Traditional Handsewn Kilts

Ladies' Kilted Skirts/Sgiorta Fèilidhean nam Ban

Photobucket LL MY KILTED SKIRTS ARE MADE FROM 100% worsted wool in either tartan or solid colour. (Some tartans are available in Polyester-Viscose.) Solid coloured kilts are traditionally favoured by the Irish and the Irish Diaspora. To read more about Irish kilts click here.

These are unlike typical kilted or pleated skirts one usually finds in a Highland shop. As you will see, they are hand-stitched and pleated accurately to the tartan sett. To achieve this (whether pleating to the stripe or to the sett), my kilted skirts have a smaller number (12-16) of wide-faced pleats. In essence, they most resemble my Knife-Pleated Standard Kilt in construction.

As mentioned my kilted skirts are both hand-pleated and hand-sewn. This method renders the stitching almost invisible and is an integral part of traditional kilt making. No machine stitching is done on any portion. Each skirt will feature the following:

Made-to-measure The skirt is made to your measurements: length, waist, and hips.
Pleated to the sett or to the stripe To the sett duplicates the tartan sett in the pleats. To the stripe (also called regimental) selects one stripe and centres it on each pleat.
Two 19 mm (3/4") cast metal buckles with leather straps A third (hip) strap is available, but I recommend against it. It serves no purpose and can damage the kilted skirt when buckled too tightly. (Something which happens frequently.)
Choice of apron fringe: double offset, triple offset, no fringe. Double offset is most popular, while no fringe is more historic.
True selvedge bottom (Polyester-viscose and some worsted wool tartan kilted skirts must be hemmed) Most woollen tartan has a finished edge which needs no hem.
Full cloth lining in black or off-white I use a breathable cotton blend which protects you from the canvas underneath. Off-white is most commonly used on kilted skirts.
Stabilizer and hair canvas reinforcement The stabilizer is a cloth strip which prevents the waist of the skirt from stretching when tightening the straps. The hair canvas helps the pleats maintain their shape and relieves the stress placed on pleat stitching.
Two loop hangers These are loops sewn into the waistband. They are useful for temporarily hanging your kilted skirt from a peg. When the skirt is folded (with pleats outward), these loops will overlap.

Prices are in Canadian funds and vary to reflect fabric prices from different mills. Canadians must pay GST (5%). Ontario residents must also pay PST (8%).

If you are a lady who performs in a pipe band or would simply prefer a man's kilt, please order from the Kilts page.

Short

These stylish short kilted skirts vary in length (10-18 inches) and are usually worn at the mid-thigh or higher. These skirts go particularly well with a contemporary styled outfit.

Clicking on each link below will take you to an individual order form and tartan viewer.

Standard

These kilted skirts are a bit more traditional in length (18-27 inches) and are usually worn at the knee or mid-calf. (Please specify when ordering.) They may be worn with a wide variety of accessories, be they traditional or contemporary.

Clicking on each link below will take you to an individual order form and tartan viewer.

and Accessories

Ladies' Kilted Skirts/Sgiorta Fèilidhean nam Ban

Short

Standard