Hello from the Mountains of Central Pennsylvania!

[TheGratefulNed]

Hello from Central Pennsylvania, X Marks! Glad to become a part of this community. My (known) family ancestry is Irish and German (most lines go back a few hundred years in the USA/colonies, so I don't have many Old World details about where my family lines comes from), but I've always had a fondness and respect for my Kilted Celtic Cousins!

The first time I wore a kilt I was in high school (20+ years ago) and we were at a Renaissance Faire. Several other friends were renting garb for the day and I found a kilt with matching fly plaid and hat and a Jacobite-like shirt that all fit me, so I went kilted the rest of that day and absolutely loved it! About 6-7 years later I found myself recently graduated from college and in the SCA with some new friends. I made a lighter-weight (couldn't afford good wool and it was a sweltering summer, so it was a mid-weight cotton or cotton blend) 8-9 yard great kilt that I wore to a couple events. The few times I wore it, I hand-pleated each time as I didn't have easy access to a sewing machine then and never remembered to re-pleat/pin/tape it after laundering. (As I'm typing this, I find myself wondering whatever happened to that material...) Fast forward a few more years to 2006 when I got married; all of my groomsmen and I were kilted, but they were unfortunately rentals (hires). The first pre-made kilt I bought was a black UT Kilts utility kilt about 2 years ago which has now been through a couple St. Paddy's Day bar crawls and a Flogging Molly/Dropkick Murphys concert, amongst a few other outings. I'm now looking for an actual kilt and jacket as I have a few buddies in the local Masonic Shrine's pipe band (one's been playing bagpipes for several years and the other is carrying a flag/banner while learning to play the pipes) and they convinced me and my wife to go to the Burns Night Supper in January and I want to be kilted for it.

Researching jacket alterations/conversions is how I found X Marks the Scot. I've noticed that a lot of the older DIY alteration/conversion threads have dead links or photos hosted elsewhere that no longer exist/display and some of the apparently-once-prolific members are now showing as inactive, so I'm really hoping that there are still some dedicated DIYers here to discuss ideas and processes.

Looking forward to conversing with and getting to know you folks.

Sláinte!

[Taskr]

Welcome,

A lot of the photos you mention became prey to hosting changes on photo website(s).
A post in the Tutorials & How To thread will probably coax a few DIYers out into the open. I have also done a conversion as a trial. It turned out not too badly but would not pass muster to any decent event. The key is to find a well-filling jacket that can withstand the cut away. Placement of buttons and type of pocket matter in that regard.

[Tarheel]

Well met and welcome. I too looked to the conversion tutorials when I started with this group. Many of the photos are gone but I grabbed a few screens that I will be willing to share. Thanks to those (Issac being one, McMurdo another) giving good info to those of use that want to learn and try to create our own clothes. Glad to have you with us.

I hope these photos help.

[Father Bill]

Welcome to the "Great Rabble"!

[KiltedDixon]

Welcome from sunny North Texas.

[ThistleDown]

Welcome, from Inverness-shire and British Columbia.

[Tomak]

Hello and welcome from Southern California.

[Kiltedjohn]

Welcome from a Scotsman living in the English midlands.

[TheGratefulNed]

Thank you all for the warm welcome and an extra thanks to Tarheel for the photo uploads! That tweed conversion looks nice.

I think I will take Taskr's advice and post over in the Tutorials and How-To board just to bounce around a couple of thoughts I've been mulling over and see if it sparks any discussion.

[Woodsman]

Welcome Ned of Central PA!
Formerly from Northeastern PA myself and a Penn Stater.
Welcome to the rabble.

Marty