Hammer Kilt for Dan McKim

**Alan H** · 16th July 13, 11:14 AM

Quite a while ago, now I promised Dan McKim a kilt. Now, Dan is a very nice guy, is very sincere and open about his religious life, and is generally just a good dude. He also happens to be the 2010 and 2011 Heavy Athletics World Champion.....and I consider him to be a friend.

Well, the kilt that he's wearing nowadays is a sadly much-abused Stillwater that no longer deserves the word "pleats". I mean, this thing is trashed. So I told Dan I'd make him a kilt. He wanted it in the Fraser tartan. Well, there's a Fraser, Hunting in Polyester Viscose so that's what I went with.

Here's the thing.... I ordered 3 yards, since my usual way of making kilts for athletes is a 6 yard kilt.. However, this was obviously the end of the bolt, and one side of the fabric, the last 8-10 inches, was defaced by a marking pen listing what cloth it was so that the stock person at Scotweb could find it. So what Scotweb did was send me about 4 1/3 yards for the price of 3 yards. Whoah. So Dan is getting a full-on, "8 yard "/ 32 pleats kilt in the Fraser tartan.

This is pushing the edges of what works, I think, with just top-sewing pleats in polyester viscose. There's a bit too much mass in the fell area. I don't think it's a problem with a 6 yard, but it's kind of at the limit with an 8 yard. I want to top-stitch it with a machine since that's by far the strongest way to make a kilt like this, WAY stronger than hand-stitching and Dan, being who he is, and considering what he does, is brutally abusive to his kilts.

This must be quite old PV, because the selvedged edge is the "fringy" stuff that USA kilts used to make their PV kilts from, but recently Marton Mills seems to be producing PV with a nicer edge. Hmmm. Upshot was, I had to hem it....totally irrelevant for a throwing/pubbing kilt, but maybe not quite right for a fancy kilt to wear to the Saint Andrews Society Ball.

My pleating was pretty good, actually. It's not perfect, I could align things a bit better if I hand-sewed it, but this isn't bad. It's hella-beefy though. All that's left to do is the tartan waistband and then the leathers.

I'm giving it to Dan at the Portland Highland Games on Saturday, so I'll be busy at my machine on Wednesday night. Pictures after Portland!

Oh, "Hammer Kilts" is a moniker I made up for kilts that I make for athletes. It's not a business, I don't sell them for $$, they're gifts.

**Hawk** · 16th July 13, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Alan H

I'm giving it to Dan at the Portland Highland Games on Saturday, so I'll be busy at my machine on Wednesday night. Pictures after Portland!

So very nice of you Alan......

Hope you stop by and say hello. PM sent......

And for the rest of you Xmarkers, In the community of Oregon City, about 10 miles from the Portland Games, there is a wonderful Scottish Pub, with the most wonderful Fish N Chips, and other Scot grub and brews to be found in this whole area. Hopefully I'm not releasing any info here that is against the rules. The name of the Pub is "The Highland Stillhouse", in Oregon City, Oregon. Drop me a PM for further info.....

Maybe a get together of the Xmark members attending the PHG, is in order for Saturday evening there......

Hawk

**Alan H** · 18th July 13, 11:29 AM

Finished it last night in a marathon session that ended at 2:00 AM. I'm convinced that 8 yards of polyester viscose is too much without cutting out the inside of the pleats. Now I've tried it and I'm convinced. I did a special job with the leather on this kilt...specifically, the strap that buckles the over-apron to the buckle on the right side is VERY long...like over a foot long, so it's stitched into a load-bearing strap that I put into the waistband of the kilt, quite extensively. Dan can cinch this thing down like a crazy man and it will take the load.

I think I've now put into practice all of the features I would build into a kilt specifically for athletes. The Hammer Kilt design is finalized.

**Aspiringloser** · 18th July 13, 03:37 PM

Why does every post about kilts you make never include any pictures?

**Alan H** · 19th July 13, 01:13 PM

This one will, soon.... I give it to Dan on Saturday!

**sydnie7** · 19th July 13, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by Aspiringloser

Why does every post about kilts you make never include any pictures?

See, even Alan's kilts refuse to pose for pictures and will only be photographed in action!

**MrLion** · 20th July 13, 09:02 PM

I was there at the Portland Highland Games, met Alan and DID notice a nice kilt on Dan Kim I didn't recall the name of at the time.... it was indeed a Fraser Hunting PV..... very nice! Fantastic to meet you today Alan, and nice kilt for Dan. I've been seeing Dan Kim at the Portland Games for a few years here.... great athlete.

**LitTrog** · 25th July 13, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by Alan H

Oh, "Hammer Kilts" is a moniker I made up for kilts that I make for athletes. It's not a business, I don't sell them for $$, they're gifts.

Do you make Mallet Kilts for little guys?

I've said it before, you onion--you're much kinder and more generous than the average bear. And your "not-for-sale" approach ensures that your kilts are truly priceless. Dan seems quite pleased with his new HK! Very, very cool.