Stillwater Kilts

**keepoffgrass** · 27th September 06, 10:52 AM

I like the Stillwater kilts, the prices are great, they seem to be popular in here and get good reviews. They even have wool kilts! But I have one problem with them. The standard in 24" drop. Thats a couple inches to long for me

So my question is this. Can they be hemmed up fairly easily? I know I dont have the skills, I dont know how to sew. But if I were to take it to a seamstress over here would it be a job that she could do with no experience in kilts? not a lot of kilts in hawaii so i doubt they have ever worked on one. Thanks guys!

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 27th September 06, 11:04 AM

Bill, it should be fairly easy for a competent semastress to hem it up for you. Not sure of the cost. And while kilts may not be prevalent, ladies have pleated skirts, which would take the same skills to hem as a kilt.

**SingleBarrelBourbon** · 27th September 06, 02:06 PM

I have a SWK Nightstalker that was too long. My lovely wife who is an accomplished seamstress, she specializes in bridals and such as that, hemmed it for me. Because of the pleats and not wanting the stitching to show, she hemmed it by hand. The only way I know it was hemmed is that it is almost two inches shorter now.

When you take it to someone, make sure they understand what you want. If it is machine hemmed, the stitching may be too tight and pucker the edges of the pleats. It may cost a little more to have the hemming done by hand, but it is worth it. Any seamstress with even a little pride in her work would not want to let something out of the door that reflects badly upon her skill.

**Heath** · 27th September 06, 02:08 PM

i had one of my el-cheapo kilts shortened by a friends mother. she is not a professional seamstress, but most like could be if she wanted to. she did a killer job, and used the serger (surger?) instead of making a hem at the bottom. it keeps the bottom of the kilt from looking too fat and also helps keep the pleats flatter since there isn't another thickness of material folded up and sewed.

**Mike S** · 27th September 06, 02:44 PM

The proper way to do this is not to take it up from the bottom hem line, but to remove the top binding, remove the excess material from the top of the kilt, and resew the top binding back on.
Any competent seamstress/tailor should be able to do this if explained in this manner.

**switchblade5984** · 27th September 06, 03:32 PM

you could always wear it higher!

**Livingston** · 27th September 06, 07:11 PM

I know squat about sewing and I hand sewed my Stillwater. No one knew that saw it at the Estes Parks games earlier this month. Just take your time and be sure to read the thread about hemming a kilt. You can do it. It only took a week, a little bit every evening

**turpin** · 27th September 06, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mike S

The proper way to do this is not to take it up from the bottom hem line, but to remove the top binding, remove the excess material from the top of the kilt, and resew the top binding back on.
Any competent seamstress/tailor should be able to do this if explained in this manner.

Don't you then have to sew the pleats down further as well, to get the correct fell length?

**JackK** · 28th September 06, 04:22 AM

Many of the purists here will probably cringe and try to shoot me, but I had my sister shorten mine using her serger. My Stillwaters, for has good as they are and as much as I like them are not 'dress' kilts. No one outside of going to highland games or a kilt maker are going to notice or even care about the serged bottom edge.

Jack

**Heath** · 28th September 06, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by JackK

Many of the purists here will probably cringe and try to shoot me, but I had my sister shorten mine using her serger. My Stillwaters, for has good as they are and as much as I like them are not 'dress' kilts. No one outside of going to highland games or a kilt maker are going to notice or even care about the serged bottom edge.

Jack

which is why mine was done that way....