Entered a Kilt at our local agricultural fair

[Lorna]

Our local fair is held annually in September and every few years I take the notion to enter some baked goods and maybe some sewing. There aren't too many categories for sewing and they are usually pretty specific and more often fall under a theme (Christmas, Autumn etc.) This year there was a category entitled "My Most Creative Achievement". "Hmm", I thought, "Maybe I should enter a kilt." And so I did. The following is the brief story they required to accompany the entry.


My Most Creative Achievement

I have, from a very young age, been fascinated with tartans and kilts. One of my first favourite garments as a child was a tartan skirt that had suspenders that crossed in the back and a kilt pin to keep the aprons closed. As time went on I learned to sew on my mother's sewing machine but it is my latest sewing project that didn't require a sewing machine of which I am proudest.

A few years ago (after paying $800 for a highland dancer's kilt for my daughter) I stumbled across a book called "The Art of Kiltmaking", Step-by-Step Instructions for Making a Traditional Scottish Kilt, by Barbara Tewksbury and Elsie Stuehmeyer. The book has 141 pages of history, explanations, instructions and illustrations. My excitement and enthusiasm could not be contained. I sat down to study the book from cover to cover until on page 46, to my horror, the authors declare that the method described in the book was for right-handed people only. The authors give this advice: "We don't have very satisfactory advice for lefties. All we can say is that, if you are left handed and bound and determined to make a kilt, you will have to work out a strategy for stitching the pleats that results in a job that is acceptable to you. Many of the other instructions in this book are "directional", and a left-handed person will need to be creative to modify them as well." Being left landed, it was then that I decided to learn to hand sew right-handed.

To make a long story short, after hours of practice and preparation, then of hand-sewing pleats and often ripping them out again, I succeeded in finishing the kilt to my satisfaction. It takes an experienced kiltmaker 20 hours from start to finish. The learning process took me 40 hours during a week of my summer vacation. The journey was certainly creative, at times frustrating and yet in the end very rewarding.I made this kilt for my 21 year old son from 16 oz. Locharron of Scotland "Strome" Campbell tartan in Ancient Old colours. It is pleated to the "stripe" per his request. He wears it proudly and when asked he says, "My Mom made it".


I was pleasantly surprised with a second place and $7 in prize money. I know, I know, it's not much but I like to support the agricultural society and it's fun to submit a few things to see the results. As an aside, I am also pleased to announce that I am still, as my husband puts it, "the Tea Biscuit Queen" of the Renfrew Fair. lol

[swagmore]

Well done and congratulations! I too just got the same book so following in your footsteps I am now also on a path to my own hand-sewn kilt. However, to my relief I am right handed. Who'da thunk it would mater. Having recently completed a utility kilt I am now eager to try the more challenging and fulfilling traditional kilt but with a digital camo fabric to practice on before I acquire a tartan. I may be eventually going with Black Watch or Aisle of Skye unless something else really catches my eye. Extra kudos to you for taking on the additional challenge of learning to sew right handed and not backing down or giving up when you read that part in the book. Take a moment a post some pictures of it. I would love to see it.

Steve

[Lorna]

Thanks Steve, it was entirely worth the effort. Best of luck on your project! My only advice is not to rush the process. Take all the time you need to get it just right. Here is a photo of the completed kilt. It was taken at the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, Ontario.

kilt.jpg

[plaid preacher]

Thanks for the post, Lorna. The kilt looks great! But more importantly from one leftie to another... what tricks have you developed? I stumbled on that same page in Barb's TAofK; but I am determined to overcome. For me I also have the added challenge of wanting to kilt an assymetrical tartan (maple leaf).

[Hawk]

Our local fair is held annually in September and every few years I take the notion to enter some baked goods and maybe some sewing. There aren't too many categories for sewing and they are usually pretty specific and more often fall under a theme (Christmas, Autumn etc.) This year there was a category entitled "My Most Creative Achievement". "Hmm", I thought, "Maybe I should enter a kilt." And so I did. The following is the brief story they required to accompany the entry.


My Most Creative Achievement

I have, from a very young age, been fascinated with tartans and kilts. One of my first favourite garments as a child was a tartan skirt that had suspenders that crossed in the back and a kilt pin to keep the aprons closed. As time went on I learned to sew on my mother's sewing machine but it is my latest sewing project that didn't require a sewing machine of which I am proudest.

A few years ago (after paying $800 for a highland dancer's kilt for my daughter) I stumbled across a book called "The Art of Kiltmaking", Step-by-Step Instructions for Making a Traditional Scottish Kilt, by Barbara Tewksbury and Elsie Stuehmeyer. The book has 141 pages of history, explanations, instructions and illustrations. My excitement and enthusiasm could not be contained. I sat down to study the book from cover to cover until on page 46, to my horror, the authors declare that the method described in the book was for right-handed people only. The authors give this advice: "We don't have very satisfactory advice for lefties. All we can say is that, if you are left handed and bound and determined to make a kilt, you will have to work out a strategy for stitching the pleats that results in a job that is acceptable to you. Many of the other instructions in this book are "directional", and a left-handed person will need to be creative to modify them as well." Being left landed, it was then that I decided to learn to hand sew right-handed.

To make a long story short, after hours of practice and preparation, then of hand-sewing pleats and often ripping them out again, I succeeded in finishing the kilt to my satisfaction. It takes an experienced kiltmaker 20 hours from start to finish. The learning process took me 40 hours during a week of my summer vacation. The journey was certainly creative, at times frustrating and yet in the end very rewarding.I made this kilt for my 21 year old son from 16 oz. Locharron of Scotland "Strome" Campbell tartan in Ancient Old colours. It is pleated to the "stripe" per his request. He wears it proudly and when asked he says, "My Mom made it".


I was pleasantly surprised with a second place and $7 in prize money. I know, I know, it's not much but I like to support the agricultural society and it's fun to submit a few things to see the results. As an aside, I am also pleased to announce that I am still, as my husband puts it, "the Tea Biscuit Queen" of the Renfrew Fair. lol

Well done Lorna......a very proud accomplishment.......

Hawk

[Grizzled Ian]

Hi Lorna and plaid preacher,

I'm not a lefty, but my son is, and I sympathise. When they get to p 46 of Barb and Elsie's book, I wonder if any left-handlers have considered this strategy. The traditional knife-pleated kilt made conventionally has the pleats at the left hip pointing backwards, then across the rump, they point towards the wearer's right side, and at the right hip, they point forward.

What about starting the sewing of pleats from the other end, ie, the under-apron, so the pleats would end up pointing in the opposite direction, and the left-handed could sew with their dominant hand as comes naturally to them, and, for example, secure the material under their left leg. I know, the first one will (probably) look quite unusual, but doubtless the first reverse Kingussie did too.

And can a box-pleated kilt be sewn from the other end?

Anyway, congratulations on the satisfaction of completing a well-made kilt in the manner you did, Lorna. Oh, and well-done on the prize too.

Note of humour: when I first read the title of this thread, I hoped nobody else was wearing it at the time.

[Truitt]

Lorna,

Congratulations on the prize! I also have Barb's book and have made one kilt so far. It is, indeed, a lot of work. Your prize was well deserved.

[Liam]

Well done!!!!

[kiltedrennie]

Great job! I've been way too busy with work and family to start on my kilt project. Barb's book has been gathering dust.

[ASinclair]

Quite an achievement, Lorna. Congratulations!