A Kilt is an knee-length but not-bifurcated skirt-like garment that has pleats in the back, which originated in the traditional attire of males and boys from the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century.

From the late 19th century onwards, it’s been associated with the overall society of Scotland generally as well as associated with Celtic (and in particular Gaelic) traditions even more widely. It is typically comprised of woolen fabric in the tartan pattern.

While it is true that the kilt is typically worn for formal occasions as well as during Highland games and sporting events, However, it has been made into an item of casual male attire in recent times, reverting to its original purpose as a normal clothing item.

In particular, in North America kilts are now designed for casual wear and are made of various fabrics. Alternative fasteners are available and pockets can be inserted to reduce the requirement for the use of a sporran.

History

The kilt first came to prominence as the great kilt or the breacan (also known as belted plaid) during the 16th century which is Gaelic in its origin. The filleadh or great kilt was an all-length piece of clothing that could be used as a cloak that was worn over the shoulder or hung above the head. A variant of the filleadh (philibeg) or small kilt (also called the walking kilt) identical to the contemporary kilt was created in the hands of one of the English Quakers of Lancashire known as Thomas Rawlinson some time in the 1720s.

He believed that the plaid he belted appeared “cumbrous and unwieldy”, and so he decided to cut off the skirt, and transform it into a separate garment that had pleats already sewn which he started wearing. His friend, Iain MacDonnell, chief of the clan of MacDonnells of Inverness was also wearing it. When the clansmen, who were employed in the fields of logging, charcoal production and iron smelting were able to see their chief in the new outfit and sported the new attire, they quickly followed. The use of the philibeg was spread “in the shortest space” between the Highlanders and even certain Northern Lowlanders. It is believed that there is evidence to suggest that the philibeg, with pleats that were not sewn, was worn in the 1690s.

Variants

The term “kilt” is applied to various types of clothing:

• The traditional dress whether in its original version, or the modern-day version now popular in Scotland (see the history of the kilt), generally in tartan.
• The kilts are worn in Irish pipes are modelled off the traditional Scottish dress, but are now available in one (solid) color.
• Different versions of the Scottish Kilt are also used by other Celtic nations, like the Welsh cilt as well as the Cornish Cilt

Based on the Oxford English Dictionary, the noun comes from the verb to kilt which initially is a reference to “to gird up; to tuck up (the skirts) around the body”, which is thought to be of Scandinavian origin.

Design and construction

The Scottish kilt has a unique style, design, and style that distinguish it from other clothes that fit with the standard description. The kilt is an elegant piece that is wrapped around the body of the wearer around the body’s natural waist (between the lower rib and hip) beginning from an end (usually the left side of the wearer) in the front, then across the back and front, and then back across the front and then to the other side. The fastenings comprise buckles and straps on both ends, with the strap on the inside typically passing through a cut in the waistband, allowing it to buckle to the outside. Alternatively, it could be kept within the waistband and fastened inside.

A kilt is a garment that covers the body from the waist all the way to the center in the knees. The layers that overlap on the front are referred to as “aprons” and are flat and the one layer that runs around the back and sides is pleated. A kilt pin is attached to the apron in front on the free side (but it is not placed through the layer beneath since its primary function is to provide weight). The underwear may or might wear, based on what the wearer’s preference, however custom dictates that the “true Scotsman” should wear only a kilt and a t-shirt. According to the Scottish Tartans Authority, however, warns that in certain instances, wearing underwear may cause “childish and unhygienic” and infringing “in the face of decency”

Fabrics

The typical kilt it is seen at contemporary Highland games is made of twill weaved worsted wool. The weave used in Kilts is a “2-2 type”, meaning that each weft thread goes between and through two threads of warp at the same time. This creates a distinct diagonal weave pattern on the fabric that is known as”twill. This type of twill when it is woven in accordance with the sett or color patterns (see further below) is known as tartan. The kilts are worn on Irish pipers are constructed from solid-colored cloth with green or saffron being the most popular colors.

Kilting fabric’s weights are measured by ounces/yard. They range from heavy, regimental worsted which is about 18-22 ounces (510-620 grams), and down to lighter worsted which weighs around 10-11 ounces (280-310 grams). The most popular weights used for kilts are 13 ounces (370 grams) as well as 16 ounces (450 grams). These heavier weights would be suitable for cooler temperatures as opposed to lighter weights that are more apt to be used for warmer climates or more vigorous activities, like Highland dancing. Certain designs are available only in the smallest of weights.

How to Make a Kilt?

So let’s get started. I’ll be giving some fundamental tips and tactics for constructing a kilt here, so let’s get started.
How can you make a fantastic kilt or a classic tartan kilt?
Making a nice kilt or traditional tartan kilt is similar in that there isn’t much to do in terms of stitching. Although making a nice kilt or a traditional tartan kilt demands a lot of care and skill.

Step 1 ⁚ You must first obtain the measurements!

This is the first and most important stage in manufacturing a kilt, and it applies to both conventional and non-traditional kilts.

For the most part, you’ll need three measurements to make a basic kilt, which is as follows:

Waist\ Hips\ Length

To properly measure your model, please see our Kilt measurement guide here.

Step 2 ⁚ Get the Kilt Material Ready — Tartan in this case!

The authentic tartan fabric has a completed selvage edge that will be utilised as the kilt’s bottom (hem). If the material does not have a finished edge, begin hemming it at the top and bottom edge, making sure that the hem on both the top and bottom hedge matches the design when stitching. The cloth should then be cut into two strips that are wide enough to measure from the waist to the bottom of the hem. It will leave a lengthy central strip that will be used for the waistband in part. Then sew the two broad hemmed sections together

The top edge of the material should then be finished by serging, running a zigzag stitch, or using an anti-fraying spray.

Step 3 ⁚ Create an Apron

An apron is the front of the kilt that will be cinched up depending on the size. However, you must ensure that the tartan is properly centered. You should fold under at least 6 inches before beginning, and then construct a deep, double-width pleat on the left.
Then continue pleating with a single-width pleat until the safety pin at the hip is reached. Then, at the opposite end of the pleating, pin in a wide double sett width box pleat. The inside apron must now be measured to match the outer apron, and the end must be pinned back.

Step 4 ⁚ Making Pleats in the Kilt!

This is one of the most important aspects of producing a tartan kilt. As a result, you must do it correctly!
Each pleated part of the material should be 8 inches long (strictly), and the exposed part should be 5/8 to 1 inch long. To be precise, mark the one set on a piece of cardboard. The pattern of setts must then be divided into equal pieces.
A piece of two large colour strips with a narrow stripe in the middle looks best broken into three sections, with the strips centered in the middle area. A sett of 8 inches can also be divided into 8 or more portions. You can use the cardboard as a measurement instrument.

To repeat the process, place the pleat over the matching design in the next sett.

Step 5 ⁚ Waist to Hip Adjustment

You must keep the first and last pleats straight, which can be done using a dart. With the use of pins, it will adjust the apron for one-half of the waist/hip difference, and the other half should distribute evenly between the pleats.
You can also use a temporary marker to define the angles of the pleat modification to ensure straight stitching.

Step 6 ⁚ Pleat Basting

Basting should be done in two rows, 14 and 12 inches up from the bottom edge of the fabric. A running stitch can be used to capture the edge of a pleat because it compacts the cloth and makes it easier to deal with while sewing. It also makes steam pressing much easier.

Step 7 ⁚ Sewing the Pleats

Begin with a blind stitch at the bottom of the pleat and work your way up. Then, fasten the thread 12 inches from the reverse side of the pleat; start two stitches to fix the bottom, and then pass the needle under three threads of the bottom material before straightening up to the top of the pleat’s substance After that, run the needle down approximately 3 threads from the top material to the bottom. It creates around 10 stitches per inch.

Step 8 ⁚ Trimming the Pleats at the Back

Trim the excess fabric off the top of each pleat, from the waist to 1 inch above the hip line. This strip would be 1 12 to 2 inches deep, taking the majority of the material from within.

Step 9 ⁚ Add Fringes

The wide piece of material must be cut from the length of the kilt. Then fold this strip in half so that the fringes have double the thickness. It had to be sewed into a double edge folded in the right side of the apron now.

Step 10 ⁚ Putting on the Waistband

Now you must cut the 5-inch stripe for the waistband. You need to make sure that the pattern for the apron and the beginning of the waistband should match. Turn the bottom edge of the waistband stripe under 12 inch and use blind stitching to sew 1 to 12 inch from the top edge of the kilt apron. After that, fold the remaining width over the top of the kilt. This side will be hidden by the lining, so no finishing is required.

Step 11 ⁚ Inserting lining

Now, stitch in the lining of duck material at the top of the inner waistband by doing apron an overlap stitching along the top and inside the apron by bringing the bottom edge of the centre part to the rear of the pleats. You must ensure that the pleat’s depth is sewed down pleat. Another thing to remember is to leave the bottom of the apron lining loose by hemming turned under edge of the lining to itself.

Step 12 ⁚ Attach Buckles and Leather Straps

A few holes must be punched at the square end of the leather straps. After that, sew the straps to the inside of the garment, close to the fringe Following that, sew the straps to the inside of the next to the fringe, positioning the top straps just below the waistline and the other just above the bottom of the sewn down pleat. After that, tack the lining over the sewn-in straps. Now stitch the buckles on the pleated section, which is 2 inches to the right of the fringed size of the apron.

Step 13 ⁚ Inserting Velcro Into the Waistband

Instead of adding a third strap, utilise Velcro within the waistline to assist you keep the kilt in place with or without a belt.

Step 14 ⁚ Completion

You should take a moist cloth and push the pleats with it. To steam in pleats, hold the iron on each pleat and move to each pleat one at a time. Make careful to place a heavy object on each ironed pleat to help it settle.