Is 8oz. a good choice for a Southern Scot DIY kilt?

[Kevlar70]

Contemplating the start of a DIY kilt project. I live in Southeast (Coastal) Georgia and thought that 8oz. 'spring weight' tartan fabric would be both inexpensive for a first timer and appropriate for normal wear in my climate. Am I thinking correctly or are there other characteristics of 8oz. fabric that would make it inappropriate for kiltmaking?

[auld argonian]

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind....

You might find it a tad on the light side. Maintaining modesty may become an issue.

Check out some of the threads on "kilted hiking" and you'll get some of the other members' experiences.

Best

AA

[Barb T]

Mmmmm, I would stay away from spring weight fabric. It's actually harder for a beginner to make a kilt out of lightweight tartan than heavier weight tartan. You'll also find that the pleats don't hold a crease well and that the tartan wrinkles really easily. And it flaps around and doesn't look "kilt-like". Not much swing, either. And 8 oz fabric doesn't have a kilting selvedge, so you'll be obligated to have a hem.

Lots of the guys who live down south are happy with their heavier kilts and don't find them hotter. I have to agree - my band kilt is 16 oz, and we march in parades and compete all summer, and it's the kilt socks that are the real killer. The only hot part of the kilt is right underneath the belt, but that would be true if the kilt were lightweight as well. Air circulates nicely under a kilt to keep you cool.

And truly, if you're talking about buying tartan, spring weight tartan isn't _that_ much less expensive than kilt weight (13 or 16 oz) tartan. If you want to save a little money, buy heavier tartan, but get 7 yards (3.5 yards double width), and have fewer slightly larger pleats. You'll be happier!

[Kevlar70]

Barb,

I must say your advice carries a ton (metric) of weight with me. Having purchased The Art of Kiltmaking as my inspiration, it would appear I will save for an extra month or two and buy a heavier fabric.

Many thanks to what you have done and continue to do for the D.I.Y. crowd

Kevin
Brunswick GA

[Tartan Hiker]

And consider box-pleating instead of knife-pleating. You'll have fewer layers of fabric, and I think that air circulates better in the under-belt area. 2 yards of 16-oz. fabric will make a dandy box-pleat.

[MacWage]

I live the the lower part of Upstate South Carolina and have been in the coastal areas MANY times kilted, as well as in VERY humid 95-105 (F) ACTUAL temp.
My favorite kilts are 16 oz worsted box pleats.
My Caledonia and X Marks are F&K 13 oz merino worsted (feels lighter than 13).
With the breezes, I wouldn't go lower than a 13. 11 is POSSIBLE, but I prefer heavier than 13.
I WEAR my 16s most of the summer and switch to 13 based on tartan/colors NOT on heat.

This past summer, I was on I-85 in downtown Atlanta (actually I-75/85) coming home from the main office (which is in downtown). I left around 2/2:30. The air was made hotter by the fact I was near the wall of a busy 6 lanes per side interstate (engine heat and asphalt radiant heat amplifying the "normal" air temp). My guesstimate was that the air around me (in a convertible) was 120-130 (F). At 5:30 in South Carolina the temp was still 105. (This is as I recall, I think I told the story here before-> THAT version is fact on the 5:30 temp.)
I was in my 16 oz wool Wallace kilt and fairly comfortable.

Worsted wool breaths amazingly well, as long as there aren't too many layers. The "actual temp difference" between a 13-16 isn't that much (on a box pleat), while the 16 hangs better and stays down better in a breeze.

8 oz is just WAY too light. It will blow up easy and won't hold a pleat all that well.
I'd say an 11 AT MINIMAL and recommend a 13 oz (if you can find a good deal).
If you use an 11, overlap the back/insides of the box pleats (takes more material, but adds depth and weight to the boxes) or make a 5-6 yard knife pleat.

For a first attempt kilt, I would look for a decently heavy material and make one. The main thing is that it be decently heavy (to hold itself down in a breeze) and be a twill weave (for strength-> affects holding shape and keeping everything "right" and down). My PERSONAL preference is 100% wools, though blends work OK, as do cotton/poly, acrylic, P/V, and various blends. For the first, I'd not worry about a worsted wool or an expensive fabric. Many decent ones can be had for $10-15/yard (or in that ballpark).
If you like it, the next will be significantly better as your skills improve. The first couple will gradually become "beater" kilts. My first 2 are not worn much outside the house, while the third is part of my "normal wear" and my fourth is one of my absolute favorites and get worn a BUNCH.

[JimB]

For my 2 cents, I say get thee down to JoAnns or some other fabric shop and find some material that you like and make your first kilt with that. Trust me, a year from now you'll look at it and probably won't want to wear it all that much. Make your mistakes on this one and you'll be a lot happier a year from now.
You can also look online for "wool plaid" and usually come up with something at a good price that will work. There are lots of materials out there that are close to Black Watch that are inexpensive and will give you experience working with setts and stripes.
A year from now you can use it as a "beater" kilt to mow the yard in.

Then....when you are fairly competent, buy the good stuff.

[JimB]

This might make a good fabric choice to build your skills with.

http://www.trimfabric.com/wl-183.html

[Tahshar]

Is it me? Or does that look like a close match to Ancient Wallace Muted? If it is or is close, I will be snapping up a bit of yardage. Even if it isnt its pretty.

[MacWage]

Is it me? Or does that look like a close match to Ancient Wallace Muted? If it is or is close, I will be snapping up a bit of yardage. Even if it isnt its pretty.

Wallace has no green (except for Wallace Hunting).
Nice pattern, though.