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	No PATTERN is Required To Make A FAUX “GREAT KILT” !!!
	And FAUX GREAT KILTS are WAY Cheaper than “real” Kilts! (which usually START at $300, and BLOSSOM to over $1000 each!!!)

Plz know THIS!:
The directions I’m about to provide
are not terrifically “detailed!”

You’ll likely need to be fairly familiar with
SEWING in order to follow them. However!
It’s really hard to “mess up” this Kilt!

After all, a “GREAT KILT” is merely a
bunch o’ fabric wrapped in a distinctive manner.
A “Great Kilt” does NOT require
PERMANENT “creases,” or a “FITTED” finish!

So! Do NOT be “afraid”
of MAKING
FAUX GREAT KILTS!!!

FIRST: You’ll need the following measurements,
of each individual you are making a Faux Great Kilt for.

Waist-Width
Waist-to-Just-Below-the-Knee PLUS 2 1/2"

You’ll need to purchase:

STIFF, 2"-wide, WAISTBAND INTERFACING
(purchase Waist-Width plus 1/2 Waist-Width length of this)
KILT FABRIC
Small Plastic Rings (3/4" in diameter works well): 6 per Kilt
Some Strong, dark-colored, ribbon or cord
(get 2 yards! You’ll use it somewhere!)

Unless you want to fuss with cutting and pasting parts of fabric that is 60" wide
(thus requiring LESS fabric than I’m about to tell you to buy),
whether the fabric you select is 45" or 60" wide, simply buy
THIS length of fabric for each Kilt:
4 X the waist measurement, PLUS 1/2 the waist measurement
(if buying 45"-wide fabric, get a pinch MORE than that – just incase!)

For example: My nephew Erik’s waist measurement is 28"
4 X 28 = 112"
28 divided by 2 = 14" (1/2 his waist measurement)
112" plus 14" = 126"
126" divided by 12 (for “feet” of fabric) = 10.5 feet
10.5 feet divided by 3 (for “yards” of fabric) =
3.5, or 3 and 1/2 yards of 60" wide fabric
plus a “pinch more” if buying 45"-wide fabric =
3 and 3/4 yards of 45" wide fabric!

Purchase
DARK and/or
“MUTED”
PLAID FABRIC
for your Kilt.

Bright plaid fabrics are usually
only used for “DRESS” Kilts.
(The Kilts that have permanent
“creases,” and “fitted” finishes.)

The Great Kilt is a “HUNTING” Kilt.
So, use a “hunting” (muted) color of
plaid fabric for your Faux Great Kilt.

Both of the fabrics pictured above are those that I’ve made Faux Great Kilts from.

Now! MEASURE & CUT your Fabric!

USE THE “SELVEDGE EDGE” FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE KILT!
That way, you will NOT have to HEM the Kilt … and, it will “hang” better.

Hey! NONE of my DIAGRAMS are “TO SCALE”!!! (They’re just scetches!)

The solid lines
shown are the
“cutting” lines.

Measure
and create
your cutting lines
according to
this diagram.

[If you’re going to cut-and-paste from 60" wide fabric … or you need to correct your cut! … paste pieces into the KILT BODY LEFT END, rather than into the “Shoulder Throw” RIGHT end.]

SEWING DIRECTIONS

“FINISH” Unfinished (“raw”) Fabric Edges with a ZIG-ZAG stitch
This keeps the cut-edges of the Kilt fabric from unraveling
during sewing or when the Kilt is washed.
The “SELVEDGE EDGE” does NOT need to be “FINISHED.”

Here comes the most TEDIOUS part
o’ the WHOLE Kilt-making gig!:

MARK the Kilt Waist AND
the Waistband Interfacing:
Fold EACH in HALF, and mark the half-point.
Fold EACH HALF in half, and mark the 1/4 points.
Fold EACH 1/4 in half, and mark the 1/8 points.

Pin the WAISTBAND INTERFACING
to the KILT WAIST SECTION:
Lay the Waistband Interfacing on the WRONG side of the Kilt fabric; at the TOP of the Kilt Waist Section; with the Kilt Body Fabric extending about 1/4" BEYOND each END of the Waistband Interfacing … AND, so that at least 1/4" of the Kilt Body Fabric extends beyond the “TOP” of the Waistband Interfacing (which, actually, will end up being the BOTTOM of the Waistband Interfacing, after it’s turned over).

Using SMALL SAFETY PINS: MATCH-UP the
1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 points of the Kilt Waist Section
with the Waistband Interfacing, and SAFETY PIN them together.

“PLEAT” the Kilt fabric between each Safety Pin, so that the Kilt Waist Section lies FLAT along the Waistband Interfacing.

(Personally, I like to pin & then SEW
one 1/8 section at a time – otherwise,
you have to fuss with tons of PINS while sewing!)

SEW 1/4 to 1/2" from the edges, along the
TOP & BOTTOM of the WAISTBAND INTERFACING.

About The PLEATS:

The pleats do NOT have to be “uniform” in width. In fact, I think it’s better if they AREN’T “uniform.” Just fold them where they seem to FALL, so that they’re relatively “even.”
AN OPTION: I like to SEW down the OUTSIDE EDGE of each PLEAT,
on both the BACK and the FRONT of the Kilt,
to approximately 4 to 5 inches below the Waistband Interfacing edge.
(The “set” of the plaid generally determines precisely how far to sew.)
This makes the Kilt less “bulky” at the waist of
“Adult” (and/or “girth-challenged”) wearers.

TURN OVER the WAISTBAND INTERFACING
and attached fabric so that
RIGHT SIDEs of the Kilt fabric are TOGETHER

(The Waistband Interfacing is on “top” of the folded Kilt fabric.)

Sew each waist END together, from top to bottom, immediately BEYOND the EDGE
of the WAISTBAND INTERFACING (do NOT sew “through” the Interfacing ends).

Turn RIGHT-SIDE-OUT, so that the WAISTBAND INTERFACING
is now “INSIDE” the Kilt Fabric

Pin bottom part of Waistband, so that the “pleats” you created
lay relatively straight across the Waistband Interfacing.

SEW along the WAIST top, about 1 and 1/2"
from the top edge.

SEW along the WAIST top again, about 1/2" from the top edge.

Now, FINISH ALL OTHER Unfinished Edges:
Turn all other ZIG-ZAGGED edges back onto themselves
(wrong-sides of fabric together),
PIN where needed, and SEW along the INSIDE edge.
This creates a thin “hem” along the remaining top and sides of the Kilt and Shoulder Throw.

Remember, you do NOT need to turn and “hem” the SELVEDGE edge!

It’s a good idea to “reinforce” the corner where the shoulder throw leaves the Kilt Body
by sewing back-and-forth around that point.

It’s also a good idea to SEW AGAIN, just at the OUTSIDE edge.
This makes the Kilt fabric lay flatter.

CREATE WAIST CLOSURES

SEW THREE plastic RINGS onto the INSIDE of the WAISTBAND, at the SHOULDER THROW end. Attach each ring on ONE SIDE only, and so that the top of each ring is about 1/2" from the top of the Waist Band. Start about 1/2" IN from the Shoulder Throw End, and space each of them about 1" apart, in a row along the top of the Waistband.

NEXT: Measure from the MIDDLE RING, along the Waistband, to a distance equal to the WAIST LENGTH of the wearer. This is where you put the MIDDLE RING of the second set of THREE plastic RINGS. Attach as described above, with one ring on either side of this middle ring.

CUT CLOSURE TIES
Cut three 6-to-8" lengths of the STRONG dark ribbon or cord.
“Finish” the cut cord ends so they don’t unravel.
(I use black ELECTRICIAN’s TAPE to “finish” the ends of cord!)
Attach the CENTER of each to the first OR second set of plastic rings.

THIS METHOD allows for several different “SIZES” of waist closure –
So that the Kilt can be worn for more than one season by a “growing” person,
OR, so that more than ONE size of wearer can use the Kilt.

Use the LEFT-OVER KILT FABRIC (and cording), to make
POUCHES
for your “Kilt Dudes!”
(I like to use FAUX FUR for the Kilt Dudes’ “Pouch Flaps” –
That way, the pouches become “SPORRANs”!)

You can also use left over KILT FABRIC
to make coin pouches and/or wallets.

VAMBRACES
(the thingys that
go on the forearms!)
are cool to get,
or make.

I always make a
linen “hanky”
for each person, too.
Of course, the GUYZ
never use them!

LASTLY! When “completing” the Kilt Dude (“Braveheart”) costume, CONSIDER MAKEUP! Specifically: Consider doing a “WOAD” (blue) painted face design on your Kilt Dude(s), such as that used in the Movie, Braveheart! “Woad” is the blue, organic substance that ancient Celtic folk used to paint or tattoo themselves.

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c-d-miller@neb.rr.com