Quote Originally Posted by NeightRG View Post
Different strokes indeed. I could be wrong, but I seem to recall Barb Tewksbury saying a while ago that there would have been instructions in "The Art of Kiltmaking" for using pins - as she does - but her co-author Elsie Stuehmeyer was ardently opposed their use. Can't find the post right now, though - so I could be in error.
Exactly, there are lots of different ways to make a kilt, and the use of pins, or indeed the lack of pins, doesn't neccesarily make a kilt maker better or worse.
I use a few pins when am sewing a pleat, to hold it in place, but I don't pin the whole kilt before I start.

I confess to thinking that is odd to publish a book saying don't pin, but in practise, use them.It would be a lot more honest to say that some makers do and some don't, and certainly for learner kiltmakers some pinning really does make it easier. I've looked at dozens of pictures of traditional kiltmakers and all of them use some pins.
But the point remains, pin if you want to, you don't have to, and by using them you are not a lesser maker.