Xkilt without sewing machine?

[SpartanD63]

I hope this is allowed, because I don't have anything to show (yet.) I was wanting to make an xkilt, once I have more disposable income and have lost a bit of weight. But, by the point either of those happen, I'll be away from home for schooling, with virtually no access to a sewing machine. So, has anyone sewn an xkilt by hand before? If so, how difficult was it? Are there any special considerations to keep in mind when doing so?

[ratspike]

I can't imagine anything I'd rather do less, unless I'd already done a lot of hand sewing and really enjoyed it. It's quite a bit different than sewing a wool kilt, and IMO there are some things with the design you'd want to think about in order to have it turn out well. Since you mention that there's some time yet before you'd be tackling this, I'd really advise an inexpensive mechanical sewing machine. You can score one for not a lot of cash and they're easy to store in small living spaces.

[SpartanD63]

Yeah, I figured it'd be pretty tedious, but I didn't realise how cheaply sewing machines could be had used. I might have to look into that.

[ratspike]

If sewing is new to you then trying to do it by hand is, IMO, adding an unnecessary level of difficulty to a project that's already at least a little challenging. Check around and see if you have any sewing shops or repair places local to you. Many times these shops will have used machines for sale. Craigslist can turn up great deals too, as can ebay if you're patient and careful. I always steer people towards older, all metal sewing machines from the 60s-early 80s because they're generally bomb proof, easy to maintain, and can be a joy to sew with. A bit of time reading sewing blogs and forum posts should give you enough information to make a smart purchase.

[ratspike]

A quickie google search turned up Sewing Center of Cheyenne, which looks like a great place to start. I'd be shocked if there isn't something in their rebuilt inventory that's reasonably priced. Shops like this can be a great resource, even if you're just gathering intel and not quite ready to pull the trigger.

[The Wizard of BC]

As a full time kilt make who does both hand sewn and machine sewn kilts perhaps I can share some experiences.

The X-Kilt was designed to be a down and dirty project that can be machine sewn in a single weekend.

A hand sewn kilt is usually thought of as a project that can lead to a heirloom quality kilt.

If you do not have a sewing machine or you do not have experience with one perhaps an X Kilt may not be the best project to take on.

On the other hand a hand sewn kilt can be made anywhere, anytime. You need very little space. I know of at least one kiltmaker who takes her current kilt everywhere and pulls it out at every opportunity. In the airport waiting for a plane - On a ferry ride - While camping around the evening fire - And even in the park on a nice day.
A hand sewn kilt requires a very small tool kilt. Mine consists of a small plastic box I bought in the fishing tackle department. No larger than a 5X8 card. I only need space for needles, my ring thimbles, a hunk of beeswax, straight and safety pins, some tailors chalk, small scissors and seam rippers made from scalpel blades, tweezers and of course a small spool or two of 100% polyester thread in colors matching the Tartan I am working with.

If you truly want a kilt, and would like to make it yourself, but you don't or can't lug a sewing machine around with you, may I suggest you contact Barb Tewksbury and get a copy of "The Art of Kiltmaking". Her ad is in the right hand advertisers banner. Your small sewing kit, some fabric of your choice and The Book are all you need to make a very presentable kilt. For your first, expect to take between a week and a month to finish. As you become proficient you could hand stitch a full traditional 8 yard, 16 oz kilt in about 4 or 5 days.

I'm not trying to talk you out of making an X Kilt if that style is what you really want. They are great. But they are what they are. A project to sew up quick with a sewing machine. Some of the parts of the X Kilt would be more difficult hand stitched than with a machine.

There are advantages to machine stitching for some projects and for some applications. Machine stitches are stronger than hand stitches. The tension is always even and equal with machine stitches. And of course machine stitching can be faster. But you always have visible lines of machine stitching.

Many people think of the utility style of kilt or solid colored fabrics when they think of machine sewn kilts.
They also associate Tartan fabrics and traditional styling with hand stitching.
This is not always so.

What actually constitutes the difference is how the two garments are constructed.
Utility style kilts are what we refer to as "Jeans-made" construction. The garment gets its strength from the strong machine stitching and the fabric itself. Like blue jeans.
Traditional style and contemporary style kilts are referred to as "Kilt-made" construction. This means that the strength of the garment comes from the interfacings and stabilizers that are hidden behind the interior lining. Think of a custom made suit coat.

Hand stitching is not usually strong enough, by itself, to to take up all the stress of wearing the kilt like machine stitches. So hand stitching a "Jeans-made" garment is actually defeating the whole reason blue jeans are sewn with very strong machine seams. Ask yourself if you have ever seen a pair of jeans fail at the seams. The fabric will usually wear through before those seams fail.

So, in closing, to answer your question - Could you hand stitch an X Kilt? Well, yes you could. But why?

[SpartanD63]

I can't say I had thought about it like that, Wizard. I guess what drew me to the xkilt was not the style per se, it was the cost and relative ease (I have used a sewing machine to make clothing before.) But thinking about it, one could make a "traditional" kilt, hand stitched, with any sort of fabric (even cheap stuff) couldn't they?

[The Wizard of BC]

Let me answer you this way -

When you are all done with this project, what would you prefer to have to show for all your work?

See, this is what I find strange. Over and over folks come to X Marks with the same questions and ideas.

Can I save some money by buying the cheap stuff from my local fabric store?
Can I save some money by sewing it myself?

The first question is about the fabric you are going to use. Sure you can find some really inexpensive fabrics at your local fabric store. But are you really saving anything?
Without relying on sales or discounts you can find 10oz fabrics in you LFS for around $12.00 to $15.00 per yard.
Good quality kilt wool bought from a kilt maker will be about $53.00 per yard even giving your source a handling fee.

4 X $12.00 = $48.00
&
4 X 53.00 = $212.00

The difference is $164.00. I would bet that you were getting ready to spend more than that on a used sewing machine.

The second question is about the cost of labor. Again I see the same unbelievable logic. We forget, ignore or discount the value of labor all the time.
Ask your self - What are you currently earning an hour at your job? Would you not pay yourself the same if you do work in your home, for yourself?

And then in the end when you are done - -

If you start with good quality materials and spend some time learning how to make a kilt with the help of The Book you may actually end up with a kilt you can be proud to wear. Something you can say "I made this". How cool is that? How much is that truly worth to you?

[SpartanD63]

The price breakdown is a good point. Especially labor, it's easy to forget that. But part of my desire for something inexpensive was so that I wouldn't be out too much if I mess up. I love making my own stuff, and ending up with a good result, but occasionally, I do mess up royally. In the end, I would love to get to the point of making my own kilt with my family's tartan, but I've only seen it at $85/m. That's a bit past where I'd be comfortable spending for a first try.

[The Wizard of BC]

One of the truly great things about making a traditional style kilt with really good quality fabric, is that until you take a pair of scissors and cut away the pleats behind the Fell, you can take all the stitching back out, steam it flat, and return it to one long piece of fabric. Then start all over again.

With good quality fabrics you can do this over and over. I have personally restitched some pleats three and four times with no ill effect. Heck, I have even taken apart a finished kilt with the cut-outs and remade it from scratch. You can't usually do that with inexpensive fabrics.

I've been doing this for quite a few years now and I can tell you that even today I am still practicing. I am still trying to make my stitching just a little bit better than on my last kilt.

You really are money ahead getting the best materials you can afford. This whole concept of a practice kilt or getting a finished kilt that looks good and last more than a few wearings by using inexpensive fabrics is not actually true.

And let's say you do finish the kilt. Which would you prefer to wear and own? One that looks like a practice kilt made with practice fabric or one that looks and feels like a million bucks?