Impressions of my dry cleaner...

**budd4766** · 19th July 10, 10:59 AM

Because I don't have an iron at my temporary home, and, to be honest, I'm just plain lazy, I took my black UK to a local dry cleaner today.

The young lady behind the counter took one look at it and went off...."do y'all play bagpipes?" "I just love the sound of bagpipes" "I cry every time I hear 'Amazing Grace' played on bagpipes".

In between all that, I think I squeezed in "No, I don't play, I just like wearing kilts" and got an "Oh. We'll have it by Wednesday."

**jForrester** · 19th July 10, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by budd4766

Because I don't have an iron at my temporary home, and, to be honest, I'm just plain lazy, I took my black UK to a local dry cleaner today.

The young lady behind the counter took one look at it and went off...."do y'all play bagpipes?" "I just love the sound of bagpipes" "I cry every time I hear 'Amazing Grace' played on bagpipes".

In between all that, I think I squeezed in "No, I don't play, I just like wearing kilts" and got an "Oh. We'll have it by Wednesday."

Oh, yes. I get the "Do you play bagpipes?" question all the time. I usually answer (accurately), "No, the guitar."

**CDNSushi** · 19th July 10, 05:54 PM

My stock answer to the bagpipe question is, "Well, if you found me some bagpipes, I'd be happy to play them for you. But unfortunately, I really don't think you'd appreciate the sound that would come out."

**adsmguy** · 19th July 10, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by jForrester

Oh, yes. I get the "Do you play bagpipes?" question all the time. I usually answer (accurately), "No, the guitar."

Mine is tuba. I love the blank stares.

**Riverkilt** · 19th July 10, 06:40 PM

Save the expense. Its easy to get great pleats from a cotton Utilikilt by making weighted clips to hang from the pleats while the kilt drys after washing.

Any big box store will have extra hanger clips. Then get half ounce fishing weights. Duct tape a half ounce fishing weight to each side of the hanger clip. May need about 50 depending on your size and the number of pleats.

Wash the kilt in the washing machine. Hang three hangers side by side from your shower rod - if you have one - then clip the Utilikilt waist to the hanger clips on the hangers. Then clip a weighted clip to the base of each pleat so the clip pulls the pleat into shape as the kilt dries.

No fuss, no muss. No need to iron.

**Kornkob** · 19th July 10, 06:49 PM

Seems to me if you will be washing it often--- rare earth magnets. then there's not duct tape.

**artificer** · 19th July 10, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by adsmguy

Mine is tuba. I love the blank stares.

LOVE that! Just imagine a tuba & xylophone band... all in kilts.

**Frank McGrath** · 20th July 10, 03:18 AM

My dry cleaner loves to see the kilt. For around $14.00 he cleans, irons. and displays the kilt. When I first took it to him, he asked all the inane questions. He now knows me and and the answers. He calls my kilt "The real thing", and takes very good care of it. He also puts it on his front rack (behind the counter) when it is done. He also takes good care of my tuxedo.

When people ask if I play the pipes, I just tell them that I can't even play the radio. When certain people ask me about the pipes, I just give them a blank stare and say, "What pipes?".

**seanachie** · 20th July 10, 07:29 AM

Originally Posted by Frank McGrath

My dry cleaner loves to see the kilt. For around $14.00 he cleans, irons. and displays the kilt. When I first took it to him, he asked all the inane questions. He now knows me and and the answers. He calls my kilt "The real thing", and takes very good care of it. He also puts it on his front rack (behind the counter) when it is done. He also takes good care of my tuxedo.

When people ask if I play the pipes, I just tell them that I can't even play the radio. When certain people ask me about the pipes, I just give them a blank stare and say, "What pipes?".

Frank:
What abbout the dry cleaning solvents? I am glad you have found a competent cleaner, I have seen several threads on destroyed kilts. However I also have seen postings indicating dry cleaning fluids are not good for kilts and actually remove important Oil?? or other elements in the wool and can lead to premature break down of the wool. Does your cleaner use some kind of "green" fluids or anything?

Another McGrath

**budd4766** · 20th July 10, 08:04 AM

Well, I've done the "hang and weight" thing before, and I've ironed before. Don't mind doing either, but, I just figured I'd let somebody else deal with it this time.

I don't mind the "pipes" question, it's not unexpected...you just don't see kilts everyday around here...what struck me more was, when she found out I didn't play, she wasn't interested in carrying the conversation any further...

Like she was thinking, "...you wear a kilt, but don't play bagpipes...so, you must just be weird..."