How do I go about taking up a kilt ?

[StiffyByngsDogBartholomew]

I've got a nearly new kilt for Dd14 for the new school year however it's Far Too Long, You Cannot Be Serious Mother, I Am NOT Wearing THAT. I've got a sewing machine and today I've bought the right coloured thread but...

how the hell do I go about taking up this kilt a couple of inches and maintain the pleats ? It is extremely long but it's a good size around the waist once I've taken the buttons in a bit.

Ooh, that’s tricky. I’d be tempted to take the waistband off and take it up that way. Not sure how you’d maintain the pleats at the bottom. However, I found this YouTube video. I haven’t watched it but it seems relevant.

Thank goodness someone has answered, Thankyou ! I'll give it a watch

I too would take the waist band off and shorten from the top.

When I shortened my daughter's, I ironed out the creases from the very bottom, leaving most of the length of the pleat in place, hemmed to desired length, then re-ironed to match the existing pleats. Worked a treat.

If it's a 'proper' lambswool woven tartan it will fray like the frayiest thing known to man if you cut into it, I agree with other posters that you would be better to alter it from the waist rather than the bottom. (Or pray DD grows an inch or 2 overnight).

Is it an option to get it altered by a local dressmaker or dry cleaner/tailor?

Tell her to roll it up as far as she can, just like most girls have done since the beginning of time.
Except me, because I was just a square

This is what I have done on the few occasions I have needed a kilt taken up- most dry cleaners offer a sewing service.

It's far too long for that, she'd end up with a massive roll of fabric round her waist.

having a dressmaker take it up would cancel out any savings I made buying it second hand.

This is what I’ve done with my daughters. It worked fine. Does it have horizontal stripes, I just followed one along to make it level. Then steam ironed the shit out of it.

as @CaurnieBred & @Smartiepants79

https://offsquare.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/how-to-shorten-a-kilt/