Do kilts have a "break-in" period?

**The Wizard of BC** · 20th December 11, 06:38 PM

My goal with this project is not to make a new kilt or alter this kilt in any way to turn it into a Freedom Kilt. My only job was to evaluate if anything was wrong with it and if so correct it if I could.

I would like this kilt to look exactly as it did from the outside as when it was bought.

But there is one thing that I am going to have to change.

In this photo you can see the outer apron straps. They are machine sewn to the apron edge. But they were not sewn to the interfacing.

If I were to remove these and sew them back onto the kilt it would significantly weaken the straps themselves. You can only put so many holes in something without weakening it.

I have decided to replace the straps.

In this photo you can see the new straps sewn on. Note that they are sewn through the interfacing and the fold back of the apron but not all the way through to the outside.

I also aligned the straps to go straight across the apron and not with the tapered apron edge.

Our other kiltmakers will also notice that I did not tuck the interfacing under the folded back facing of the apron. This was done to better show you that straps must be sewn to the interfacing and not the apron itself. This was the cause of the distorted fabric we saw during the evaluation of this kilt.

**The Wizard of BC** · 22nd December 11, 07:13 PM

This afternoon I had some time to work on this kilt again. The interfacing is now fully installed and the buckles are sewn back on.

here is a detail shot showing how the buckles are sewn to the kilt completely through the stabilizer and interfacing.

And here is the back of the kilt with the buckles in place.
As this kilt was originally machine sewn I did not feel it would be out of place to machine sew the buckles back on.

To finish this kilt up all I need to do now is put the waistband back on and sew the lining on to cover all this work.

**The Wizard of BC** · 12th January 12, 07:46 PM

Tobus has been very patient though this entire re-build process. He only bugged me 83 times about his kilt.

So I thought that as the kilt has been finished for a while now I should finish this thread.

I can then get in in a box and get his kilt back to him.

One of the final steps is putting the Lining back in the kilt.

Then there were a few small things that needed to finish up this project.
I did a good re-enforcing job on the strap hole.

And then a quick press touch up.

Here is the kilt just before it went into the shipping box.

All in all, this project took 18 man-hours not including the time for photos and posting.

This time also included the removal of two pleats which I did not include in the photos as it was something based on the measurement Tobus sent me but was not part of the rebuild job.

Tobus, I'm sorry, you still don't have a full hand-sewn tank. But the fabric is first rate and this kilt should now fit the way you expect and last you a good long time. I hope you like it.

**CMcG** · 12th January 12, 08:58 PM

Nice bit of wizardry there. Wear it in good health, Tobus.

**mookien** · 12th January 12, 09:50 PM

Steve: What an absolutely splendid example of illustrated, forensic deconstruction/reconstruction!

Thank you for sharing it with us in such a dramatic and easy-to-understand fashion. You obviously spent a lot of time, and went to a lot of trouble to produce it. I appreciate it, and know many other folks do, too.

This is the most interesting, informative, and "fun" thread I have yet to read on XMTS. Very well done!

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Tobus: You now own what I think will become a piece of American, kilt-making lore. I know you will treasure it. Your kilt may have been an heirloom before, but now I think it is not an exaggeration to say that it will become a legend - the kilt that Steve Ashton brought back to life in plain view.

John

**Tobus** · 13th January 12, 07:37 AM

Outstanding, Steve! I look forward to getting it back and seeing how differently it feels without all the stretch factor.

If I may ask, what led to the removal of two pleats? It was originally built as a size 34, and that measurement didn't change in the rebuild. Was the fabric just stretched out a lot more from its original size, or was it just a matter of it having more pleats than necessary crowding under the apron?

Also, how do pleats get removed? Does this result in removal of material and alteration of the aprons? I'm a complete dunce on kilt construction (in case you haven't noticed

), so I'm just curious.

At any rate, it looks like a wonderful job, and I feel better knowing that it now has the structural components it needs to last a long time, even if it's not a hand-sewn tank. I'll have a hand-sewn tank in the near future, though...

**Piipriker** · 13th January 12, 09:16 AM

this was really interesting. Thank you for enlightening us.

diagnosis, surgery, healing.

Better than ER

**piperdown** · 13th January 12, 11:35 AM

I've heard the terminology and thought I knew what was being described until now.

Thanks Steve for the most informative and detailed deconstruction and reconstruction of a kilt I have seen without actually making it.

Great thread....