Kilt question to the rabble

[IsaacW]

I recently purchased a kilt on EvilBay. It was a very good deal, but then not so good of a deal. It is a nice fabric albeit light and it was definitely not so well made and machine stitched. It is about 4 yards of a medium weight wool with knife pleats. I saw a label in the images on Ebay but the label that I assumed was to the kilt (making me think it was quality/professionally made) was actually to the glengarry cap that came with the bid.

Anyway, I have three thoughts for this kilt...

1.) Sell it off and hope to regain my "losses."
2.) Tear out the stitching, press the pleats out, and re-make it into a old-fashioned box-pleated kilt of 4yds.
3.) Tear out the stitching and repurpose the fine fabric into something else (If the tartan was a match of something I currently have, it would make a smashing waistcoat).

Thoughts from the rabble?? I am currently leaning toward option #2, although I worry about how well I will be able to smooth out the current pleats.

Isaac

[IsaacW]

I should add that although I was disappointed with the kilt, I am not overly disappointed with the purchase. I ended up with 4 yds of wool tartan, buckles etc. and a nice vintage glengarry for less than $100.

[The Wizard of BC]

A lot will depend on what the fabric is and how the kilt was made.

Are there any labels in the kilt? Can you post a photo of them?

Then, can you tell if the pleats are cut-away in the back? If so then the chances of re-making the kilt into a box pleat go down a couple of percentage points. You may luck out and you may not.

If the fabric is good kilt wool you should be able to steam the heck out of it and the creases should come out. That is one of the nice things about working with wool.

Post some pics if you can.

[IsaacW]

I will take some photos tonight. There are no labels on the kilt. It seems to be 100% wool (as was it claimed to be on Ebay, however I have not done a burn test). Pleats are not cut but simply made and stitched in place with machine. To me, this seems as though someone purchased fabric and used it to make a "traditional" old philabeg (like you properly would with box-pleats and about 4 yds) but did it quickly with knife pleats (very shallow ones) and machine stitched it. Again, I will try take images tonight. I will do the same with the glengarry as I am curious about its age.

[Nathan]

There are some odd used kilts around that were made by props departments for theatrical productions rather than by kiltmakers. I've only seen one or two of these and they were machine made and didn't have the proper innards. Photos would be most helpful.

[MacLowlife]

If it is wool, you should be able to flatten it entirely. Does it have a selvage /selvedge hem? Can we assume you have already checked to see if it is actually a lady's kilted skirt? Does the condition of the straps provide any clues- age, quality, wear? Can you tell about the thread used to stitch it? What about the age/ quality of any other fabric, such as a lining in the waistband?

[California Highlander]

Why not just wear it as a "weekend" or "pub" kilt?

[Nathan]

How does it look on? I don't mind the "Sutherland 42nd" tartan. Looks like your centre pleat was pressed askew by a drycleaner.

[figheadair]

Yes, commercial cloth, probably woven on a Rapier loom hence the lack of selvedge. If intended for kilting then this type of cloth is finished with a tucked (glued) edge - it's not a selvedge. It looks like a homemade kilt from a length of remnant material.

The sett is the simplified Gov't tartan which is generally sold as Black Watch of Sutherland but Pendleton Woolen Mills sold this as Wartley but it is not known why.

[OC Richard]

For purposes of clarity, or accuracy, I should point out that the "Sutherland" tartan worn by The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders has the exact alternating double-track feature that appears in the tartan of The Black Watch; here's a photo of an A&SH kilt that shows it clearly