First kilt in Black Watch miniature

**Erisianmonkey** · 15th December 06, 08:52 PM

As any of you who said hi to me in the newbie forum know, I recently decided to hack my great kilt down into a regular kilt. I thought I'd post a little bit on it over here. The material is House of Tartan's Black Watch miniature, in their mediumweight PV. Not having the leather for straps (and no cash right now), I used fastex buckles off of some old packs that I had that weren't doing me any good just sitting around. There are two belt loops that hit on either side of my spine, and the under apron is adjustable. Here's some close ups of the loops and the buckles. (Shameless brag, notice how hard it is to discern that there are pleats under those loops! I'm damn proud of myself! Then again, black watch mini is insanely easy to pleat.) (also, sorry about the photo qual, my camera sucks.)

**Tattoo Bradley** · 15th December 06, 10:23 PM

It looks pretty cool from what I can see.

**MacWage** · 16th December 06, 05:56 AM

Hi,

The pics look good, from what I can see. Are you using any guides for the kilt making process?
As for straps, a cheap way to do it is to go to the salvation Army/Goodwill/local thrift store with clothing. I got some good quality leather belts with appropriate buckles for $2 each. I use one one right side. On the left, I started doing what I thought was unique, but is exactly what our Tartan and kilt history scholar Matt Newsome does. I put the strap and buckle on the INSIDE of the kilt.

(From Matt's website)
On my personal kits, I use a nylon webing material with the "button" style latch. Officially called a "center release buckle" for 1" webbing strap. The result is strong, secure, thin (more comfortable), and VERY easy to use, while still looking "not modern" (if not exactly traditional with 1 visible strap and buckle). WHY? Because the strap and buckle digs into my hip/rear hip area, while the button/nylon doesn't.
Dritz item # 475

Not exactly a Cavscout special kilt strap (what I plan to use in the future).
http://www.oconeeleatherworks.com/MiscAcces.htm
BUT, the webbing/button buckle/cut down thrift belt is quite good in bang for the buck.

**slohairt** · 16th December 06, 08:22 AM

Dia Dhuit!

Looks good from what I can see!

I also use the inner strap system as it was taught to me by me granny! The only difference being that she put two straps on the right and sometimes used a smaller buckle on the inside left. If I recall, Matt says on his website that Bob Martin taught him this method after observing it on a kilt in a museum. Maybe it's more common than we think!

**Erisianmonkey** · 16th December 06, 03:29 PM

Thanks all. For instructions, I used a combination of websites. I didn't do any reverse pleating for the under apron though, that's something I'll change for my next kilt. Thanks for the advice on buckles. I do think I'll stick with the fastex until I get up the money to do another tartan tank though, they're really easy to deal with even when my arthritis is giving me hell.

For my next couple of kilts, I'm planning to do solid black material, sewn like a tank. I'm thinking of adding pockets, but I'm not sure how to do it yet. I was thinking about using a black cotton duck, but I've read in a thread somewhere around here that it's really hard to work with and uncomfortable as a kilt. I want something that's pretty hard wearing, but I also want something that's comfortable, or I might as well stay in trousers. (*not an option*-I will only wear trousers for work anymore-well, once I get a few more kilts done. I can't be completely de-pantsed with only one kilt.)

**slohairt** · 16th December 06, 08:43 PM

Dia Dhuit!

I recently made a solid black kilt. The material was medium-weight suiting wool from Wal-Mart! It was about $4.77CAN/metre (a little over $5.50 US?) Can't beat that! It's really nice stuff!