling at 70mph!
The quick release tab attached to one of the D-rings probably isn't needed either.
Metal or plastic D-rings should be on sale in dressmaking/fabric shops.
I do not make my own skirts. I'm not that great with a needle and thread.

shadowfax wrote: ↑Thu Jan 01, 2026 6:05 pm He has had success with adding a fabric strap to the edge of the wrap then passing the strap through two D-rings sewn into a loop of material on the other side of the wrap.
Like the strap on a motorcycle crash helmet.
The strap goes through both D-rings first then is doubled back between the two rings.
Here's a link to a short video of a motorcycle crash helmet strap showing how the strap threads through.
You wouldn't need the popper as you aren't travelling at 70mph!
The quick release tab attached to one of the D-rings probably isn't needed either.
Metal or plastic D-rings should be on sale in dressmaking/fabric shops.
I do not make my own skirts. I'm not that great with a needle and thread.

Thanks. I have considered D rings and ladder locks, but I don't like having the straps double back towards the front.

I have found plastic locking belts and have ordered those for my 3rd kilt, which has just hit a roadblock so it will be delayed.

yardstick wrote: ↑Thu Jan 01, 2026 2:05 pm Well done you, I don't think i'd have the patience to sew in all of those pleats.

It gets easier with practice.

I now understand why kilts are a men thing. All the pleated skirts tutorials I watch online simply fold over the fabric and just wing the pleat and taper. Some even do it on the sewing machine.

But fabric being fabric doesn't always fold in a perfectly straight line. For a ladies skirt that doesn't matter, even when using plaids they don't really care about the alignment. But a kilt requires each pleat to be precisely folded to maintain the pattern.

Kay wrote: ↑Fri Jan 02, 2026 6:17 am Thanks. I have considered D rings and ladder locks, but I don't like having the straps double back towards the front.

My apologies. I may not have described what I meant very well in my earlier post?

The two D-rings are attached to the end of the front flap of the wrap skirt/kilt.
A strap made out of a folded piece of the wrap skirt/kilt fabric is attached to the other side of the wrap.
The strap points forward before it is passed through the D-rings then between them to end up pointing backwards.

Stevej180 who gave me this information also added a 'belt' loop to ensure that the loose end of the strap stays flat.

As the others said, I think it turned out good, especially for using only 1.5m of fabric! Well done!

The material length for Kilts is because of the length of the hidden part of the pleat. The pleat may only show as an inch but the under side can be as much as 4 or 5 inches. So if the under side is the same length as the showing pleat you don't need a lot of fabric length to make a kilt type garment.