New to Kiltmaking in Toronto!

[Branwyn]

Greetings!

I recently became engaged to a guy with Scottish ancestry, and despite the fact that neither of us has ever worn, let alone owned, a kilt... we've decided that we'd like to be married in them. As someone who's been sewing most of their life, I (still perhaps overly-ambitiously!) decided I would make them myself. He also wishes to start competing in the nearby Fergus Highland Games... so hopefully that means they won't fall by the wayside as soon as the ceremony is over.

I bought a copy of TAoK (which is extraordinarily thorough and detailed - thanks Barb T!) and some cheap plaid flannel, and have started making a "practice" kilt for myself in advance of our wedding/competition kilts. It's been an adventure (the tartan is non-symmetric for starters, and I've been doing it mostly by machine to just get a feel for how a kilt goes together without putting too much effort into it) but it's coming along well. I know I'll have plenty of questions to post to the relevant areas of this forum when the time comes. ;)

I'm close enough to finishing the "practice" kilt that I'm starting to get excited about being able to wear it! Sure, the twill goes the wrong way because I've used the wrong side of the fabric (which at least isn't brushed and fuzzy like the right side is) and it's got more visible stitching than it should, but the flannel feels nice and the whole thing seems like it'll be super-comfortable to wear around the house, at least.

Anyway, I just thought I'd say hi and let you all know why I'm here, and I look forward to learning more about making and wearing kilts from this forum!

B.

[Father Bill]

Welcome to the "Great Rabble!"

[Tomak]

Hello and welcome from Southern California.

[cessna152towser]

from SCOTLAND

[Tarheel]

Well met B. It sounds like you and your "mate to be" are going for big ambitions. I wish the best for your endeavors. OH, good luck on the upcoming wedding also. Welcome and look forward to photos of the progresses you both make.

[plaid preacher]

Greetings Branwyn, from Southwestern Ontario; and welcome to the rabble.

Well, you have the first great thing required to make a kilt, Barb's book. If you have a background in sewing then most of the techniques will probably not be unfamiliar. I have no experience and am working on a kilt from kilt Kamp a couple of years ago. It should be done, but life got in the way. The one suggestion I would make would be to take a small piece of tartan and practice laying out the pleats and hand-stitching them. Once you have mastered 3 or 4, you will have the nack. Or you can just start sewing the kilt and face the fact that you will rip the first pleat or two out a time or two. I think we all do it. But have fun.

[ASinclair]

[EagleJCS]

Welcome to XMarks! Is that the Scott green I see in your avatar?

[Branwyn]

Welcome to XMarks! Is that the Scott green I see in your avatar?

It is in fact - I am marrying a Scott by name. I'm planning to make our kilts from Scott Green Ancient, hence the avatar!

B.

[crash]

Welcome Branwyn. Being in TO you might want to check out Tartan Tuesdays with Nathan and McMurdo.
You'll find posts in the pictures section and the events section.