[USMA:10605] the whole eight metres

[Gregory Peterson]

My wife heard a comment on the origin of the saying "the whole nine yards."

Apparently it is the amount of fabric needed to make a complete formal Scottish kilt, 
sporran, and plaid and not a reference to American/Canadian football as I had always 
suspected.

Thus the "proper" SI translation would be "the whole eight metres".

Can anyone back up the origin of this saying?

greg