Traditional, hand-sewn kilt, finally!

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 12th April 09, 05:54 PM

A couple years back, I was graciously given a copy of The Art of Kiltmaking (thank you, Colin!), on the condition that when I finally used it (rather than just reading it over and over again and feeling overwhelmed) I would share the experience.

I finally got around to it.

Let me tell you, I am now a convert to all the advantages of a hand-sewn, custom made kilt.

But I also understand first hand why they are so expensive. If I charged by the hour, this kilt I just finished for my son would be worth about $2000.00.

I did NOT do a step-by-step pictorial of this project, because that would have just added more time to the project. If you want a tutorial, buy the book, I understand there's a new edition out!

Here is my only "in progress" picture, about 40 hours in (sewing in the lining, and, yes, the Martini is an essential part of the process):

To follow are pictures of the finished kilt and its first day of use. It was made from a length of fabric given to me by AlanH. The rest of this fabric went into making a kilt for The Black Knight which he wore to our Burn's Supper this year. This fabric is not wool (probably polyviscose), and is not even technically tartan (as the warp and weft patterns are not the same). In fact, the width of the black stripes varied from one end of the fabric to the other (compare the apron and underapron), which I didn't realize until I was preparing the waistband! It was bought from the bargain table at Jo Ann's Fabrics for very little money, which is what gave me the guts to actually experiment on it.

The outside of the kilt and the marvelous book that makes it possible. I put nylon straps and plastic buckles on this, because it's designed to be a "run about and get messy" kind of kilt:

The inside of the kilt:

Yes, it's pleated in the infamous "lawn chair" pattern, but I happen to love the way it opens up to the lighter pattern when the boy moves. And move he did today. The first thing her did when he put it on was to yell, "Yippee! It's not wool!". He has inherited the allergy, unfortunately.

First, though, we tried to get some formal pictures. Unfortunately, he'd already been racing about, so the kilt isn't very well centered in these shots.

Apron view:

Pleat shot:

Unfortunately, all I can see when I look at these pictures are the errors, but Sinbad is very happy with it-he says it's the most comfortable kilt he's ever worn, and I'm not sure I'll be able to get it off of him for bed tonight.

Let me tell you all something. Making a kilt for a 8, going on 9, year-old boy is like shooting at a moving target. In the two months it took me to make this (yes, it took two months of my spare time), he's already pretty much outgrown it.

More pictures (fun ones!) to come...

Be well,

**Rex_Tremende** · 12th April 09, 06:00 PM

Such a shame, passing on the addiction like that at so young an age...

But bravo on the project! What went through your mind when you put in that last stitch?

Regards,
Rex.

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 12th April 09, 06:04 PM

After formal pictures...

...we had Easter brunch and then went to the park and played.

Here he lounges with his uncle:

Now let's see how those pleats "swing"

Now, hold on, don't go jumping out of the swing!

No, really, I said, don't do that!

I guess that's another way of gettting a pleat shot.

The last, most rigorous test of any kilt is....

Wait for it.....

Kilted Twister!

All in all, a good first day for the kilt.

My next post will not have any pictures, just a brief summary of the process and challenges in this first "real" kilt.

Be well,

**BroosterB1** · 12th April 09, 06:07 PM

No moving targets are much easier to hit. Guessing the growth rate of any male child is akin to Delphic readings, the Gods only know. Mine is 17 and going through yet another growth spurt; eating like Sherman's Army in Georgia, sleeping long into the morn, adding bulk in places he's been skin and bone; I expect one day to find I'm looking up at him, soon.

The kilt is a grand piece of work, maybe one of the girls can wear it when the lad out grows it.....Cheers!

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 12th April 09, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Rex_Tremende

...snip...

What went through your mind when you put in that last stitch?

Regards,
Rex.

You need to ask?! I was already planning the next one(s)!

Originally Posted by BroosterB1

...snip...

...maybe one of the girls can wear it when the lad out grows it.....Cheers!

Unfortunately, I already had that thought. Sinbad has a few kilts he's outgrown, and I tried them on my daughter yesterday...her waist is already larger than his!

One of the reasons this project took as long as it did was because I put a substantial hem and hidden pleat in the kilt (to make room for alterations "later"). Little did I know that "later" was likely going to be in a few months, rather than next year. The way I put this kilt together, it will likely fit the boy until he's a teenager, but I'm not sure I'll go through the trouble of altering it. Then again, it would be good practice, before attempting alterations on a kilt made of more expensive (i.e. not free) fabric.

So, I promised a bit of a run down on the making of this....

Coming up...

Be well,

**The F-H.C.A.G.** · 12th April 09, 06:37 PM

First of all, I'm left-handed.

There's a lovely little bit of boxed text in The Art of Kiltmaking.

It starts with..."So, you're left handed...ummm...." and goes on to explain that if so, you're just going to have to figure something out, because there is no way to hand sew a traditional kilt left-handed.

And, following the instructions on the book to the letter, it's true. The main concern is sewing the pleats. The technique used essentially requires that one sew the pleat edges with the right hand.

So, I became ambidextrous. After all, I'd already taught myself to perform surgery right handed, because I could not afford left-hand specific needle holders and scissors when I was in school. This has been a benefit in the long run, as it's not always possible to have such instruments available.

I've been told there's a way to sew the pleats left handed, but I'm not quite sure how that is possible without changing the instructions completely.

Now, I am planning on making some "mirror-image" kilts for myself and my daughter, in which case, I'll be able to reverse the instructions and sew left handed. I wonder if it will then seem awkward to me after making this kilt?

The rest of the instructions are also written for right handed people, but can be modified (with care, with care, turn the book over, double check, triple check) to use the left hand. As a matter of fact, many aspects of the internal construction seemed to be easier from the left handed perspective. Can any other lefties chime in and confirm this?

The fact that this "tartan" was very "off" with narrower black stripes on one half of the fabric than the other also presented a challenge. I could not seem to get the pleat/apron splits to work out and had to add another pleat (turns out it was because of the pleats narrowing as the black stripe narrowed, not just my inexperience!).

Shaping the apron and underapron was a challenge-use darts as instructed, don't try to avoid them!

I didn't even know what a pressing ham was until I did this project. Neither do any of the employees of any of the fabric stores in San Jose apparently!

I stair stepped a tiny bit right at the bottom of the fell and I think I didn't put enough tension on the bottom of the fell when basting the pleats, so we have a little ripple there.

I actually cut the inside of the apron hem by accident when cutting a basting thread (not removing the basting threads, rather during the basting process itself). This is going to make alterations interesting. I figure I'll just sew an X-Marks patch over the darned spot ("darned" as in sewn, not da@#$d).

I really wish I could have done this project in the same room with Alan (AlanH) and Richard (way2fractious). Kilt Kamp 2010, here I come!

Be well,

Star

**Wompet** · 13th April 09, 05:11 PM

Beautiful job there, Star.
Where did you get the idea of using nylon straps?

Originally Posted by The F-H.C.A.G.

First of all, I'm left-handed.

There's a lovely little bit of boxed text in The Art of Kiltmaking.

It starts with..."So, you're left handed...ummm...." and goes on to explain that if so, you're just going to have to figure something out, because there is no way to hand sew a traditional kilt left-handed.

As a lefty two-thirds of the way through his seventh hand-sewn kilt - I love that little box.

And, following the instructions on the book to the letter, it's true. The main concern is sewing the pleats. The technique used essentially requires that one sew the pleat edges with the right hand.
...

The rest of the instructions are also written for right handed people, but can be modified (with care, with care, turn the book over, double check, triple check) to use the left hand. As a matter of fact, many aspects of the internal construction seemed to be easier from the left handed perspective. Can any other lefties chime in and confirm this?

I find that to be true. But I also had the benefit of having an experienced left-handed kiltmaker at the '07 Kilt Kamp; she showed me how to interpret most of the book for a left-hander. This was a double blessing - it made things easier for me, and it kept Elsie from muttering things in Glaswegian while she was watching me.