Tartan Material

[Donnie]

Does anyone out there know where I can get my hands on some relatively inexpensive tartan material, non registered. I would like to make my son a great kilt for ren fair. I'm looking for something in wool or poly, moderatly heavy, muted tones of brown, green, black, and grey. I want something that could be almost camo (if you get my drift). I just cant afford $200 or better for a great kilt.

[sirdaniel1975]

Go to you local fabric store.. Just check and make sure the width of the material is about 54" to 60". I've noticed many at around 44" wide (Joann's) which will not work right, unless the wearer is very short and thin.

There really is no construction in a "Belted Plaide." The pleats are manually folded and then the garment is belted around the wearer.

The feileadh-mor, "Belted plaide" was worn after the Renaissance period.

I spell plaide with "e" on the end to enforce the proper pronunciation.
Ex. pr. "The kids played in the grass."

[Cayusedriver]

Joanne's Fabricks had (as of this past weekend & may be still going on) 30% sale on Poly/visco in various tartans, including; black watch, stewart, stewart black, and number of fashion tartans. I don't remember the width, but you could buy two about 4 yard long (average adult) and sew them down the middle as was originally done in the Highlands, or so some history reports. I think it was $7.99 a yard, you might also try Joanne's on line. Sometimes they have coupons 40% off non sale items, I believe there is a sale on right now from the 7th to the 13th. Check on line, but; your local store should have them at the check out counter.

Good Luck!

Gene

[Cayusedriver]

Donnie:

It's Joann.com for on line store. Sale flyer that expired September 6, (although the poly/visco (they may call them poly/rayon) have been 30% off through two or three sales events) lists the fabric as "Class Act Sportswear Fabric Collection $5.59 - 6.99 yd (sale price)." They have always been displayed on verticle sales racks in the front of all the Joann's I've been to; Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virgina, North Carolina. Some are twill. You will have to look at the particular fabric itself that interests you to determine whether or not it is twill. There IS a sale currently called "Coupon Commotion." It runs from 9/7 to 9/13 has 40% off (non-sale priced) items including "any one regular preiced fabric" (a single cut by the yard = 1 item).

Hope this helps,

Gene

[Carolina Kiltman]

Donnie:

(although the poly/visco (they may call them poly/rayon)

Gene

Just thought I'd throw this in. Rayon is/was a trade name for an "artificial silK" of many years back. (1920's I think) There are, if I remember correctly, two types. Today it is a generic term, we call it "rayon". On the other side of the Atlantic, it is called "Viscose" For all practical purposes, they are one and the same now.

[BEEDEE]

Possibly outside your price range just now, but when you are ready to go the next step, check out this eBay store. http://stores.ebay.com/CLANTARTANPLA...sxQ3asstQQtZkm

Brian

[Pleater]

These days the single width fabrics are wider than the hand looms used for the joined together great kilts.

You would need a total of around 54 inch width - that is the standard double width woollen material. Some material is now made to 60 inch width, though that does tend to be the woollen mixed with a man made fibre or cotton fabrics.

If you could find a narrower fabric in a heavy enough material you could make do, thought those widths are usually dressmaking materials and rather lightweight.

It would not be too hard to make a neat join in two lengths of narrower fabric, say 45inches wide, after trimming off some from both lengths. It would be a dead give away if the seam was not in the middle, but making a french seam - like denim jeans outer leg seams, where the raw edges are folded inside, in the middleof the finished item would be hardly detectable.

OK - if you have long legs you could make it with the lower piece longer than the top - but the seam and the belt to coincide when worn is probably the rule. Perhaps the seam worn just above the belt would help to keep it level and looking neat.

I had a long skirt that was always sliding out from under the belt until I threaded a rouleau (small tube) of material into the casing at the waist, which was just enough for the belt to hold it.

I can't walk past a fabric shop these days, I always have to go in and see if there is anything good enough for a kilt. The heavier materials are rare these days, but they are there to be found, even though they need to be searched out.

Always investigate both sides of a fabric. I found some brushed wool mix quite cheaply - the right side was no use, but the inside was a perfect twill woven almost tartan. When pressed the brushing reduces in thickness and makes a good pleat.

[Mark Keeney]

If you have a Hobby Lobby nearby they had some wool plaids for a reasonable price. No actual tartans that I could tell but they were wool and muted in color.

[Nick the DSM]

I think a hancock or local fabric store will have that.

[Aldisimo]

Both of the Hancock fabric stores in my town have a decent stock of poly-rayons in muted greys and olives, most of them 58" and 60" wide. They aren't very heavy; however, they don't have a kilt selvedge and will require a hem, which will add some weight. I think they're worth checking out if this chain of stores is in your vicinity.