Xkilt Fabric Questions

**federkeil** · 23rd May 12, 09:52 PM

First, I've been looking but can't seem to find any info or online stores. Where can I find Heavyweight Poly/Cotton fabric?

Second, does anyone know how well Ripstop Nylon would work for a kilt?

**brewerpaul** · 24th May 12, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by federkeil

First, I've been looking but can't seem to find any info or online stores. Where can I find Heavyweight Poly/Cotton fabric?

Second, does anyone know how well Ripstop Nylon would work for a kilt?

I cant speak for ripstop but I have recently made a kilt from lightweight breathable nylon for running. Here is the thread on it.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ng-kilt-74086/

With any nylon fabric you have to consider weight as your main factor. Ripstop wont have any stretch to speak of but it will be lighter weight than many PV or wool fabrics. This creates a couple issues, skirting of the kilt and pleats. When I say skirting I mean that the pleats will poof up or skirt up due to the fact they dont have the weight of 13-16zo fabric. This can be overcome somewhat, as I did, by sewing the pleats to the hips. I dont know how Xkilts are pleated but I did my kilt in a lightweight fabric using standard kilt making style. The other issue is pleats actually staying pressed. Nylon doesnt press out like other fabrics so I top stitched the pleat in to keep it pleated and crisp. The pleats lay down nicely and have a good swish even for a very light material.

I think ripstop could be use you just have to look at your application and what you want from it. Hope this helps a bit, there are kilt makers here much more experienced than me. Im just giving you an idea of the issues I had making my running kilt. Best of luck.....

**sydnie7** · 24th May 12, 07:37 AM

JoAnn has a line called Target (huh?) that is marginally acceptable in terms of weight. It's currently on sale, here, for $3.99/yard which makes it an even better bet for your first attempt!

**federkeil** · 24th May 12, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by brewerpaul

I cant speak for ripstop but I have recently made a kilt from lightweight breathable nylon for running. Here is the thread on it.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ng-kilt-74086/

With any nylon fabric you have to consider weight as your main factor. Ripstop wont have any stretch to speak of but it will be lighter weight than many PV or wool fabrics. This creates a couple issues, skirting of the kilt and pleats. When I say skirting I mean that the pleats will poof up or skirt up due to the fact they dont have the weight of 13-16zo fabric. This can be overcome somewhat, as I did, by sewing the pleats to the hips. I dont know how Xkilts are pleated but I did my kilt in a lightweight fabric using standard kilt making style. The other issue is pleats actually staying pressed. Nylon doesnt press out like other fabrics so I top stitched the pleat in to keep it pleated and crisp. The pleats lay down nicely and have a good swish even for a very light material.

I think ripstop could be use you just have to look at your application and what you want from it. Hope this helps a bit, there are kilt makers here much more experienced than me. Im just giving you an idea of the issues I had making my running kilt. Best of luck.....

The original Xkilt tutorial is a box pleat but members have adapted it to knife and kingussie pleats. They have sewn down pleats so I'm not worried about the fabric holding a crease any longer than it takes to sew it. For use I was thinking along the lines of warm/hot weather hiking, a fabric that wouldn't get weighed down in water and dry quickly.

Originally Posted by sydnie7

JoAnn has a line called Target (huh?) that is marginally acceptable in terms of weight. It's currently on sale, here, for $3.99/yard which makes it an even better bet for your first attempt!

This would be for my second Xkilt, the first one I used what poly/cotton I could get locally which is light weight. I don't know the actual weight but it's a lighter fabric than an Original Utilikilt, which is 8.5oz poly/cotton.

**janderson** · 24th May 12, 02:10 PM

I just ordered a camo twill from JoAnn to use for my first attempt at an xkilt. Figure that the sale price right now makes it bearable for a learners attempt.

**brewerpaul** · 24th May 12, 04:06 PM

Here is a link to fabric.com, they have alot of ripstop nylon colours. This is where I got my nylon for my kilt. They have good prices and right now alot of fabrics, like the ripstop, are on sale.

http://www.fabric.com/SearchResults2...3-26a376046a5e

I think a light ripstop would be great for a hiking kilt, that is why I made my running kilt. My Elkommando kilts are nice but I wanted lighter and also more "kilt" styled.

**jhockin** · 26th May 12, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by federkeil

First, I've been looking but can't seem to find any info or online stores. Where can I find Heavyweight Poly/Cotton fabric?

if there is a "Fabricland' nearby, they sometimes carry heavy weights , or could order.

Second, does anyone know how well Ripstop Nylon would work for a kilt?

I'd think it would be very sweaty

, inside ( yuck!) - watch out for rashes!

**Dajo95** · 27th May 12, 12:06 AM

Got my 65/35 poly/cotton fabric at Joann's as well. Made mine to run in. Sewed the pleats. I have put over 200 miles on the kilt and have to say its as light as any shorts I would have normally worn. Great material.

**federkeil** · 27th May 12, 10:15 PM

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

My Fabricland(s) don't carry a heavy twill just the light/medium one I've already used on my first Xkilt. It's great for around the house but any decent breeze will whip it around.

Originally Posted by jhockin

I'd think it would be very sweaty

, inside ( yuck!) - watch out for rashes!

I'm not sure why you would think this way, it would be drier than a pair of ripstop pants. The fabric actually breathes pretty good, it's light and dries quick.

**Alan H** · 6th June 12, 10:31 AM

If a breeze upends your cotton/poly X-Kilt, think of what it will do to a ripstop nylon one.

You could consider making an X-Kilt out of bull denim, which is essentially a polyester denim, in various colors. However, that stuff is pretty beefy and you will have to be careful sewing through multiple layers in places like the waistband.

Again the ABSOLUTE coolest, most wonderful contemporary kilt fabric I've ever used is the Hemp and recycled polyester blend that I've posted about several times. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. It's not $4 a yard, that's for sure, but when you're done, you have a kilt that is washable and has a swing comparable to a wool kilt.