Altering a Stillwater

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

In the tutorials and the kilt makers forum, BarbT has some excellent threads on basting a kilt for pressing (http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/b...x.html?t=35190), and the little bits of hem in a well made kilt (http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/l...x.html?t=40778).

Panache has loved his Stillwater weathered Lamont kilt to the point that I noticed it was stained and, well, stinky.

So I told him it was time to clean the thing.

We figured this would be a good time to make a few minor alterations to get the kilt to hang and wear a bit more perfectly. Don't get me wrong, Stillwaters are great kilts for the money and they wear fine as they are, but there are a few things I notice people bringing up time and again.

1) The underapron left hand edge hangs down below the apron.

2) The deep pleat on the left hand side of the apron tends to open out.

3) and 4) are related to 2) The deep pleat hangs below the edge of the apron and the apron has no A-shaping on the left hand side.

There is one other issue that I wasn't aware of until this morning. Let this be a lesson to you all. Ask the Wizard before you start any project. He generally knows more than the rest of us!

5) There is no steeking in a Stillwater, so the pleats want to sag in the back.

Unfortunately, I didn't do anything about that this time-maybe with the next wash!

Alright, so, pictures coming up in the next few posts.

Be well,

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

So, here's the kilt in its original form.

Note the "dangling hem", opened up left apron edge/deep pleat, and lack of A-shaping on the left hand edge of the apron.



I don't have a pleat shot of the original, but trust me, the pleats looked fine and were fine for quite a while, but began to flare at the bottom and lose their edge after a few years of "enthusiastic" use (read, hiking, dancing, and generally sweating a lot).

Here's what the water looked like (cold water, Woolite, and minimal agitation-hand washed in the tub) during washing. Not all of that is dirt, some is the dye of the kilt-now it's even more "weathered":



Then we hung it out to dry a bit (but not completely) before basting the pleats and pressing:



The important bits still to come, but I'm going to go eat lunch first.

Be well,

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

I did the bits of the hem before washing.

Here's the deep pleat, basted and now doing the hem stitch (herringbone-see The Art of Kiltmaking):



And the edge of the underapron. And yes, I cheated. I didn't take out the self facing, turn up the hem and then resew the facing. I was just too lazy.




Then we washed it and hung it as shown before, and I was getting ready to take it down, when I had a thought (and yes, it hurt a little). What better position to baste it in than hanging up?


As I worked my way up the pleats, I realized that there was one draw back. All right everyone, now hold your arms up above shoulder height...and hold them there....and hold them there....and hold them there...



My arms and shoulders really hurt the next day (yes, I'm not in very good shape!)

It was a hot evening, so my dear husband provided the refreshments:



And soon it was done!





But now, we must press the kilt...

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Maybe my arms hurt from the pressing as much as the sewing. Use an old pillow case and plenty of steam (spray the cloth, don't just use the steam setting on the iron). In this case, the kilt was still quite damp, which helped with steam production.



The washing had not removed all the dye that wanted to come out of this kilt-note that the press cloth has been dyed!



Laid out to dry:



And the finished product:



Here's the main trouble spot, and look how nice it looks now!



So, now, this beloved kilt has gained new life.

Next time it needs a washing, I will steek it to keep the pleats from sagging before I baste and repress the pleats, because they aren't perfect (a slight wave compared to when the kilt was first purchased), but it'll do.

Be well,

[Mipi]

As I worked my way up the pleats, I realized that there was one draw back. All right everyone, now hold your arms up above shoulder height...and hold them there....and hold them there....and hold them there...

Believe me, this is good cardiovascular workout.


Well done!

[Highlander31]

Nice work Star.

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

Thanks again everyone.

Well done M'lady - and nice fingernail polish too!

I'm glad you noticed my nails!

It does look a lot better, or is it the guy wearing that looks better? By the way, nice fingernail polish too.

He looks better every day.

Yay, you noticed my nails too!

My acrylics really need repressed. I think the main issue for me is I am daunted by the basting, I am not really that scared of the ironing, just the sewing.

Don't worry about the sewing-it's tedious, but nothing to be scared about. Nothing like cutting the cloth, which is irreversible. You can always pick out stitches if they don't look right, but you can't put things back together that have been cut!

Be well,

[Alan H]

Nicely done, Star. **clapping noises heard**

[Phogfan86]

You had me at "I was just too lazy." A woman after my own heart.

[Bugbear]

Cool.

Steeking.