New Cargo Kilt From Freedom Kilts

[Mike in Dayton]

I received my new kilt from Freedom Kilts the other day. This one is the Cargo model. Steve and his staff does a very good job on constructing these kilts. This particular kilt is made with 6.2 yards of 14oz Duck Cotton, Sand Gray color, so it is a heavier weight material and stiff as you would expect this material to be. There are other fabric options as well as models as specified on his web site. The closure system uses buttons. Steve offers different options for those buttons and also a selection of pocket types. This one has internal side pockets like p@nt$ as well as two rear internal pockets. The rear pockets have flaps which you can see in the picture of the back of the kilt below. I also ordered the pocket under the front apron. Pockets are an option and others are available that are not on this kilt.

Steve uses a different measurement method than other manufactures. He has a video on how to do it on his site. Kilts that ride at a lower waist than traditional high rise kilts will take on a sloping waist line when viewed from the side just like p@nt$. This can cause the hem to be at an angle also. I like the bottom of my kilt to be parallel to the ground. Steve compensates for this slope. The compensation is figured out by the measurement process. As you can see by the side picture with the two yellow lines I have a straight hem. I like the bottom of my kilts to be at the top of the knee so that is why I specified the length to be what it is. For some reason I never liked the hem of my kilts to hit my knee or be below it.

The only question I have about the construction is on the first pleats to each side of the apron. When I first put o the kilt I noticed the corners of the first pleat left and right hung out below the hem. Looking at those pleats I noticed the edge of the pleat was sewn down as you have to do on cotton material. But on these two pleats the stitching stopped about an inch from the bottom. I suspected the corners of these two pleats were to be turned up so they did not stick out the bottom. I folded the corners up and pressed them down with my pressure steamer. As you can see in the pictures the corners no longer stick out the bottom. Steve, should the corners of those two pleats been turned up?

I like this kilt and will be getting others. I will go after the casual model the next time. Then I will have one of each.

Mike

You will have to put up with my shamelessly posed pictures in this post.






I can now put my hands in my pockets. Mother would not be impressed. "Get your hands out of your pockets" she would say.









Here you can see the slope compensation and I have a straight hem

[ccga3359]

On my FK casual those areas you are concerned with are turned up and sewn. However it apears that the excess material was cut away on mine and then the whole hem was sewn continuously. It may sound that they missed that step folding up and cutting before hemming.

[The Wizard of BC]

Mike,

From your description I think you are referring to what we call "apron tips". This is the hem in the deep and reverse pleat that would hang down below the lower edge of the aprons if not turned up and sewn.

Here are some photos of this turn up of the apron tips.
if you look at the aprons on both the deep pleat, or right side, or the reverse pleat, or left side, the hem of the deep and reverse pleats should not hang below the hem of the aprons.



Here I have lifted the apron to show where the apron tips have been turned up and sewn.



We use two methods of dealing with apron tips. One you can see here.
Looking at the hem of the reverse pleat from outside.


And what it looks like from the inside.


You can clearly see where the hem of the kilt is cut on an angle before the kilt is pleated. The angled area is hemmed as we sew the entire hem of the kilt. This method requires good angle measuring and precise hemming. It is fairly time consuming.

Another method we borrowed from Tartan kilt making.

The hem is turned up after the kilt is pleated.
Again looking from the inside at the reverse pleat.





Did you happen to get photos of the 'apron tips' before you turned them up?

If these tips were not turned up and stitched down this is definitely something we should have caught in QC.

We stand behind every kilt that leaves this shop and will make this right for you.

Please contact me directly via email.

If you would like to send the kilt back for warranty I will, of course, pay for the shipping both ways.

If you would like to have a tailor do the sewing we will cover the costs of the tailor.

Just let me know which you would prefer.

[seanachie]

I have seen the measurements on Steve's page before and never quite got the slope thing.
Your picture offers an excellent illustration.

BTW, hopefully there isn't an issue with the kilt but should there be that is pretty good service.

[Mael Coluim]

Great presentation photos of a fine looking kilt.

[Whidbey78]

Compensating for a sloping waistband is something I have yet to try. Honestly, it never really crossed my mind, but I might give it a shot just to stretch my kiltmaking legs, so to speak. Your pic really illustrates it well. Thanks for the idea! It was well done too. If you hadn't drawn lines I wouldn't have noticed it...which is sort of the point I think.

Good looking kilt. I'm sure you'll get a lot of good use from it!

[The Wizard of BC]

I am not the inventor of slope in kilts. In fact if you can find the photo that pops up on the forum every once in a while of the Royal Closet with kilts hanging in it you will see slope built into two of the three visible kilts. I am however, the only kiltmaker I know of, that builds slope into the design of every kilt we make.

But as an Engineer I could not ignore slope when I saw the big pucker in the front of the aprons of many kilts.

If you wear a 'traditionally' made kilt, at the natural waist, slope is not needed. The waist banding will be horzontal. But the lower you wear the waist of the kilt the more slope is apparant.

As I offer kilts, custom made to the waist position prefered by the customer, 99% of the kilts I make have at least some degree of slope.

I will caution anyone attempting slope to expect at least a few failures. It is not the 'beer gut cut' that some of you may be familiar with. It took me a while to figure out how best to do it. How it is done here at FK is sort of a trade secret. It involves 4 mirrors, the smoke of two pipes and lots of hand waving and chanting of the kiltmakers OM. "SWIIIISH", "SWIISH"

[CMcG]

A well constructed kilt and a kilt-maker who stands behind his product; I like That slope picture is indeed informative.

[Mike in Dayton]

Mike,

Did you happen to get photos of the 'apron tips' before you turned them up?

Yes I did. Sent you an email with links to the pictures.

Mike

[Steve Ashton]

Hi Mike,

I got your email but won't be able to open the pics till I get to the kilt shop tomorrow.

The best way to return the kilt is put it back in the original box and packaging (if you still have it) and send via US Post.

When you get to the post office they will give you a customs form to fill out.

Put on the form - "return to manufacturer for alterations".

The address for the shop is on the return address label and also on the original shipping form taped to the upper right side of the box.

If you don't have the original box please send to

Freedom Kilts
1919 Fernwood Rd.
Victoria, BC
Canada V8T 2Y6

The phone number is 250-386-5458

Please send with a tracking number.

Once the box is on its way send me the tracking number via email and let me know how much the shipping cost was.