Great Kilt... which end is up?

[Dale Seago]

Ok, so I'm planning on picking up 5 yards of double width Buchanan hunting tartan.

Just for grins. . .

I just remembered that the lad standing at my right in the first photo, and whom I'm dispatching in the second, in this article is wearing Buchanan Hunting. As I recall it was either 4 or 4.5 yards.

[BuchananBiker]

In my experience nothing is "really weird stuff" unless you think it is weird. Basically between two consenting adults it is just good clean fun. Go for it lad.

So the kilt, the badger, the mayonaise, the midget and the leather swing set aren't weird? Oh good, I thought I needed therapy there for a minute...

[Ryan Ross]

Note: Liam was wearing a feilidh-beag and plaid, in that movie.

...may be more versatile and better suited to your... needs... too.

Just a thought.

[zirrow]

... and the leather swing set aren't weird? ...

just make sure you've got the swivel mounted into the rafters, it can ruin the all the trouble you've gone to in an instant if not

[Mark E.]

I have not seen my method diagramed anywhere, but here's how I have been doing it for about 15 years:

1. Lay belt with the inside up and buckle to your left, on a bed or floor.

2. Lay length of plaid with one end of the piece touching the buckle, and the center of the belt allowing the bottom half to hit exactly where you want your hemline.

3. Measure off 1/3 of your waist measurement from buckle-this stays unpleated.

4. Pleat 1/3 of your waist measurement-this means adding up the combined pleats to equal 1/3. For winter, I do this in 6-sett increments. For summer, 4.

5. Lay down with the 1/3 pleated portion in the center of your back. Fold LEFT hand portion over stomach. Grab RIGHT hand portion, and cross over from right to left.

6. At this point, if you have a sporran that goes on while belt is unbuckled, put it on. Likewise dirk or any other gadgets. FOLD the excess from the right to left material down, and tuck under belt.

7. Stand up, and adjust bunting piece on left to hang correctly, and square up apron. The apron break should be on the left side of your left leg.

8. The remaining material goes over your shoulder-left or right, your choice. Some folks tie it off, tuck it under a belt, or pin it here and there. In cold weather, I pin, then wrap as I get chilly-makes a decent cloak component.

You will have a doubled over pleated section at the back-you can adjust this to square at the bottom, or peak it by tugging on the bunting/apron.

Photos of myself wearing (8 yards by 54"w) it in such a fashion can be found in my albums. I can give you an idea of the shirt design as well, if you are interested-it's two combined patterns and untreated heavy weight linen.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/m...albums/mark-e/

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/m...n-kansas-2011/

[Mr.Charles Anthony]

Readers;
I also wear a Great Kilt; and use the drawstring method to make the pleats, less work than making loops or sewing the thing. Just put a loop at each pleat point, run a cord thru to make the lenght of the back pleats & tie it off. This method also allows you to use it as a blanket(which was the G K original meaning.
Also, make the two apron edges come to the middle of each leg, on a line with each kneecap. That way, when you sit, the sporran carrys the aprons down to hide the 'fiddle-bits' with no help of your hands(like a modern kilt-which I am hateing more & more).
With some practice, you will grow to love the Great Kilt. Note, you will also need practice on what to do with the upper parts, as well.
Have Fun
CSA

[Jay]

There are some pretty descriptive videos on YouTube you might want to peruse.

[James Hood]

So the kilt, the badger, the mayonaise, the midget and the leather swing set aren't weird? Oh good, I thought I needed therapy there for a minute...

Youse guys are leaning into a bit of the spirit from this writer's 2nd (almost ready for publisher) novel (actually, it's adventure-Jules verne-style modern lite sci-fi), a passage from which which goes like: (Yes, a major character is a kilted Scot)

“First day, Lady Anne, we’ll get rope and spray paint and inflatable pool toys and a trapeze and farm animals and a kiddie pool full of pudding and purple Afro wigs with lights and fifty gallons of Crisco and some skyrockets and a circus trapeze net and chicken costumes and squirt guns full of syrup and antler hats and some Rock Hopper penguins and a hundred eggs and dog suits and cheese spread and a stuffed wildebeest and peanut butter and day-glo red duct tape and caramel popcorn and body paint and plastic wrap and superhero masks and clown shoes and a funk band and a case of whipped cream and a pizza the size of a trampoline and full wet bar and joints as big as fungo bats and some Fudgesicles and kegs and a hot dog wagon for the audience and camera crews. Maybe a zebra. I like zebras.
“And then the next day we’ll start getting adventurous….”
“Mr. McArdle,” I said, “you are the fourth, no, fifth most repulsive, disgusting, salacious man I have ever known.”